By FONTAR ABBIA. Thus far these beyond
Compare of mortal prowess, yet obferv'd
Their dread commander: he, above the rest
In fhape and gefture proudly eminent,
Stood like a tow'r: his form had yet not loft
All her original brightnefs, nor appear'd
Lefs than Arch-Angel ruin'd, and th' excefs
Of glory obfcur'd: as when the Sun new-ris'n
Looks thro' the horizontal mifty air,

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595

600

605

Shorn off his beams; or from behind the moon
In dim eclipfe, difaftrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes Monarchs; darken'd fo, yet fhone
Above them all th' Arch-Angel: but his face
Deep fears of thunder had intrench'd, and care
Sate on his faded cheek, but under brows
Of dauntless courage, and confid'rate pride
Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but caft
Signs of remorfe and paffion to behold
The fellows of his crime, the followers rather,
(Far other once beheld in blifs) condemn'd
For ever now to have their lot in pain;
Millions of fpirits for his fault amerc'd
Of heav'n, and from eternal fplendors flung
For his revolt, yet faithful now they flood,
Their glory wither'd: as when heaven's fire
Hath feath'd the foreft oaks, or mountain pines,
With finged top their flately growth tho' bare
Stands on the blafted heath. He now prepar'd 615
To fpeak, whereat their doubled ranks they bend
From wing to wing, and half inclofe him round
With all his Peers: attention held them mute :
Thrice he affay'd, and thrice in fpight of fcorn,
Tears, fuch as Angels weep, burst forth; at last 620
Words interwove with fighs found out their way.

610

O myriads of immortal fpirits! O Pow'rs Matchlefs, but with th' Almighty and that ftrife

Was

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Was not inglorious, tho' th' event was dire,
As this place teftifies, and this dire change,
Hateful to utter; but what pow'r of mind
Foreseeing or prefaging, from the depth.
Of knowledge paft or prefent, could have fear'd,
How fuch united force of Gods, how fuch
As ftood like thefe, could ever know repulfe? 630
For who can yet believe, tho' after lofs,
That all these puiffant legions, whofe exile
Hath emptied Heav'n, fhall fail to re afcend
Self-rais'd, and re-poffefs their native feat?
For me be witnefs all the hoft of heav'n,
If counfels different, or danger fhun'd
By me, have loft our hopes: but he who reigns
Monarch in Heav'n, 'till then as one fecure
Sate on his throne, upheld by old repute,
Confent or custom, and his regal state
Put forth at full, but ftill his ftrength conceal'd,
Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.
Henceforth his might we know, and know our own;
So as not either to provoke, or dread
New war, provok'd; our better part remains
To work in clofe defign, by fraud or guile,
What force effected not: that he no less
At length from us may find, who overcomes
By force, hath overcome but half his foe.

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Space may produce new worlds; whereof fo rife 650
There went a fame in Heav'n, that he ere long
Intended to create; and therein plant
A generation, whom his choice regard
Should favour equal to the fons of Heav'n:
Thither, if but to pry, fhall be perhaps
Our first eruption, thither or elsewhere:
For this infernal pit fhall never hold
Cæleftial fpirits in bondage, nor th'abyfs
Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts
Full counfel muft mature: peace is defpair'd,

660

For who can think fubmiffion? war then, war
Open or understood must be refolv'd.

He fpake and to confirm his words out-flew Millions of flaming fwords, drawn from the thighs Of mighty Cherubim: the fudden blaze 665 Far round illumin'd Hell; highly they rag'd Against the Higheft, and fierce with grafped arms Clafh'd on their founding fhields the din of war, Hurling defiance toward the vault of heav'n.

675

There ftood a hill not far, whofe grifly top 670
Belch'd fire and rowling fmoke; the reft entire
Shone with a gloffy fcurf, undoubted fign
That in his womb was hid metallic ore,
The work of fulphur; thither wing'd with fpeed
A numerous brigad haften'd: as when bands
Of pioneers, with fpade and pickax arm'd,
Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field,
Or caft a rampart: MAMMON led them on,
MAMMON, the leaft erected spirit that fell
From Heav'n; for ev'n in Heav'n his looks & thoughts
Were always downward bent; admiring more

The riches of Heav'n's pavement, trodden gold,
Than ought divine or holy elfe, enjoy'd
In vifion beatific: by him first

Men alfo, and by his fuggeftion taught,
Ranfack'd the centre, and with impious hands
Rifled the bowels of their mother earth,
For treasures better hid. Soon had his crew
Open'd into the hill a fpacious wound,

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And dig'd out ribs of gold. (Let none admire 690
That riches grow in Hell; that foil may best
Deferve the precious bane.) And here let those
Who boast in mortal things, and wond'ring tell
Of BABEL, and the works of MEMPHIAN Kings,
Learn how their greatest monuments of fame, 695
And ftrength and art are easily out- done
By fpirits reprobate, and in an hour.
What in an age they with inceffant toil,
And hands innumerable, scarce perform.