Of Phlegra with th' heroic race were join'd
That fought at Thebes and Ilium, on each side Mix'd with auxiliar Gods; and what resounds In fable or romance of Uther's son,
Begirt with British and Armoric knights; And all who since, baptiz'd or infidel, Jousted in Aspramont or Montalban, Damasco, or Marocco, or Trebisond, Or whom Biserta sent from Afric shore When Charlemain with all his peerage fell By Fontarabbia. Thus far these beyond Compare of mortal prowess, yet observ'd Their dread commander: he above the rest In shape and gesture proudly eminent
Stood like a tow'r; his form had not yet lost All her original brightness, nor appear'd Less than Arch-Angel ruin'd, and th' excess Of glory' obscur'd; 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. Darken'd so, yet shone Above them all th' Arch-Angel: but his face 600 Deep scars of thunder had intrench'd, and care 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) condemn'd For ever now to have their lot in pain, Millions of Spirits for his fault amerc'd
Of Heav'n, and from eternal splendours flung 610 For his revolt, yet faithful how they stood, Their glory wither'd: as when Heav'n's fire Hath scath'd the forest oaks, or mountain pines, With singed top their stately growth though bare Stands on the blasted heath. He now prepar'd To speak; whereat their doubled ranks they bend From wing to wing, and half inclose him round With all his peers: attention held them mute. Thrice he assay'd, and thrice in spite of scorn Tears, such as Angels weep, burst forth: at last 620 Words interwove with sighs found out their way. O Myriads of immortal Spirits, O Powers Matchless, but with th' Almighty, and that strife Was not inglorious, though th' event was dire, As this place testifies, and this dire change, Hateful to utter: but what pow'r of mind, Foreseeing or presaging, from the depth Of knowledge past or present, could have fear'd, How such united force of Gods, how such As stood like these, could ever know repulse? 630 For who can yet believe, though after loss, That all these puisant legions, whose exile Hath emptied Heav'n, shall fail to re-ascend Self-rais'd, and repossess their native seat? For me be witness all the host of Heav'n, If counsels different, or dangers shunn'd
By me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns Monarch in Heav'n, till then as one secure Sa on his throne, upheld by old repute, Consent or custom, and his regal state Put forth at full, but still his strength conceal'd, 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, provok'd; 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 650 There went a fame in Heav'n 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 th' abyss Long under darkness cover.
But these thoughts Full counsel must mature: Peace is despair'd, 66a For who can think submission! War, then, War Open or understood must be resolv'd.
He spake and to confirm his words, out flew Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze
Far round illumin'd Hell: highly they rag'
Against the High'est, and fierce with grasped arms Clash'd on their sounding shields the din of war, Hurling defiance toward the vault of Heaven.
There stood a hill not far, whose grisly top 670 Belch'd 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 wing'd with speed A numerous brigade hasten'd: as when bands 675 Of pioneers with spade and pickax arm'd Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field, Or cast a rampart. Mammon led them on, Mammon, the least erected Spirit that fell From Heav'n, for e'en in Heav'n his looks and thoughts Were always downward bent, admiring more 681 The riches of Heav'n's pavement, trodden gold, Than ought divine or holy else enjoy'd In vision beatific: by him first
Men also, and by his suggestion taught, Ransack'd the centre, and with impious hands Rifled the bowels of their mother earth
For treasures better hid. Soon had his crew Open'd into the hill a spacious wound,
And digg'd out ribs of gold. Let none admire 690 That riches grow in Hell; that soil may best Reserve the precious bane. And here let those Who boast in mortal things, and wond'ring tell Of Babel, and the works of Memphian kings, Learn how their greatest monuments of fame, And strength and art are easily out-done
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 prepar'd, That underneath had veins of liquid fire Sluic'd from the lake, a second multitude With wond'rous art founded the massy ore, Severing each kind, and scumm'd the bullion dross: A third as soon had form'd within the ground A various mould, and from the boiling cells By strange conveyance fill'd each hollow nook, As in an organ from one blast of wind
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 freeze, with bossy sculptures graven The roof was fretted gold. Not Babylon, Nor great Alcairo such magnificence Equal'd in all their glories, to inshrine Belus or Serapis their Gods, or seat
Their kings, when Egypt with Assyria strove In wealth and luxury. Th' ascending pile
Stood fix'd her stately height, and straight the doors Opening their brazen folds discover wide Within her ample space, o'er the smooth And level pavement: from the arched roof
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