Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton

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Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton Page 50

by John Milton

All patience. He who therefore can invent

  465

  With what more forcible we may offend

  Our yet unwounded Enemies, or arm

  Our selves with like defence, to me deserves

  No less then for deliverance what we owe.

  Whereto with look compos’d Satan repli’d.

  470

  Not uninvented that, which thou aright

  Beleivst so main to our success, I bring;

  Which of us who beholds the bright surface

  Of this Ethereous mould whereon we stand,

  This continent of spacious Heav’n, adornd

  475

  With Plant, Fruit, Flowr Ambrosial, Gemms and Gold,

  Whose Eye so superficially surveys

  These things, as not to mind from whence they grow

  Deep under ground, materials dark and crude,

  Of spiritous and fierie spume,25 till toucht

  480

  With Heav’ns ray, and temperd they shoot forth

  So beauteous, op’ning to the ambient light.

  These in thir dark Nativitie the Deep

  Shall yeild us, pregnant with infernal flame,

  Which into hollow Engins long and round

  485

  Thick-rammd, at th’ other bore with touch of fire

  Dilated and infuriate shall send forth

  From far with thundring noise among our foes

  Such implements of mischief as shall dash

  To pieces, and orewhelm whatever stands

  490

  Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarmd

  The Thunderer of his only dreaded bolt.

  Nor long shall be our labour, yet ere dawn,

  Effect shall end our wish. Mean while revive;

  Abandon fear; to strength and counsel joind

  495

  Think nothing hard, much less to be despaird.

  He ended, and his words thir drooping chere26

  Enlight’n’d, and thir languisht hope reviv’d.

  Th’ invention all admir’d, and each, how hee

  To be th’ inventer miss’d, so easie it seemd

  500

  Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought

  Impossible: yet haply of thy Race

  In future dayes, if Malice should abound,

  Some one intent on mischief, or inspir’d

  With dev’lish machination might devise

  505

  Like instrument to plague the Sons of men

  For sin, on warr and mutual slaughter bent.

  Forthwith from Councel to the work they flew,

  None arguing stood, innumerable hands

  Were ready, in a moment up they turnd

  510

  Wide the Celestial soil, and saw beneath

  Th’ originals of Nature in thir crude

  Conception; Sulphurous and Nitrous Foam

  They found, they mingl’d, and with suttle Art,

  Concocted and adusted27 they reduc’d

  515

  To blackest grain, and into store convey’d:

  Part hidd’n veins digg’d up (nor hath this Earth

  Entrails unlike) of Mineral and Stone,

  Whereof to found thir Engins and thir Balls

  Of missive ruin;28 part incentive reed

  520

  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 unespi’d.

  Now when fair Morn Orient in Heav’n appeerd

  525

  Up rose the Victor Angels, and to Arms

  The matin Trumpet Sung: in Arms they stood

  Of Golden Panoplie, refulgent Host,

  Soon banded; others from the dawning Hills

  Look’d round, and Scouts each Coast light-armed scour,

  530

  Each quarter, to descrie the distant foe,

  Where lodg’d, or whither fled, or if for fight,

  In motion or in alt:29 him soon they met

  Under spred Ensignes moving nigh, in slow

  But firm Battalion; back with speediest Sail

  535

  Zophiel,30 of Cherubim the swiftest wing,

  Came flying, and in mid Air aloud thus cri’d.

  Arm, Warriours, 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 Cloud

  540

  He comes, and settl’d in his face I see

  Sad31 resolution and secure:32 let each

  His Adamantine coat gird well, and each

  Fit well his Helm, gripe fast his orbed Shield,

  Born eevn or high, for this day will pour down,

  545

  If I conjecture aught, no drizling showr,

  But ratling storm of Arrows barb’d with fire.

  So warnd he them aware themselves, and soon

  In order, quit of all impediment;

  Instant without disturb they took Allarm,

  550

  And onward move Embattell’d; when behold

  Not distant far with heavie pace the Foe

  Approaching gross and huge; in hollow Cube

  Training his devilish Enginrie, impal’d33

  On every side with shaddowing Squadrons Deep,

  555

  To hide the fraud. At interview both stood

  A while, but suddenly at head appeerd

  Satan: And thus was heard Commanding loud.

  Vanguard, to Right and Left the Front unfould;

  That all may see who hate us, how we seek

  560

  Peace and composure,34 and with open brest

  Stand readie 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

  565

  Freely our part; yee 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

  570

  Divided, and to either Flank retir’d.

  Which to our eyes discoverd 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 Firr

  575

  With branches lopt, in Wood or Mountain fell’d)

  Brass, Iron, Stonie mould,35 had not thir mouths

  With hideous orifice gap’t on us wide,

  Portending hollow truce; at each behind

  A Seraph stood, and in his hand a Reed

  580

  Stood waving tipt with fire; while we suspense,36

  Collected stood within our thoughts amus’d,37

  Not long, for sudden all at once thir Reeds

  Put forth, and to a narrow vent appli’d

  With nicest38 touch. Immediate in a flame,

  585

  But soon obscur’d with smoak, all Heav’n appeerd,

  From those deep-throated Engins belcht, whose roar

  Emboweld39 with outragious noise the Air,

  And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul

  Thir devilish glut, chaind Thunderbolts and Hail

  590

  Of Iron Globes, which on the Victor Host

  Level’d, with such impetuous furie smote,

  That whom they hit, none on thir feet might stand,

  Though standing else as Rocks, but down they fell

  By thousands, Angel on Arch-Angel rowl’d;

  595

  The sooner for thir Arms, unarm’d they might

  Have easily as Spirits evaded swift

  By quick contraction or
remove; but now

  Foul dissipation follow’d and forc’t rout;

  Nor serv’d it to relax thir serried files.

  600

  What should they do? if on they rusht, repulse

  Repeated, and indecent overthrow

  Doubl’d, would render them yet more despis’d,

  And to thir foes a laughter; for in view

  Stood rankt of Seraphim another row

  605

  In posture to displode thir second tire40

  Of Thunder: back defeated to return

  They worse abhorr’d. Satan beheld thir plight,

  And to his Mates thus in derision call’d.

  O Friends, why come not on these Victors proud?

  610

  Ere while they fierce were coming, and when wee,

  To entertain them fair with open Front

  And Brest (what could we more?), propounded terms

  Of composition,41 strait they chang’d thir minds,

  Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell,

  615

  As they would dance, yet for a dance they seemd

  Somwhat extravagant and wild, perhaps

  For joy of offerd peace: but I suppose

  If our proposals once again were heard

  We should compel them to a quick result.

  620

  To whom thus Belial in like gamesom 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 stumbl’d many, who receives them right,

  625

  Had need from head to foot well understand;

  Not understood, this gift they have besides,

  They shew us when our foes walk not upright.

  So they among themselves in pleasant vein

  Stood scoffing, highth’n’d in thir thoughts beyond

  630

  All doubt of Victorie, eternal might

  To match with thir inventions they presum’d

  So easie, and of his Thunder made a scorn,

  And all his Host derided, while they stood

  A while in trouble; but they stood not long,

  635

  Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms

  Against such hellish mischief fit t’ oppose.

  Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power

  Which God hath in his mighty Angels plac’d)

  Thir Arms away they threw, and to the Hills

  640

  (For Earth hath this variety from Heav’n

  Of pleasure situate in Hill and Dale)

  Light as the Lightning glimps they ran, they flew,

  From thir foundations loosning to and fro

  They pluckt the seated Hills with all thir load,

  645

  Rocks, Waters, Woods, and by the shaggie tops

  Up lifting bore them in thir hands:42 Amaze,

  Be sure, and terrour seis’d the rebel Host,

  When coming towards them so dread they saw

  The bottom of the Mountains upward turn’d,

  650

  Till on those cursed Engins triple-row

  They saw them whelm’d, and all thir confidence

  Under the weight of Mountains buried deep,

  Themselves invaded next, and on thir heads

  Main Promontories flung, which in the Air

  655

  Came shadowing, and opprest whole Legions arm’d,

  Thir armor help’d thir harm, crush’t in and bruis’d

  Into thir substance pent, which wrought them pain

  Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,

  Long strugling underneath, ere they could wind

  660

  Out of such prison, though Spirits of purest light,

  Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown.

  The rest in imitation to like Armes

  Betook them, and the neighbouring Hills uptore;

  So Hills amid the Air encounterd Hills

  665

  Hurl’d to and fro with jaculation dire,

  That under ground they fought in dismal shade;

  Infernal noise; Warr seem’d a civil43 Game

  To this uproar; horrid confusion heapt

  Upon confusion rose: and now all Heav’n

  670

  Had gon to wrack, with ruin overspred,

  Had not th’ Almightie Father where he sits

  Shrin’d in his Sanctuarie of Heav’n secure,

  Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen

  This tumult, and permitted all, advis’d:44

  675

  That his great purpose he might so fulfill,

  To honour his Anointed Son aveng’d

  Upon his enemies, and to declare

  All power on him transferr’d: whence to his Son

  Th’ Assessor45 of his Throne he thus began.

