The sword of Satan with steep force to smite
Descending, and in half cut sheer; nor stay'd,
But with swift wheel reverse, 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,
Pass'd through him: but the ethereal substance clos'd,
Not long devisible; and, from the gash,
A strear of nectarous humour issuing flow'd
Sanguine, such as celestial spirits may bleed,
And all his armour stain'd, ere 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 shields,
Back to his chariot, where it stood retired,
From off the files of war: there they him laid,
Gnashing for anguish, and despite, and shame,
To find himself not matchless, and his pride
Humbled by such rebuke, so far beneath
His confidence to equal God in power.
Yet soon he heal'd; for spirits, that live throughout
Vital in every part, not as frail man,
In entrails, heart or head, liver or reins,
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 colour, shape or size
Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare.
"Meanwhile, in other parts, like deeds deserv'd
Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought,
And, with fierce ensigns, pierced the deep array
Of Moloch, furious king; who him defy'd,
And at his chariot-wheels, to drag him bound
Threaten'd, nor from the Holy One of Heaven
Refrain'd his tongue blasphemous; but anon,
Down cloven to the waist, with shatter'd arms,
And uncouth pain, fled bellowing. On each wing
Uriel and Raphael, his vaunting foe,
Though huge, and in a rock of diamond arm'd
Vanquish'd, Adramalech, and Asmadai;
Two potent thrones, that to be less than gods
Disdain'd, but meaner thoughts learn'd 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 Arioch, and the violence
Of Ramiel, scorch'd 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 sort,
In might though wondrous, and in acts of war,
Nor of renown less eager, yet by doom
Cancel'd from Heaven and sacred memory,
Nameless, in dark oblivion let them dwell.
For strength, from truth divided and from just,
Illaudable, nought 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 quell'd, the battle swerv'd, With many an inroad gored; deformed rout
Enter'd, and foul disorder: all the ground
With shiver'd armour strown, and, on a heap,
Chariot and charioteer lay overturn'd,
And fiery foaming steeds; what stood, recoil'd
O'erwearied, through the faint Satanic host,
Defensive scarce, or, with pale fear surpris'd,
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 arm'd:
Such high advantages their innocence
Gave them above their foes; not to have sinn'd,
Not to have disobey'd; in fight they stood
Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pain'd
By wound, though from their place by violence moved.
"Now night her course began, and over Heaven
Inducing darkness, grateful truce imposed,
And silence, on the odious din of war:
Under her cloudy covert both retired,
Victor and vanquish'd: on the foughten field
Michael and his angels, prevalent,
Encamping, placed in guard their watches round,
Cherubic waving fires: on the other part,
Satan with his rebellious disappear'd,
FA in the dark dislodg'd: and void of rest
His potentates, to council call'd by night,
And in the midst, thus undismay'd began.
"O now in danger try'd, now known in arms
Not to be overpower'd, companions dear,
Found worthy, not of liberty alone,
Too mean pretence, but what we more affect,
Honour, dominion, glory, and renown;
Who have sustain'd one day in doubtful fight,
And if one day, why not eternal days?
What Heaven's Lord hath powerfullest to send
Against us, from about his throne, and judged
Sufficient to subdue us to his will;
But proves not so: then fallible, it seems,
Of future we may deem him, though till now
Omniscient thought. True is, less firmly arm'd,
Some disadvantage we endured, and pain,
Till now not known, but known, as soon contemn'd,
Since now, we find this our empyreal form
Incapable of mortal injury,
Imperishable; and though pierced with wound,
Soon closing, and by native vigour heal'd.
Of evil then so small, as easy think
The remedy; perhaps more valid arms,
Weapons more violent, when next we meet,
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 superior, while we can preserve
Unhurt our minds and understanding sound,
Due search and consultation will disclose.'
"He sat; and in the assembly next upstood
Nisroch, of principalities the prime;
As one he stood escaped from cruel fight,
Sore toil'd, his riven arms to havoc hewn,
And cloudy in aspect, thus answ'ring 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 arms to fight in pain,
Against unpain'd, impassive; 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
Spare out of life, perhaps, and not repine,
But live content, which is the calmest life:
But pain is perfect misery, the worst
Of evils, and excessive, overturns
All patience. He who therefore can invent,
With what more forcible we may offend
Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm
Ourselves with like defence, to me deserves
No less, than for deliverance what we owe.'
"Whereto, with look composed, Satan replied.
'Not uninvented, that, which thou aright
Believest 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 Heaven, adorn'd
With plant, fruit, flower ambrosial, gems, 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 spirituous and fiery spume, till touch'd
With Heaven's ray, and temper'd, they shoot forth
So beauteous, opening to the ambient light?
These, in their dark nativity the deep,
Shall yield us, pregnant with infernal flame;
Which into hollow engines, long and round,
Thick-ramm'd, at the other bore, with touch of fire
Dilated, and infuriate, shall send forth
From far, with thundering noise among our foes,
Such implements of mischief, as shall dash
To pieces, and o'erwhelm whatever stands
Adverse; that they shall fear we have disarm'd
The thunderer of his only dreaded bolt.
Nor long shall be our labour; yet ere dawn,
Effect shall end our wish. Meanwhile revive;
Abandon fear; to strength and counsel join'd,
Think nothing hard, much less to be despair'd.'
"He ended; and his words their drooping cheer
Enlighten'd, and their languish'd hope reviv'd.
The invention all admir'd, and each, how he
To be the inventor miss'd; so easy it seem'd,
Once found, which, yet unfound, most would have thought
Impossible yet haply, of thy race,
In future days, if malice should abound,
Some one, intent on mischief, or inspired
With develish machination, might devise
Like instrument, to plague the sons of men
For sin, on war and mutual slaughter bent.
Forthwith from council to the work they flew ;
None arguing stood; innumerable hands
Were ready; in a moment up they turned
Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath
The originals of nature, in their crude
Conception; sulphurous and nitrous foam
They found, they mingled, and with subtle art
Concocted and adusted, they reduced
To blackest grain, and into store convey'd :
Part hidden veins digg'd up; nor hath this earth
Entrails unlike, of mineral and stone,
Whereof to found their engines, and their balls
Of missive ruin; part incentive reed
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 unespied.
"Now when fair morn, orient in Heaven, appear'd,
Up rose the victor angels, and to arms
The matin trumpet sung: in arms they stood
Of golden panoply, refulgent host,
Soon banded; others, from the dawning hills,
Look'd round, and scouts each coast light-armed scour,
Each quarter, to descry the distant foe,
Where lodged, or whither fled, or if for fight,
In motion, or in halt: him soon they met,
Under spread ensigns, moving nigh, in slow,
But firm battalion. Back with speediest sail,
Zophiel, of cherubim the swiftest wing,
Came flying, and, in mid air, aloud thus cried.
"Arm, warriors, 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
He comes; and settled in his face, I see
Sad resolution and secure. Let each
His adamantine coat gird well, and each
Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield,
Borne even or high; for this day will pour down,
If I conjecture ought, no drizzling shower,
But rattling storm of arrows, barb'd with fire.
"So warn'd he them, aware themselves; and soon In order, quit of all impediment,
Instant without disturb, they took alarm,
And onward move embattled: when behold,
Not distant far, with heavy pace, the foe
Approaching gross and huge, in hollow cube,
Training his devilish enginery, impailed
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