Illuftrious far and wide, but by his own
First seen; them unexpected joy furpris'd,
When the great enfign of Meffiah blaz'd
Aloft by Angels borne, his fign in Heaven;
Under whofe conduct Michael foon reduc'd
His army, circumfus'd on either wing,
Under their Head imbodied all in one.
Before him pow'r divine his way prepar'd;
At his command th' uprooted hills retir'd
Each to his place; they heard his voice, and went
Obfequious; Heav'n his wonted face renew'd,
And with fresh flow'rets hill and valley fmil'd.
This faw his hapless foes, but stood obdur'd,
And to rebellious fight rallied their Powers
Infenfate, hope conceiving from despair.
In heav'nly Spirits could fuch perverfeness dwell?
But to convince the proud what signs avail,
Or wonders move th' obdurate to relent?
They harden'd more by what might most reclame,
Grieving to fee his glory, at the fight
Took envy; and afpiring to his highth,
Stood reimbattel'd fierce, by force or fraud
Weening to prosper, and at length prevail
Against God and Meffiah, or to fall
In univerfal ruin laft; and now
To final battel drew, difdaining flight,
Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God
To all his hoft on either hand thus fpake.
Stand still in bright array, ye Saints, here stand
Ye Angels arm'd, this day from battel reft;
Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God
Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause,
And as ye have receiv'd, fo have ye donc
Invincibly; but of this cursed crew
The punishment to other hand belongs;
Vengeance is his, or whose he fole appoints:
Number to this day's work is not ordain'd
Nor multitude; ftand only and behold
God's indignation on these Godless pour'd
By me; not you but me they have despis'd,
Yet envied; against me is all their rage,
Hath honor'd me according to his will.
Because the Father, t' whom in Heav'n fupreme
Kingdom and pow'r and glory appertains,
Therefore to me their doom he hath affign'd;
That they may have their wish, to try with me
In battel which the stronger proves, they all,
Or I alone against them, fince by strength
They measure all, of other excellence
Not emulous, nor care who them excels;
Nor other ftrife with them do I vouchsafe.
So spake the Son, and into terror chang'd
His count'nance too severe to be beheld,
And full of wrath bent on his enemies.
At once the Four spread out their starry wings
With dreadful fhade contiguous, and the orbs
Of his fierce chariot roll'd, as with the found
Of torrent floods, or of a numerous hoft.
He on his impious foes right onward drove,
Gloomy as night; under his burning wheels.
The ftedfaft empyréan fhook throughout,
All but the throne itself of God.
Among them he arriv'd, in his right hand
Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he fent
Before him, fuch as in their fouls infix'd
Plagues; they astonish'd all resistance lost,
All courage; down their idle weapons dropt;
O'er fhields and helms and helmed heads he rode 840 Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim proftráte,
That wish'd the mountains now might be again
Thrown on them as a fhelter from his ire.
Nor lefs on either fide tempeftuous fell
His arrows, from the fourfold-visag'd Four
Diftinct with eyes, and from the living wheels
Diftinct alike with multitude of eyes;
One Spirit in them rul'd, and every eye
Glar'd lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire
Among th' accurs'd, that wither'd all their strength, 850 And of their wonted vigor left them drain'd,
Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fall'n.
Yet half his strength he put not forth, but check'd His thunder in mid voly; for he meant
Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven:
The overthrown he rais'd, and as a herd
Of goats or timorous flock together throng'd
Drove them before him thunder-ftruck, pursued
With terrors and with furies to the bounds
And crystal wall of Heaven, which opening wide, 860
Roll'd inward, and a spacious gap difclos'd
Into the wasteful deep; the monstrous fight
Struck them with horror backward, but far worse
Urg'd them behind; headlong themselves they threw
Down from the verge of Heav'n; eternal wrath
Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.
Hell heard th' unsufferable noise, Hell faw
Heav'n ruining from Heav'n, and would have fled
Affrighted; but strict fate had caft too deep
Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound.
Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roar'd,
And felt tenfold confufion in their fall
Through his wild anarchy, fo huge a rout
Incumber'd him with ruin: Hell at laft
Yawning receiv'd them whole, and on them clos'd;
Hell their fit habitation fraught with fire
Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.
Difburden'd Heav'n rejoic'd, and foon repair'd
Her mural breach, returning whence it roll'd.
Sole victor from th' expulfion of his foes
Meffiah his triumphal chariot turn'd:
To meet him all his Saints, who filent stood
Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,
With jubilee advanc'd; and as they went,
Shaded with branching palm, each order bright, 885
Sung triumph, and him fung victorious King,
Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion given,
Worthieft to reign: he celebrated rode
Triumphant through mid Heav'n, into the courts
And temple of his mighty Father thron'd
On high; who into glory him receiv'd,
Where now he fits at the right hand of bliss.
Thus measuring things in Heav'n by things on Earth,
At thy request, and that thou may'st beware
By what is paft, to thee I have reveal'd
What might have else to human race been hid;
The difcord which befel, and war in Heaven
Among th' Angelic Pow'rs, and the deep fall
Of those too high aspiring, who rebell'd
With Satan; he who envies now thy ftate,
Who now is plotting how he may feduce
Thee alfo from obedience, that with him
Bereav'd of happiness thou may'st partake
His punishment, eternal mifery;
Which would be all his folace and revenge,
As a despite done against the most High,
Thee once to gain companion of his woe.
But liften not to his temptations, warn
Thy weaker; let it profit thee to' have heard
By terrible example the reward
Of disobedience; firm they might have stood,
Yet fell; remember, and fear to tranfgrefs.
THE END OF THE SIXTH BOOK.
|