"The blasting volleyed thunder made all speed "But still thy words at random, as before, 66 Though, for possession, put to try once more To whom the warrior angel soon replied: "To say and straight unsay, pretending first "Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy, 930 940 Satan! and couldst thou faithful add? O name, "() sacred name of faithfulness profaned! 950 "Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew? 66 Army of fiends, fit body to fit head! "Was this your discipline and faith engaged— "Your military obedience, to dissolve 66 Allegiance to the acknowledged Power supreme? "And thou, sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem "Patron of liberty! who more than thou "Once fawned, and cringed, and servilely adored "Heaven's awful Monarch? wherefore, but in hope "To dispossess him, and thyself to reign? "But mark what I arreed thee now; Avaunt! "Fly thither whence thou fledst! if, from this hour "Within these hallowed limits thou appear, "Back to the infernal pit I drag thee chained, "And seal thee so, as henceforth not to scorn "The facile gates of Hell too slightly barred." 960 So threatened he: but Satan to no threats Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied: "Then, when I am thy captive, talk of chains, "Proud limitary Cherub! but ere then "Far heavier load thyself expect to feel "From my prevailing arm; though Heaven's King "Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers, "Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels "In progress through the road of Heaven star-paved." While thus he spake, the angelic squadron bright Turned fiery red, sharpening in moonèd horns Their phalanx, and began to hem him round With ported spears; as thick as when a field Of Ceres, ripe for harvest, waving bends Her bearded grove of ears, which way the wind Sways them; the careful ploughman doubting stands, Like Teneriff or Atlas, unremoved: His stature reached the sky, and on his crest Sat Horror plumed; nor wanted in his grasp 970 980 What seemed both spear and shield. Now dreadful deeds 990 Might have ensued; nor only Paradise, In this commotion, but the starry cope Of Heaven perhaps, or all the elements At least, had gone to wrack, disturbed and torn The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray, Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales, yet seen The latter quick upflew and kicked the beam; 1000 "Satan! I know thy strength, and thou know'st mine; "Neither our own, but given: what folly then "To boast what arms can do! since thine no more "Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though doubled now "To trample thee as mire: for proof look up, "And read thy lot in yon celestial sign; IOIO "Where thou art weighed, and shown how light, how weak, "If thou resist." The fiend looked up, and knew His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled Fifth Book. THE ARGUMENT. MORNING approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her: they come forth to their day-labours: their morning hymn at the door of their bower. God, to render man inexcusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradise; his appearance described; his coming discerned by Adam afar off, sitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise got together by Eve; their discourse at table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occasion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, persuading all but only Abdiel a seraph, who in argument dissuades and opposes him, then forsakes him. Now Morn, her rosy steps in the eastern clime IO Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes, 66 Her hand soft touching, whispered thus: Awake, 66 66 66 66 "O sole in whom my thoughts find all repose, 'My glory, my perfection! glad I see 'Thy face, and morn returned; for I this night (Such night till this I never passed) have dreamed, (If dreamed,) not, as I oft am wont, of thee, "Works of day past, or morrow's next design; "But of offence and trouble, which my mind "Knew never till this irksome night. Methought, "Close at mine ear, one called me forth to walk "With gentle voice; I thought it thine: it said, "Why sleep'st thou, Eve? now is the pleasant time, "The cool, the silent, save where silence yields "To the night-warbling bird, that now awake "Tunes sweetest his love-laboured song; now reigns "Full-orbed the Moon, and with more pleasing light Shadowy sets off the face of things; in vain, "If none regard: Heaven wakes with all his eyes, "I rose, as at thy call, but found thee not; "And on, methought, alone I passed through ways 20 30 40 50 |