Paradise Lost

  But that I doubt, however witness Heaven,

  Heav’n witness thou anon, while we discharge

  Freely our part; ye 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

  Divided, and to either flank retired.

  Which to our eyes discovered new and strange,

  A triple-mounted572 row of pillars laid

  On wheels (for like to pillars most they seemed

  Or hollowed bodies made of oak or fir

  With branches lopped, in wood or mountain felled)

  Brass, iron, stony mold576, had not their mouths

  With hideous orifice gaped on us wide,

  Portending hollow truce; at each behind

  A Seraph stood, and in his hand a reed

  Stood waving tipped with fire; while we suspense580,

  Collected stood within our thoughts amused581,

  Not long, for sudden all at once their reeds

  Put forth, and to a narrow vent applied

  With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame,

  But soon585 obscured with smoke, all Heav’n appeared,

  From those586 deep-throated engines belched, whose roar

  Emboweled with outrageous noise the air,

  And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul

  Their devilish glut, chained thunderbolts589 and hail

  Of iron globes, which on the victor host

  Leveled, with such impetuous fury smote,

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

  Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell

  By thousands, angel on archangel rolled;

  The sooner595 for their arms, unarmed they might

  Have easily as spirits evaded swift

  By quick contraction or remove; but now

  Foul dissipation598 followed and forced rout;

  Nor599 served it to relax their serried files.

  What should they do? If on they rushed, repulse

  Repeated, and indecent601 overthrow

  Doubled, would render them yet more despised,

  And to their foes a laughter603; for in view

  Stood ranked of Seraphim another row

  In posture to displode605 their second tire

  Of thunder: back defeated to return

  They worse abhorred. Satan beheld their plight,

  And to his mates thus in derision called.

  “ ‘O friends, why come not on these victors proud?

  Erewhile they fierce were coming, and when we,

  To entertain them fair with open front611

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

  Of composition, straight they changed their minds,

  Flew off,614 and into strange vagaries fell,

  As they would dance, yet for a dance they seemed

  Somewhat extravagant and wild, perhaps

  For joy of offered peace: but I suppose

  If our proposals once again were heard

  We should compel them to a quick result.’

  “To whom thus Belial in like gamesome mood.

  ‘Leader, the terms we sent were terms of weight,

  Of hard contents, and full of force urged home,

  Such as we might perceive amused623 them all,

  And stumbled many: who receives them right,

  Had need from head to foot well understand;

  Not understood, this gift they have besides,

  They show us when our foes walk not upright.’

  “So they among themselves in pleasant vein

  Stood scoffing, heightened in their thoughts beyond

  All doubt of victory, eternal might

  To match with their inventions they presumed

  So easy, and of his thunder made a scorn,

  And all his host derided, while they stood

  A while in trouble; but they stood not long,

  Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms635

  Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose.

  Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power

  Which God hath in his mighty angels placed)

  Their arms639 away they threw, and to the hills

  (For Earth hath this variety from Heav’n

  Of pleasure situate in hill and dale)

  Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew,

  From their foundations loos’ning to and fro

  They plucked the seated hills with all their load,

  Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops

  Uplifting bore them in their hands: amaze646,

  Be sure, and terror seized the rebel host,

  When coming towards them so dread they saw

  The bottom of the mountains upward turned,

  Till on those cursèd engines’ triple-row650

  They saw them whelmed, and all their confidence

  Under the weight of mountains buried deep,

  Themselves invaded653 next, and on their heads

  Main654 promontories flung, which in the air

  Came shadowing, and oppressed655 whole legions armed,

  Their armor helped their harm, crushed in and bruised

  Into their substance pent657, which wrought them pain

  Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,

  Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind

  Out of such prison, though spirits of purest light,

  Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown.

  The rest in imitation to like arms

  Betook them, and the neighboring hills uptore;

  So hills amid the air encountered hills

  Hurled to and fro with jaculation665 dire

  That underground they fought in dismal shade;

  Infernal noise; war seemed a civil game

  To this uproar; horrid confusion heaped

  Upon confusion rose: and now all Heav’n

  Had gone to wrack, with ruin overspread,

  Had not th’ almighty Father where he sits

  Shrined in his sanctuary of Heav’n secure,

  Consulting on the sum of things673, foreseen

  This tumult, and permitted all, advised:

  That his great purpose he might so fulfill,

  To honor his anointed Son avenged

  Upon his enemies, and to declare

  All power on him transferred: whence to his Son

  Th’ assessor679 of his throne he thus began.

