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Book Six, Part One All night the dreadless angel unpursued through heaven's wide champagne 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 to veil the heaven, though darkness there might well seem twilight here.
And now went forth the morn such as in highest heaven, Arrayed in gold imperial, 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 return 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, Whose 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, 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 than scorn thou didst depart, And to subdue by force who reason for their law refuse, Right reason for their law and for their king, Messiah who by right of merit reigns.
Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince, And thou in military prowess next to Gabriel, Lead forth to battle these my sons invincible, Lead forth my armoured saints By thousands and by millions ranged for fight,
Equal in number to that godless, cruel, rebellious, Them with fire and hostile arms, fearless assault, And to the brow of heaven pursuing, Drive them out from God and bliss, Into their place of punishment, the gulf of Tartarus, Which ready opens wide his fiery chaos to receive their fall.
So spake the sovereign voice, And clouds began to darken all the hill, And smoke to rowl in dusky wreaths, Reluctant flames the sign of wrath awaked, Nor with less dread the loud ethereal Trumpet from on high gan blow, At which command the power's militant, That stood for heaven in mighty quadrate Joined of union irresistible, Moved on in silence their bright legions To the sound of instrumental harmony That breathed heroic ardor to adventurous deeds,
Under their godlike leaders in the cause of God and His Messiah.On they move indissolubly firm, Nor obvious hill, nor straightening vale, Nor wood, nor stream divides their perfect ranks.
For high above the ground their march was, And the passive air upbore their nimble tread, As when the total kind of birds in orderly array On wing came summoned over Eden to receive their names of thee.
So over many a tract of heaven they marched, And many a province wide tenfold the length Of this terrain.
At last far in the horizon to the north Appeared from skirt to skirt a fiery region Stretched, in battalious aspect and nearer view, Bristled with upright beams innumerable Of rigid spears and helmets thronged, And shields various with boastful argument portrayed.
The banded powers of Satan hasting on with furious expedition.
For they weaned that selfsame day by fight or by surprise To win the mount of God, and on his throne to set The envier of his state, the proud aspirer, But their thoughts proved fond and vain in the midway.
Though strange to us it seemed at first That angel should with angel war, And in fierce hosting meet who want to meet So often festivals of joy and love unanimous, as sons of one great sire hymning the Eternal Father.
But the shout of battle now began, and rushing sound of onset ended soon each milder thought.
High in the midst, exalted as a god, the apostate in his sun-bright chariot, sate, idol of majesty divine, enclosed with flaming cherubim and golden shields, then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now twixt host and host, but narrow space was left.
A dreadful interval and front to front presented Stood in terrible array of hideous length Before the cloudy van on the rough edge of battle ere it joined.Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanced, Came towering, armed in adamant and gold.
Abdiel, that sight endured not, where he stood Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds, And thus his own undaunted heart explores. O heaven, that such resemblance of the highest should yet remain where faith and realty remain not!
Wherefore should not strength and might there fail where virtue fails, Or weakest prove where boldest, though to sight unconquerable?His puissance trusting in the Almighty's aid I mean to try, Whose reason I have tried, unsound and false.
Nor is it aught but just that he who in debate of truth Hath won should win in arms, in both disputes alike, victor, Though brutish that contest and foul.When reason hath to deal with force, yet so Most reason is that reason overcome.
So pondering, and from his armoured piers Fourth-stepping opposite, halfway he met his daring foe, At this prevention more incensed, and thus securely him defied. Proud art thou met?
Thy hope was to have reached The heighth of thy aspiring unopposed, The throne of God unguarded, and his side Abandoned at the terror of thy power or potent tongue.
Fool not to think how vain against The omnipotent to rise in arms, Who out of smallest things could without end Have raised incessant armies to defeat thy folly.
Or with solitary hand reaching beyond all limit, At one blow unaided could have finished thee And whelmed thy legions under darkness.But thou seest all are not of thy train, There be who faith prefer, and piety to God.
Though then to thee not visible, when I alone Seemed in thy world erroneous to dissent from all, My sect thou seest, now learn too late How few sometimes may know when thousands err.
Whom the grand foe with scornful eye askance thus answered, Ill for thee, but in wished hour of my revenge First sought for thou returnst from flight, seditious angel, To receive thy merited reward, the first assay Of this right hand provoked, since first that tongue Inspired with contradiction durst oppose A third part of the gods, in Synod met Their deities to assert, who while they feel Vigour divine within them can allow omnipotence to none.
