Up rose the victor-angels, and to arms The matin trumpet sung: in arms they stood Of golden panoply,35 refulgent host,
Soon banded; others from the dawning hills 36 Look'd round, and scouts each coast light-armed
Each quarter; to descry the distant foe,
Where lodged, or whither fled; or if for fight, In motion or in halt: him soon they met Under spread ensigns moving nigh, in slow But firm battalion. Back with speediest sail, Zophiel, of cherubim the swiftest wing, Came flying, and in mid air aloud thus cried : Arm, warriours, arm for fight; the foe at hand, Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit. This day, fear not his flight; so thick a cloud He comes: and settled in his face I see Sad resolution, and secure. Let each His adamantine coat gird well, and each
Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield, Borne even or high; for this day will pour down, If I conjecture aught, no drizzling shower, But rattling storm of arrows barb'd with fire. So warn'd he them, aware themselves; and
In order, quit of all impediment,
Instant without disturb they took alarm,
And onward moved embattel'd; when, behold! 550 Not distant far with heavy pace the foe Approaching gross and huge; in hollow cube Training his devilish enginery, impaled
On every side with shadowing squadrons deep,
To hide the fraud. At interview both stood 555 Awhile; but suddenly at head appear'd Satan, and thus was heard commanding loud: Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold; That all may see, who hate us, how we seek Peace and composure, and with open breast Stand ready to receive them, if they like Our overture, and turn not back perverse: But that I doubt; however witness, heaven; Heaven, witness thou anon, while we discharge Freely our part: ye, who appointed stand, Do as you have in charge; and briefly touch What we propound, and loud that all may hear.
So scoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce Had ended; when to right and left the front Divided,37 and to either flank retired : Which to our eyes discover'd, new and strange, A triple mounted row of pillars laid
On wheels; (for like to pillars most they seem'd, Or hollow'd bodies made of oak or fir With branches lopp'd, in wood or mountain fell'd) Brass, iron, stony mould, had not their mouths With hideous orifice gaped on us wide, Portending hollow truce: at each behind A seraph stood, and in his hand a reed
Stood waving tipp'd with fire; while we, suspense, Collected stood, within our thoughts amused; 581 Not long; for sudden all at once their reeds Put forth, and to a narrow vent applied With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame, But soon obscured with smoke, all heaven ap-
From those deep-throated engines belch'd, whose
Embowel'd with outrageous noise the air,
And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul Their devilish glut, chain'd thunderbolts and hail Of iron globes; which, on the victor host Level'd, with such impetuous fury smote, That, whom they hit, none on their feet might stand,
Though standing else as rocks; but down they fell By thousands, angel on archangel roll'd;
The sooner for their arms: unarm'd, they might Have easily, as spirits, evaded swift
By quick contraction or remove; but now Foul dissipation follow'd, and forced rout; Nor served it to relax their serried files.
What should they do? if on they rush'd, repulse Repeated, and indecent overthrow
Doubled, would render them yet more despised, And to their foes a laughter; for in view Stood rank'd of seraphim another row, In posture to displode their second tire Of thunder: back defeated to return They worse abhorr'd. Satan beheld their plight, And to his mates thus in derision call'd:
O friends, why come not on these victors proud? Erewhile they fierce were coming; and when we, To entertain them fair with open front And breast, (what could we more?) propounded
Of composition, straight they changed their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell,
As they would dance; yet for a dance they seem’d Somewhat extravagant and wild, perhaps For joy of offer'd peace: but I suppose, If our proposals once again were heard, We should compel them to a quick result. To whom thus Belial, in like gamesome mood: 620 Leader, the terms we sent were terms of weight, Of hard contents, and full of force urged home; Such as we might perceive amused them all, And stumbled many: who receives them right, Had need from head to foot well understand; 625 Not understood, this gift they had besides, They show us when our foes walk not upright. So they among themselves in pleasant vein Stood scoffing, heighten'd in their thoughts beyond All doubt of victory; Eternal Might
To match with their inventions they presumed So easy, and of his thunder made a scorn,
And all his host derided, while they stood Awhile in trouble: but they stood not long; Rage prompted them at length, and found them
Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose. Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power, Which God hath in his mighty angels placed!) Their arms away they threw, and to the hills, (For earth hath this variety from heaven Of pleasure situate in hill and dale)
Light as the lightning glimpse, 38 they ran, they
From their foundations loosening to and fro,
They pluck'd the seated hills, with all their load,
Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops 645 Uplifting, bore them in their hands. Amaze, Be sure, and terrour, seized the rebel host, When coming towards them so dread they saw The bottom of the mountains upward turn'd; Till on those cursed engines' triple row They saw them whelm'd, and all their confidence Under the weight of mountains buried deep; Themselves invaded next, and on their heads Main promontories flung, which in the air Came shadowing, and oppress'd whole legions
Their armour help'd their harm, crush'd in and
Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan;
Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind Out of such prison, though spirits of purest light, Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown.39 661 The rest, in imitation, to like arms Betook them, and the neighbouring hills uptore : So hills amid the air encounter'd hills, Hurl'd to and fro with jaculation dire,
That under ground they fought in dismal shade; Infernal noise! war seem'd a civil game To this uproar; horrid confusion heap'd Upon confusion rose: and now all heaven Had gone to wrack, 40 with ruin overspread, 670 Had not the Almighty Father, where he sits Shrined in his sanctuary of heaven secure, Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen
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