Æqualem dominari Æqualibus: ardua regni
Tene putas nactum faftigia? Tene, (Tuæve
Si gentis collectus honos fpiraret in uno)
Unigenam magni Natum æquiparare Parentis?
Per quem, ceu proprii quondam per numina Verbi,
Omnia, Teque ipfum Omnipotens cœlique Juventam
Ordine quemque fuo finxit, variisque locavit
In foliis His larga venit transfufa per Illum
Gloria, honofque ingens titulorum, hinc numine celfo
Augentur, verâ indomiti virtute Tyranni.
Nec quidquam noftri radiatum lumen honoris
Illius Imperium extinguit; fed & amplius effert.
Nunc etenim noftræ eft caput & Pars Ipfe Cohortis,
Illius & Leges noftræ ; nos evehit omnis
Illi oblatus honos. Ergo impia mitte furoris
Fulmina, nec comites laqueis involve fequaces.
Quin age, & incenfum pariter Natumque Patremque
Placare appropera, dum pacis amicior hora
That equal over equals Monarch Reign:
Thy felf, though great and glorious, doft thou
count,
Or all Angelic Nature join'd ín one,
Equal to Him begotten Son? By whom,
As by His Word, the mighty Father made
All things, ev'n Thee, and all the Spirits of Heav'n,
By Him created in their bright degrees:
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Pow'rs;
Effential Pow'rs: nor by his reign obscur'd,
But more illuftrious made; fince He the Head
One of our number thus reduc'd becomes;
His Laws our Laws; all honour to Him done
Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage,
And tempt not these; but haften to appease
Crown'd them with Glory, and to their Glory Th' incensed Father, and th' incensed Son,
Ridet adhuc, aditufque finunt jam tempora molles.
Nuntius hæc cœli fervens: fed nemo loquenti
Aut animos, aut vim curat fuperaddere dictis;
Tanquam Illum furor abriperet malefanus & expers
Confilii. Magis hinc animos concepit atroces
Exultans Satanas, tumidoque hæc rettulit ore.
Ergo opus alterius fuimus, dextræque fecundæ ?
Afferis? Et Pater hæc Nato peragenda ministro
Penfa dedit? Nova nimirum atque incognita narras !
Unde hoc fcire datur? Quifnam adfuit inter agendum?
Tune repostum alto fervas fub pectore, quo Te
Temporis Omnipotens puncto, quâque arte crearet?
Ast ubi non fuimus, quales fumus? Haud bene notum
Hoc nobis; neque enim, quod nos præcederet ævo,
Novimus: ingenitâ nam vi proprioque vigore
Nos ultrò in lucem extulimus, (cum temporis Ordo
Fatalem exacto complêrat limite curfum)
Æthereum genus, & cœli certiffima Proles.
While Pardon may be found, in time befought.
So fpake the fervent Angel: but his zeal
None feconded, as out of feafon judg'd,
Or fingular, and rafh: whereat rejoic'd
Th' Apoftate, and more haughty thus reply'd.
That we were form'd then, fay'st thou? and the
work
Doctrine which we would know whence learn'd:
Who faw
When this Creation was? Remember'ft Thou Thy making, while the Maker gave thee Being? We know no time when We were not as now; Know none before us; felf-begot, self-rais'd By our own quick'ning pow'r, when fatal course Had circled his full Orb, the birth mature From Father to His Son? Strange point, and new! Of this our native Heav'n, Ethereal Sons.
Of fecondary hands, by task transfer'd
Noftrum eft, quod fuperâ tantum virtute valemus ;
Grandia moliri nos Dextera noftra docebit;
Et campo, quis par nobis, quæremus aperto
Congreffi: hinc pateat, precibusne petamus, an armis
Nos folium omnipotens. I, regi hæc perfer inuncto
Nuntia, nequa fugam vis opprimat, I, fuge præceps.
Dixerat; altarumque ut raucum murmur aquarum,
Responsant denfi fremitus plaufufque fonori
Per turmas longè immenfas. Hæc deinde, timoris
Nefcius, hoftilis licet unum includeret agger,
Flammeus audaci contra dedit ore Seraphas :
O aliene DEO, Virtus quem funditus omnis
Deferit! O Diris exercite! Cerno ruinam
Impendere tibi haud dubiam; fcelerumque fequaces.
Ah nimium comites contagia plectere fraudis.
Nec Te follicitet quondam, quibus artibus uncti
Excutias juga Meffiæ; haud dignabitur istas
Our puiffance is our own, our own right hand
Shall teach us higheft deeds, by proof to try
Who is our equal: then thou fhalt behold,
Whether by fupplication we intend
Addrefs, and to begird th' Almighty Throne
Befeeching, or befieging. This report,
These tidings, carry to th' anointed King;
And fly, e'er evil intercept thy flight.
He faid, and as the found of waters deep,
Hoarfe murmur echo'd to his words applause,
Through the infinite Hoft: nor lefs for that
The flaming Seraph fearlefs, though alone
Incompafs'd round with foes, thus answer'd bold.
O alienate from GOD! O Spirit accurft,
Forfaken of all good! I fee thy fall
Determin'd, and thy hapless crew involv'd
In this perfidious fraud, contagion fpread
Both of thy crime, and punishment. Henceforth
No more be troubled how to quit the yoke
Of GOD'S MESSIAH: thofe indulgent laws
Jam vobis legum fortes & mollia jura.
Te jam Scena alia, & juftæ Sententia vocis
Non revocanda manet. Quum fceptra fubire recufes
Aurea, Virga tibi mores ferrata refringet
Eft hic, eft monitorum Animus, pariterque minarum
Contemptor. Sed caftra citus fcelerata relinquam
Excidio devota, trucis ne flamma furoris
Infontem cum fonte ruat. Te fulmina certa
Abfument: tandem clade experiere magistrâ,
Quæ finxit, quæ Te poterit diffingere Dextra.
Abdial hæc loquitur fervens; immobile Pectus,
Fidumque Infidos inter; de Millibus unus
Integer, inconcuffus & imperterritus unus,
Ufque Fidem antiquam fervans, Pietatis, Amoris
Ufque tenax: folum non juncta Exempla malorum
Omnia, non Numeri fuafere abfcifcere Vero.
Will not be now vouchfaf'd; other Decrees
Against thee are gone forth, without recall.
That Golden Sceptre which thou didst reject,
Is now an Iron Rod, to bruise and break
Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise,
Yet not for thy advice, or threats, I fly
These wicked Tents devoted; leaft the wrath
Impendent, raging into fudden flame
Diftinguish not: for foon expect to feel
His Thunder on thy head, devouring fire.
Then, who created thee, lamenting learn,
When who can uncreate thee thou fhalt know.
So fpake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found
Among the faithlefs, faithful only He:
Among innumerable falfe, unmov'd,
Unfhaken, unfeduc'd, unterrify'd,
His Loyalty he kept, his Love, his Zeal.
Nor number, nor example, with him wrought
To fwerve from truth, or change his conftant mind
Though fingle. From amidst them forth he país'd,
Ergo per hoftiles ridentum hinc inde catervas
Progreditur, fimul opprobriis, fimul altior iris;
Avolat, ac faftu tecta ambitiofa retorto
Refpicit indignans rapidæ damnata ruinæ.
Long way through hoftile fcorn; which he fuftain'd And, with retorted scorn, his back he turn'd Superior, nor of violence fear'd ought:
On thofe proud Tow'rs to swift deftruction doom'd.
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