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All these and more came flocking, but with looks
Downcast and damp; yet such wherein appeared
Obscure some glimpse of joy, to have found their chief
Not in despair-to have found themselves not lost

In loss itself; which on his countenance cast
Like doubtful hue; but he, his wonted pride
Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore
Semblance of worth, not substance, gently raised
Their fainting courage, and dispelled their fears:
Then straight commands, that at the warlike sound
Of trumpets loud and clarions, be upreared
His mighty standard: that proud honour claimed
Azazel as his right, a cherub tall;

Who forthwith from the glittering staff unfurled
The imperial ensign, which, full high advanced,
Shone like a meteor, streaming to the wind,
With gems and golden lustre rich emblazed,—
Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while
Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds:
At which the universal host up sent

A shout that tore Hell's concave; and, beyond,
Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night.
All in a moment, through the gloom, were seen
Ten thousand banners rise into the air,
With orient colours waving: with them rose
A forest huge of spears; and thronging helms
Appeared, and serried shields in thick array
Of depth immeasurable: anon they move
In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood

Of flutes and soft recorders; such as raised
To height of noblest temper heroes old
Arming to battle; and, instead of rage,
Deliberate valour breathed, firm, and unmoved
With dread of death to flight or foul retreat;
Nor wanting power to mitigate and 'suage,

With solemn touches, troubled thoughts; and chase
Anguish, and doubt, and fear, and sorrow, and pain,
From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they,

Breathing united force, with fixèd thought,
Moved on in silence to soft pipes, that charmed

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Their painful steps o'er the burnt soil: and now
Advanced in view they stand, a horrid front
Of dreadful length and dazzling arms, in guise
Of warriors old with ordered spear and shield;
Awaiting what command their mighty chief
Had to impose. He through the armed files
Darts his experienced eye, and soon traverse
The whole battalion views-their order due-
Their visages and stature as of gods-

Their number last he sums. And now his heart
Distends with pride, and, hardening in his strength,
Glories; for never, since created man,

Met such embodied force, as named with these
Could merit more than that small infantry
Warred on by cranes; though all the giant brood
Of Phlegra with the heroic race were joined
That fought at Thebes, and Ilium, on each side
Mixed with auxiliar gods; and what resounds
In fable or romance of Uther's son,
Begirt with British and Armoric knights;
And all who since, baptized or infidel,
Jousted in Aspramont or Montalban,
Damasco, or Morocco, or Trebisond,
Or whom Biserta sent from Afric shore,
When Charlemain with all his peerage fell
By Fontarabia. Thus far, these, beyond
Compare of mortal prowess, yet observed
Their dread commander: he, above the rest
In shape and gesture proudly eminent

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Stood like a tower: his form had yet not lost
All her original brightness, nor appeared
Less than archangel ruined, and the excess

Of glory obscured: as when the sun, new risen,
Looks through the horizontal misty air,
Shorn of his beams; or, from behind the moon,
In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change.
Perplexes monarchs; darkened so, yet shone
Above them all the archangel: but his face
Deep scars of thunder had intrenched, and care

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Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows
Of dauntless courage, and considerate pride
Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but cast
Signs of remorse and passion, to behold
The fellows of his crime,—the followers rather-
(Far other once beheld in bliss!) condemned
For ever now to have their lot in pain;
Millions of spirits for his fault amerced

Of Heaven, and from eternal splendours flung
For his revolt; yet faithful how they stood,
Their glory withered! as, when Heaven's fire
Hath scathed the forest oaks or mountain pines,
With singed top their stately growth, though bare,
Stands on the blasted heath. He now prepared
To speak; whereat their doubled ranks they bend
From wing to wing, and half enclose him round
With all his peers: attention held them mute.
Thrice he essayed, and thrice, in spite of scorn,
Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth: at last
Words, interwove with sighs, found out their way.
O myriads of immortal spirits! O powers
"Matchless, but with the Almighty; and that strife
"Was not inglorious, though the event was dire,
"As this place testifies, and this dire change
"Hateful to utter: but what power of mind,
“Foreseeing or presaging, from the depth
"Of knowledge past or present, could have feared
"How such united force of gods,--how such
"As stood like these could ever know repulse?

