Read The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Online
Authors: John Milton,Burton Raffel
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Literary Collections, #Poetry, #Classics, #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #English poetry
531
Where lodged, or whither fled, or if for fight,
532
In motion or in halt. Him soon they met
533
Under spread ensigns moving nigh, in slow
534
But firm battalion. Back with speediest sail
535
Zophiel,
3963
of Cherubim the swiftest wing,
536
Came flying, and in mid air aloud thus cried:
537
“‘Arm, warriors, arm for fight! The foe at hand,
538
Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit
539
This day. Fear not his flight: so thick a cloud
540
He comes, and settled in his face I see
541
542
His adamantine coat gird
3966
well, and each
543
Fit well his helm, grip fast his orbèd shield,
544
Borne ev’n
3967
or high, for this day will pour down,
545
If I conjecture
3968
aught, no drizzling shower,
546
But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire.
547
“So warned he them, aware themselves, and soon
548
In order, quit of all impediment,
549
Instant without disturb they took alarm,
3969
550
And onward moved embattled.
3970
When behold!
551
Not distant far with heavy
3971
pace the foe
552
553
554
On every side with shadowing squadrons deep,
555
To hide the fraud. At interview
3976
both stood
556
A while, but suddenly at head appeared
557
Satan, and thus was heard commanding loud:
558
“‘Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold,
3977
559
That all may see, who hate us, how we seek
560
Peace and composure,
3978
and with open breast
561
Stand ready to receive them, if they like
562
563
But that I doubt. However, witness, Heav’n!
564
Heav’n, witness thou anon!
3981
while we discharge
565
Freely our part. Ye who appointed stand
566
Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch
567
What we propound,
3982
and loud that all may hear!
568
“So scoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce
569
Had ended, when to right and left the front
570
Divided, and to either flank retired,
571
Which to our eyes discovered, new and strange,
572
A triple mounted row of pillars laid
573
On wheels ( for like to pillars most they seemed,
574
Or hollowed bodies made of oak or fir,
575
With branches lopped, in wood or mountain felled)
576
Brass, iron, stony mould,
3983
had not their mouths
577
With hideous orifice
3984
gaped on us wide,
578
Portending hollow truce. At each, behind,
579
A Seraph stood, and in his hand a reed
580
Stood waving, tipped with fire, while we, suspense,
3985
581
Collected stood, within our thoughts amused.
3986
582
Not long, for sudden all at once their reeds
583
Put forth, and to a narrow vent
3987
applied
584
With nicest
3988
touch. Immediate in a flame,
585
But soon obscured with smoke all Heav’n appeared,
586
From those deep-throated engines belched,
3989
whose roar
587
588
And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul
589
Their devilish glut,
3992
chained thunderbolts and hail
590
Of iron globes which, on the victor host
591
Levelled, with such impetuous
3993
fury smote
592
That, whom they hit, none on their feet might stand,
593
Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell
c
595
596
Have easily, as Spirits, evaded swift
597
By quick contraction or remove, but now
598
Foul dissipation
3996
followed, and forced rout,
599
600
What should they do? If on they rushed, repulse
601
Repeated, and indecent
4000
overthrow
602
Doubled, would render them yet more despised,
603
And to their foes a laughter, for in view
604
Stood ranked of Seraphim another row,
605
606
Of thunder. Back defeated to return
607
They worse abhorred. Satan beheld their plight,
608
And to his mates thus in derision called:
609
“‘O friends! Why come not on, these victors proud?
610
Erewhile they fierce were coming, and when we,
611
To entertain them fair, with open front
612
And breast (what could we more?), propounded terms
613
Of composition, straight they changed their minds,
614
Flew off, and into strange vagaries
4003
fell,
615
As they would dance. Yet for a dance they seemed
616
Somewhat extravagant and wild—perhaps
617
For joy of offered peace. But I suppose,
618
If our proposals once again were heard,
619
We should compel them to a quick result.