Lightning divine, ineffable, ferene,

Contemptuous, and his next fubordinate
Awak'ning, thus to him in fecret spake.
Sleep't thou, Companion dear, what fleep can
clofe

675

Thy cye-lids? and remember'ft what decree
Of yesterday, fo late hath pass'd the lips
Of Heav'n's Almighty. Thus to me thy thoughts
Waft went, i mine to thee was wont to impart;
Both waking we were one; how then can now
Thy fleep diffent? New laws thou feett impos'd;
New laws from him who reigns, new minds may
raife
680

In us who ferve, new counfels, to debate
What doubtful may enfue: more in this place
To utter is not fafe. ffemble thou

Of all thofe myriads which we lead the chief;
Tet! them that by command, ere yet dim night
Her hadowy cloud withdraws, I am to hafte, 686
And all who under me their banners wave,
Homeward with flying march where we poffefs
The quarters of the north; there to prepare
Fit entertainment to receive our king
'The great Meffiah, and his new commands,
Who fpeedily through all the hierarchies
Intends to pass triumphant, and give laws.

690

695

705

From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold;
The palace of great Lucifer, (fo call
That structure in the dialect of men
Interpreted) which not long after, he
Affecting all equality with God,
In imitation of that mount whereon
Meftah was declar'd in fight of Heaven,
The Mountain of the Congregation call'd;
For thither he affembled all his train,
Pretending fo commanded to confult
About the great reception of their king,
Thither to come, and with calumnious art
Of counterfeited truth thus held their ears.
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues,

760

765

770

701

So ipake the falfe Arch-Angel, and infus'd
Bad influence into th' unwary breast
Of his affociate : he together calls,
Or feveral one by one, the regent Powers,
Under him regent; tells, as he was taught,
That the moft High commanding, now ere night,
Now ere dim night had difincumber'd Heaven,
The great hierarchal standard was to move;
Tells the fuggefted caufe, and cafts between
Ambiguous words and jealoufies, to found
Or taint integrity: but all obey'd
The wonted figual, and fuperior voice
Of their great potentate; for great indeed
His name, and high was his degree in Heaven;
His count'nance, as the morning ftar that guides
The ftarry flock, allur'd them, and with lies
Drew after him the third part of Heav'n's hoft.
Mean while th' eternal eye, whofe fight difcerns
Abitrufeft thoughts, from forth his holy mount
And from within the golden lamps that burn
Nightly before him, faw without their light
Rebellion rifing, faw in whom, how spread 715
Among the fons of morn, what multitudes
Were banded to oppofe his high decree;
And fmiling to his only Son thus faid.

Son, thou in whom my glory I behold
In full refplendence, Heir of all my might,
Nearly it now concerns us to be fure
Of our omnipotence, and with what arms
We mean to hold what anciently we clame
Of deity or empire; fuch a foe

720

725

Is rifing, who intends to' erect his throne
Equal to ours, throughout the fpacious north;
Nor fo content, hath in his thought to try
In battel, what our pow'r is, or our right.
Let us advife, and to this hazard draw
With speed what force is left, and all employ 730
In our defenfe, left unawares we lofe
This our high place, our fanctuary, our hill.

To whom the Son with calm afpéct and clear,

Powers,

775

780

785

If these magnific titles yet remain
Not merely titular, fince by decree
Another now hath to himself ingrofs'd
All pow'r, and us eclips'd under the name
Of King anointed, for whom all this hafte
Of midnight march, and hurried meeting here,
This only to confult, how we may beit
With what may be devis'd of honors new
Receive him coming to receive from us
Knee-tribute yet unpaid, proftration vile,
Too much to one, but double how indur'd
To one and to his image now proclaim'd?
But what if better counfels might erect
Our minds, and teach us to caft off this yoke?
Will ye fubmit your necks, and choose to bend
The fupple knee? ye will not, if I truft
To know ye right, or if ye know yourselves
Natives and fons of Heav'n poffefs'd before 790
By none, and if not equal all, yet free,
Equally free; for orders and degrees
Jar not with liberty, but well confift.
Who can in reafon then or right affume
Monarchy over fuch as live by right
His equals, if in pow'r and fplendor lefs,
In freedom equal? or can introduce

795

Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground
Their march was, and the paffive air upbore
Their nimble tread; as when the total kind
Of birds, in orderly array on wing,
Came fummon'd over Eden to receive
Their names of thee; so over many a tract
Of Heav'n they march'd, and many a province
wide

75

Among the mightieft, bent on highest deeds,
And thus his cwn undaunted heart explores.

