THE ARGUMENT.

Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his Angels. The first fight described; Satan and his powers retire under night; he calls a council; invents devilish engines, which, in the second day's fight, put Michael and his Angels to some disorder; but they at length, pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan; yet the tumult not so ending, God, on the third day, sends Messiah, his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory. He in the power of his Father, coming to the place and causing all his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them, unable to resist, towards the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down, with horror and confusion, into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep. Messiah returns with triumph

to his Father.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK VI.

"ALL night the dreadless Angel, unpursued, Through Heaven's wide champaign held his way, till Morn,

Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand
Unbarred the gates of light. There is a cave
Within the mount of God, fast by his throne,
Where light and darkness, in perpetual round,
Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes
through Heaven

Grateful vicissitude, like day and night;
Light issues forth, and at the other door
Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour
To veil the Heaven, though darkness there
might well

Seem twilight here. And now went forth the Morn,

Such as in highest Heaven, arrayed in gold Empyreal; from before her vanished Night, Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain,

Covered with thick embattled squadrons bright, Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view; War he perceived-war in procinct; and found Already known what he, for news, had thought

21

To have reported; gladly then he mixed
Among those friendly Powers, who him received
With joy and acclamations loud, that one—
That of so many myriads fallen, yet one
Returned not lost. On to the sacred hill
They led him high applauded, and present
Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice,
From midst a golden cloud, thus mild was
heard:

“Servant of God, well done! well hast thou fought

The better fight, who single hast maintained 30 Against revolted multitudes the cause

Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; And for the testimony of truth hast borne Universal reproach, far worse to bear

Than violence; for this was all thy care To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds

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Judged thee perverse; the easier conquest now
Remains thee, aided by this host of friends,
Back on thy foes more glorious to return
Than scorned thou didst depart, and to subdue
By force who reason for their law refuse,-
Right reason for their law, and for their King
Messiah, who by right of merit reigns.
Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince,
And thou, in military prowess next;
Gabriel, lead forth to battle these my sons
Invincible; lead forth my armèd Saints,
By thousands and by millions, ranged for fight,
Equal in number to that godless crew

Rebellious; them with fire and hostile arms 50
Fearless assault; and, to the brow of Heaven
Pursuing, drive them out from God and bliss,
Into their place of punishment, the gulf
Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide

His fiery chaos to receive their fall.'

"So spake the Sovran Voice, and clouds
began

To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll,

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In dusky wreaths, reluctant flames, the sign
Of wrath awaked; nor with less dread the loud
Ethereal trumpet from on high gan blow.
At which command the Powers militant
That stood for Heaven, in mighty quadrate
joined

Of union irresistible, moved on

In silence their bright legions, to the sound
Of instrumental harmony, that breathed
Heroic ardour to adventurous deeds,
Under their godlike leaders, in the cause
Of God and his Messiah. On they move
Indissolubly firm; nor obvious hill,

Nor straightening vale, nor wood, nor stream,

divides

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Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground
Their march was, and the passive air upbore
Their nimble tread. As when the total kind
Of birds, in orderly array on wing,

Came summoned over Eden to receive
Their names of thee; so over many a tract
Of Heaven they marched, and many a province

wide,

Tenfold the length of this terrene. At last,
Far in the horizon to the north, appeared
From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretched 80
In battailous aspect; and, nearer view,
Bristled with upright beams innumerable
Of rigid spears, and helmets thronged, and
shields

Various, with boastful argument portrayed,
The banded Powers of Satan hasting on
With furious expedition; for they weened

That self-same day, by fight or by surprise,
To win the mount of God, and on his throne
To set the envier of his state, the proud
Aspirer; but their thoughts proved fond and
vain

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In the midway. Though strange to us it seemed

At first, that Angel should with Angel war,
And in fierce hosting meet, who wont to meet
So oft in festivals of joy and love

Unanimous, as sons of one great Sire,
Hymning the Eternal Father; but the shout
Of battle now began, and rushing sound
Of onset ended soon each milder thought.

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High in the midst, exalted as a God, The Apostate in his sun-bright chariot sat, 100 Idol of majesty divine, enclosed

With flaming Cherubim and golden shields; Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now "Twixt host and host but narrow space was left

A dreadful interval,—and front to front
Presented stood in terrible array

Of hideous length; before the cloudy van,
On the rough edge of battle ere it joined,
Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanced,
Came towering, armed in adamant and gold. 110
Abdiel that sight endured not, where he stood
Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds,
And thus his own undaunted heart explores :
"O Heaven! that such resemblance of the

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Highest

Should yet remain, where faith and reälty Remain not; wherefore should not strength and might

There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove Where boldest, though to sight unconquerable?