x 7 6
��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."
�� �
