The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (77 page)

265

Though heaviest by just measure
³⁸³⁰
on thyself

266

And thy adherents! How hast thou disturbed

267

Heav’n’s blessèd peace, and into Nature brought

268

Misery, uncreated till the crime

269

Of thy rebellion! How hast thou instilled

270

Thy malice into thousands, once upright

271

And faithful, now proved false! But think not here

272

To trouble holy rest.
³⁸³¹
Heav’n casts thee out

273

From all her confines.
³⁸³²
Heav’n, the seat of bliss,

274

Brooks
³⁸³³
not the works of violence and war.

275

Hence then, and evil go with thee along,

276

Thy offspring, to the place of evil, Hell,

277

Thou and thy wicked crew! There mingle
³⁸³⁴
broils,
³⁸³⁵

278

Ere this avenging sword begin thy doom,

279

Or some more sudden vengeance, winged from God,

280

Precipitate thee with augmented pain.

281

   
“So spoke the Prince of Angels, to whom thus

282

The adversary:

“‘Nor think thou with wind

283

Of airy threats to awe whom yet with deeds

284

Thou canst not. Hast thou turned the least of these

285

To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise

286

Unvanquished? Easier to transact
³⁸³⁶
with me

287

That thou shouldst hope, imperious, and with threats

288

To chase me hence? Err not, that so shall end

289

The strife which thou call’st evil, but we style

290

The strife of glory, which we mean to win,

291

Or turn this Heav’n itself into the Hell

292

Thou fablest, here however to dwell free,

293

If not to reign. Meanwhile, thy utmost force

294

(And join Him named Almighty to thy aid)

295

I fly not, but have sought thee far and nigh.

296

   
“They ended parle,
³⁸³⁷
and both addressed
³⁸³⁸
for fight

297

Unspeakable, for who, though with the tongue

298

Of Angels, can relate, or to what things

299

Liken on earth conspicuous,
³⁸³⁹
that may lift

300

Human imagination to such height

301

Of godlike power? For likest gods they seemed,

302

Stood they or moved, in stature, motion, arms,

303

Fit to decide the empire of great Heav’n.

304

Now waved their fiery swords, and in the air

305

Made horrid circles: two broad suns their shields

306

Blazed opposite, while expectation stood

307

In horror. From each hand
³⁸⁴⁰
with speed retired,

308

Where erst was thickest
³⁸⁴¹
fight, th’Angelic throng,

309

And left large field,
³⁸⁴²
unsafe within the wind
³⁸⁴³

310

Of such commotion—such as, to set forth

311

Great things by small, if Nature’s concord broke,

312

Among the constellations war were sprung,

313

Two planets, rushing from aspect
³⁸⁴⁴
malign

314

Of fiercest opposition, in mid sky

315

Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound.
³⁸⁴⁵

316

Together both with next to almighty arm

317

Up-lifted imminent, one stroke they aimed

318

That might determine,
³⁸⁴⁶
and not need repeat,

319

As not of power at once, nor odds
³⁸⁴⁷
appeared

320

In might or swift prevention.
³⁸⁴⁸
But the sword

321

Of Michael from the armory of God

322

Was giv’n him tempered so that neither keen

323

Nor solid might resist that edge. It met

324

The sword of Satan, with steep force to smite

325

Descending, and in half cut sheer,
³⁸⁴⁹
nor stayed,

326

But with swift wheel reverse, deep ent’ring, shared
³⁸⁵⁰

327

All his right side. Then Satan first knew pain,

328

And writhed him to and fro convolved,
³⁸⁵¹
so sore

329

The griding
³⁸⁵²
sword with discontinuous
³⁸⁵³
wound

330

Passed through him. But the ethereal substance closed,

331

Not long divisible, and from the gash

332

A stream of nectarous humor
³⁸⁵⁴
issuing flowed

333

Sanguine,
³⁸⁵⁵
such as celestial Spirits may bleed,

334

And all his armor stained, erewhile so bright.

335

Forthwith on all sides to his aid was run

336

By Angels many and strong, who interposed

337

Defence, while others bore him on their shields

338

Back to his chariot, where it stood retired
³⁸⁵⁶

339

From off the files of war.
³⁸⁵⁷
There they him laid

340

Gnashing for anguish and despite
³⁸⁵⁸
and shame

341

To find himself not matchless, and his pride

342

Humbled by such rebuke,
³⁸⁵⁹
so far beneath

343

His confidence to equal God in power.

344

Yet soon he healed, for Spirits that live throughout

345

Vital in every part, not as frail man

346

In entrails, heart or head, liver or reins,
³⁸⁶⁰

347

Cannot but
³⁸⁶¹
by annihilating die,

348

Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound

349

Receive, no more than can the fluid air.

350

All heart they live, all head, all eye, all ear,

351

All intellect, all sense, and as they please

352

They limb themselves, and color, shape, or size

353

Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare.

354

   
“Meanwhile in other parts like
³⁸⁶²
deeds deserved