He saw his tide ebb when his star declined, And fled: so fled they all. Then, from above, The celestial ordnance pours forth shot on shot, With lightning flash and rolling thunders loud, Causing the monsters that into the light Have crawled to swell the rout; and pleased are all.

With G.o.d's array, to aid in such pursuit!

O! what a whirl of storms in one resolved!

And what a noisy tumult rises round! 340 What floods sweep by! Our legions, blessed by G.o.d, Advance, and strike and crush whatever they meet.

What cries of pain now burst forth everywhere, As from the fleeing hordes one hears, amid This wild confusion and this change of form In limbs and shapes, their roars and bellowings.

Some yell, and others howl. What fearful frowns Those Angel faces wear, the mirrors dread Of h.e.l.l's infernal horrors. Hark! I hear Michael return, triumphant, to display, 350 Here in the light, the spoil from Angels reft.

The choristers now greet him with their songs Of praise, with sound of cymbal, pipe, and drum.

They come in front, and strew their laurel leaves 'Mid those celestial harmonies around.

CHORUS OF ANGELS. MICHAEL.

Chorus:

Hail! to the hero, hail!

Who the wicked did a.s.sail; And in the fight, o'er his might and his standard.

Triumphant did prevail.

Who strove for G.o.d's own crown, 360 From his high and splendid throne, Into night, with his might, hath been driven.

How dazzling G.o.d's renown!

Though flames the tumult fell, The valiant Michael With his hand the fierce brand can extinguish: All mutiny shall quell.

G.o.d's banner he doth rear: Come, wreathe his brow austere.

Now, in peace, shall increase Heaven's Palace: 370 No discord now we hear.

Then to the G.o.dhead raise.

In His deathless courts, your praise.

Glory bring to the King of all Kingdoms: His deeds inspire our lays.

Michael:

Praise be to G.o.d! The state of things above Has changed. Our Grand Foe has met his defeat; And in our hands he leaves his standard, helm, And morning-star, and shield and banners bold.

Which spoil, gained in pursuit, even now doth hang, 380 'Mid joys triumphant, honors, songs of praise, And sounds of trump, on Heaven's axis bright, The mirror clear of all rebelliousness, Of all ambition that would rear its crest 'Gainst G.o.d, the stem immovable--grand fount, Prime source, and Father of all things that are, Which from His hand their nature did receive, And various attributes. No more shall we Behold the glow of Majesty Supreme Dimmed by the damp of base ingrat.i.tude. 390 There, deep beneath our sight and these high thrones, They wander through the air and restlessly Move to and fro, all blind and overcast With shrouding clouds, and horribly deformed.

Thus is his fate, who would a.s.sail G.o.d's Throne.

Chorus:

Thus is his fate, who would a.s.sail G.o.d's Throne.

Thus is his fate, who would, through envy, man, In G.o.d's own image made, deprive of light.

GABRIEL. MICHAEL. CHORUS.

Gabriel:

Alas! alas! alas! how things have changed!

Why triumph here? Our triumph is in vain: 400 Ah! vain display, these plundered flags and arms!

Michael:

What hear I, Gabriel?

Gabriel:

Oh! Adam's fallen: The father and the stem of all mankind, Most pitiful and sad! brought to his fall So soon. He is undone.

Michael:

That bursts even like A sudden thunder-peal upon our ears.

Although I shudder, yet I long to hear This overthrow described. Doth then the Chief Accursed, also on Earth his warfare wage?

Gabriel:

The battle o'er, he called his scattered host 410 Unto his side, though first his chieftains bold, Who to each other turned abhorring gaze; And then, to shun the swift, all-searching rays Of the all-seeing Eye, he veiled them round With gloomy mists, that formed a hollow cloud, A dark, obscure, and gruesome lair of fog, Where shone no light, where gleamed no glow of fire Save what did shine from their own blazing eyes.

And in that dim, infernal consistory, High-seated 'mid his Councillors of State, 420 With bitter rage 'gainst G.o.d he thus began: "Ye Powers, who for our righteous cause have borne, With such fierce pride, this injury, 'tis time To be revenged for our wrongs: with hate Irreconcilable and furious craft The Heavens to persecute and circ.u.mvent In their own chosen image, man, and him To smother at his birth, in his ascent, Ere that his sinews gain their promised strength And ere he multiply. 'Tis my design, 430 Both Adam and his seed now to corrupt.

I know how, through transgression of the law Him first enjoined, to stain him with a blot Indelible; so that he with his seed, In soul and body poisoned, never shall Usurp the throne from which ourselves were thrust: Though it may be that some shall yet ascend On high, a number small and slight; and these Alone through thousand deaths and suffering And labor shall attain the state and crown 440 To us denied. Lo! miseries forthwith Shall follow aft in Adam's wake, and spread, From age to age, throughout the whole wide world.

