Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad

Through all the coasts of dark destruction seek

Deliverance for us all: this enterprise

465

Thus saying, rose

None shall partake with me.
The Monarch, and prevented all reply,
Prudent, lest from his resolution rais'd
Others among the chief might offer now
(Certain to be refus'd) what erst they fear'd;
And so refus'd might in opinion stand
His rivals, winning cheap the high repute
Which he through hazard huge must earn.
Dreaded not more th' adventure than his voice
Forbidding; at once with him they rose;
Their rising all at once was as the sound

470

But they

475

Of thunder heard remote, Tow'ards him they bend With awful rey'rence prone; and as a God

Extol him equal to the high'st in Heaven :

Nor fail'd they to express how much they prais'd 480 That for the general safety he despis'd

His own: for neither do the Spirits damn’d

Lose all their virtue; lest bad men should boast

Their specious deeds on earth, which glory' excites,
Or close ambition varnish'd o'er with zeal,

485

Thus they their doubtful consultations dark

Ended rejoicing in their matchless chief:
As when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds
Ascending, while the north-wind sleeps, o'er-spread
Heav'n's cheerful face, the low'ring element
Scowls o'er the darken'd landskip snow, or shower;
If chance the radiant sun with farewell sweet

499

Extend his evening beam, the fields revive,
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
Attest their joy, that hill and valley rings.

O shame to men! Devil with Devil damn'd
Firm concord holds, men only disagree

495

Of creatures rational, though under hope

Of heav'nly grace: and God proclaiming peace,
Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife

500

Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,

Wasting the earth, each other to destroy :
As if (which might induce us to accord)
Man had not hellish foes enow besides,
That day and night for his destruction wait.

505

THE Stygian council thus dissolv'd; and forth
In order came the grand infernal peers:
Midst came their mighty paramount, and seem'd

Alone th' antagonist of Heav'n, nor less

Than Hell's dread emperor with pomp supreme,

510

And God-like imitated state; him round

A globe of fiery Seraphim inclos'd

With bright emblazonry, and horrent arms.
Then of their session ended they bid cry

With trumpets' regal sound the great result : 515
Tow'ards the four winds four speedy Cherubims

Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy

By heralds' voice explain'd; the hollow' abyss
Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell

With deaf'ning shout return'd them loud acclaim. 520
Thence more at ease their minds, and somewhat rais'd
By false presumptuous hope, the ranged Powers

erds

ce,

Disband, and wand'ring, each his several way
Pursues, as inclination or sad choice

Leads him perplex'd, where he may likeliest find
Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain
The irksome hours, till his great chief return.
Part on the plain, or in the air sublime,
Upon the wing, or in swift race contend,
As at th' Olympian games or Pythian fields;
Part curb their fiery steeds, or shun the goal
With rapid wheels, or fronted brigades form.
As when to warn proud cities war appears
Wag'd in the troubled sky, and armies rush
To battle in the clouds, before each van

525

530

535

Prick forth the airy knights, and couch their spears

Till thickest legions close; with feats of arms
From either end of Heav'n the welkin burns.
Others with vast Typhoean rage more fell

Pend up both rocks and hills, and ride the air
In whirlwind; Hell scarce holds the wild uproar.
As when Alcides, from

chalia crown'd

With conquest, felt th' envenom'd robe, and tore

549

Through pain up by the roots Thessalian pines,

And Lichas from the top of ta threw

545

Into th' Euboic sea. Others more mild,

Retreated in a silent valley, sing
With notes angelical to many a harp

Their own heroic deeds and hapless fall

By doom of battle; and complain that fate

550

Free virtue should inthrall to force her chance.

Their song was partial, but the harmony