Paradise Lost - Milton John - Страница 30

Though not destroy, thir happie Native seat;

Had not th' Eternal King Omnipotent

From his strong hold of Heav'n high over-rul'd

And limited thir might; though numberd such

As each divided Legion might have seemd

A numerous Host, in strength each armed hand

A Legion; led in fight, yet Leader seemd

Each Warriour single as in Chief, expert

When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway

Of Battel, open when, and when to close

The ridges of grim Warr; no thought of flight,

None of retreat, no unbecoming deed

That argu'd fear; each on himself reli'd,

As onely in his arm the moment lay

Of victorie; deeds of eternal fame

Were don, but infinite: for wide was spred

That Warr and various; somtimes on firm ground

A standing fight, then soaring on main wing

Tormented all the Air; all Air seemd then

Conflicting Fire: long time in eeven scale

The Battel hung; till SATAN, who that day

Prodigious power had shewn, and met in Armes

No equal, raunging through the dire attack

Of fighting Seraphim confus'd, at length

Saw where the Sword of MICHAEL smote, and fell'd

Squadrons at once, with huge two-handed sway

Brandisht aloft the horrid edge came down

Wide wasting; such destruction to withstand

He hasted, and oppos'd the rockie Orb

Of tenfold Adamant, his ample Shield

A vast circumference: At his approach

The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toile

Surceas'd, and glad as hoping here to end

Intestine War in Heav'n, the arch foe subdu'd

Or Captive drag'd in Chains, with hostile frown

And visage all enflam'd first thus began.

Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt,

Unnam'd in Heav'n, now plenteous, as thou seest

These Acts of hateful strife, hateful to all,

Though heaviest by just measure on thy self

And thy adherents: how hast thou disturb'd

Heav'ns blessed peace, and into Nature brought

Miserie, uncreated till the crime

Of thy Rebellion? how hast thou instill'd

Thy malice into thousands, once upright

And faithful, now prov'd false. But think not here

To trouble Holy Rest; Heav'n casts thee out

From all her Confines. Heav'n the seat of bliss

Brooks not the works of violence and Warr.

Hence then, and evil go with thee along

Thy ofspring, to the place of evil, Hell,

Thou and thy wicked crew; there mingle broiles,

Ere this avenging Sword begin thy doome,

Or som more sudden vengeance wing'd from God

Precipitate thee with augmented paine.

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

ARIEL and ARIOC, and the violence

Of RAMIEL scorcht and blasted overthrew.

I might relate of thousands, and thir names

Eternize here on Earth; but those elect

Angels contented with thir fame in Heav'n

Seek not the praise of men: the other sort

In might though wondrous and in Acts of Warr,

Nor of Renown less eager, yet by doome

Canceld from Heav'n and sacred memorie,

Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell.

For strength from Truth divided and from Just,

Illaudable, naught merits but dispraise

And ignominie, yet to glorie aspires

Vain glorious, and through infamie seeks fame:

Therfore Eternal silence be thir doome.

And now thir mightiest quelld, the battel swerv'd,

With many an inrode gor'd; deformed rout