Page:Paradise lost by Milton, John.djvu/215

Rh With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame But soon obscured with smoke, all Heaven appeared, From those deep-throated engines belched, whose roar Embowelled with outrageous noise the air, And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul Their devilish glut, chained thunderbolts and hail Of iron globes; which, on the victor host Levelled, with such impetuous fury smote That whom they hit none on their feet might stand, Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell By thousands, Angel on Archangel rolled; The sooner for their arms; unarmed, they might Have easily as Spirits evaded swift, By quick contraction or remove; but now Foul dissipation followed and forced rout; Nor served it to relax their serried files. What should they do? If on they rushed, repulse Repeated, and indecent overthrow Doubled, would render them yet more despised, And to their foes a laughter; for in view Stood ranked of Seraphim another row, In posture to displode their second tire Of thunder: back defeated to return They worse abhorred. Satan beheld their plight, And to his mates thus in derision called: