Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Up rose the victor-angels, and to arms
The matin trumpet sung: in arms they stood
Of golden panoply,35 refulgent host,

525

Soon banded; others from the dawning hills 36 Look'd round, and scouts each coast light-armed

scour,

Each quarter; to descry the distant foe,

530

535

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

540

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

soon

In order, quit of all impediment,

Instant without disturb they took alarm,

545

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,

560

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.

565

570

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

574

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-

pear'd,

585

From those deep-throated engines belch'd, whose

roar

Embowel'd with outrageous noise the air,

590

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.

596

What should they do? if on they rush'd, repulse Repeated, and indecent overthrow

601

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:

605

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

terms

611

Of composition, straight they changed their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell,

616

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,

630

And all his host derided, while they stood
Awhile in trouble: but they stood not long;
Rage prompted them at length, and found them

arms

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)

635

640

Light as the lightning glimpse, 38 they ran, they

flew ;

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

arm'd.

650

655

Their armour help'd their harm, crush'd in and

bruised

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,

665

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

« ZurückWeiter »