They measure all, of other excellence Not emulous, nor care who them excels; Nor other strife with them do I vouchsafe. So spake the Son, and into terror chang'd His count'nance, too severe to be beheld And full of wrath bent on his enemies. At once the Four spread out their starry wings With dreadful shade contiguous, and the orbs Of his fierce chariot roll'd, as with the sound Of torrent floods, or of a numerous host. He on his impious foes right onward drove, Gloomy as night; under his burning wheels The steadfast empyrean shook throughout, All but the throne itself of GOD.
Among them he arriv'd, in his right hand Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent Before him, such as in their souls infix'd Plagues they astonish'd all resistance lost, All courage; down their idle weapons dropp'd; O'er shields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode Of thrones and mighty seraphim prostrate, That wish'd 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 visag'd Four, Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels
841 prostrate] Fairfax and Spenser accent this word on the last syllable. v. Tasso, c. i. 83;
'And lay his powers prostráte.' F. Qu. xii. 39. 'Before fair Britomart she fell prostráte.' Newton.
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes; One spirit in them rul'd, and every eye Glar'd light'ning, and shot forth pernicious fire Among th' accurst, that wither'd all their strength, And of their wonted vigour left them drain'd, Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fall'n.
Yet half his strength he put not forth, but check'd His thunder in mid volly, for he meant
Not to destroy, but root them out of heaven. The overthrown he rais'd, and as a herd Of goats or timorous flock together throng'd Drove them before him thunder-struck, pursu'd With terrors and with furies to the bounds
And crystal wall of heaven; which op'ning wide 860 Roll'd inward, and a spacious gap disclos'd Into the wasteful deep; the monstrous sight Struck them with horror backward; but far worse Urg'd them behind; headlong themselves they threw Down from the verge of heaven; eternal wrath 865 Burn'd after them to the bottomless pit. Hell heard th' unsufferable noise, hell saw Heaven ruining from heaven, and would have fled
858 thunder] See Beaumont's Psyche, c. xx. st. 102. 'Down plung'd this mixed rout which almost split The greedy throat of the sulphureous deep, Loud was the noise of this great fall, but yet Far louder was their crie, who down the steep
Eternal precipice still tumbled, and
No bottom saw, to bid their ruine stand.'
868 ruining] Falling down with ruin, from the Italian ruinando.
v. Tasso's Gier. Lib. ix. 39.
'Gli alberi intorno ruinando atterra.' Thyer.
Affrighted; but strict fate had cast too deep Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound. Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roar'd, And felt tenfold confusion in their fall Through his wild anarchy; so huge a rout Incumber'd him with ruin: hell at last
Yawning receiv'd them whole, and on them clos'd; Hell their fit habitation, fraught with fire Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain. Disburden'd heav'n rejoic'd, and soon repair'd Her mural breach, returning whence it roll'd.
Sole victor from th' expulsion of his foes Messiah his triumphal chariot turn'd: To meet him all his saints, who silent stood Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,
With jubilee advanc'd; and as they went,
Shaded with branching palm, each order bright 885 Sung triumph, and him sung victorious King, Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion giv'n, Worthiest to reign: he celebrated rode Triumphant through mid heaven, into the courts And temple of his mighty Father thron'd On high; who into glory him receiv'd, 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 beware By what is past, to thee I have reveal'd What might have else to human race been hid;
877 house] Fairfax's Tasso, ix. st. 59.
'Fit house for them, the house of grief and pain.' Newton.
The discord which befell, and war in heaven Among th' angelic powers, and the deep fall Of those too high aspiring, who rebell'd With Satan; he who envies now thy state, Who now is plotting how he may seduce Thee also from obedience, that with him Bereav'd of happiness thou may'st partake 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
Of disobedience; firm they might have stood, Yet fell: remember, and fear to transgress.
900 he] The construction, Bentley observes, requires him.'
RAPHAEL, at the request of Adam, relates how, and wherefore, this world was first created; that GOD, after the expelling of Satan and his angels out of heaven, declared his pleasure to create another world, and other creatures to dwell therein; sends his Son with glory and attendance of angels to perform the work of creation in six days: the angels celebrate with hymns the performance thereof, and his reascension into heaven.
DESCEND from heav'n, Urania, by that name If rightly thou art call'd, whose voice divine Following, above th' Olympian hill I soar, Above the flight of Pegasean wing. The meaning, not the name, I call for thou Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top Of old Olympus dwell'st; but heavenly born, Before the hills appear'd, or fountain flow'd, Thou with eternal Wisdom didst converse, Wisdom thy sister, and with her didst play In presence of th' almighty Father, pleas'd
7 old Olympus] 'cold.' Bentl. MS. 1. 516. 1. 428. 2. 393.
7 old] Some would read 'cold,' as in book i. 516; but it is called
'old,' as being 'fam'd of old,' see book i. 420, ii. 593. Newton.
« AnteriorContinuar » |