’Twixt host and host but narrow space was left, A dreadful interval, and front to front Presented stood, in terrible array Of hideous length. Before the cloudy van, On the rough edge of battle ere it joined, Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanced, Came towering, armed in adamant and gold. Abdiel that sight endured not, where he stood Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds, And thus his own undaunted heart explores:

“ ‘O Heaven! that such resemblance of the Highest Should yet remain, where faith and realty Remain not! Wherefore should not strength and might There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove Where boldest, though to sight unconquerable? His puissance, trusting in the Almighty’s aid, I mean to try, whose reason I have tried Unsound and false; nor is it aught but just That he who in debate of truth hath won Should win in arms, in both disputes alike Victor; though brutish that contest and foul, When reason hath to deal with force, yet so Most reason is that reason overcome.’