  “ ‘Effulgence of my glory, Son beloved,

  Son in whose face invisible is beheld681

  Visibly681, what by deity I am,

  And in whose hand what by decree I do,

  Second omnipotence684, two days are passed,

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

  Since Michael and his powers went forth to tame

  These disobedient; sore hath been their fight,

  As likeliest was, when two such foes met armed;

  For to themselves I left them, and thou know’st,

  Equal in their creation they were formed,

  Save what sin hath impaired, which yet hath wrought

  Insensibly, for I suspend their doom;

  Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last

  Endless, and no solution will be found:

  War wearied hath performed what war can do,

  And to disordered rage let loose the reins,

  With mountains as with weapons armed, which makes

  Wild work in Heav’n, and dangerous to the main698.

  Two days are therefore passed, the third is thine699;

  For thee I have ordained it, and thus far

  Have suffered701, that the glory may be thine

  Of ending this great war, since none but thou

  Can end it. Into thee such virtue and grace
>
  Immense I have transfused, that all may know

  In Heav’n and Hell thy power above compare,

  And this perverse commotion governed thus,

  To manifest thee worthiest to be heir707

  Of all things707, to be heir and to be King

  By sacred unction, thy deservèd right.

  Go then thou mightiest in thy Father’s might,

  Ascend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels

  That shake Heav’n’s basis, bring forth all my war712,

  My bow and thunder, my almighty arms

  Gird on, and sword upon thy puissant thigh;

  Pursue these sons of darkness, drive them out

  From all Heav’n’s bounds into the utter716 deep:

  There let them learn, as likes them, to despise

  God and Messiah his anointed King.’

  “He said, and on his Son with rays direct

  Shone full,720 he all his Father full expressed

  Ineffably into his face received,

  And thus the filial Godhead answering spake:

  “ ‘O Father, O supreme of Heav’nly thrones,

  First, highest, holiest, best, thou always seek’st

  To glorify725s thy Son, I always thee,

  As is most just; this I my glory account,

  My exaltation, and my whole delight,

  That thou in me well pleased728, declar’st thy will

  Fulfilled, which to fulfill is all my bliss.

  Scepter and power, thy giving, I assume,

  And gladlier shall resign, when in the end731

  Thou shalt be all in all731, and I in thee

  Forever, and in me all whom thou lov’st:

  But whom thou hat’st, I hate734, and can put on

  Thy terrors, as I put thy mildness on,

  Image of thee in all things; and shall soon,

  Armed with thy might, rid Heav’n of these rebelled,

  To their prepared ill mansion738 driven down

  To chains of darkness, and th’ undying worm,739

  That from thy just obedience could revolt,

  Whom to obey is happiness entire.

  Then shall thy saints unmixed, and from th’ impure

  Far separate, circling thy holy mount

  Unfeignèd hallelujahs744 to thee sing,

  Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief.’

  So said, he o’er his scepter bowing, rose

  From the right hand of glory where he sat,

  And the third sacred morn began to shine

  Dawning through Heav’n: forth749 rushed with whirlwind sound

  The chariot of paternal deity,

  Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn,

  Itself instinct with752 spirit, but convoyed

  By four cherubic shapes, four faces each

  Had wondrous, as with stars their bodies all

  And wings were set with eyes, with eyes the wheels

  Of beryl756, and careering fires between;

  Over their heads a crystal firmament,

  Whereon a sapphire throne, inlaid with pure

  Amber, and colors of the show’ry arch759.

  He in celestial panoply all armed

  Of radiant urim761, work divinely wrought,

  Ascended, at his right hand Victory762

  Sat eagle-winged, beside him hung his bow

  And quiver with three-bolted thunder stored,

  And from about him fierce effusion rolled

  Of smoke and bickering766 flame, and sparkles dire;

  Attended with767 ten thousand thousand saints,

  He onward came, far off his coming shone,

  And twenty thousand (I their number heard)

  Chariots of God, half on each hand were seen:

  He on771 the wings of Cherub rode sublime

  On the crystalline sky, in sapphire throned.

  Illustrious773 far and wide, but by his own

  First seen, them unexpected joy surprised,

  When the great ensign of Messiah blazed

  Aloft by angels borne, his sign776 in Heav’n:

  Under whose conduct Michael soon reduced777

  His army, circumfused on either wing,

  Under their head779 embodied all in one.

  Before him power divine his way prepared;

  At his command the uprooted hills retired

  Each to his place, they heard his voice and went

  Obsequious, Heav’n his wonted face renewed,

  And with fresh flow’rets hill and valley smiled.

  This saw his hapless foes but stood obdured785,

  And to rebellious fight rallied their powers

  Insensate, hope conceiving from despair.

