And as ye have receiv'd, fo have ye done
Invincibly; but of this curfed crew
The punishment to other hand belongs;
Vengeance is his, or whose he fole appoints:
Number to this day's work is not ordain'd
Nor multitude; ftand only, and behold
God's indignation on these Godless pour'd
By me; not you, but me they have despis'd,
Yet envied; against me is all their rage,
Because the Father, t'whom in Heav'n fupreme
Kingdom and pow'r and glory appertains,
Hath honor'd me according to his will.
Therefore to me their doom he hath assign'd;
That they may have their wish, to try with me.
In battel which the stronger proves, they all,
Or I alone against them; since by strength
They measure all, of other excellence
Not emulous, nor care who them excels;
Nor other ftrife with them do I vouchsafe.
So spake the Son, and into terror chang'd
His count'nance, too severe to be beheld,
And full of wrath bent on his enemies.
At once the Four spread out their starry wings,
With dreadful fhade, contiguous, and the orbs
Of his fierce chariot roll'd, as with the found ·
Of torrent floods, or of a numerous hoft.
He on his impious foes right onward drove,
Gloomy as night; under his burning wheels
The stedfast empyréan fhook throughout,
All but the throne itself of God. Full foon
Among them he arriv'd, in his right hand
Grafping ten thousand thunders, which he sent
Before him, fuch as in their fouls infix'd
Plagues; they, astonish'd,all resistance lost,
All courage; down their idle weapons dropt;
O'er fhields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode 840
Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostráte,
That wifh'd the mountains now might be again
Thrown on them as a fhelter from his ire.
Nor less,on either fide, tempeftuous fell
His arrows, from the fourfold-vifag'd Four
Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;
One Spirit in them rul'd, and every eye
Glar'd lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire
Among th'accurs'd, that wither'd all their ftrength, 850
And of their wonted vigor left them drain'd,
Exhaufted, fpiritless, afflicted, fall'n.
Yet half his ftrength he put not forth, but check'd
His thunder in mid voly; for he meant
Not to deftroy, but root them out of Heaven: 855
The overthrown he rais'd, and, as a herd
Of goats or timorous flock together throng'd,
Drove them before him thunder-ftruck, pursued
With terrors and with furies to the bounds
And crystal wall of Heav'n; which opening wide, 860
Roll'd inward, and a spacious gap difclos'd
Into the wasteful deep; the monstrous sight
Struck them with horror backward, but far worse
Urg'd them behind; headlong themselves they threw
Down from the verge of Heav'n; eternal wrath 865
Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.
Hell heard th'unfufferable noife, Hell faw Heav'n ruining from Heav'n, and would have fled Affrighted; but strict fate had caft too deep
Her dark foundations, and too faft had bound. 870
Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roar'd,
And felt tenfold confufion in their fall
Through his wild anarchy, fo huge a rout
Incumber'd him with ruin: Hell, at laft,
Yawning,receiv'd them whole, and on them clos'd;
Hell their fit habitation, fraught with fire
Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.
Disburden'd Heav'n rejoic'd, and soon repair'd
Her mural breach, returning whence it roll'd.
Sole victor from th'expulsion of his foes
Messiah his triumphal chariot turn'd:
To meet him all his Saints, who silent stood
Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,
With jubilee advanc'd; and as they went,
Shaded with branching palm, each order bright, 885
Sung triumph, and him fung victorious King,
Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion given,
Worthieft to reign: he celebrated rode
Triumphant through mid Heav'n, into the courts
And temple of his mighty Father thron'd
On high; who into glory him receiv'd,
Where now he fits at the right hand of bliss.
Thus,measuring things inHeav'n by things onEarth,
At thy request, and that thou may'st beware
By what is past, to thee I have reveal'd
What might have else to human race been hid;
The discord which befel, and war in Heaven
Among th' angelic Pow'rs; and the deep fall
Of those, too high afpiring, who rebell'd
With Satan; he who envies now thy ftate;
Who now is plotting how he
may feduce
Thee alfo from obedience; that with him,
Bereav'd of happiness, thou may'st partake
His punishment, eternal misery;
Which would be all his folace and revenge,
As a despite done against the most High,
Thee once to gain companion of his woe.
But liften not to his temptations, warn
Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard
By terrible example, the reward
Of disobedience; firm they might have flood,
Yet fell; remember, and fear to tranfgrefs.
The end of the Sixth Book.
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