Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/218

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��PARADISE LOST

��O'er shields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode 840

Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostrate',

That wished the mountains now might be again

Thrown on them, as a shelter from his ire.

Nor less on either side tempestuous fell

His arrows, from the fourfold-visaged Four,

Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels,

Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;

One spirit in them ruled, and every eye

Glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire

Among the accursed, that withered all their strength, 850

And of their wonted vigour left them drained,

Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fallen,

Yet half his strength he put not forth, but checked

His thunder in mid- volley; for he meant

Not to destroy, but root them out of Hea- ven.

The overthrown he raised, and, as a herd

Of goatsor timorous flock together thronged,

Drove them before him thunderstruck, pur- sued

With terrors and with furies to the bounds

And crystal wall of Heaven; which, open- ing wide, 860

Howled inward, and a spacious gap dis- closed

Into the wasteful Deep. The monstrous sight

Strook them with horror backward ; but far worse

Urged them behind: headlong themselves they threw

Down from the verge of Heaven: eternal wrauth

Burnt after them to the bottomless pit. "Hell heard the unsufferable noise; Hell saw

Heaven ruining from Heaven, and would have fled

Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep

Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound. 870

Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roared,

And felt tenfold confusion in their fall

Through his wild Anarchy; so huge a rout

Incumbered him with ruin. Hell at last,

��Yawning, received them whole, and on

them closed

Hell, their fit habitation, fraught with fire Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain. Disburdened Heaven rejoiced, and soon re- paired Her mural breach, returning whence it

rowled.

Sole victor, from the expulsion of his foes Messiah his triumphal chariot turned. 881 To meet him all his Saints, who silent stood Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts, With jubilee advanced; and, as they went, Shaded with branching palm, each order

bright Sung triumph, and him sung victorious

King, Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion

given,

Worthiest to reign. He celebrated rode, Triumphant through mid Heaven, into the

courts

And temple of his mighty Father throned On high; who into glory him received, 891 Where now he sits at the right hand of

bliss. " Thus, measuring' things in Heaven by

things on Earth,

At thy request, and that thou may'st be- ware

By what is past, to thee I have revealed What might have else to human race been

hid

The discord which befell, and war in Hea- ven Among the Angelic Powers, and the deep

fall

Of those too high aspiring who rebelled 899 With Satan: he who envies now thy state, Who now is plotting how he may seduce Thee also from obedience, that, with him Bereaved of happiness, thou may'st par- take

His punishment, eternal misery; Which would be all his solace and revenge, As a despite done against the Most High, Thee once to gain companion of his woe. But listen not to his temptations; warn Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have

heard,

By terrible example, the reward 910

Of disobedience. Firm they might have

stood,

Yet fell. Remember, and fear to trans- gress."

�� �