The sword of Satan, with steep force to smite Descending, and in half cut sheer; nor stay'd, But with swift wheel reverse, deep ent'ring, 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 nect'rous humour issuing flow'd Sanguine, such as celestial sp'rits 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 interpos'd Defence; while others bore him on their shields Back to his chariot, where it stood retir'd 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 pow'r.
Yet soon he heal'd; for sprits that live throughout Vital in every part, not as frail man
In intrails, 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 pierc'd 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 heav'n 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 Adramelech, 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 heav'n, Seek not the praise of men: the other sort, In might though wond'rous, and in acts of war, Nor of renown less eager, yet by doom Cancel'd from heav'n and sacred memory, Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell. For strength from truth divided, and from just Illaudable, naught 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 gor'd; 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'er-wearied, through the faint Satanic host Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surpris'd, Then first with fear surpris'd 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 th' inviolable saints, In cubic phalanx firm, advanc'd 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 mov'd. Now night her course began, and over heav'n Inducing darkness, grateful truce impos'd, And silence on the odious din of war: Under her cloudy covert both retir'd, Victor and vanquish'd. On the foughten field Michael and his Angels prevalent
Incamping, plac'd in guard their watches round, Cherubic waving fires; on th' other part, Satan with his rebellious disappear'd, Far 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 had pow'rfullest to send Against us from about his throne, and judg'd 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 endur'd, 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 pierc'd 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 th' assembly next upstood Nisroch, of principalities the prime; As one he stood escap'd 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 deliv'rance what we owe. Whereto with look compos'd Satan reply'd: Not uninvented that, which thou aright Believ'st so main to our success, I bring. Which of us who beholds the bright surface Of this etherous mould whereon we stand, This continent of spacious heav'n adorn'd With plant, fruit, flow'r 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 spiritous and fiery spume, till touch'd
With heaven's ray, and temper'd, they shoot forth So beauteous, op'ning 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 th' other bore with touch of fire Dilated and infuriate, shall send forth
From far with thund'ring 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 Thund'rer 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. Th'nvention all admir'd, and each, how he To be th' 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 inspir'd With devilish 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 turn'd Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath Th' originals of nature in their crude Conception; sulphurous and nitrous foam They found, they mingled, and with subtle art, Concocted and adjusted they reduc'd
To blackest grain, and into store convey'd Part hidden veins digg'd up (nor hath this earth Intrails 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 ali ere day-spring, under conscious night Secret they finish'd, and in order set,
« ПретходнаНастави » |