Conflicting fire: long time in even scale
The battle hung; till Satan, who that day
Prodigious power had shewn, and met in arms
No equal, raunging through the dire attack
Of fighting feraphim confus'd, at length
Saw where the fword of Michael fmote, and fell'd
Squadrons at once, with huge two-handed fway
Brandifht aloft the horrid edge came down
Wide wafting; such deftruction to withstand
He hafted, and oppos'd the rockie orb
Of tenfold adamant, his ample thield
A vaft circumference: at his approach
The great arch-angel from his warlike toil
Surceas'd, and glad as hoping here to end
Inteftine e war in heav'n, the arch foe fubdu'd
Or captive drag'd in chains, with hostile frown
And vifage all enflam'd' firft thus began.
Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt,
Unnam'd in 'heav'n, now plenteous, as
Thefe acts of hateful ftrife, hateful to all,
Though heaviest by just measure on thyself
And thy adherents: how haft thou disturb'd
Heav'n's bleffed peace, and into nature brought
Miferie, uncreated till the crime
Of thy rebellion? how haft thou inftill'd
Thy malice into thousands, once upright
And faithful, now prov'd falfe. But think not here
To trouble holy rest; heav'n cafts thee out
From all her confines. Heav'n the feat of blifs
Brooks not the works of violence and war.
Hence then, and evil go with thee along
Thy ofspring, to the place of evil, hell,
Thou and thy wicked crew; there mingle broiles,
Ere this avenging sword begin thy doome,
Or fome more fudden vengeance wing'd from God
Precipitate thee with augmented pain.
So fpake the prince of angels; to whom thus
The adverfarie. Nor think thou with wind
Of airie threats to awe whom yet with deeds
Thou canst not. Hast thou turn'd the least of thefe
To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise
Unvanquisht, easier to transact with me
That thou shouldst hope, imperious, and with threats
To chafe me hence ? erre not, that so shall end
The ftrife which thou call'ft evil, but we style
The ftrife of glorie: which we mean to win,
Or turn this heav'n itself into the hell
Thou fableft, here however to dwell free,
If not to reign: mean while thy utmost force,
And join him nam'd Almighty to thy aid,
I flie not, but have fought thee far and nigh.
They ended parle, and both addrest for fight
Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue
Of angels, can relate, or to what things
Liken on earth confpicuous, that may lift
Human imagination to fuch highth
Of godlike power: for likeft gods they feem'd,
Stood they or mov'd, in ftature, motion, arms
Fit to decide the empire of great heav'n.
Now wav'd their fierie fwords, and in the air
Made horrid circles; two broad funs their shields
Blaz'd oppofite, while expectation stood
In horror; from each hand with speed retir'd
Where erft was thickest fight, th'angelic throng,
And left large field, unfafe within the wind
Of fuch commotion, such as to fet forth
Great things by small, if natures concord broke,
Among the constellations war were sprung,
Two planets rushing from aspect maligne
Of fiercest oppofition in mid skie,
Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound.
Together both with next to Almightie arm,
Uplifted imminent one stroke they aim'd
That might determine, and not need repeate,
As not of power, at once; nor odds appeer'd
In might or swift prevention ; but the sword
Of Michael from the armorie of God
Was giv'n him temper'd fo, that neither keen
Nor folid might refift that edge: it met
The fword of Satan with steep force to smite
Defcending, and in half cut sheere, nor staid,
But with swift wheele reverse, deep entring fhar'd
All his fight fide; then Satan first knew pain,
And writh'd him to and fro convolv'd; fo fore
The griding fword with difcontinuous wound
Pafs'd through him, but th'ethereal fubftance clos'd
Not long divisible, and from the gash
A stream of nectareous humor issuing flow'd
Sanguin, fuch as celeftial fpirits may bleed,
And all his armour stain'd ere while fo bright.
Forthwith on all fides to his aid was run
By angels many and strong, who interpos'd
Defence, while others bore him on their shields
Back to his chariot; where it stood retir'd
From off the files of war; there they him laid
Gnashing for anguish and despite and shame
To find himself not matchless, and his pride
Humbl'd by fuch rebuke, so far beneath
His confidence to equal God in power.
Yet foon he heal'd; for fpirits that live throughout
Vital in every part, not as frail man
In entrailes, heart or head, liver or reines,
Cannot but by annihilating die;
Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound
Receive, no more than can the fluid air :
All heart they live, all head, all eye, all ear,
All intellect, all fenfe, and as they please,
They limb themselves, and colour, fhape or fize
Affume, as likes them beft, condense or rare.
Mean while in other parts like deeds deferv'd
Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought,
And with fierce enfignes pierc'd the deep array
Of Moloc' furious king, who him defi'd,
And at his chariot wheels to drag him bound
Threatn'd, nor from the holie one of heav'n
Refrein'd his tongue blafphemous; but anon
Down cloven to the wafte, with shatter'd arms
And uncouth pain fled bellowing. On each wing
Uriel and Raphael his vaunting foe,
Though huge, and in a rock of diamond arm'd,
Vanquish'd Adramelec, and Asmadai,
Two potent thrones, that to be less then gods
Disdain'd, but meaner thoughts learn'd in their flight,
Mangl'd with gaftly wounds through plate and maile,
Nor ftood unmindful Abdiel to annoy
The atheift crew, but with redoubl'd blow
Ariel and Arioc, and the violence
Of Ramiel fcorcht and blasted overthrew.
I might relate of thoufands, 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 fort
In might though wondrous and in acts of war,
Nor of renown lefs eager, yet by doome
Cancel'd from heav'n and facred memorie,
Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell.
For ftrength from truth divided and from juft,
Illaudable, naught merits but difpraise
And ignominie, yet to glorie afpires
Vain glorious, and through infamie feek fame:
Therefore eternal filence be their doome.
And now their mightieft quell'd, the battle fwerv'd,
With many an inrod gor'd; deformed rout
Enter'd, and foul diforder; all the ground
With fhiver'd armour frown, and on a heap
Chariot, and charioteer lay overturn'd
And fiery foaming steeds; what stood, recoyl'd
Orewearied, through the faint fatanic hoft
Defenfive scarce, or with pale fear furpris'd,
Then first with fear furpris'd and sense of pain
Fled ignominious, to fuch evil brought
By fin of disobedience, till that hour
Not liable to fear or flight or pain.
Får otherwife the inviolable faints
In cubic phalanx firm advanc't entire,
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