Stood up, and, in a flame of zeal severe,
The current of his fury thus opposed:

666

810

O argument blasphemous, false, and proud!
Words which no ear ever to hear in Heaven
Expected! least of all from thee, ingrate,
In place thyself so high above thy peers.
Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn
The just decree of God? pronounced and sworn,
That to his only Son, by right indued

With regal sceptre, every soul in Heaven
Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due

Confess him rightful King. Unjust, thou sayest,
Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free,

And equal over equals to let reign,
One over all with unsucceeded power.

820

Shalt thou give law to God? shalt thou dispute
With Him the points of liberty? who made
Thee what thou art, and formed the Powers of Heaven
Such as he pleased, and circumscribed their being.
Yet, by experience taught, we know how good,
And of our good and of our dignity
How provident he is, how far from thought
To make us less, bent rather to exalt

830

Our happy state, under one head more near
United. But, to grant it thee unjust
That equal over equals monarch reign
Thyself, though great and glorious, dost thou count,
Or all angelic nature joined in one,
Equal to him, begotten Son? by whom
As by his Word the mighty Father made
All things, even thee; and all the Spirits of Heaven
By him created in their bright degrees,

Crowned them with glory and to their glory named
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers.

841

Essential Powers; nor by his reign obscured,
But more illustrious made; since he the head
One of our number thus reduced becomes;
His laws our laws; all honour to him done
Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage,
And tempt not these; but hasten to appease
The incensed Father, and the incensed Son,
While pardon may be found, in time besought.'
"So spake the fervent Angel; but his zeal
None seconded, as out of season judged,
Or singular and rash, whereat rejoiced
The Apostate, and more haughty thus replied:

850

"That we were formed then sayest thou? and the Of secondary hands, by task transferred [work From Father to his Son? strange point, and new! Doctrine which we would know whence learned. Who saw

860

When this creation was? rememberest thou
Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?
We know no time when we were not as now;
Know none before us, self-begot, self-raised
By our own quickening power, when fatal course
Had circled his full orb, the birth mature
Of this our native Heaven, ethereal sons.
Our puissance is our own; our own right-hand
Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try
Who is our equal. Then thou shalt behold
Whether by supplication we intend
Address, and to begirt the almighty throne
Beseeching or besieging. This report,
These tidings carry to the anointed King;
And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.'

"He said; and, as the sound of waters deep, Hoarse murmur echoed to his words applause

870

880

Through the infinite host; nor less for that
The flaming Seraph, fearless though alone,
Encompased round with foes, thus answered bold:
O alienate from God! O Spirit accursed,
Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall
Determined, and thy hapless crew involved
In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread
Both of thy crime and punishment. Henceforth
No more be troubled how to quit the yoke
Of God's Messiah; those indulgent laws
Will not be now vouchsafed; 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, lest the wrath
Impendent, raging into sudden flame,
Distinguish not; for soon expect to feel
His thunder on thy head, devouring fire.
Then who created thee lamenting learn,

When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.'
"So spake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found
Among the faithless, faithful only he;
Among innumerable false, unmoved,
Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified

890

900

His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal;
Nor number, nor example with him wrought
To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind,
Though single. From amidst them forth he passed,
Long way through hostile scorn, which he sustained
Superior, nor of violence feared aught;

And, with retorted scorn, his back he turned
On those proud towers, to swift destruction doomed.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK VI.

THE ARGUMENT.

RAPHAEL Continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his Angels. The first fight described: Satan and his Powers retire under night : he calls a council, invents devilish engines, which in the second day's fight put Michael and his Angels to some disorder: but they at length, pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan: yet the tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends MESSIAH his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory he, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and causing all his legions to stand stil! on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them unable to resist toward the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the Deep: MESSIAH returns with triumph to his Father.

LL night the dreadless Angel, unpursued, Through Heaven's wide champaign, held his way, till Morn,

Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy
hand,

Unbarred the gates of light. There is a cave
Within the mount of God, fast by his throne,
Where Light and Darkness in perpetual round

Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through

Heaven

Grateful vicissitude, like day and night;
Light issues forth, and at the other door
Obsequious Darkness enters, till her hour

10

20

To veil the heaven; through darkness there might well
Seem twilight here. And now went forth the Morn
Such as in highest Heaven, arrayed in gold
Empyreal; from before her vanished Night,
Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain,
Covered with thick embattled squadrons bright,
Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds,
Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view.
War he perceived, war in procinct, and found
Already known what he for news had thought
To have reported; gladly then he mixed
Among those friendly Powers, who him received
With joy and acclamations loud, that one,
That of so many myriads fallen yet one,
Returned not lost. On to the sacred hill
They led him high applauded, and present
Before the seat supreme, from whence a voice
From midst a golden cloud thus mild was heard:
"Servant of God, well done; well hast thou fought
The better fight, who single hast maintained
Against revolted multitudes the cause

Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms;
And for the testimony of truth hast borne
Universal reproach, far worse to bear

Than violence; for this was all thy care

30

To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds
Judged thee perverse. The easier conquest now
Remains thee, aided by this host of friends,
Back on thy foes more glorious to return