Such implements of mischief, as shal! dish
To pieces, and o'erwhelm whatever stands
Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarm'd
The Thund'rer of his only dreaded bolt.
Nor long shall be our labour: yet ere dawn,
Effect shall end our wish. Meanwhile revive,
Abandon fear; to strength and council join'd
Think nothing hard, much less to be despair'd.
He ended, and his words their drooping cheer
Enlighten'd, and their languish'd hope reviv'd.
Th' invention all admir'd, and each, how he
To be th' inventor miss'd; so easy it seem'd
Once found, which yet unfound most would have thot
Impossible yet haply of thy race

In future days, if malice should abound,
Some one intent on mischief, or inspir'd
With dev'lish machination, might devise
Like instrument to plague the sons of men
For sin, on war and mutual slaughter bent.
Forthwith from council to the work they flew,
Nor arguing stood; innumerable hands
Were ready; in a moment up they turn'd
Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath
Th' originals of nature in their crude
Conception sulphurous and nitrous-foam
They found, they mingled, and with subtle art.
Concocted and adusted they reduc'd

To blackest grain, and into store convey'd;
Part hidden veins digg'd up (nor hath this earth
Entrails unlike) of mineral and stone,

Whereof to found their engines and their balls
Of missive ruin; part incentive reed
Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.
So all ere day-spring, under conscious night
Secret they finish'd, and in order set,
With silent circumspection unespy'd.

Now when fair morn orient in heav'n appear'd;

Up rose the victor angels, and to arms
The matin trumpet sung: in arms they stood

Of golden panoply, refulgent host,

Soon banded other from the dawning hills

Look'd round. and scouts each coast, light-armed sco
Each quarter, to descry the distant foe.
Where lodg'd, 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 cry'd »

Arm, warriors, 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 cloudHe 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 pcur 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,
And onward mov'd embattled: when behold
Not distant far with heavy pace the foe
Approaching gross and huge, in hollow cube
Training his dev'lish enginery, empal'd
On every side with shadowing squadrons deep
To hide the fraud. At interview both stood
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 heav'n,
Heav'n 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, and to either flank retir'd:

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 lopt, in wood or mountain fell'd)
Brass, iron, stony mould, had not their mouths
With hideous orifice gap'd on us wide,
Protending hollow truce: at each behind
A seraph stood, and in his hands a reed
Stood waving tipt with fire; while we suspense,
Collected stood within our thoughts amus'd,
Not long, for sudden all at once their reeds
Put forth, and to a narrow vent apply'd
With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame,
But soon obscur'd with smoke, all heav'n appear'd
From those deep-throated engines belch'd, whose roar
Embowel'd with outrageous noise the air,

And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul
Their dev'lish glut, chain'd thunderbolts and hail
Of iron globes; which on the victor host
Levell'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 arch-angel roll'd;
The sooner for their arms; unarm'd they might
Have easily as spirits evaded swift

By swift contraction or remove; but now
Foul dissipation follow'd and forc'd rout;
Nor serv'd 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 despis'd.
And to their foes a laughter; for in view
Stood rink'd of seraphim another row

In posture to displode their second tier
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 terms
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:
Leader, the terms we sent were terms of weight,
Of hard contents, and full of force urg'd home,
Such as we might perceive amus'd them all,
And stumbled many; who receives them right
Had need from head to foot well understand;
Not understood, this gift they have 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 presum'd
So easy, and of his thunder made a scorn,
And all his host derided, while they stood
A while in trouble: but they stood not long :
Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms
Against such hellish mischief fit t' oppose.
Forthwith (behold the excellence, the pow'r,
Which God hath in his mighty angels plac'd,)
Their armis away they threw, and to the hills
(For earth has this variety from heav'n
Of pleasure situate in hill and dale,)

Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew
From their foundations loos'ning to and fro,

They pluck'd the seated hills with all their load,
Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops
Up-lifting bore them in their hands: amaze,
Be sure, and terror seiz'd 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 ; Their armour help'd their harm, crush'd in and bruis'd,

Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,

Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind.
Out of such pris'n, though spirits of purest light.
Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown.
The rest in imitation to like arms

Betook them, and the neighb'ring 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 with ruin overspread,
Had not th' almighty Father, where he sits
Shrin'd in his sanctuary of heav'n secure,
Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen
This tumult, and permitted all, advis'd:
That his great purpose he might so fulfi!,
To honour his anointed Son aveng'd
Upon his enemies, and to declare

All pow'r on him transferr'd: whence to his Son
Th' assessor of his throne he thus began:

Effulgence of my glory, Son belov❜d,
Son in whose face invisible is beheld