To blackest grain, and into store convey'd :
Part hidden veins digged up (nor hath this earth
Entrails unlike) of mineral and stone,
Whereof to found their engines and their balls

515

Up rose the victor-Angels, and to arms

525

The matin trumpet sung in arms they stood

Of golden panoply, refulgent host,

Soon banded; others from the dawning hills

Look round, and scouts each coast light-armed scour,

Each quarter to descry the distant foe,

530

Where lodged, 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, or Cherubim the swiftest wing,
Came flying, and in mid air aloud thus cried :

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

535

540

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,

545

But rattling storms 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 moved embattled: When behold!
Not distant far with heavy pace the foe
Approaching gross and huge, in hollow cube

550.

Training his devilish enginery, impaled

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, Heaven!
Heaven, witness thou anon! while we discharge
Freely our part: ye, who appointed stand,
Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch
What we propound, and loud that all may hear!
So scoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce
Had ended; when to right and left the front
Divided, and to either flank retired:
Which to our eyes discover'd, new and strange,
A triple mounted row of pillars laid

On wheels (for like to pillars most they seem'd,

Or hollow'd bodies made of oak or fir,

555

560

565

570

With branches lopp'd, in wood or mountain fell'd,) 575 Brass, iron, stony mould, had not their mouths

With hideous orifice gaped on us wide,

Portending hollow truce: At each behind
A Seraph stood, and in his hand a reed

Stood waving tipp'd with fire: while we, suspense,
Collected stood within our thoughts amused,

580

Not long for sudden all at once their reeds

:

Put forth, and to a narrow vent applied

With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame,

584

But soon obscured with smoke, all Heaven appear'd,

From those deep-throated engines belch'd, whose roar

Embowel'd with outrageous noise the air,
And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul

Their devilish glut, chain'd thunderbolts and hail
Of iron globes; which, on the victor host

590

Level'd, with such impetuous fury smote,

That, whom they hit, none on their feet might stand,
Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell
By thousands, Angel on Archangel roll'd;

The sooner for their arms; unarm'd, they might 595
Have easily, as Spirits, evaded swift

By quick contraction or remove; but now
Foul dissipation follow'd, and forced rout;
Nor served it to relax their serried files.

What should they do? if on they rush'd, repulse 600
Repeated, and indecent overthrow

Doubled, would render them yet more despised,
And to their foes a laughter; for in view
Stood rank'd of Seraphim another row,
In posture to displode their second tire
Of thunder: Back defeated to return

They worse abhorr'd. Satan beheld their plight,
And to his mates thus in derision call'd:

605

O Friends! why come not on these victors proud? Fre while they fierce were coming; and when we 610 To entertain them fair with open front

And breast, (what could we more ?) propounded terms Of composition, straight they changed their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell,

As they would dance; yet for a dance they seem'd 615 Somewhat extravagant and wild; perhaps

For joy of offer'd peace: But I

suppose

If our proposals once again were heard,

We should compel them to a quick result.

To whom thus Belial, in like gamesome mood: 620 Leader! the terms we sent were terms of weight, Of hard contents, and full of force urged home, Such as we might perceive amused them all, And stumbled many: Who receives them right Had need from head to foot well understand; Not understood, this gift they have besides, They show us when our foes walk not upright.

So they among themselves in pleasant vein

625

Stood scoffing, heighten'd in their thoughts beyond

All doubt of victory: Eternal Might

To match with their inventions they presumed

So easy, and of his thunder made a scorn,

And all his host derided, while they stood
Awhile in trouble: But they stood not long;

630

636

Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms
Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose.
Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power,
Which God hath in his mighty Angels placed !)
Their arms away they threw, and to the hills
(For Earth hath this variety from Heaven

Of pleasure situate in hill and dale,)

640

Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew;
From their foundations loosening to and fro,
They pluck'd the seated hills, with all their load,
Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops
Uplifting bore them in their hands: Amaze,
Be sure, and terror seized the rebel host,

645

When coming towards them so dread they saw
The bottom of the mountains upward turn'd;
Till on those cursed engines' triple-row

650

They saw them whelm'd, and all their confidence
Under the weight of mountains buried deep;
Themselves invaded next, and on their heads
Main promontories flung, which in the air

654

Came shadowing, and oppress'd whole legions arm'd;
Their armour helped their harm, crush'd in and bruised
Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan;

Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind
Out of such prison, though Spirits of purest light, 660
Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown.

The rest, in imitation, to like arms

Betook them, and the neighbouring hills uptore:
So hills amid the air encounter'd hills,
Hurl'd to and fro with jaculation dire;

That under ground they fought in dismal shade ;

665

Far separate, circling thy holy mount,
Unfeigned Hallelujahs to thee sing,

Hymns of high praise, and I among them Chief.

745

So said, he, o'er his sceptre bowing, rose From the right hand of Glory where he sat ; And the third sacred morn began to shine, Dawning through Heaven. Forth rush'd with whirlwind The chariot of Paternal Deity,

[sound,

750

Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with Spirit, but convoy'd

By four Cherubic shapes; four faces each

Had wondrous; as with stars, their bodies all

And wings were set with eyes; with eyes the wheels Of beryl, and careering fires between;

756

Over their heads a crystal firmament,

Whereon a sapphire throne, inlaid with pure

Amber, and colours of the showery arch.
He, in celestial panoply all arm'd

760

Of radiant Urim, work divinely wrought,
Ascended; at his right hand Victory

Sat eagle-winged; beside him hung his bow

And quiver with three-bolted thunder stored;

And from about him fierce effusion roll'd

765

Of smoke and bickering flame and sparkles dire:
Attended with ten thousand Saints,

He onward came; far off his coming shone;

And twenty thousand (I their number heard)
Chariots of God, half on each hand, were seen;
He on the wings of Cherub rode sublime
On the crystalline sky, in sapphire throned,
Illustrious far and wide; but by his own
First seen; them unexpected joy surprised,
When the great ensign of Messiah blazed
Aloft by Angels borne, his sign in Heaven;
Under whose conduct Michael soon reduced
His army, circumfused on either wing,
Under their Head embodied all in one.
Before him Power Divine his way prepared;

770

775

780