Of Ramial, scorch'd and blasted overthrew.
I might relate of thousands, and their names
Eternize here on earth: but those elect
Angels contented with their fame in heav'n,
Seek not the praise of men; the other sort,
In might though wondrous and in acts of war,
Nor of renown less eager, yet by doom
Cancel'd from heav'n and sacred memory,
Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell.
For strength from truth divided and from just,
Illaudable naught merits but dispraise
And ignominy, yet to glory aspires
Vain-glorious, and through infamy seeks fame;
Therefore eternal silence be their doom.

And now their mightiest quell'd, the battle swerv'd
With many an inroad gor'd; deformed rout
Enter'd, and foul disorder; all the ground
With shiver'd armour strown, and on a heap
Chariot and charioteer lay overturn'd,

And fiery foaming steeds; what stood, recoil'd
O'er-wearied, through the faint satanic host
Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surpris'd,
Then first with fear surpris'd and sense of pain,
Fled ignominious, to such evil brought
By sin of disobedience, till that hour
Not liable to fear, or flight, or pain.
Far otherwise th' inviolable saints
In cubic phalanx firm advanc'd entire,
Invulnerable, impenetrably arm'd ;
Such high advantages their innocence

Gave them above their foes, not to have sinn'd,
Not to have disobey'd; in fight they stood

Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pain'd

By wound, though from their place by violence mov'd.
Now night her course began, and over heav'n
Inducing darkness, grateful truce impos'd,

And silence on the odious din of war:
Under her cloudy covert both retir'd,

Victor and vanquish'd; on the foughten field

Michael and his angels prevalent

Encamping, plac'd in guard their watches round,
Cherubic waving fires: on th' other part
Satan with his rebellious disappear'd,
Far in the dark dislodg'd; and void of rest,
His potentates to council call'd by night;
And in the midst thus undismay'd began :
O now in danger try'd, now known in arms
Not to be overpow'r'd, companions dear,
Found worthy not of liberty alone,

Too mean pretence, but what we more affect,
Honour, dominion, glory, and renown;
Who have sustain'd one day in doubtful fight
(And if one day, why not eternal days?)
What heav'n's Lord had pow'rfullest to send
Against us from about his throne, and judg'd
Sufficient to subdue us to his will,

But proves not so; then fallible it seems,
Of future we may deem him, though till now
Omniscient thought. True is, less firmly arm'd,-
Some disadvantage we endur'd, and pain,

Till now not known, but known as soon contemn'd;
Since now we find this our empyreal form

Incapable of mortal injury,

Imperishable, and though pierc'd with wound,
Soon closing, and by native vigour heal'd.
Of evil then so small as easy think

The remedy; perhaps more valid arms,
We

Weapons more violent, when next we meet,
May serve to better us, and worse our foes,
Or equal what between us made the odds,
In nature none: if other hidden cause
Left them superior, while we can preserve
Unhurt our minds and understanding sound,
Due search and consultation will disclose.

He sat; and in th' assembly next upstood
Nisroch, of principalities the prime;
As one he stood escap'd from cruel fight,

Sore toil, his riven arms to havoc hewn,
And cloudy in aspect thus answering spake:
Deliverer from new lords, leader to free
Enjoyment of our rights as gods; yet hard
For gods, and too unequal work we find,
Against unequal arms to fight in pain,
Against unpain'd, impassive; from which evil
Ruin must needs ensue; for what avails

Valour or strength, though matchless, quell'd with pain
Which all subdues, and makes remiss the hands
Of mightiest? Sense of pleasure we may well
Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine,
But live content, which is the calmest life:
But pain is perfect misery, the worst
Of evils, and excessive, overturns

All patience. He who therefore can invent
With what more forcible we may offend
Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm
Ourselves with like defence, to me deserves
No less than for deliverance what we owe.
Whereto with look compos'd Satan reply'd:
Not uninvented that, which thou aright
Believ'st so main to our success, I bring
Which of us who beholds the bright surface
Of this etherous mould whereon we stand,
This continent of spacious heav'n adorn'd
With plant, fruit, flow'r ambrosial, gems and gold;
Whose eye so superficially surveys

These things, as not to mind from whence they grow
Deep under ground, materials dark and crude,'

Of spirituous and fiery spume, till touch'd

With heaven's ray, and temper'd they shoot forth
So beauteous, opening to the ambient light?
These in their dark nativity the deep

Shall yield us pregnant with infernal flame,
Which into hollow engines long and round
Thick-ramm'd, at th' other bore with touch of fire
Dilated and infuriate, shall send forth

From far with thund'ring noise among our foes

Such implements of mischief, as shall dash
To pieces, and o'erwhelm whatever stands
Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarm'd
The Thund'rer of his only dreaded bolt.

Nor long shall be our labour: yet ere dawn,
Effect shall end our wish. Meanwhile revive;
Abandon fear; to strength and council join'd
Think nothing hard, much less to be despair'd.
He ended, and his words their drooping cheer
Enlighten'd, and their languish'd hope reviv'd.
Th' invention all admir'd, and each, how he
To be th' inventor miss'd; so easy it seem'd
Once found, which yet unfound most would have tho't
Impossible yet haply of thy race

In future days, if malice should abound,
Some one intent on mischief, or inspir'd
With dev'lish machination, might devise
Like instrument to plague the sons of men
For sin, on war and mutual slaughter bent.
Forthwith from council to the work they flew ;
Nor arguing stood; innumerable hands
Were ready; in a moment up they turn'd
Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath
Th' originals of nature in their crude
Conception: sulphurous and nitrous-foam
They found, they mingled, and with subtle art,
Concocted and adusted they reduc'd

To blackest grain, and into store convey'd;
Part hidden veins digg'd up (nor hath this earth
Entrails unlike) of mineral and stone,

Whereof to found their engines and their balls
Of missive ruin; part incentive reed
Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.
So all ere day-spring, under conscious night
Secret they finish'd, and in order set,
With silent circumspection unespy'd.

Now when fair morn orient in heav'n appear'd,

Up rose the victor angels, and to arms
The matin trumpet sung: in arms they stood

Of golden panoply, refulgent host,

Soon banded; other from the dawning hills

Look'd round, and scouts each coast, light-armed scour
Each quarter, to descry the distant foe.

Where lodg'd, or whither fled, or if for fight,
In motion, or in halt; him soon they met
Under spread ensigns moving nigh, in slow
But firm battalion; back with speediest sail
Zophiel, of cherubim the swiftest wing,
Came flying, and in mid air aloud thus cry'd:

Arm, warriors, arm for fight; the foe at hand,
Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit
This day; fear not his flight; so thick a cloud
He comes, and settled in his face I see

Sad resolution and secure: let each

His adamantine coat gird well, and each
Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield,
Borne even or high; for this day will pour down,
If I conjecture aught, no drizzling shower,
But rattling storm of arrows barb'd with fire.

So warn'd he them aware themselves, and soon
In order, quit of all impediment,

Instant without disturb they took alarm,
And onward mov'd embattled: when behold
Not distant far with heavy pace the foe
Approaching gross and huge, in hollow cube
Training his dev'lish enginery, empal'd

On every side with shadowing squadrons deep,
To hide the fraud. At interview both stood
Awhile; but suddenly at head appear'd
Satan, and thus was heard commanding loud:
Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold!
That all may see who hate us, how we seek
Peace and composure, and with open breast
Stand ready to receive them, if they like
Our overture, and turn not back perverse;
But that I doubt: however witness heav'n,
Heav'n witness thou anon, while we discharge
Freely our part: ye who appointed stand,