But to convince the proud what signs avail,

Or wonders move the obdurate to relent?

They, hardened more by what might most reclaim,

Grieving to see his glory, at the sight

Took envy; and, aspiring to his hight,

Stood re-embattled fierce, by force or fraud

Weening to prosper, and at length prevail

Against God and Messiah, or to fall

In universal ruin last; and now

To final battle drew, disdaining flight,

Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God

To all his host on either hand thus spake.

‘Stand still in bright array, ye Saints; here stand,

Ye Angels armed; this day from battle rest:

Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God

Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause;

And as ye have received, so have ye done,

Invincibly: But of this cursed crew

The punishment to other hand belongs;

Vengeance is his, or whose he sole appoints:

Number to this day’s work is not ordained,

Nor multitude; stand only, and behold

God’s indignation on these godless poured

By me; not you, but me, they have despised,

Yet envied; against me is all their rage,

Because the Father, to whom in Heaven s’preme

Kingdom, and power, and glory appertains,

Hath honoured me, according to his will.

Therefore to me their doom he hath assigned;

That they may have their wish, to try with me

In battle which the stronger proves; they all,

Or I alone against them; since by strength

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 changed

His countenance 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 rolled, 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. Full soon

Among them he arrived; in his right hand

Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent

Before him, such as in their souls infixed

Plagues: They, astonished, all resistance lost,

All courage; down their idle weapons dropt:

O’er shields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode

Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostrate,

That wished 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-visaged Four

Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels

Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;

One Spirit in them ruled; and every eye

Glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire

Among the accursed, that withered all their strength,

And of their wonted vigour left them drained,

Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fallen.

Yet half his strength he put not forth, but checked

His thunder in mid volley; for he meant