eavenlysoulshadbeenallone;butnow
iseethatstthroughslothhadratherserve,
nistringspirits,trainedupinfeastandsongsued,thenstrelsyofheaven,
servilitytontend,
asboththeirdeedsparedthisdayshallprove
paradiselost
167of374
toinbriefthusabdielstereplied
apostatestillthouerrest,norendfind
oferring,frohepathoftruthrete:
unjustlythoudepravestite
ofservitude,toservegodordains,
oature:godandnaturebidthesa,
,andexcels
theegovesthisisservitude,
toservetheunhrebelled
againsthishier,asthinenohee,
thyselfnotfree,buttothyselfenthralled;
yetleinistringupbraid
reignthouinhell,thykingdoletserve
inheavengodeverblest,andhisdivine
behestsobey,hiesttobeobeyed;
yets,expect:anwhile
froeretued,aserstthousaidst,frolight,
thisgreetingonthyiiouscrestreceive
sosaying,anoblestrokeheliftedhigh,
,butsospestfell
ontheproudcrestofsatan,thatnosight,
nortionofsthought,lessuldhisshield,
suchruinintercept:tenpaceshuge
hebackreiled;thetenthonbendedknee
hisssyspearupstaid;asifonearth
ingway,
sidelonghadpushedauntainfroisseat,
halfsunkazentseised
therebelthrones,butgreaterrage,tosee
paradiselost
168of374
thusfoiledtheirghtiest;oursjoyfilled,andshout,presageofvictory,andfiercedesire
ofbattle:ichaelbidsound
thearchangeltruet;throughthevastofheavenitsounded,andthefaithfularesrung
hosannatothehighest:norstoodatgaze
theadverselegions,norlesshideousjoined
thehorridshocknoingfuryrose,
andclaursuchasheardinheaventillnow
sonarurclashingbrayed
horribledisrd,andtheddingwheels
ofbrazenchariotsraged;direhenoise
ofnflialhiss
offierydartsinflangvolliesflew,
andflyingvaultedeitherhosthfire
sounderfierypetogetherrushed
bothbattlesin,hruinousassault
andinextinguishablerageallheaven
resounded;andhadearthbeenthen,allearth
hadtohercentershookwonderwhen
llionsoffierceenunteringangelsfought
oneitherside,theleastofuldwield
theseelents,andaritheforce
ofalltheirregions:houchreofpower
aragainstauerlesstoraise
dreadfulbustionurb,
thoughnotdestroy,theirhappynativeseat;
hadnottheetealkingoipotent,
froisstrongholdofheaven,highoverruled
paradiselost
169of374
andlitedtheirght;thoughnueredsuch
aseaighthaveseed
anuroushost;instrengtheachardhand
alegion;ledinfight,yetleaderseed
each
oadvance,orstand,ortuthesway
ofbattle,openoclose
theridgesofgrioughtofflight,
noneofretreat,nounbeingdeed
thatarguedfear;easelfrelied,
asonlyinhisarhentlay
ofvie
infinite;forwidewasspread
thatetisonfirround
astandingfight,then,soaringoninwing,
totedalltheair;allairseedthen
nflieinevenscale
thebattlehung;tillsatan,hatday
prodigiouspoetinar
noequal,rangingthroughthedireattack
offightingseraphifused,atlength
saote,andfelled
squadronsatonce;hhugetwohandedsway
brandishedaloft,thehorridedgecadown
ructiontohstand
hehasted,andopposedtherockyorb
oftenfoldadant,hisaleshield,
avastcircuerenceathisapproach
thegreatarchangelfroisoil
paradiselost
170of374
surceased,andglad,ashopingheretoend
intestinehearchfoesubdued
orcaptivedraggedinchains,hhostilefrown
andvisageallinfladfirstthusbegan
authorofevil,unknoillthyrevolt,
unnadinheaven,noeousasthouseest
theseactsofhatefulstrife,hatefultoall,
thoughheaviestbyjustasureonthyself,
andthyadherents:hothoudisturbed
heavensblessedpeace,andintonaturebroughtsery,uncreatedtillthecri
ofthyrebellionhothouinstilled
thyliceintothousands,onceupright
andfaithful,nothinknothere
totroubleholyrest;heavencaststheeout
frollhefinesheaven,theseatofbliss,
brooksnottheeandwar
hencethen,andevilgohtheealong,
thyoffspring,totheplaceofevil,hell;
thouandthyinglebroils,
erethisavengings,
orsoresuddenvengeance,god,
precipitatetheeentedpain
sospaketheprinceofangels;tothus
theadversarynorthinkthouhwind
ofaerythreatstoayethdeeds
thoucanstnothastthoutuedtheleastofthesetoflight,oriftofall,butthattheyrise
unvanquished,easiertotransacte
paradiselost
171of374
thatthoushouldsthope,ierious,andhthreatstochasehenceerot,thatsoshallend
thestrifehoucallestevil,butyle
thestrifeofglory;eantowin,
ortuthisheavenitselfintothehell
thoufablest;herehoodwellfree,
ifnottoreign:anostforce,
andjoinhiadalghtytothyaid,
iflynot,buthavesoughttheefarandnigh
theyendedparle,andbothaddressedforfightunspeakable;forhoughhthetongue
ofangels,canrelate,ortothings
likenonearthnspiaylift
huniginationtosuchhighth
ofgodlikepoed,
stoodtheyorved,instature,tion,ar,
fittodecidetheeireofgreatheaven
noheirfierysheair
dehorridcircles;theirshields
blazedopposite,ationstood
inhorrour:froachhandhspeedretired,
hickestfight,theangelickthrong,
andleftlargefield,unsafehinthewind
ofsuchtion;suchas,tosetforth
greatthingsbysll,if,naturesnrdbroke,
angthenstellationswarweresprung,
taspectlign
offieridsky
shouldbat,andtheir
