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, overwhelmed 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 horrour 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, unpursued, Through Heaven's wide champain held his way; till Morn, Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand Unbarred the gates of light. There is a cave 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: Light issues forth, and at the other door 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, arrayed in gold Empyreal; from before her vanished Night, Shot through with orient beams: when all the plain Covered with thick embattled squadrons bright, Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms: To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds By thousands and by millions, ranged for fight; Rebellious them with fire and hostile arms 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 awaked: nor with less dread the loud That stood for Heaven, in mighty quadrate joined In silence their bright legions, to the sound Nor straitening vale, nor wood, nor stream, divides Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground Their march was, and the passive air upbore Their nimble tread; as when the total kind Of birds, in orderly array on wing, Came summoned over Eden, to receive Their names of thee; so over many a tract Of Heaven they marched, and many a province wide, Tenfold the length of this terrene at last, Far in the horizon to the north appeared From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretched Bristled with upright beams innumerable Of rigid spears, and helmets thronged, and shields Unanimous, as sons of one great Sire, Hymning the Eternal Father: but the shout With flaming Cherubim, and golden shields; Of hideous length) before the cloudy van, |