by John Milton
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Before thy fellows, ambitious to win
From me som Plume, that thy success may show
Destruction to the rest: this pause between
(Unanswerd least thou boast) to let thee know;
At first I thought that Libertie and Heav’n
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To heav’nly Souls had bin all one: but now
I see that most through sloth had rather serve,
Ministring Spirits, traind up in Feast and Song;
Such hast thou arm’d, the Minstrelsie13 of Heav’n,
Servilitie with freedom to contend,
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As both thir deeds compar’d this day shall prove.
To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern repli’d.
Apostat, still thou errst, nor end wilt find
Of erring, from the path of truth remote:
Unjustly thou deprav’st it with the name
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Of Servitude to serve whom God ordains,
Or Nature; God and Nature bid the same,
When he who rules is worthiest, and excells
Them whom he governs. This is servitude,
To serve th’ unwise, or him who hath rebell’d
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Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee,
Thy self not free, but to thy self enthrall’d;
Yet leudly dar’st our ministring upbraid.
Reign thou in Hell thy Kingdom, let mee serve
In Heav’n God ever blest, and his Divine
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Behests obey, worthiest to be obey’d,
Yet Chains in Hell, not Realms expect: mean while
From mee returnd, as erst thou saidst, from flight,
This greeting on thy impious Crest receive.
So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high,
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Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell
On the proud Crest of Satan, that no sight,
Nor motion of swift thought, less could his Shield
Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge
He back recoild; the tenth on bended knee
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His massie Spear upstaid; as if on Earth
Winds under ground or waters forcing way
Sidelong, had push’t a Mountain from his seat
Half sunk with all his Pines. Amazement seis’d
The Rebel Thrones, but greater rage to see
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Thus foil’d thir mightiest, ours joy fill’d, and shout,
Presage of Victorie and fierce desire
Of Battel: whereat Michael bid sound
Th’ Arch-Angel trumpet; through the vast of Heav’n
It sounded, and the faithful Armies rung
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Hosanna to the Highest: nor stood at gaze
The adverse Legions, nor less hideous joyn’d
The horrid shock: now storming furie rose,
And clamour such as heard in Heav’n till now
Was never, Arms on Armour clashing bray’d
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Horrible discord, and the madding Wheels
Of brazen Chariots rag’d; dire was the noise
Of conflict; over head the dismal hiss
Of fiery Darts in flaming volies flew,
And flying vaulted either Host with fire.
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So under fierie Cope14 together rush’d
Both Battels main, with ruinous assault
And inextinguishable rage; all Heav’n
Resounded, and had Earth bin then, all Earth
Had to her Center shook. What wonder? when
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Millions of fierce encountring Angels fought
On either side, the least of whom could weild
These Elements, and arm him with the force
Of all thir Regions: how much more of Power
Armie against Armie numberless to raise
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Dreadful combustion warring, and disturb,
Though not destroy, thir happie Native seat;
Had not th’ Eternal King Omnipotent
From his strong hold of Heav’n high over-rul’d
And limited thir might; though numberd such
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As each divided Legion might have seemd
A numerous Host, in strength each armed hand
A Legion; led in fight, yet Leader seemd
Each Warriour single as in Chief, expert
When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway
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Of Battel, open when, and when to close
The ridges15 of grim Warr; no thought of flight,
None of retreat, no unbecoming deed
That argu’d fear; each on himself reli’d,
As onely in his arm the moment16 lay
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Of victorie; deeds of eternal fame
Were don, but infinite: for wide was spred
That Warr and various; somtimes on firm ground
A standing fight, then soaring on main wing
Tormented all the Air; all Air seemd then
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Conflicting Fire: long time in eeven scale
The Battel hung; till Satan, who that day
Prodigious power had shewn, and met in Armes
No equal, raunging through the dire attack
Of fighting Seraphim confus’d, at length
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Saw where the Sword of Michael smote, and fell’d
Squadrons at once, with huge two-handed sway
Brandisht aloft the horrid edge came down
Wide wasting; such destruction to withstand
He hasted, and oppos’d the rockie Orb
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Of tenfold Adamant, his ample Shield
A vast circumference: At his approach
The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toil
Surceas’d, and glad as hoping here to end
Intestine War in Heav’n, th’ arch foe subdu’d
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Or Captive drag’d in Chains, with hostile frown
And visage all enflam’d first thus began.
Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt,
Unnam’d in Heav’n, now plenteous, as thou seest
These Acts of hateful strife, hateful to all,
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Though heaviest by just measure on thy self
And thy adherents: how hast thou disturb’d
Heav’ns blessed peace, and into Nature brought
Miserie, uncreated till the crime
Of thy Rebellion? how hast thou instill’d
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Thy malice into thousands, once upright
And faithful, now prov’d false. But think not here
To trouble Holy Rest; Heav’n casts thee out
From all her Confines. Heav’n the seat of bliss
Brooks not the works of violence and Warr.
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Hence then, and evil go with thee along
Thy ofspring, to the place of evil, Hell,
Thou and thy wicked crew; there mingle broils,
Ere this avenging Sword begin thy doom,
Or som more sudden vengeance wing’d from God
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Precipitate thee with augmented pain.
So spake the Prince of Angels; to whom thus
The Adversarie. Nor think thou with wind
Of airie threats to aw whom yet with deeds
Thou canst not. Hast thou turnd the least of these
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To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise
Unvanquisht, easier to transact with mee
That thou shouldst hope, imperious, and with threats
To chase me hence? err not that so shall end
The strife which thou call’st evil, but wee style
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The strife of Glorie: which we mean to win,
Or turn this Heav’n it self into the Hell
Thou fablest, here however t
o dwell free,
If not to reign: mean while thy utmost force,
And join him nam’d Almighty to thy aid,
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I flie not, but have sought thee farr and nigh.
They ended parle, and both addrest17 for fight
Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue
Of Angels, can relate, or to what things
Liken on Earth conspicuous, that may lift
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Human imagination to such highth
Of Godlike Power: for likest Gods they seemd,
Stood they or mov’d, in stature, motion, arms
Fit to decide the Empire of great Heav’n.
Now wav’d thir fierie Swords, and in the Air
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Made horrid Circles; two broad Suns thir Shields
Blaz’d opposite, while expectation stood
In horror; from each hand with speed retir’d
Where erst was thickest fight, th’ Angelic throng,
And left large field, unsafe within the wind
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Of such commotion, such as to set forth
Great things by small, if Natures concord broke,
Among the Constellations warr were sprung,
Two Planets rushing from aspect maligne
Of fiercest opposition in mid Skie,
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Should combat, and thir jarring Sphears confound.
Together both with next t’ Almightie Arm,
Uplifted imminent one stroke they aim’d
That might determine,18 and not need repeat,
As not of power, at once; nor odds19 appeerd
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In might or swift prevention; but the sword
Of Michael from the Armorie of God
Was giv’n him temperd so, that neither keen
Nor solid might resist that edge; it met
The sword of Satan with steep force to smite
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Descending, and in half cut sheer, not staid,
But with swift wheel reverse, deep entring shar’d
All his right side; then Satan first knew pain,
And writh’d him to and fro convolv’d; so sore
The griding20 sword with discontinuous wound
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Pass’d through him, but th’ Ethereal substance clos’d
Not long divisible, and from the gash
A stream of Nectarous humor issuing flow’d
Sanguin, such as Celestial Spirits may bleed,
And all his Armour staind ere while so bright.
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Forthwith on all sides to his aid was run
By Angels many and strong, who interpos’d
Defence, while others bore him on thir Shields
Back to his Chariot; where it stood retir’d
From off the files of warr; there they him laid
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Gnashing for anguish and despite and shame
To find himself not matchless, and his pride
Humbl’d by such rebuke, so farr beneath
His confidence to equal God in power.
Yet soon he heal’d; for Spirits that live throughout
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Vital in every part, not as frail man
In Entrails, Heart or Head, Liver or Reins,
Cannot but by annihilating die;
Nor in thir liquid texture mortal wound
Receive, no more then can the fluid Air:
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All Heart they live, all Head, all Eye, all Ear,
All Intellect, all Sense, and as they please,
They Limb themselves, and colour, shape or size
Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare.
Mean while in other parts like deeds deserv’d
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Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought,
And with fierce Ensignes pierc’d the deep array
Of Moloc furious King, who him defi’d,
And at his Chariot wheels to drag him bound
Threat’n’d, nor from the Holie One of Heav’n
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Refrein’d his tongue blasphemous; but anon
Down clov’n to the waste, with shatterd Armes
And uncouth pain fled bellowing. On each wing
Uriel and Raphael his vaunting foe,
Though huge, and in a Rock of Diamond Armd,
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Vanquish’d Adramelec, and Asmadai,
Two potent Thrones, that to be less then Gods
Disdain’d, but meaner thoughts learnd in thir flight,
Mangl’d with gastly wounds through Plate and Mail.
Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy
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The Atheist crew, but with redoubl’d blow
Ariel and Arioc, and the violence
Of Ramiel scorcht and blasted overthrew.
I might relate of thousands, and thir names
Eternize here on Earth; but those elect
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Angels contented with thir fame in Heav’n
Seek not the praise of men: the other sort
In might though wondrous and in Acts of Warr,
Nor of Renown less eager, yet by doom
Canceld from Heav’n and sacred memorie,
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Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell.
For strength from Truth divided and from Just,
Illaudable, naught merits but dispraise
And ignominie, yet to glorie aspires
Vain glorious, and through infamie seeks fame:
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Therfore Eternal silence be thir doom.
And now thir mightiest quell’d, the battel swerv’d,
With many an inrode gor’d; deformed rout
Enter’d, and foul disorder; all the ground
With shiverd armour strown, and on a heap
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Chariot and Charioter lay overturnd
And fierie foaming Steeds; what stood, recoyld
Orewearied, through the faint Satanic Host
Defensive scarse, or with pale fear surpris’d,
Then first with fear surpris’d and sense of pain
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Fled ignominious, to such evil brought
By sin of disobedience, till that hour
Not liable to fear or flight or pain.
Far otherwise th’ inviolable Saints
In Cubic Phalanx firm advanc’t entire,
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Invulnerable, impenitrably arm’d:
Such high advantages thir innocence
Gave them above thir foes, not to have sinn’d,
Not to have disobei’d; in fight they stood
Unwearied, unobnoxious21 to be pain’d
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By wound, though from thir place by violence mov’d
Now Night her course began, and over Heav’n
Inducing darkness, grateful truce impos’d,
And silence on the odious dinn of Warr:
Under her Cloudie covert both retir’d,
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Victor and Vanquisht: on the foughten field
Michael and his Angels prevalent22
Encamping, plac’d in Guard thir Watches round,
Cherubic waving fires: on th’ other part
Satan with his rebellious disappeerd,
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Far in the dark dislodg’d, and void of rest,
His Potentates to Councel call’d by night;
And in the midst thus undismai’d began.
O now in danger tri’d, now known in Armes
Not to be overpowerd, Companions dear,
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Found worthy not of Libertie alone,
Too mean pretense, but what we more affect,
Honour, Dominion, Glorie, and renown,
Who have sustaind one day in doubtful fight
(And if one day, why not Eternal dayes?)
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What Heavens Lord had powerfullest to send
Against us from about his Throne, and judg’d
Sufficient to subdue us to his will,
But proves not so: then fallible, it seems,
Of future we may deem him, though till now
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Omniscient thought. True is, less firmly arm’d,
Some disadvantage we endur’d and pain,
Till now not known, but known as soon contemn’d,
Since now we find this our Empyreal form
Incapable of mortal injurie
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Imperishable, and though peirc’d with wound,
Soon closing, and by native vigour heal’d.
Of evil then so small as easie think
The remedie; perhaps more valid Armes,
Weapons more violent, when next we meet,
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May serve to better us, and worse our foes,
Or equal what between us made the odds,
In Nature none: if other hidden cause
Left them Superiour, while we can preserve
Unhurt our minds, and understanding sound,
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Due search and consultation will disclose.
He sat; and in th’ assembly next upstood
Nisroc,23 of Principalities the prime;
As one he stood escap’t from cruel fight,
Sore toild, his riv’n Armes to havoc hewn,
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And cloudie in aspect thus answering spake.
Deliverer from new Lords, leader to free
Enjoyment of our right as Gods; yet hard
For Gods, and too unequal work we find
Against unequal armes to fight in pain,
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Against unpaind, impassive;24 from which evil
Ruin must needs ensue; for what avails
Valour or strength, though matchless, quell’d with pain
Which all subdues, and makes remiss the hands
Of Mightiest. Sense of pleasure we may well
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Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine,
But live content, which is the calmest life:
But pain is perfet miserie, the worst
Of evils, and excessive, overturns