O Heav'n! that fuch resemblance of the Higheft Should yet remain, where faith and reälty 115 Remain not wherefore fhould not strength and might

120

There fail where virtue fails, or weakeft prove
Where boldeft, though to fight unconquerable?
His puiffance, trutting in th' Almighty's aid,
I mean to try, whose reason I have try'd
Unfound and falfe; nor is it ought but just,
That he who in debate of truth hath won
Should win in arms, in both difputes alike
Victor; though brutish that contést and foul,
When reafon hath to deal with force, yet fo 125
Moft reafon is that reafon overcome.

So pondering, and from his armed peers
Forth stepping oppofit, half way he met
His daring foe, at this prevention more
Incens'd, and thus fecurely him defy'd.

130

Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have

reach'd

The highth of thy afpiring unoppos'd,

The throne of God unguarded, and his fide Abandon'd at the terror of thy power

140

85

Tenfold the length of this terrene: at last
Far in th' horizon to the north appear'd
From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretch'd
In battailous afpéct, and nearer view
Bristled with upright beams innumerable
Of rigid fpears, and helmets throng'd, and shields
Various, with boastful argument portray'd,
The banded Pow'rs of Satan hafting on
With furious expedition; for they ween'd
That felf-fame day by fight, or by furprise,
To win the mount of God, and on his throne
To fet the envier of his ttate, the proud
Afpirer, but their thoughts prov'd fond and vain
In the mid way: though ftrange to us it feem'd
At first, that Angel fhould with Angel war,
And in fierce hofting meet, who wont to meet
So oft in feftivals of joy and love
Unanimous, as fons of one great fire
Hymning th' eternal Father: but the fhout
Of batte now began, and rushing found
Of onfet ended foon each milder thought.
High in the midft exalted as a God

89

95

err.

145

Whom the grand foe with scornful eye askance Thus anfwer'd. Il for thee, but in wifh'd hour Of my revenge, first sought for, thou return'ft 151 From flight, feditious Angel, to receive Thy merited reward, the first affay

155

160

105

Of this right hand provok'd, fince first that tongue
Infpir'd with contradiction durft oppose
A third part of the Gods, in fynod met
Their deities to affert, who while they feel
Vigor divine within them, can allow
Omnipotence to none. But well thou com'ft
Before thy fellows, ambitious to win
From me fome plume, that thy fuccefs may show
Deftruction to the rcft: this pause between
(Unanfwer'd left thou boaft) to let thee know;
At first I thought that Liberty and Heaven
To heav'nly fouls had been all one; but now 165
I fee that most through floth had rather ferve,
Miniftring Spirits, train'd up in feast and song;
Such haft thou arm'd, the minftrelly of Heaven,
Servility with freedom to contend,

With flaming Cherubim and golden fhields;
Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now
'Twixt hoft and poft but narrow fpace was left,
A dreadful interval, and front to front
Prefented flood in terrible array

Of hideous length: hufore the cloudy van,
On the rough edge of battel ere it join'd,
Satan with vast and haughty ftrides advanc'd
Came towring, arm'd in adamant and gold; 110
Abdiel that fight endur'd not, where he stood

175

Oferring, from the path of truth remote :
Unjustly thou deprav'ft it with the name
Of fervitude to ferve whom God ordains,
Or Nature: God and Nature bid the fame,
When he who rules is worthieft, and excels
Them whom he governs. This is fervitude,
To ferve th' unwife, or him who hath rebell'd
Against his worthier, as thine now ferve thee, 180
Thyfelf not free, but to thyfelf inthrall'd;
Yet lewdly dar'ft our miniftring upbraid.
Reign thou in Hell thy kingdom; let me ferve
In Heav'n God ever bleft, and his divine
Behefts obey, worthieft to he obey'd;

185

Yet chains in Hell, not realms expect: mean while From me return'd, as erst thou faidft, from flight, This greeting on thy impious creft receive.

