right of merit reigns. Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince, And thou, in military prowess next, Gabriel; lead forth to battle these my sons Invincible; lead forth my armed Saints, By thousands and by millions ranged for fight, Equal in number to that godless crew Rebellious; them with fire and hostile arms Fearless assault, and, to the brow of Heaven Pursuing, drive them out from God and bliss, Into their place of punishment, the gulf Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide His fiery chaos to receive their fall.’
“So spake the Sovereign Voice, and clouds began To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll In dusky wreaths reluctant flames, the sign Of wrath awaked; nor with less dread the loud Ethereal trumpet from on high gan blow: At which command the powers militant That stood for Heaven, in mighty quadrate joined Of union irresistible, moved on In silence their bright legions, to the sound Of instrumental harmony, that breathed Heroic ardour to adventurous deeds Under their godlike leaders, in the cause Of God and his Messiah. On they move, Indissolubly firm; nor obvious hill, Nor straitening vale, nor wood, nor stream, divides Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground Their march was, and the passive air upbore Their nimble tread; as when the total kind Of birds, in orderly array, on wing Came summoned over Eden to receive Their names of thee; so over many a tract Of Heaven they marched, and many a province wide, Tenfold the length of this terrene. At last, Far in the horizon to the North, appeared From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretched In battailous aspect; and, nearer view, Bristled with upright beams innumerable Of rigid spears, and helmets thronged, and shields Various, with boastful argument portrayed, The banded powers of Satan hasting on With furious expedition; for they weened That self-same day, by fight or by surprise, To win the mount of God, and on his throne To set the envier of his state, the proud Aspirer; but their thoughts proved fond and vain In the mid-way. Though strange to us it seemed At first that Angel should with Angel war, And in fierce hosting meet, who wont to meet So oft in festivals of joy and love Unanimous, as sons of one great