  In Heav’nly spirits could such perverseness dwell?

  But to convince the proud what signs avail,

  Or wonders move th’ obdurate to relent?

  They hardened more791 by what might most reclaim,

  Grieving to see his glory, at the sight

  Took envy, and aspiring to his highth,

  Stood re-embattled fierce, by force or fraud

  Weening to prosper, and at length prevail

  Against God and Messiah, or to fall

  In universal ruin last797, and now

  To final battle drew, disdaining flight,

  Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God

  To all his host on either hand thus spake.

  “ ‘Stand still in bright array ye saints801, here stand

  Ye angels armed, this day from battle rest;

  Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God

  Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause,

  And as ye have received, so have ye done

  Invincibly; but of this cursèd crew

  The punishment to other hand belongs,

  Vengeance808 is his, or whose he sole appoints;

  Number to this day’s work is not ordained

  Nor multitude, stand only and behold

  God’s indignation on these godless poured

  By me, not you but me they have despised,

  Yet envied; against me is all their rage,

  Because the Father, t’ whom in Heav’n supreme

  Kingdom and815 power and glory appertains,

  Hath honored me according to his will.

  Therefore to me their doom he hath assigned;

  That they may have their wish, to try with me

  In battle which the stronger proves, they all,

  Or I alone against them, since by strength

  They measure all, of other excellence

  Not emulous, nor care who them excels;

  Nor other strife with them do I vouchsafe.’

  “So spake the Son, and into terror changed

  His count’nance too severe to be beheld

  And full of wrath bent on his enemies.

  At once the Four827 spread out their starry wings

  With dreadful shade contiguous828, and the orbs

  Of his fierce chariot rolled, as with the sound

  Of torrent floods, or of a numerous host.

  He on his impious foes right onward831 drove,

  Gloomy as night; under his burning wheels

  The steadfast empyrean shook throughout,833

  All but the throne itself of God833. Full soon

  Among them he arrived; in his right hand

  Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent

  Before him, such as in their souls infixed

  Plagues838; they astonished all resistance lost,

  All courage; down their idle weapons dropped;

  O’er shields840 and helms, and helmèd heads he rode

  Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostrate,

  That wished842 the mountains now might be again

  Thrown on them as a shelter from his ire.

  Nor less on either side tempestuous fell

  His arrows, from the fourfold-visaged Four,

  Distinct846 with ey
es, and from the living wheels

  Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;

  One spirit in them ruled, and every eye

  Glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious849 fire

  Among th’ accursed, that withered all their strength,

  And of their wonted vigor left them drained,

  Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fall’n.

  Yet half his strength he put not forth, but checked

  His thunder in mid-volley, for he meant

  Not to destroy, but root them out of Heav’n:

  The overthrown he raised, and as a herd

  Of goats857 or timorous flock together thronged

  Drove them before him thunderstruck, pursued

  With terrors and with furies to the bounds

  And crystal wall of Heav’n, which op’ning wide,

  Rolled inward861, and a spacious gap disclosed

  Into the wasteful862 deep; the monstrous sight

  Strook them with horror backward, but far worse

  Urged them behind; headlong themselves they threw

  Down from the verge of Heav’n; eternal wrath

  Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.

  “Hell heard th’ unsufferable noise, Hell saw

  Heav’n ruining868 from Heav’n and would have fled

  Affrighted; but strict fate869 had cast too deep

  Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound.

  Nine days they fell871; confounded Chaos roared,

  And felt tenfold confusion in their fall

  Through his wild anarchy, so huge a rout873

  “headlong themselves they threw / Down from the verge of Heav’n” (6.864–65). (illustration credit 6.1)

  Encumbered him with ruin: Hell at last874

  Yawning received them whole, and on them closed874,

  Hell their fit habitation fraught with fire

  Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.

  Disburdened Heav’n rejoiced, and soon repaired

  Her mural breach, returning whence it rolled.

  Sole victor from th’ expulsion of his foes

  Messiah his triumphal chariot turned:

  To meet him all his saints, who silent stood

  Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,

  With jubilee884 advanced; and as they went,

  Shaded with branching palm885, each order bright

  Sung triumph, and him sung victorious King,

  Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion giv’n,

  Worthiest to reign: he celebrated rode

  Triumphant through mid-Heav’n, into the courts

  And temple of his mighty Father throned

  On high: who into glory him received,

  Where now he sits at the right hand892 of bliss.

  “Thus measuring things in Heav’n by things on Earth

  At thy request, and that thou may’st beware

  By what is past, to thee I have revealed