191

So faying, a noble ftroke he lifted high, Which hung not, but so swift with tempeft fell On the proud creft of Satan, that no fight, Nor motion of fwift thought, lefs could his shield Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge He back recoil'd; the tenth on bended knee His maffy spear upstay'd; as if on earth Winds under ground, or waters forcing way Sidelong had push'd a mountain from his feat Half funk with all his pines. Amazement feiz'd The rebel Thrones, but greater rage to fee Thus foil'd their mightieft; ours joy fill'd, and shout,

Prefage of victory, and fierce defire

195

200

Of battel: whereat Michäel bid found
Th' Arch-Angel trumpet; through the vast of
Heaven

It founded, and the faithful armies rung
Hofannah to the High'ft: nor ftood at gaze 205
The adverse legions, nor less hideous join'd
The horrid fhock: now ftorming fury rofe,
And clamor fuch as heard in Heav'n till now
Was never; arms on armour clashing bray'd
Horrible difcord, and the madding wheels
Of brazen chariots rag'd; dire was the noise
Of conflict; over head the dismal hifs
Of fiery darts in flaming vollies flew,
And flying vaulted either hoft with fire.

210

215

So under fiery cope together rufh'd
Both battels main, with ruinous affault
And inextinguishable rage; all Heaven
Refounded, and had Earth been then, all Earth
Had to her center fhook. What wonder? when
Millions of fierce encountring Angels fought 220
On either fide, the leaft of whom could wield
These elements, and arm him with the force
Of all their regions: how much more of power
Army' against army numberless to raise
Dreadful combuftion warring, and disturb,
Though not deftroy, their happy native feat;
Had not th' eternal King omnipotent
From his ftrong hold of Heav'n high over-rul'd
And limited their might; though number'd fuch
As each divided legion might have feem'd
A numerous hoft, in ftrength each armed hand
A legion, led in fight, yet leader feem'd
Each warrior fingle as in chief, expert
When to advance,,or ftand, or turn the fway
Of battel, open when, and when to clofe

225

230

235

The ridges of grim war: no thought of flight,
None of retreat, no unbecoming deed

That argued fear; each on himself rely'd,
As only in his arm the moment lay

240

245

Of victory: deeds of eternal fame
Were done, but infinite; for wide was spread
That war and various, fometimes on firm ground
A ftanding fight, when foaring on main wing
Tormented all the air; all air feeni'd then
Conflicting fire: long time in even scale
The battel hung;-till Satan, who that day
Prodigions pow'r had shown, and met in arms
No equal, ranging through the dire attack
Of fighting Seraphim confus'd, at length
Saw where the fword of Michael fmote, and
250

fell'd

255

Squadrons at once; with huge two-handed sway
Brandifh'd aloft the horrid edge came down
Wide wafting; fuch deftruction to withstand
He hafted, and oppos'd the rocky orb
Of tenfold adamant, his ample shield,
A vaft circumference: At his approach
The great Arch Angel from his warlike toil
Surceas'd, and glad as hoping here to end
Inteftin war in Heav'n, th' arch-foe fubdu'd
Or captive dragg'd in chains, with hoftile frown
And vifage all inflam'd first thus began 261

Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt,
Unnam'd in Heav'n, now plenteous, as thou feeft
Thefe acts of hateful ftrife, hateful to all,
Though heaviest by just measure on thyfelf 265
And thy adherents: how haft thou disturb'd
Heav'n's bleffed peace, and into nature brought
Mifery, uncreated till the crime

Of thy rebellion! how haft thou instill'd
Thy malice into thoufands, once upright
And faithful, now prov'd falfe! But think not

here

270