Into their place of punishment, the gulf
Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide
His fiery Chaos to receive their fall.
So fpake the fovran voice, and clouds began
To darken all the hill, and fmoke to roll
In dusky wreaths, reluctant flames, the fign
Of wrath awak'd; nor with lefs dread the loud
Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow:
At which command the Powers militant,
That stood for Heav'n, in mighty quadrat join'd
Of union irresistible, mov'd on
In filence their bright legions, to the found
Of inftrumental harmony, that breath'd
Heroic ardor to adventrous deeds
Under their God-like leaders, in the caufe
Of God and his Meffiah. On they move
Indiffolubly firm; nor obvious hill,
Nor ftrait'ning vale, nor wood, nor ftream divides 70
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; fo over many a tract
Of Heav'n they march'd, and many a province wide
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 fhields
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 furprife,
To win the mount of God, and on his throne
To fet the envier of his ftate, the proud
Afpirer, but their thoughts prov`d fond and vain
In the mid way: though strange to us it seem`d
At first, that Angel should 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 shout
Of battel now began, and rushing sound
Of onfet ended foon each milder thought.
High in the midst exalted as a God
Th' Apoftate in his fun-bright chariot fat,
Idol of majesty divine, inclos`d
With flaming Cherubim and golden. shields ;
Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now
"Twixt host and host but narrow space was left,
A dreadful interval, and front to front
Prefented stood in terrible array
Of hideous length: before the cloudy van,
On the rough edge of battel ere it join'd,
Satan with vaft and haughty strides advanc'd
Came towring, arm'd in adamant and gold;
Abdiel that sight endur'd not, where he stood
Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds,
And thus his own undaunted heart explores.
O Heav'n! that fuch resemblance of the Highest Should yet remain, where faith and reälty
Remain not: wherefore fhould not strength and might
There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove
Where boldeft, though to fight unconquerable?
His puiffance, trusting in th' Almighty's aid,
d-mean to try, whofe reafon I have try'd
Unfound and falfe; nor is it ought but juft,
That he who in debate of truth hath won
Should win in arms, in both disputes alike
Victor; though brutish that contést and foul,
When reafon hath to deal with force, yet fo
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.
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 side
Abandon'd at the terror of thy power
Or potent tongue: fool, not to think how vain
Against th' Omnipotent to rise in arms;
Who out of smallest things could without end
Have rais'd inceffant armies to defeat
Thy folly; or with folitary hand
Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow
Unaided could have finish'd thee, and whelm'd
Thy legions under darkness: but thou seest
All are not of thy train; there be who faith
Prefer, and piety to God, though then
To thee not visible, when I alone
Seem'd in thy world erroneous to diffent
From all my fect thou feeft; now learn too late
How few fometimes may know, when thousands err.
Whom the grand foe with scornful eye askance
Thus anfwer'd. Ill for thee, but in wifh'd hour 150
Of my revenge, first fought for thou return'ft
From flight, feditious Angel, to receive
Of this right hand provok'd, fince first that tongue
Thy merited reward, the first affay
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
Destruction to the reft: this pause between
(Unanswer'd left thou boast) to let thee know;
At first I thought that Liberty and Heaven
To heav'nly fouls had been all one; but now
I see that most through sloth had rather serve,
Miniftring Spirits, train'd up in feast and fong;
Such haft thou arm'd, the minstrelfy of Heaven,
Servility with freedom to contend,
As both their deeds compar'd this day fhall prove. 170
To whom in brief thus Abdiel ftern reply'd. Apoftate, till thou err'ft, nor end wilt find
Of erring, 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,
Thyself not free, but to thyself 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, worthiest to be obey'd;
Yet chains in Hell, not realms expect: mean while
From me return'd, as erft thou faidft, from flight,
This greeting on thy impious creft receive.
So faying, a noble stroke he lifted high,
Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell
On the proud crest of Satan, that no fight,
Nor motion of swift thought, lefs could his shield
Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge
He back recoil'd; the tenth on bended knee
His maffy fpear upftay'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
Of battel; whereat Michael bid found
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