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Paradise Lost. Albrecht Durer, Adam and Eve (1504). Paradise Lost, Book VI. Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven:. Paradise Lost, Book VI. Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven: Abdiel returns to report the insurrection. Paradise Lost, Book VI.
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Paradise Lost Albrecht Durer, Adam and Eve (1504)
Paradise Lost, Book VI • Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven:
Paradise Lost, Book VI • Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven: • Abdiel returns to report the insurrection
Paradise Lost, Book VI • Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven: • Abdiel returns to report the insurrection • God forgives Abdiel for being in the wrong place at the wrong time
Paradise Lost, Book VI • Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven: • Abdiel returns to report the insurrection • God forgives Abdiel for being in the wrong place at the wrong time • God appoints Gabriel and Michael to lead Heaven's army
Paradise Lost, Book VI • Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven: • Abdiel returns to report the insurrection • God forgives Abdiel for being in the wrong place at the wrong time • God appoints Gabriel and Michael to lead Heaven's army • The armies face off, with Satan and Abdiel trading insults
Paradise Lost, Book VI • Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven: • Abdiel returns to report the insurrection • God forgives Abdiel for being in the wrong place at the wrong time • God appoints Gabriel and Michael to lead Heaven's army • The armies face off, with Satan and Abdiel trading insults • The Battle: Heaven wins the first day with conventional weaponry
Paradise Lost, Book VI • Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven: • Abdiel returns to report the insurrection • God forgives Abdiel for being in the wrong place at the wrong time • God appoints Gabriel and Michael to lead Heaven's army • The armies face off, with Satan and Abdiel trading insults • The Battle: Heaven wins the first day with conventional weaponry • Satan’s Army invents gunpowder, and scores a temporary victory
Paradise Lost, Book VI • Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven: • Abdiel returns to report the insurrection • God forgives Abdiel for being in the wrong place at the wrong time • God appoints Gabriel and Michael to lead Heaven's army • The armies face off, with Satan and Abdiel trading insults • The Battle: Heaven wins the first day with conventional weaponry • Satan’s Army invents gunpowder, and scores a temporary victory • Heaven’s angels then just pick up mountains and throw them
Paradise Lost, Book VI • Synopsis of Book VI—Raphael relates the war in Heaven: • Abdiel returns to report the insurrection • God forgives Abdiel for being in the wrong place at the wrong time • God appoints Gabriel and Michael to lead Heaven's army • The armies face off, with Satan and Abdiel trading insults • The Battle: Heaven wins the first day with conventional weaponry • Satan’s Army invents gunpowder, and scores a temporary victory • Heaven’s angels then just pick up mountains and throw them • On the third day, the Son rolls in and routs the rebels
Paradise Lost, Book VI 1 All night the dreadless Angel, unpursued, 2 Through Heaven's wide champain held his way; till Morn, 3 Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand 4 Unbarred the gates of light. There is a cave 5 Within the mount of God, fast by his throne, 6 Where light and darkness in perpetual round 7 Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heaven 8 Grateful vicissitude, like day and night; 9 Light issues forth, and at the other door 10 Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour 11 To veil the Heaven, though darkness there might well 12 Seem twilight here: And now went forth the Morn 13 Such as in highest Heaven arrayed in gold 14 Empyreal; from before her vanished Night, 15 Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain
Paradise Lost, Book VI 16 Covered with thick embattled squadrons bright, 17 Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, 18 Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view: 19 War he perceived, war in procinct; and found 20 Already known what he for news had thought 21 To have reported: Gladly then he mixed 22 Among those friendly Powers, who him received 23 With joy and acclamations loud, that one, 24 That of so many myriads fallen, yet one 25 Returned not lost. On to the sacred hill 26 They led him high applauded, and present 27 Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice, 28 From midst a golden cloud, thus mild was heard. 29 Servant of God. Well done; well hast thou fought 30 The better fight, who single hast maintained
Paradise Lost, Book VI 31 Against revolted multitudes the cause 32 Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; 33 And for the testimony of truth hast borne 34 Universal reproach, far worse to bear 35 Than violence; for this was all thy care 36 To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds 37 Judged thee perverse: The easier conquest now 38 Remains thee, aided by this host of friends, 39 Back on thy foes more glorious to return, 40 Than scorned thou didst depart; and to subdue 41 By force, who reason for their law refuse, 42 Right reason for their law, and for their King 43 Messiah, who by right of merit reigns. 44 Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince, 45 And thou, in military prowess next,