But well thou com'st before thy fellows, Ambitious to win from me some plume, That thy success may show destruction to the rest, This pause between, unanswer'd least thou boast, To let thee know.
At first I thought that liberty and heaven To heavenly souls had been all one, But now I see that most through sloth Had rather serve, ministering spirits trained up In feast and song.
Such hast thou armed the minstrelsy of heaven, Servility with freedom to contend, As both their deeds compared this day shall prove.
To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern replied, Apostat still thou e'er'st, nor end will find Of erring from the path of truth remote.Unjustly thou deprav'st it with the name of servitude, To serve whom God ordains, or Nature.
God and Nature bid the same, When he who rules is worthiest, And excels them whom he governs.
This is servitude, to serve the unwise, Or him that hath rebelled against his worthier, As thine now serve thee, thyself not free, But to thyself enthralled, yet lewdly darest Our ministering upbraid.
Reign thou in hell thy kingdom, Let me serve in heaven God ever blessed, And his divine behests obey, Worthiest to be obeyed. Yet chains in hell, not realms expect.
Meanwhile from me returned, As erst thou saidst from flight, This greeting on thy impious crest receive.
So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high, Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell On the proud crest of Satan, That no sight nor motion of swift thought, Lest could his shield such ruin intercept.
Ten paces huge he back recoiled, The tenth on bended knee his massy spear upstayed, As if on earth winds underground Or waters forcing way side-long Had pushed a mountain from his seat, Half sunk with all his pines.
Amazement seized the rebel thrones, But greater rage to see thus foiled their mightiest, Ours joy-filled and shout, Prisage of victory and fierce desire of battle.
Whereat Michael bid sound the archangel trumpet, Through the vast of heaven it sounded, And the faithful armies rung Hosanna to the highest. Nor stood it gaze the adverse legions, Nor less hideous joined the horrid shock.
Now storming fury rose, and clamour Such as heard in heaven till now was never.Arms on armour clashing brayed horrible discord, And the matting wheels of brazen chariots raged.Dire was the noise of conflict.
Overhead the dismal hiss Of fiery darts and flaming volleys flew. And flying vaulted either host with fire.Sounder fiery cope together rushed both battles main, With ruinous assault and inextinguishable rage.
All heaven resounded, and had earth been then, All earth had to her centre shook.
What wonder, when millions of fierce-encountering angels fought on either side, the least of whom could weld these elements and arm him with the force of all their regions!
How much more of power army against army numberless to raise dreadful combustion warring, and disturb though not destroy their happy native seat! Had not the Eternal King omnipotent from his stronghold of heaven High or ruled and limited their might?
Though numbered such as each divided legion Might have seemed a numerous host, In strength each armed hand a legion, led in fight, Yet leader seemed each warrior single as in chief, Expert when to advance or stand or turn the sway of battle, Open when and when to close the bridges of grim war.
No thought of flight, none of retreat, No unbecoming deed that argued fear, Each on himself relied, as only in his arm The moment lay of victory.
Deeds of eternal fame were done, but infinite, For wide was spread that war and various, Sometimes on firm ground a standing fight, Then soaring on main wing tormented all the air, All air seemed then conflicting fire.
Long time in even scale the battle hung, Till Satan, who that day prodigious power had shown, And met in arms no equal, ranging through the dire attack Of fighting seraphim confused, at length saw Where the sword of Michael smote, and felled squadrons at once With huge two-handed sway, brandished aloft The horrid edge came down wide-wasting, Such destruction to withstand he hasted.
And opposed the rocky orb of tenfold adamant, His ample shield of vast circumference.
At his approach the great archangel From his warlike toil surceased, And glad as hoping here to end intestine war in heaven, The arch-foe subdued or captive dragged in chains, With hostile frown and visage all in flame First thus began.
Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt, Unnamed in heaven, now plenteous as thou seest These acts of hateful strife, hateful to all, Though heaviest by just measure on thyself And thy adherents.
How hast thou disturbed heaven's blessed peace, And into nature brought misery uncreated Till the crime of thy rebellion?How hast thou instilled thy malice into thousands, Once upright and faithful, now proved false?
But think not here to trouble holy rest.Heaven casts thee out from all her confines.Heaven, the seed of bliss, brooks not the works Of violence and war.
Hence, then, an evil go with thee along, Thy offspring, to the place of evil, Hell, thou and thy wicked crew.
There mingle broils ere this avenging sword begin thy doom, Or some more sudden vengeance winged from God Precipitate thee with augmented pain. So spake the Prince of Angels, to whom thus the adversary
Nor think thou with wind of airy threats To all whom yet with deeds thou canst not?
