They limb themselves, and color, shape, or size
Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare.
"Meanwhile in other parts like deeds deserved
Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought,
And with fierce ensigns pierced the deep array
Of Moloch, furious king; who him defied,
And at his chariot wheels to drag him bound
Threaten'd; nor from the Holy-One of heaven
Refrain'd his tongue blasphemous: but anon,
Down cloven to the waist, with shatter'd arms
And uncouth pain fled bellowing. On each wing
Uriel, and Raphaël, his vaunting foe,
Though huge, and in a rock of diamond arm'd,
Vanquish'd Adramelech, and Asmadai,
Two potent Thrones, that to be less than gods
Disdain'd, but meaner thoughts learn'd in their
[mail. Mangled with ghastly wounds through plate and Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy
The atheist-crew; but with redoubled blow
Ariel and Arioch, and the violence
Of Ramiel 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 heaven,
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
Cancell❜d from heaven and sacred memory,
Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell.
For strength from truth divided, and from just,
Illaudable, nought 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 swerved,
With many an inroad gored: 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 surprised,
Then first with fear surprised, 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 the' inviolable saints,
In cubic phalanx firm, advanced 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
[moved.
By wound, though from their place by violence
"Now Night her course began, and over heaven
Inducing darkness, grateful truce imposed,
And silence on the odious din of war.
Under her cloudy covert both retired,
Victor and vanquish'd: on the foughten field
Michaël and his angels prevalent
Encamping, placed in guard their watches round,
Cherubic waving fires: on the' other part,
Satan with his rebellious disappear'd,
Far in the dark dislodged; and, void of rest,
His potentates to council call'd by night;
And in the midst thus undismay'd began:
'O! now in danger tried, now known in arms Not to be overpower'd, Companions dear! Found worthy not of liberty alone,
Too mean pretence! but what we more affect,
Honor, dominion, glory, and renown;
Who have sustain'd one day in doubtful fight,
(And if one day, why not eternal days ?)
What heaven's Lord had powerfullest to send
Against us from about his throne, and judged
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 endured 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 pierced with wound,
Soon closing, and by native vigor heal'd.
Of evil then so small as easy think
The remedy: perhaps more valid arms,
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 the assembly next upstood Nisroch, of Principalities the prime; As one he stood escaped from cruel fight, Sore toil'd, his riven arms to havoc hewn, And cloudy in aspéct thus answering spake: 'Deliverer from new lords! leader to free
Enjoyment of our right 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 [pain
Valor or strength, though matchless, quell'd with
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 composed Satan replied:
'Not uninvented that, which thou aright
Believest so main to our success, I bring.
Which of us who beholds the bright surfáce
Of this etherious mold whereon we stand,
This continent of spacious heaven, adorn'd
With plant, fruit, flower 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 spiritous 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 the' other bore with touch of fire
Dilated and infuriate, shall send forth
From far, with thundering 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 Thunderer of his only dreaded bolt.
Nor long shall be our labor; yet ere dawn,
Effect shall end our wish. Meanwhile revive;
Abandon fear; to strength and counsel 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 revived.
The' invention all admired, and each, how he
To be the inventor miss'd; so easy' it seem'd
Once found, which, yet unfound, most would have
Impossible. Yet, haply, of thy race
In future days, if malice should abound,
Some one intent on mischief, or inspired
With devilish 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 ;
None arguing stood: innumerable hands
Were ready in a moment up they turn'd
Wide the celestial soil; and saw beneath
The' originals of nature in the crude
Conception: sulphurous and nitrous foam
They found, they mingled; and, with subtle art
Concocted and adusted, they reduced
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
Of missive ruin: part incentive reed
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