Sonorous metal blowing martial founds:
At which the universal host up fent
A shout that tore hell's concave; and beyond
Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night.
All in a moment thro' the gloom were seen
Ten thousand banners rise into the air,
With orient Colours waving: with them rose
A foreft huge of spears; and thronging helms
Appear'd, and ferried shields in thick array,
Of depth immeasurable: anon they move
In perfect Phalanx, to the Dorian mood
Of flutes, and soft recorders; such as rais'd
To height of noblest temper Heroes old
Arming to battel; and instead of rage,
Deliberate valor breath'd, firm, and unmov'd
With dread of death to flight, or foul retreat; 555
Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and swage,
With folemn touches, troubled thoughts, and chase
Anguish, and doubt, and fear, and forrow, and pain,
From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they
Breathing united force, with fixed thought
Mov'd on in filence to soft pipes, that charm'd
Their painful steps o'er the burnt foil: and now
Advanc'd in view, they stand, a horrid front
Of dreadful length, and dazling arms, in guise
Of warriors old with order'd spear and shield, 565
Awaiting what command their mighty Chief
Had to impose: he thro' the armed files
Darts his experienc'd eye, and soon traverse
The whole battalion views their order due;
Their visages and stature as of Gods;
Their number last he sums. And now his heart
Distends with pride, and hard'ning in his strength
Glories for never fince created, man
Met such imbodied force, as nam'd with these
Could merit more than that small infantry
Warr'd on by cranes; tho' all the Giant brood
Of Phlegra with th' Heroic race were join'd,
That fought at Thebes and Ilium on each fide,
Mix'd with auxiliar Gods: and what resounds
In fable or romance of Uther's fon,
Begirt with British and Armoric Knights;
And all who since, baptiz'd or infidel,
Jousted in Afpramont, or Montalban,
Damafco, or Morocco, or Trebisond;
Or whom Biferta sent from Afric shoar,
When Charlemain with all his Peerage fell
By Fontarabbia. Thus far these beyond
Compare of mortal prowess, yet observ'd
Their dread commander: he, above the rest
In shape and gesture proudly eminent,
Stood like a tow'r: his form had yet not loft
All her original brightness, nor appear'd
Less than Arch-Angel ruin'd, and th'excess
Of glory obscur'd: as when the fun new-ris'n
Looks thro' the horizontal misty air,
Shorn of his beams; or from behind the moon,
In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs; darken'd so, yet shone
Above them all th' Arch-Angel: but his face 600
Deep scars of thunder had intrench'd, and care
Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows
Of dauntless courage, and consid'rate pride
Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but caft
Signs of remorse and paffion, to behold
The fellows of his crime, the followers rather,
(Far other once beheld in bliss!) condemn'd
For ever now to have their lot in pain;
Millions of spirits, for his fault amerc'd
Of heav'n, and from eternal splendors flung
For his revolt; yet faithful how they stood,
Their glory wither'd: as when heaven's fire
Hath scath'd the forest oaks, or mountain pines,
With finged top their stately growth, tho' bare,
Stands on the blasted heath. He now prepar'd 615
To speak, whereat their doubled ranks they bend
From wing to wing, and half inclose him round
With all his Peers: attention held them mute:
Thrice he afsay'd, and thrice in spight of scorn,
Tears such as Angels weep, burst forth; at last 620
Words interwove with fighs found out their way.
O myriads of immortal spirits! O Pow'rs Matchless, but with th' Almighty, and that strife Was not inglorious, tho th' event was dire, As this place teftifies, and this dire change, Hateful to utter: but what pow'r of mind, Foreseeing, or presaging, from the depth Of knowledge past or present, could have fear'd, How such united force of Gods, how such
As stood like these, could ever know repulse?
For who can yet believe, tho' after loss,
That all these puissant legions, whose exile
Hath emptied heav'n, shall fail to re-afcend,
Self-rais'd, and re-possess their native seat?
For me be witness all the host of heav'n,
If counsels different, or danger shun'd
By me, have loft our hopes: but he who reigns
Monarch in heav'n, till then as one fecure
Sate on His throne, upheld by old repute,
Consent, or custom, and his regal state
Put forth at full, but still His strength conceal'd, Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall. Henceforth His might we know, and know our own; So as not either to provoke, or dread
New war, provok'd. Our better part remains 645 To work in close design, by fraud or guile,
What force effected not: that He no less
At length from us may find, who overcomes
By force, hath overcome but half his foe.
Space may produce new worlds; whereof so rife 650
There went a fame in heav'n, that He ere-long
Intended to create; and therein plant
A generation, whom His choice regard
Should favor equal to the sons of heav'n:
Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps
Our first eruption, thither or elsewhere:
For this infernal pit shall never hold
Celestial spirits in bondage, nor th' Abyss
Long under darkness cover. ----- But these thoughts
Full counsel must mature: Peace is despair'd, 660 For who can think submission? War then, war
Open or understood must be resolv'd.
He spake: and to confirm his words out-flew Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs Of mighty Cherubim: the sudden blaze Far round illumin'd Hell; highly they rag'd Against the Highest, and fierce with grasped arms Clash'd on their sounding shields the din of war, Hurling defiance toward the vault of heav'n.
There stood a hill not far, whose grifly top 670 Belch'd fire and rowling smoke; the rest entire, Shone with a glossy scurf; (undoubted fign That in his womb was hid metallick ore, The work of fulphur) thither wing'd with speed A numerous brigad hasten'd: as when bands 675 Of pioneers, with spade and pickax arm'd, Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field, Or cast a Rampart: Mammon led them on, Mammon, the least erected spirit that fell From heav'n: for ev'n in heav'n his looks and thoughts, Were always downward bent; admiring more 681 The riches of heav'n's pavement, trodden gold, Than ought divine or holy else, enjoy'd In vision beatific: by him first Men also, and by his suggestion taught, Ransack'd the centre, and with impious hands Rifled the bowels of their mother earth For treasures better hid. Soon had his crew Open'd into the hill a spacious wound,
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