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'For who can yet believe, though after loss, "That all these puissant legions, whose exile "Hath emptied Heaven, shall fail to reascend "Self-raised, and repossess their native seat? "For me be witness all the host of Heaven, "If counsels different or dangers shunned

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By me have lost our hopes: but he, who reigns "Monarch in Heaven, till then as one secure "Sat on his throne, upheld by old repute, "Consent, or custom; and his regal state "Put forth at full; but still his strength concealed,

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"Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.
"Henceforth his might we know, and know our own;
"So as not either to provoke, or dread

"New war, provoked: our better part remains,
"To work in close design, by fraud or guile,
"What force effected not; that he no less
"At length from us may find, who overcomes
"By force, hath overcome but half his foe.
"Space may produce new worlds, whereof so rife
"There went a fame in Heaven, that he ere long
"Intended to create, and therein plant

"A generation, whom his choice regard
"Should favour equal to the sons of Heaven.
"Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps
"Our first eruption; thither or elsewhere:
"For this infernal pit shall never hold
"Celestial spirits in bondage, nor the abyss
"Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts
"Full counsel must mature: peace is despaired;
"For who can think submission? war then, war,
"Open or understood, must be resolved."

He spake; and, to confirm his words, out flew
Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs
Of mighty cherubim; the sudden blaze
Far around illumined Hell: highly they raged
Against the Highest, and fierce, with graspèd arms,
Clashed on their sounding shields the din of war,
Hurling defiance toward the vault of Heaven.

There stood a hill not far, whose grisly top
Belched fire and rolling smoke; the rest entire
Shone with a glossy scurf; undoubted sign
That in his womb was hid metallic ore,

'The work of sulphur. Thither, winged with speed,
A numerous brigade hastened; as when bands
Of pioneers, with spade and pickaxe armed,
Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field,
Or cast a rampart. MAMMON led them on;
MAMMON, the least erected spirit that fell

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From Heaven; for e'en in Heaven his looks and thoughts 680 Were always downward bent, admiring more

The riches of Heaven's pavement, trodden gold,
Than aught divine or holy else enjoyed

In vision beatific: by him first

Men also, and by his suggestion taught,

Ransacked the centre, and, with impious hands,
Rifled the bowels of their mother earth

For treasures, better hid. Soon had his crew
Opened into the hill a spacious wound,
And digged out ribs of gold. Let none admire
That riches grow in Hell; that soil may best
Deserve the precious bane. And here let those,
Who boast in mortal things, and wondering tell
Of Babel, and the works of Memphian kings,
Learn how their greatest monuments of fame,
And strength, and art, are easily outdone
By spirits reprobate; and in an hour,
What in an age, they, with incessant toil,
And hands innumerable, scarce perform.
Nigh on the plain, in many cells prepared,
That underneath had veins of liquid fire
Sluiced from the lake, a second multitude,
With wondrous art, founded the massy ore,

Severing each kind, and scummed the bullion dross:

A third as soon had formed within the ground

A various mould, and from the boiling cells,

By strange conveyance, filled each hollow nook;
As in an organ, from one blast of wind,

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To many a row of pipes the sound-board breathes,
Anon, out of the earth a fabric huge
Rose, like an exhalation, with the sound
Of dulcet symphonies and voices sweet;
Built like a temple, where pilasters round
Were set, and Doric pillars, overlaid
With golden architrave: nor did there want
Cornice, or frieze with bossy sculptures graven;
The roof was fretted gold. Not Babylon,

Nor great Alcairo, such magnificence
Equalled in all their glories, to enshrine
Belus or Sérapis, their gods; or seat

Their kings, when Egypt with Assyria strove

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