Paradise Lost, Book VI 46 Gabriel, lead forth to battle these my sons 47 Invincible; lead forth my armed Saints, 48 By thousands and by millions, ranged for fight, 49 Equal in number to that Godless crew 50 Rebellious: Them with fire and hostile arms 51 Fearless assault; and, to the brow of Heaven 52 Pursuing, drive them out from God and bliss, 53 Into their place of punishment, the gulf 54 Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide 55 His fiery Chaos to receive their fall. 56 So spake the Sovran Voice, and clouds began 57 To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll 58 In dusky wreaths, reluctant flames, the sign 59 Of wrath awaked; nor with less dread the loud 60 Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow:
Paradise Lost, Book VI . . . Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanced, 110 Came towering, armed in adamant and gold; 111 Abdiel that sight endured not, where he stood 112 Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds, 113 And thus his own undaunted heart explores. 114 O Heaven! that such resemblance of the Highest 115 Should yet remain, where faith and realty 116 Remain not: Wherefore should not strength and might 117 There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove 118 Where boldest, though to fight unconquerable? 119 His puissance, trusting in the Almighty's aid, 120 I mean to try, whose reason I have tried
Paradise Lost, Book VI 121 Unsound and false; nor is it aught but just, 122 That he, who in debate of truth hath won, 123 Should win in arms, in both disputes alike 124 Victor; though brutish that contest and foul, 125 When reason hath to deal with force, yet so 126 Most reason is that reason overcome. 127 So pondering, and from his armed peers 128 Forth stepping opposite, half-way he met 129 His daring foe, at this prevention more 130 Incensed, and thus securely him defied. 131 Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reached 132 The highth of thy aspiring unopposed, 133 The throne of God unguarded, and his side 134 Abandoned, at the terrour of thy power 135 Or potent tongue: Fool!not to think how vain
Paradise Lost, Book VI 136 Against the Omnipotent to rise in arms; 137 Who out of smallest things could, without end, 138 Have raised incessant armies to defeat 139 Thy folly; or with solitary hand 140 Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow, 141 Unaided, could have finished thee, and whelmed 142 Thy legions under darkness: But thou seest 143 All are not of thy train; there be, who faith 144 Prefer, and piety to God, though then 145 To thee not visible, when I alone 146 Seemed in thy world erroneous to dissent 147 From all: My sect thou seest;now learn too late 148 How few sometimes may know, when thousands err. 149 Whom the grand foe, with scornful eye askance, 150 Thus answered. Ill for thee, but in wished hour
Paradise Lost, Book VI 151 Of my revenge, first sought for, thou returnest 152 From flight, seditious Angel! to receive 153 Thy merited reward, the first assay 154 Of this right hand provoked, since first that tongue, 155 Inspired with contradiction, durst oppose 156 A third part of the Gods, in synod met 157 Their deities to assert; who, while they feel 158 Vigour divine within them, can allow 159 Omnipotence to none. But well thou comest 160 Before thy fellows, ambitious to win 161 From me some plume, that thy success may show 162 Destruction to the rest: This pause between, 163 (Unanswered lest thou boast) to let thee know, 164 At first I thought that Liberty and Heaven 165 To heavenly souls had been all one; but now
Paradise Lost, Book VI 166 I see that most through sloth had rather serve, 167 Ministring Spirits, trained up in feast and song! 168 Such hast thou armed, the minstrelsy of Heaven, 169 Servility with freedom to contend, 170 As both their deeds compared this day shall prove. 171 To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern replied. 172 Apostate! still thou errest, nor end wilt find 173 Of erring, from the path of truth remote: 174 Unjustly thou depravest it with the name 175 Of servitude, to serve whom God ordains, 176 Or Nature: God and Nature bid the same, 177 When he who rules is worthiest, and excels 178 Them whom he governs. This is servitude, 179 To serve the unwise, or him who hath rebelled 180 Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee,
Paradise Lost, Book VI 181 Thyself not free, but to thyself enthralled; 182 Yet lewdly darest our ministring upbraid. 183 Reign thou in Hell, thy kingdom; let me serve 184 In Heaven God ever blest, and his divine 185 Behests obey, worthiest to be obeyed; 186 Yet chains in Hell, not realms, expect: Mean while 187 From me returned, as erst thou saidst, from flight, 188 This greeting on thy impious crest receive. 189 So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high, 190 Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell 191 On the proud crest of Satan, that no sight, 192 Nor motion of swift thought, less could his shield, 193 Such ruin intercept: Ten paces huge 194 He back recoiled; the tenth on bended knee 195 His massy spear upstaid; as if on earth
Paradise Lost, Book VI 181 Thyself not free, but to thyself enthralled; 196 Winds under ground, or waters forcing way, 197 Sidelong had pushed a mountain from his seat, 198 Half sunk with all his pines. Amazement seised 199 The rebel Thrones, but greater rage, to see 200 Thus foiled their mightiest; ours joy filled, and shout, 201 Presage of victory, and fierce desire 202 Of battle: Whereat Michael bid sound 203 The Arch-Angel trumpet; through the vast of Heaven 204 It sounded, and the faithful armies rung 205 Hosanna to the Highest: Nor stood at gaze 206 The adverse legions, nor less hideous joined 207 The horrid shock. Now storming fury rose, 208 And clamour such as heard in Heaven till now 209 Was never; arms on armour clashing brayed 210 Horrible discord, and the madding wheels
Paradise Lost, Book VI 211 Of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise 212 Of conflict; over head the dismal hiss 213 Of fiery darts in flaming vollies flew, 214 And flying vaulted either host with fire. 215 So under fiery cope together rushed 216 Both battles main, with ruinous assault 217 And inextinguishable rage. All Heaven 218 Resounded; and had Earth been then, all Earth 219 Had to her center shook. What wonder? when 220 Millions of fierce encountering Angels fought 221 On either side, the least of whom could wield 222 These elements, and arm him with the force 223 Of all their regions: How much more of power 224 Army against army numberless to raise 225 Dreadful combustion warring, and disturb,
Paradise Lost, Book VI 226 Though not destroy, their happy native seat; 227 Had not the Eternal King Omnipotent, 228 From his strong hold of Heaven, high over-ruled 229 And limited their might; though numbered such 230 As each divided legion might have seemed 231 A numerous host; in strength each armed hand 232 A legion; led in fight, yet leader seemed 233 Each warriour single as in chief, expert 234 When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway 235 Of battle, open when, and when to close 236 The ridges of grim war: No thought of flight, 237 None of retreat, no unbecoming deed 238 That argued fear; each on himself relied, 239 As only in his arm the moment lay 240 Of victory: Deeds of eternal fame
Paradise Lost, Book VI 241 Were done, but infinite; for wide was spread 242 That war and various; sometimes on firm ground 243 A standing fight, then, soaring on main wing, 244 Tormented all the air; all air seemed then 245 Conflicting fire. Long time in even scale 246 The battle hung; till Satan, who that day 247 Prodigious power had shown, and met in arms 248 No equal, ranging through the dire attack 249 Of fighting Seraphim confused, at length 250 Saw where the sword of Michael smote, and felled 251 Squadrons at once; with huge two-handed sway 252 Brandished aloft, the horrid edge came down 253 Wide-wasting; such destruction to withstand 254 He hasted, and opposed the rocky orb 255 Of tenfold adamant, his ample shield,
Paradise Lost, Book VI 256 A vast circumference. At his approach 257 The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toil 258 Surceased, and glad, as hoping here to end 259 Intestine war in Heaven, the arch-foe subdued 260 Or captive dragged in chains, with hostile frown 261 And visage all inflamed first thus began. 262 Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt, 263 Unnamed in Heaven, now plenteous as thou seest 264 These acts of hateful strife, hateful to all, 265 Though heaviest by just measure on thyself, 266 And thy adherents: How hast thou disturbed 267 Heaven's blessed peace, and into nature brought 268 Misery, uncreated till the crime 269 Of thy rebellion! how hast thou instilled 270 Thy malice into thousands, once upright
Paradise Lost, Book VI 271 And faithful, now proved false! But think not here 272 To trouble holy rest; Heaven casts thee out 273 From all her confines. Heaven, the seat of bliss, 274 Brooks not the works of violence and war. 275 Hence then, and evil go with thee along, 276 Thy offspring, to the place of evil, Hell; 277 Thou and thy wicked crew! there mingle broils, 278 Ere this avenging sword begin thy doom, 279 Or some more sudden vengeance, winged from God, 280 Precipitate thee with augmented pain. 281 So spake the Prince of Angels; to whom thus 282 The Adversary. Nor think thou with wind 283 Of aery threats to awe whom yet with deeds 284 Thou canst not. Hast thou turned the least of these 285 To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise
Paradise Lost, Book VI 286 Unvanquished, easier to transact with me 287 That thou shouldst hope, imperious, and with threats 288 To chase me hence? err not, that so shall end 289 The strife which thou callest evil, but we style 290 The strife of glory; which we mean to win, 291 Or turn this Heaven itself into the Hell 292 Thou fablest; here however to dwell free, 293 If not to reign: Mean while thy utmost force, 294 And join him named Almighty to thy aid, 295 I fly not, but have sought thee far and nigh. 296 They ended parle, and both addressed for fight 297 Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue 298 Of Angels, can relate, or to what things 299 Liken on earth conspicuous, that may lift 300 Human imagination to such highth
Paradise Lost, Book VI 301 Of Godlike power? for likest Gods they seemed, 302 Stood they or moved, in stature, motion, arms, 303 Fit to decide the empire of great Heaven. 304 Now waved their fiery swords, and in the air 305 Made horrid circles; two broad suns their shields 306 Blazed opposite, while Expectation stood 307 In horrour: From each hand with speed retired, 308 Where erst was thickest fight, the angelick throng, 309 And left large field, unsafe within the wind 310 Of such commotion; such as, to set forth 311 Great things by small, if, nature's concord broke, 312 Among the constellations war were sprung, 313 Two planets, rushing from aspect malign 314 Of fiercest opposition, in mid sky 315 Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound.
Paradise Lost, Book VI 316 Together both with next to almighty arm 317 Up-lifted imminent, one stroke they aimed 318 That might determine, and not need repeat, 319 As not of power at once; nor odds appeared 320 In might or swift prevention: But the sword 321 Of Michael from the armoury of God 322 Was given him tempered so, that neither keen 323 Nor solid might resist that edge: it met 324 The sword of Satan, with steep force to smite 325 Descending, and in half cut sheer; nor staid, 326 But with swift wheel reverse, deep entering, shared 327 All his right side: Then Satan first knew pain, 328 And writhed him to and fro convolved; so sore 329 The griding sword with discontinuous wound 330 Passed through him: But the ethereal substance closed,
Paradise Lost, Book VI 331 Not long divisible; and from the gash 332 A stream of necturous humour issuing flowed 333 Sanguine, such as celestial Spirits may bleed, 334 And all his armour stained, ere while so bright. 335 Forthwith on all sides to his aid was run 336 By Angels many and strong, who interposed 337 Defence, while others bore him on their shields 338 Back to his chariot, where it stood retired 339 From off the files of war: There they him laid 340 Gnashing for anguish, and despite, and shame, 341 To find himself not matchless, and his pride 342 Humbled by such rebuke, so far beneath 343 His confidence to equal God in power. 344 Yet soon he healed; for Spirits that live throughout 345 Vital in every part, not as frail man
Paradise Lost, Book VI 346 In entrails, heart of head, liver or reins, 347 Cannot but by annihilating die; 348 Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound 349 Receive, no more than can the fluid air: 350 All heart they live, all head, all eye, all ear, 351 All intellect, all sense; and, as they please, 352 They limb themselves, and colour, shape, or size 353 Assume, as?kikes them best, condense or rare. 354 Mean while in other parts like deeds deserved 355 Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought, 356 And with fierce ensigns pierced the deep array 357 Of Moloch, furious king; who him defied, 358 And at his chariot-wheels to drag him bound 359 Threatened, nor from the Holy One of Heaven 360 Refrained his tongue blasphemous; but anon
Paradise Lost, Book VI 361 Down cloven to the waist, with shattered arms 362 And uncouth pain fled bellowing. On each wing 363 Uriel, and Raphael, his vaunting foe, 364 Though huge, and in a rock of diamond armed, 365 Vanquished Adramelech, and Asmadai, 366 Two potent Thrones, that to be less than Gods 367 Disdained, but meaner thoughts learned in their flight, 368 Mangled with ghastly wounds through plate and mail. 369 Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy 370 The atheist crew, but with redoubled blow 371 Ariel, and Arioch, and the violence 372 Of Ramiel scorched and blasted, overthrew. 373 I might relate of thousands, and their names 374 Eternize here on earth; but those elect 375 Angels, contented with their fame in Heaven,
Paradise Lost, Book VI 376 Seek not the praise of men: The other sort, 377 In might though wonderous and in acts of war, 378 Nor of renown less eager, yet by doom 379 Cancelled from Heaven and sacred memory, 380 Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell. 381 For strength from truth divided, and from just, 382 Illaudable, nought merits but dispraise 383 And ignominy; yet to glory aspires 384 Vain-glorious, and through infamy seeks fame: 385 Therefore eternal silence be their doom. 386 And now, their mightiest quelled, the battle swerved, 387 With many an inroad gored; deformed rout 388 Entered, and foul disorder; all the ground 389 With shivered armour strown, and on a heap 390 Chariot and charioteer lay overturned,
Paradise Lost, Book VI 391 And fiery-foaming steeds; what stood, recoiled 392 O'er-wearied, through the faint Satanick host 393 Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surprised, 394 Then first with fear surprised, and sense of pain, 395 Fled ignominious, to such evil brought 396 By sin of disobedience; till that hour 397 Not liable to fear, or flight, or pain. 398 Far otherwise the inviolable Saints, 399 In cubick phalanx firm, advanced entire, 400 Invulnerable, impenetrably armed; 401 Such high advantages their innocence 402 Gave them above their foes; not to have sinned, 403 Not to have disobeyed; in fight they stood 404 Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pained 405 By wound, though from their place by violence moved,