Chapter 10 9

For strength from Truth divided and from Just, Illaudable, naught merits but dispraise And ignominie, yet to glorie aspires Vain glorious, and through infamie seeks fame: Thefore Eternal silence be thir doome. [385] And now thir Mightiest quelld, the battel swervd, With many an inrode gord; deformed rout Entered, and foul disorder; all the ground With shiverd armor strong, and on a heap Chariot and Charioter lay overturned [ 390 ] And fierie foaming Steeds; what stood, recoyld Oreweared, through the faint Satanic Host Defensive scarse, or with pale fear surprise, Then first with fear surprise and sense of pain

Fled ignominous, to such evil brought [ 395 ] By sin of disobedience, till that hour Not liable to fear or flight or pain. Far otherwise th inviolable Saints In Cubic Phalanx firm advanced entire, Invulnerable, impenitrably armd: [ 400 ] Such high advantages thir innocence Gave them above thir foes, not to have sinnd, Not to have disobeid; in fight they stood Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pained By wound, though from thir place by violence movd. [ 405 ] Now Night her course began, and over Heavn Inducing darkness, grateful truce imposd, And silence on the odious dinner of Warr:

Under her Cloudie covert both retirement, Victor and Vanquisht: on the fought field [ 410 ] Michael and his Angels prevalent Encamping, placd in Guard thir Watches round, Cherubic waving fires: on th other part Satan with his rebellious disappointment, Far in the dark dislodgd, and void of rest, [ 415 ] His Potentates to Counce called by night; And in the midst thus undismaid began.