  680

  Effulgence of my Glorie, Son belov’d,

  Son in whose face invisible is beheld

  Visibly, what by Deitie I am,

  And in whose hand what by Decree I doe,

  Second Omnipotence, two dayes are past,

  685

  Two dayes, as we compute the dayes of Heav’n,

  Since Michael and his Powers went forth to tame

  These disobedient; sore hath been thir fight,

  As likeliest was, when two such Foes met arm’d;

  For to themselves I left them, and thou knowst,

  690

  Equal in their Creation they were form’d,

  Save what sin hath impaird, which yet hath wrought

  Insensibly, for I suspend thir doom;

  Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last

  Endless, and no solution will be found:

  695

  Warr wearied hath perform’d what Warr can do,

  And to disorder’d rage let loose the reins,

  With Mountains as with Weapons arm’d, which makes

  Wild work in Heav’n, and dangerous to the main.

  Two dayes are therefore past, the third is thine;

  700

  For thee I have ordain’d it, and thus farr

  Have sufferd, that the Glorie may be thine

  Of ending this great Warr, since none but Thou

  Can end it. Into thee such Vertue and Grace

  Immense I have transfus’d, that all may know

  705

  In Heav’n and Hell thy Power above compare,

  And this perverse Commotion governd thus,

  To manifest thee worthiest to be Heir

  Of all things, to be Heir and to be King

  By Sacred Unction,46 thy deserved right.

  710

  Go then thou Mightiest in thy Fathers might,

  Ascend my Chariot, guide the rapid Wheels

  That shake Heav’ns basis, bring forth all my Warr,

  My Bow and Thunder, my Almightie Arms

  Gird on, and Sword upon thy puissant Thigh;

  715

  Pursue these sons of Darkness, drive them out

  From all Heav’ns bounds into the utter Deep:

  There let them learn, as likes them, to despise

  God and Messiah his anointed King.

  He said, and on his Son with Rayes direct

  720

  Shon full, he all his Father full exprest

  Ineffably into his face receiv’d,

  And thus the filial Godhead answering spake.

  O Father, O Supream of heav’nly Thrones,

  First, Highest, Holiest, Best, thou alwayes seekst

  725

  To glorifie thy Son, I alwayes thee,

  As is most just; this I my Glorie account,

  My exaltation, and my whole delight,

  That thou in me well pleas’d, declarst thy will

  Fulfill’d, which to fulfil is all my bliss.

  730

  Scep
ter and Power, thy giving, I assume,

  And gladlier shall resign, when in the end

  Thou shalt be All in All,47 and I in thee

  For ever, and in mee all whom thou lov’st:

  But whom thou hat’st, I hate, and can put on

  735

  Thy terrors, as I put thy mildness on,

  Image of thee in all things; and shall soon,

  Armd with thy might, rid heav’n of these rebell’d,

  To thir prepar’d ill Mansion driven down

  To chains of darkness, and th’ undying Worm,48

  740

  That from thy just obedience could revolt,

  Whom to obey is happiness entire.

  Then shall thy Saints unmixt, and from th’ impure

  Farr separate, circling thy holy Mount

  Unfained Halleluiahs to thee sing,

  745

  Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief.

  So said, he o’re his Scepter bowing, rose

  From the right hand of Glorie where he sate,

  And the third sacred Morn began to shine

  Dawning through Heav’n: forth rush’d with whirlwind sound

  750

  The Chariot49 of Paternal Deitie,

  Flashing thick flames, Wheel within Wheel undrawn,

  It self instinct50 with Spirit, but convoyd

  By four Cherubic shapes, four Faces each

  Had wondrous, as with Starrs thir bodies all

  755

  And Wings were set with Eyes, with Eyes the wheels

  Of Beril, and careering51 Fires between;

  Over thir heads a chrystal Firmament,

  Whereon a Saphir Throne, inlaid with pure

  Amber, and colours of the showrie Arch.

  760

  Hee in Celestial Panoplie all armd

  Of radiant Urim,52 work divinely wrought,

  Ascended, at his right hand Victorie

  Sate Eagle-wing’d, beside him hung his Bow

  And Quiver with three-bolted Thunder stor’d,

  765

  And from about him fierce Effusion rowld

  Of smoak and bickering53 flame, and sparkles dire;

 

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