I 7
��PARADISE LOST
��With many an inroad gored; deformed
rout
Entered, and foul disorder; all the ground With shivered armour strowu, and on a
heap
Chariot and charioter lay overturned, 390 And fiery foaming steeds; what stood re- coiled, O'er - wearied, through the faint Satanic
host,
Defensive scarce, or with pale fear sur- prised Then first with fear surprised and sense of
pain
Fled ignominious, to such evil brought By sin of disobedience, till that hour Not liable to fear, or flight, or paiu. Far otherwise the inviolable Saints In cubic phalanx firm advanced entire, Invulnerable, impenetrably armed; 400
Such high advantages their innocence Gave them above their foes not to have
sinned,
Not to have disobeyed; in fight they stood Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pained By wound, though from their place by vio- lence moved. " Now Night her course began, and, over
Heaven
Inducing darkness, grateful truce imposed, And silence on the odious din of war. Under her cloudy covert both retired, Victor and vanquished. On the foughten field 410
Michael and his Angels, prevalent Encamping, placed in guard their watches
round,
Cherubic waving fires: on the other part, Satan with his rebellious disappeared, Far in the dark dislodged, and, void of rest, His Potentates to council called by night, And in the midst thus undismayed be- gan: " ' O now in danger tried, now known in
arms
Not to be overpowered, companions dear, Found worthy not of liberty alone 420 Too mean pretence but, what we more
affect,
Honour, dominion, glory, and renown; Who have sustained one day in doubtful
fight
(And, if one day, why not eternal days ?) What Heaven's Lord had powerfullest to send
��Against us from about his Throne, and
judged
Sufficient to subdue us to his will, But proves not so: then fallible, it seems, Of future we may deem him, though till
now Omniscient thought ! True is, less firmly
armed, 430
Some disadvantage we endured, and pain Till now not known, but, known, as soon
contemned ;
Since, now we find this our empyreal form Incapable of mortal injury, Imperishable, and, though pierced with
wound,
Soon closing, and by native vigour healed. Of evil, then, so small as easy think The remedy: perhaps more valid arms, 438 Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us and worse our foes, Or equal what between us made the odds, In nature none. If other hidden cause Left them superior, while we can preserve Unhurt our minds, and understanding
sound,
Due search and consultation will disclose.' " He sat; and in the assembly next up- stood
Nisroch, of Principalities the prime. As one he stood escaped from cruel fight Sore toiled, his riven arms to havoc hewn, And, cloudy in aspect', thus answering
spake: 450
" ' Deliverer from new Lords, leader to
free
Enjoyment of our right as Gods ! yet hard For Gods, and too unequal work, we find Against unequal arms to fight in pain, Against unpained, impassive; from which
evil
Ruin must needs ensue. For what avails Valour or strength, though matchless,
quelled with pain, Which all subdues, and makes remiss the
hands Of mightiest ? Sense of pleasure we may
well
Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine, But live content which is the calmest
life; 461
But pain is perfect misery, the worst Of evils, and, excessive, overturns All patience. He who, therefore, can in- vent With what more forcible we may offend
�� �
