THE ARGUMENT. RAPHAEL continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his angels. The first fight described: Satan and his powers retire under night: he calls a council; invents devilish engines, which, in the second day's fight, put Michael and his angels to some disorder; but they at length pulling up mountains overwhelm both the force and machines of Satan: yet the tumult not so ending, God, on the third day, sends Messiah his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory: he, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and causing all his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them unable to resist, towards the wall of heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep: Messiah returns with triumph to his Father. PARADISE LOST. BOOK VI. "ALL night the dreadless angel, unpursu'd, "Through heaven's wide champaign held his way; till "Morn, "Wak'd by the circling Hours, with rosy hand "Unbarr'd the gates of light. There is a cave 5 "Within the mount of God, fast by his throne, "Where light and darkness, in perpetual round, "Lodge and dislodge by turns; which makes through "heaven "Grateful vicissitude, like day and night: 66 Light issues forth, and at the other door 10" Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour "To veil the heaven; though darkness there might well "Seem twilight here: and now went forth the Morn, "Such as in highest heaven, array'd in gold Empyreal; from before her vanish'd Night, 15 "Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain, "Cover'd with thick embattled squadrons bright, 20 "Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, 66 Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view. "War he perceiv'd, war in procinct; and found 66 Already known what he for news had thought 25 30 35 "To have reported: gladly then he mix'd "Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice, 666 Against revolted multitudes, the cause "Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; "Than violence: for this was all thy care, 666 Judg'd thee perverse. The easier conquest now 40 "Than scorn'd thou didst depart; and to subdue 45 50 666 66 6 Right reason for their law, and for their king "Gabriel! Lead forth to battle these my sons 666 66 6 Pursuing, drive them out from God and bliss, "Into their place of punishment,—the gulf "Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide 55 "His fiery chaos to receive their fall.' "So spake the Sovran Voice, and clouds began "To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll "In dusky wreaths reluctant flames, the sign "Of wrath awak'd! Nor with less dread the loud 60"Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow: "At which command the Powers militant "That stood for heaven, in mighty quadrate join'd "In silence their bright legions, to the sound "Under their god-like leaders, in the cause 70 "Nor straitening vale, nor wood, nor stream, divides. 75 "Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground "Came summon'd over Eden to receive "Their names of thee; so, over many a tract "Of heaven they march'd, and many a province wide, "Tenfold the length of this terrene. At last, "Far in the horizon to the north, appear'd 80" From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretch'd "In battailous aspect; and, nearer view, 85 "Bristled with upright beams innumerable "The banded powers of Satan, hasting on 90" Aspirer; but their thoughts prov'd fond and vain 95 "Unanimous, as sons of one great Sire, 66 Hymning the Eternal Father. But the shout "Of battle now began, and rushing sound "Of onset ended soon each milder thought. "High in the midst, exalted as a god, 100"The apostate in his sun-bright chariot sat, "Idol of majesty divine! enclos'd "With flaming Cherubim, and golden shields; "Then lighted from his gorgeous throne; for now ""Twixt host and host but narrow space was left,— 105 "A dreadful interval!-and front to front "Presented stood in terrible array "Of hideous length: before the cloudy van, "On the rough edge of battle ere it join'd, "Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanc'd, 110 "Came towering, arm'd in adamant and gold. 115 120 "Abdiel that sight endur'd not, where he stood "O heaven! that such resemblance of the Highest "Should yet remain, where faith and reälty "Remain not: wherefore should not strength and might "There fail, where virtue fails; or weakest prove, "Where boldest, though to sight unconquerable? "His puissance, trusting in the Almighty's aid, "I mean to try, whose reason I have tried "Unsound and false: nor is it aught but just "That he, who in debate of truth hath won, "Should win in arms, in both disputes alike "Victor; though brutish that contést, and foul, 125 "When reason hath to deal with force; yet so "Most reason is, that reason overcome.' "So pondering, and from his armed peers "Forth stepping opposite, half-way he met "His daring foe, at this prevention more 130" Incens'd, and thus securely him defied: "Proud, art thou met? Thy hope was to have reach'd "The height of thy aspiring unoppos'd"The throne of God unguarded, and his side 666 Abandon'd, at the terror of thy power, |