Even Nature shall, attainted by this blow, Almost decay, and wish again to turn To chaos and its primal nothingness.

I see mankind, in G.o.d's own image made, From G.o.d's similitude debased, estranged, And tarnished, even in will and memory And understanding, while the holy light 450 Within created is obscured and dimmed: Yea, all yet in their mother's anxious womb, That wait with sorrow for their natal hour, I now, forsooth, behold a helpless prey To Death's relentless jaws. I shall exalt My tyranny with e'er-increasing pride, While you, my sons, I then shall see adored As Deities, on altars and in fanes Innumerable that tower to Heaven, where burns The sacrificial victim, 'mid the smoke 460 Of censers and the dazzling sheen of gold, In praise most reverential. I see hosts Of men, whose mult.i.tudes are even beyond The power of tongue to name--yea, all that spring From Adam's loins--for all eternity Accursed by their deeds abominable, Done in defiance of G.o.d's name. So dear To Him the cost of triumph o'er my crown."

Michael:

Accursed one, even yet to be so bold In thy defiance 'gainst thy G.o.d! Ere long 470 Thou shalt from us this blasphemy unlearn.

Gabriel:

Even thus spake Lucifer, and then he sent Prince Belial down, that he forthwith might cause Mankind to fall: who took upon himself The form of that most cunning of all beasts, The Serpent, type of wickedness itself, That he might with a gloss of words adorn His luring snares, which then those creatures pure In guileless innocence even thus received, As, swinging from the tempting bough of knowledge, 480 That lone forbidden tree, he hung aloft: "Hath G.o.d, upon the pain of death, with such Severity and at so high a price, Deprived you of the freedom of this fruit?

--The taste of even the choicest tree of all?

Nay, Eve, thou simple dove, indeed thou dost Mistake. But once behold this apple, pray!

Aye! see how glows this radiant fruit with gold And crimson mingled! An alluring feast!

Yea, daughter, nearer draw; no venom lurks up 490 In this immortal leaf. How tempts this fruit!

Yea, pluck; yea, freely pluck: I promise thee All light and knowledge. Come, why shouldst thou shrink For fear of sin? Aye, taste, and thus become Equal to G.o.d Himself in cognizance, Honor and wisdom, truth and majesty: Even though He much may wish thee to deny.

Thus must distinctions be discerned in things.

Their nature, ent.i.ties, and qualities."

Forthwith begins the heart of the fair bride 500 To burn and to enkindle, till she flames To see the praised fruit, which first allures The eye: the eye the mouth, that sighs to taste.

Desire doth urge the hand, all quivering, To pluck. And thus she plucks, and tastes and eats (Oh! how this shall afflict her progeny!) With Adam, and as soon as then their eyes Are opened and they see their nakedness, They deck themselves with leaves--with leaves of fig, Their shame, disgrace, and taint original-- 510 And in the trees and shadows hide themselves; But hide in vain from the all-piercing Eye.

Then gradually the sky grows black. They see The rainbow, as a warning messenger And portent of G.o.d's plagues, stretched o'er the Heavens, That weep, in mourning clad. Nor wringing hands, Nor sad lament, nor cries avail the pair.

Alas! the lightnings gleam, with flash on flash, And shaking thunders roll there, peal on peal.

And naught is heard but sighs, and naught is seen 520 But fright and gloom. They even their shadows flee; But ne'er can 'scape that dread heart-cankering worm, The sting of conscience. Thus, with knees that knock Together, step by step they stumble on, Their faces ghastly pale, and eyes, o'er-brimmed With tears, blind to the light. How spiritless, They who but now their heads so proudly held!

The sound of rustling leaf or whispering brook, The faintest noise, doth them confound; the while A pregnant cloud descends, that bursts and bears, 530 By slow degrees, a light and radiant glow, Wherein the great Supreme appears in shape Impressive, thundering with His Voice, that fells Them to the earth.

[Ill.u.s.tration: --"Nor wringing hands, Nor sad lament, nor cries avail the pair."]

Chorus.

Oh! oh! 'twere better far, Had mankind ne'er been made. This teaches them By such a juicy fruit to be beguiled.

Gabriel:

"O Adam," thunders G.o.d, "where art thou hid?"

"Forgive me. Lord; I flee thy countenance, Naked and all ashamed." "Who taught thee thus,"

Asks G.o.d, "thy shame and nakedness to know? 540 Didst dare profane thy lips with the forbidden Fruit?" "Aye, my bride, my wife, alas! did tempt."