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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 To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise Unvanquisht, easier to transact with mee That thou shouldst hope, imperious, & with threats To chase me hence? erre not that so shall end The strife which thou call'st evil, but wee style The strife of Glorie: which we mean to win, 290 Or turn this Heav'n it self into the Hell Thou fablest, here however to dwell free, If not to reign: mean while thy utmost force, And join him nam'd Almightie to thy aid, I flie not, but have sought thee farr and nigh. They ended parle, and both addrest for fight Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue Of Angels, can relate, or to what things Liken on Earth conspicuous, that may lift Human imagination to such highth 300 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 Aire 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 Of such commotion, such as to set forth 310 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, Should combat, and thir jarring Sphears confound. Together both with next to Almightie Arme, Uplifted imminent one stroke they aim'd That might determine, and not need repeate, As not of power, at once; nor odds appeerd In might or swift prevention; but the sword 320 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 Descending, and in half cut sheere, nor staid, But with swift wheele 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 griding sword with discontinuous wound Pass'd through him, but th' Ethereal substance clos'd 330 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. Forthwith on all sides to his aide 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 Gnashing for anguish and despite and shame 340 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 Vital in every part, not as frail man In Entrailes, Heart or Head, Liver or Reines, Cannot but by annihilating die; Nor in thir liquid texture mortal wound Receive, no more then can the fluid Aire: All Heart they live, all Head, all Eye, all Eare, 350 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 deservd 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 wheeles to drag him bound Threatn'd, nor from the Holie One of Heav'n Refrein'd his tongue blasphemous; but anon 360 Down clov'n to the waste, with shatterd Armes And uncouth paine fled bellowing. On each wing Uriel and Raphael his vaunting foe, Though huge, and in a Rock of Diamond Armd, 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 Maile. Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy The Atheist crew, but with redoubl'd blow 370 Ariel and Arioc, and the violence Of Ramiel scorcht and blasted overthrew.
- Page 173 and 174: Had in remembrance alwayes with del
- Page 175 and 176: Far off and fearless, nor with caus
- Page 177 and 178: Of us out-cast, exil'd, his new del
- Page 179 and 180: To them who liv'd; nor on the vertu
- Page 181 and 182: In naked Majestie seemd Lords of al
- Page 183 and 184: To entertain you two, her widest Ga
- Page 185 and 186: Multitudes like thy self, and thenc
- Page 187 and 188: More of th' Almighties works, and c
- Page 189 and 190: This glorious sight, when sleep hat
- Page 191 and 192: Haile wedded Love, mysterious Law,
- Page 193 and 194: To him who sent us, whose charge is
- Page 195 and 196: Through wayes of danger by himself
- Page 197 and 198: BOOK V. THE ARGUMENT. Morning appro
- Page 199 and 200: Forbidd'n here, it seems, as onely
- Page 201 and 202: Angels, for yee behold him, and wit
- Page 203 and 204: Through all th' Empyreal road; till
- Page 205 and 206: She crushes, inoffensive moust, and
- Page 207 and 208: Of real hunger, and concoctive heat
- Page 209 and 210: Our voluntarie service he requires,
- Page 211 and 212: Of Planets and of fixt in all her W
- Page 213 and 214: Among the sons of Morn, what multit
- Page 215 and 216: The current of his fury thus oppos'
- Page 217 and 218: His Loyaltie he kept, his Love, his
- Page 219 and 220: Fearless assault, and to the brow o
- Page 221 and 222: All are not of thy Train; there be
- Page 223: Of Battel, open when, and when to c
- Page 227 and 228: Not to be overpowerd, Companions de
- Page 229 and 230: Th' originals of Nature in thir cru
- Page 231 and 232: And to thir foes a laughter; for in
- Page 233 and 234: Warr wearied hath perform'd what Wa
- Page 235 and 236: Insensate, hope conceiving from des
- Page 237 and 238: Her mural breach, returning whence
- Page 239 and 240: Adam by dire example to beware Apos
- Page 241 and 242: Fell with his flaming Legions throu
- Page 243 and 244: In Gods Eternal store, to circumscr
- Page 245 and 246: Op'ning thir various colours, and m
- Page 247 and 248: And bended Dolphins play: part huge
- Page 249 and 250: Consummate lovly smil'd; Aire, Wate
- Page 251 and 252: But not in silence holy kept; the H
- Page 253 and 254: Diurnal) meerly to officiate light
- Page 255 and 256: By Numbers that have name. But this
- Page 257 and 258: And Day is yet not spent; till then
- Page 259 and 260: First Father, call'd by thee I come
- Page 261 and 262: Such as I seek, fit to participate
- Page 263 and 264: Such as I saw her in my dream, ador
- Page 265 and 266: The more she will acknowledge thee
- Page 267 and 268: THE ARGUMENT. Satan having compast
- Page 269 and 270: With darkness, thrice the Equinocti
- Page 271 and 272: And flaming Ministers to watch and
- Page 273 and 274: Thee satiate, to short absence I co
So spake the Prince of Angels; to whom thus<br />
The Adversarie. Nor think thou with wind<br />
Of airie threats to aw whom yet with deeds<br />
Thou canst not. Hast thou turnd the least of these<br />
To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise<br />
Unvanquisht, easier to transact with mee<br />
That thou shouldst hope, imperious, & with threats<br />
To chase me hence? erre not that so shall end<br />
The strife which thou call'st evil, but wee style<br />
The strife of Glorie: which we mean to win, 290<br />
Or turn this Heav'n it self into the Hell<br />
Thou fablest, here however to dwell free,<br />
If not to reign: mean while thy utmost force,<br />
And join him nam'd Almightie to thy aid,<br />
I flie not, but have sought thee farr and nigh.<br />
They ended parle, and both addrest for fight<br />
Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue<br />
Of Angels, can relate, or to what things<br />
Liken on Earth conspicuous, that may lift<br />
Human imagination to such highth 300<br />
Of Godlike Power: for likest Gods they seemd,<br />
Stood they or mov'd, in stature, motion, arms<br />
Fit to decide the Empire of great Heav'n.<br />
Now wav'd thir fierie Swords, and in the Aire<br />
Made horrid Circles; two broad Suns thir Shields<br />
Blaz'd opposite, while expectation stood<br />
In horror; from each hand with speed retir'd<br />
Where erst was thickest fight, th' Angelic throng,<br />
And left large field, unsafe within the wind<br />
Of such commotion, such as to set forth 310<br />
Great things by small, If Natures concord broke,<br />
Among the Constellations warr were sprung,<br />
Two Planets rushing from aspect maligne<br />
Of fiercest opposition in mid Skie,<br />
Should combat, and thir jarring Sphears confound.<br />
Together both with next to Almightie Arme,<br />
Uplifted imminent one stroke they aim'd<br />
That might determine, and not need repeate,<br />
As not of power, at once; nor odds appeerd<br />
In might or swift prevention; but the sword 320<br />
Of Michael from the Armorie of God<br />
Was giv'n him temperd so, that neither keen<br />
Nor solid might resist that edge: it met<br />
The sword of Satan with steep force to smite<br />
Descending, and in half cut sheere, nor staid,<br />
But with swift wheele reverse, deep entring shar'd