Hast thou turned the least of these to flight, Or if to fall, but that they rise unvanquished, Easier to transact with me than thou shouldst hope, Imperious and with threats to chase me hence?
E'er not that so shall end the strife Which thou call'st evil, but we style the strife of glory, Which we mean to win, or turn this heaven itself Into the hell thou fablest.
Here, however, to dwell free if not to reign, Meanwhile thy utmost force, and join Him Named Almighty to thy aid, I fly not, but have sought thee far and nigh.
They ended parley, and both addressed for fight unspeakable, For who, though with the tongue of angels can relate, Or to what things liken on earth conspicuous That may lift human imagination to such height Of godlike power?
For likest gods they seemed, stood they or moved In stature, motion, arms fit to decide The empire of great heaven.
Now waved their fiery swords, And in the air made horrid circles, Two broad suns their shields blazed opposite, While expectations stood in horror.
From each hand with speed retired Where erst was thickest fight, The angelic throng and left large field Unsafe within the wind of such commotion.
Such as to set forth great things by small, If nature's concord broke, among the constellations War were sprung, two planets, rushing from aspect malign Of fiercest opposition in mid-sky, Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound.
Together both, with next to almighty arm Uplifted imminent, one stroke they aimed That might determine, and not need repeat, As not of power at once, nor odds appeared In might or swift prevention,
But the sword of Michael from the armory of God Was given him tempered so that neither keen nor solid Might resist that edge.
It met the sword of Satan with steep force To smite descending, and in half cut sheer Nor stayed, but with swift wheel reversed Deep entering shared all his right side.
Then Satan first knew pain, and writhed him To and fro convolved, so sore the grinding sword With discontinuous wound passed through him.
But the ethereal substance closed not long divisible, And from the gash a stream of nectrous humour issuing Flowed sanguine, such as celestial spirits may bleed, And all his armour stained e'er while so bright.
Forthwith on all sides to his aid was run By angels many and strong, who interposed defence, While others bore him on their shield back to his chariot, Where it stood retired from off the files of war.
There they him laid gnashing for anguish and spite and shame, To find himself not matchless and his pride humbled by such a rebuke, So far beneath his confidence to equal God in power.
Yet soon he healed, for spirits that live throughout, Vital in every part, not as frail man In entrails, heart or head, liver or rinds, Cannot but by annihilating die.Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound receive, No more than can the fluid air.
All heart they live, all head, all eye, all ear, All intellect, all sense, and as they please They limb themselves, and color, shape or size, Assume as likes them best, condense or rare.
Meanwhile, in other parts, like deeds deserved memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought, and with fierce ensigns pierced the deep array of Moloch, furious king, who him defied, and at his chariot wheels to drag him bound threatened, nor from the Holy One of Heaven refrained his tongue blasphemous.
But Anon, down-cloven to the waist, with shattered arms and uncouth pain, fled bellowing.
On each wing Uriel and Raphael his vaunting foe, Though huge and in a rock of diamond armed, Vanquished Adramelech and Asmodei, two potent thrones, That to be less than gods disdained, But meaner thoughts learned in their flight, Mangled with ghastly wounds through plate and mail.
Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy the atheist crew, But with redoubled blow Ariel and Ariok, And the violence of Ramiel scorched and blasted overthrew.
I might relate of thousands, and their names Eternize here on earth, but those elect Angels contented with their fame in heaven Seek not the praise of men.
The other sword in might, Though wondrous and in acts of war, Nor of renown less eager, yet by doom Cancelled from heaven and sacred memory, Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell.
For strength from truth divided and from just, Illaudible not merits but dispraise and ignominy, Yet to glory aspires vain glorious, And through infamy seeks fame, Therefore eternal silence be their doom.
And now their mightiest quelled, the battle swerved, With many an inroad gored, Deformed rout entered and foul disorder,
All the ground with shivered armour strown, And on a heap chariot and charioteer lay overturned, And fiery foaming steeds, what stood recoiled or wearied, Through the faint satanic host defensive scarce, Or with pale fear surprised.
Then first with fear surprised and sense of pain, Fled ignominious to such evil brought By sin of disobedience, till that hour not liable To fear or flight or pain.
Far otherwise the inviolable saints In cubic phalanx firm advanced entire, Invulnerable, impenetrably armed, Such high advantages their innocence Gave them above their foes, not to have sinned, Not to have disobeyed.
In fight they stood unwearied, Unobnoxious to be pained by wound, Though from their place by violence moved. End of Book 6, Part 1.
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