"When this creation was? remember'st thou "Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being? "We know no time when we were not as now; "Know none before us-self-begot-self-rais'd "By our own quick'ning power, when fatal course "Had circled his full orb; the birth mature "Of this our native heaven; ethereal sons. "Our puissance is our own; our own right hand "Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try "Who is our equal; then thou shalt behold "Whether by supplication we intend "Address, and to begirt the almighty throne "Beseeching, or besieging. This report"These tidings carry to the anointed King, "And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.'

"He said; and, as the sound of waters deep, "Hoarse murmur echo'd to his words applause Through the infinite host: nor less for that "The flaming Seraph fearless, though alone, "Encompass'd round with foes, thus answer'd bold: .

"O alienate from God, O spirit accurs'd, "Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall "Determin'd, and thy hapless crew involv'd "In this perfidious fraud; contagion spread "Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth "No more be troubled how to quit the yoke "Of God's Messiah; those indulgent laws "Will not be now vouchsaf'd; other decrees "Against thee are gone forth without recal : "That golden sceptre, which thou didst reject, "Is now an iron rod to bruise and break

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Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise : "Yet nor for thy advice, or threats, I fly "These wicked tents devoted; lest the wrath “Impendent, raging into sudden flame, “'Distinguish not: for soon expect to feel "This thunder on thy head, devouring fire! "Then who created thee lamenting learn, "When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.'

"So spake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found 66 Among the faithless-faithful only he; "Among innumerable false, unmov'd, "Unshaken, unseduc'd, unterrified,

"His loyalty he kept-his love—his zeal;

Quel œil a donc été le témoin de cette création? Te souviens-tu de la tienne, du moment où le Formateur te donna l'être? Pour nous, nous ne connaissons aucun temps où nous n'ayons pas existé tels que nous sommes ; nous ne connaissons rien qui nous précède, A l'heure marquée sur le cercle des destinées, enfants des cieux, nous nous sommes produits, nous nous sommes élancés de nous-mêmes par la force active qui nous est propre. Notre puissance ne dépend que de nous; d'éclatants exploits en prouveront bientôt l'étendue; ce sera une épreuve pour quiconque prétendra nous égaler. Tu pourras voir alors si nos demandes sont des prières, et si nous environnerons le trône du Tout-puissant en qualité de suppliants ou d'assiégeants va, porte cette réponse à ton roi consacré; cours, vole avant qu'un événement sinistre rende ta fuite impossible.

» Il dit et semblable au mugissement des profondes eaux, un bruit rauque et confus d'applaudissements s'éleva du sein des légions innombrables. Le séraphin, quoique seul au milieu de ses ennemis, intrépide et brûlant de zèle, répondit d'une voix ferme :

>> - O esprit abandonné de Dieu, esprit maudit et dépouillé de toute vertu, je vois ta ruine certaine ; je vois ta horde malheureuse, tombée dans tes piéges perfides, partager ton crime et ton châtiment. Cesse de chercher avec effort des prétextes pour te soustraire au joug du divin Messie; tu n'es plus digne de ses lois indulgentes; et déjà d'autres décrets sont lancés sans retour contre toi. Ce sceptre d'or que tu as rejeté, est maintenant dans sa main une verge de fer qui brisera, qui réduira en poudre ton coupable parti. Oui, sans doute, je vais fuir ces tentes impies et dévouées à la colère céleste, non que tes conseils ou tes menaces me fassent quelque impression; mais je vois la foudre suspendue sur ta tête, et je frémis d'être enveloppé dans les flammes dévorantes prêtes à fondre sur toi. Quand tu verras qui peut te détruire, tu connaîtras, en gémissant, qui t'a créé.

» Ainsi parla le séraphin Abdiel, le seul fidèle au milieu d'une foule de perfides; le seul, dans cette immense armée de parjures, qui, toujours inaccessible à la faiblesse, à la séduction, à la terreur, conserva sa foi, son zèle et son amour. Ni le nombre, ni l'exemple, ne purent l'écarter du sentier de la vérité; sans suite,

"Nor number, nor example, with him wrought "To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind, "Though single. From amidst them forth he pass'd, "Long way through hostile scorn, which he sustain'd Superior, nor of violence fear'd aught;

66

"And, with retorted scorn, his back he turn'd

"On those proud towers to swift destruction doom'd.

sans parti, il le parcourut d'un pas ferme et constant. Dans sa marche au travers de tant de bataillons, bravant la violence, supérieur aux outrages, il y fut longtemps exposé, et quitta enfin, avec un froid mépris, ces tours orgueilleuses menacées d'une chute immi

nente.

BOOK VI.

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 overwhelm 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 cithĵr side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursúcs 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.

"All night the dreadless angel, unpursu'd,

Through heaven's wide champaign held his way; till Morn, "Wak'd by the circling Hours, with rosy hand

"Unbarr'd 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, array'd in gold

:

"Empyreal; from before her vanish'd Night,

"Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain,
"Cover'd with thick embattled squadrons bright,

Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds,
"Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view.
"War he perceiv'd, war in procinct; and found
66 Already known what he for news had thought
"To have reported: gladly then he mix'd
"Among those friendly powers, who him receiv'd
"With joy, and acclamations loud; that one,
"That of so many myriads fall'n, yet one
"Return'd 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: