And till then who knew

94

      

The force of those dire arms? Yet not for those

95

      

Nor what the potent victor in His rage

96

      

Can else inflict, do I repent, or change

97

      

(Though changed in outward luster) that fixed mind

98

      

And high disdain from sense of injured merit

99

      

That with the Mightiest raised me to contend

100

      

And to the fierce contentions1440 brought along

101

      

Innumerable 1441 force of Spirits armed

102

      

That durst dislike His reign and, me preferring

103

      

His utmost power with adverse1442 power opposed

104

      

In dubious1443 battle on the plains of Heav’n,

105

      

And shook His throne. What though the field be lost

106

      

All is not lost—the unconquerable will

107

      

And study 1444 of revenge, immortal hate

108

      

And courage never to submit or yield

109

      

And what is else not to be overcome

110

      

That glory never shall His wrath or might

111

      

Extort from me. To bow and sue1445 for grace 1446

112

      

With suppliant 1447 knee, and deify His power

113

      

Who, from1448 the terror1449 of this arm, so late1450

114

      

Doubted 1451 His empire: that were low indeed

115

      

That were an ignominy and shame beneath

116

      

This downfall, since, by fate, the strength of gods

117

      

And this empyreal 1452 substance, cannot fail

118

      

Since, through experience of this great event

119

      

In arms not worse, in foresight 1453 much advanced,1454

120

      

We may with more successful hope resolve

121

      

To wage by force or guile eternal war

122

      

Irreconcilable to our grand foe

123

      

Who now triumphs, and in th’ excess of joy

124

      

Sole reigning holds the tyranny of Heav’n.”

125

      

   So spoke th’ apostate Angel, though in pain

126

      

Vaunting 1455 aloud, but racked with deep despair

127

      

And him thus answered, soon, his bold compeer:1456

128

      

   “O Prince, O chief of many thronèd Powers1457

129

      

That led th’ embattled Seraphim1458 to war

130

      

Under thy conduct 1459 and, in dreadful deeds

131

      

Fearless, endangered Heav’n’s perpetual 1460 King

132

      

And put to proof 1461 His high supremacy

133

      

Whether upheld by strength, or chance, or fate

134

      

Too well I see and rue 1462 the dire event

135

      

That, with sad overthrow and foul defeat

136

      

Hath lost us Heav’n, and all this mighty host

137

      

In horrible destruction laid thus low

138

      

As far as gods and Heav’nly Essences 1463

139

      

Can perish—for the mind and spirit remains

140

      

Invincible, 1464 and vigor soon returns

141

      

Though all our glory extinct, and happy state

142

      

Here swallowed up in endless misery

143

      

But what if He our conqueror (whom I now

144

      

Of force1465 believe almighty, since no less

145

      

Than such could have o’erpowered such force as ours

146

      

Have left us this our spirit and strength entire, 1466

147

      

Strongly to suffer 1467 and support 1468 our pains

148

      

That we may so suffice1469 His vengeful ire

149

      

Or do Him mightier service as His thralls1470

150

      

By right of war, whate’er His business be,

151

      

Here in the heart of Hell to work in fire

152

      

Or do His errands in the gloomy deep

153

      

What can it then avail, though yet we feel

154

      

Strength undiminished, or eternal being

155

      

To undergo eternal punishment

156

      

Whereto with speedy words th’ arch-fiend replied

157

      

   “Fall’n Cherub, to be weak is miserable

158

      

Doing or suffering. But of this be sure

159

      

To do aught 1471 good never will be our task

160

      

But ever to do ill our sole delight

161

      

As being the contrary to His high will

162

      

Whom we resist. If then His providence

163

      

Out of our evil seek to bring forth good

164

      

Our labor must be to pervert that end

165

      

And out of good still 1472 to find means of evil

166

      

Which oft-times may succeed so as, perhaps

167

      

Shall grieve Him, if I fail not, and disturb1473

168

      

His inmost counsels1474 from their destined 1475 aim

169

      

   “But see! the angry victor hath recalled

170

      

His ministers of vengeance and pursuit

171

      

Back to the gates of Heav’n. The sulphurous hail

172

      

Shot after us in storm1476 o’erblown, hath laid 1477

173

      

The fiery surge1478 that from the precipice

174

      

Of Heav’n received us falling, and the thunder

175

      

Winged with red lightning and impetuous rage

176

      

Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now

177

      

To bellow through the vast and boundless deep

178

      

Let us not slip 1479 th’ occasion, whether scorn

179

      

Or satiate1480 fury yield it from our foe

180

      

   “Seest thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild

181

      

The seat of desolation, void of light

182

      

Save what the glimmering of these livid 1481 flames

183

      

Casts pale and dreadful? Thither let us tend 1482

184

      

From off the tossing of these fiery waves

185

      

There rest, if any rest can harbor 1483 there

186

      

And, re-assembling our afflicted 1484 Powers

187

      

Consult how we may henceforth most offend 1485

188

      

Our enemy, our own loss how repair

189

      

How overcome this dire calamity

190

      

What reinforcement we may gain from hope

191

      

If not, what resolution from despair

192

      

   Thus Satan, talking to his nearest mate, 1486

193

      

With head uplift above the wave, and eyes

194

      

That sparkling blazed, his other parts besides

195

      

Prone on the flood,1487 extended long and large

196

      

Lay floating many a rood,1488 in bulk as huge

197

      

As whom the fables name of monstrous size

198

      

Titanian1489 or earth-born,1490 that warred on Jove

199

      

Briareos or Typhon, whom the den

200

      

By ancient Tarsus1491 held,1492 or that sea-beast

201

      

Leviathan,1493 which God of all His works

202

      

Created hugest that swim th’ ocean-stream

203

      

Him, haply1494 slumbering on the Norway foam,1495

204

      

The pilot of some small night-foundered 1496 skiff

205

      

Deeming1497 some island, oft, as seamen tell

206

      

With fixed anchor in his scaly rind,1498

207

      

Moors by his side under the lee, 1499 while night

208

      

Invests1500 the sea, and wishèd morn delays

209

      

So stretched out huge in length the arch-fiend lay

210

      

Chained on the burning lake, nor ever thence

211

      

Had risen or heaved 1501 his head, but that the will

212

      

And high permission of all-ruling Heav’n

213

      

Left him at large to his own dark designs

214

      

That with reiterated crimes he might

215

      

Heap on himself damnation, while he sought

216

      

Evil to others, and enraged might see

217

      

How all his malice served but to bring forth

218

      

Infinite goodness, grace, and mercy, shown

219

      

On man by him seduced, but on himself

220

      

Treble confusion,1502 wrath, and vengeance poured

221

      

   Forthwith1503 upright he rears from off the pool

222

      

His mighty stature. On each hand the flames

223

      

Driv’n backward slope their pointing spires and, rolled

224

      

In billows, leave in th’ midst a horrid vale

225

      

Then with expanded 1504 wings he steers his flight

226

      

Aloft, incumbent1505 on the dusky air

227

      

That felt unusual weight, till on dry land

228

      

He lights1506 —if it were land that ever burned

229

      

With solid, as the lake with liquid fire

230

      

And such1507 appeared in hue1508 as when the force

231

      

Of subterranean wind transports a hill

232

      

Torn from Pelorus,1509 or the shattered side

233

      

Of thundering Etna, whose combustible

234

      

And fuellèd entrails thence conceiving fire

235

      

Sublimed 1510 with mineral fury, aid the winds

236

      

And leave a singèd bottom1511 all involved 1512

237

      

With stench and smoke. Such resting found the sole

238

      

Of unblest feet. Him followed his next mate

239

      

Both glorying to have scaped the Stygian1513 flood 1514

240

      

As1515 gods, and by their own recovered strength

241

      

Not by the sufferance1516 of supernal1517 power

242

      

   “Is this the region, this the soil, the clime

243

      

Said then the lost Archangel, “this the seat1518

244

      

That we must change for Heav’n?—this mournful gloom

245

      

For that celestial light? Be it so, since He

246

      

Who now is sov’reign can dispose1519 and bid1520

247

      

What shall be right. Farthest from Him is best

248

      

Whom reason hath equalled, force hath made supreme

249

      

Above His equals. Farewell, happy fields

250

      

Where joy forever dwells! Hail, horrors! hail

251

      

Infernal world! and thou, profoundest1521 Hell

252

      

Receive thy new possessor—one who brings

253

      

A mind not to be changed by place or time

254

      

The mind is its own place, and in itself

255

      

Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.

256

      

What matter where, if I be still the same

257

      

And what I should be, all but 1522 less than He

258

      

Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at least

259

      

We shall be free. Th’Almighty hath not built

260

      

Here for His envy, will not drive us hence

261

      

Here we may reign secure and, in my choice

262

      

To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell

263

      

Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heav’n!

264

      

   “But wherefore let we then our faithful friends

265

      

Th’ associates and co-partners of our loss

266

      

Lie thus astonished 1523 on th’ oblivious1524 pool

267

      

And call them not to share with us their part

268

      

In this unhappy mansion,1525 or once more

269

      

With rallied arms to try what may be yet

270

      

Regained in Heav’n, or what more lost in Hell

271

      

So Satan spoke; and him Beelzebub

272

      

Thus answered: “Leader of those armies bright

273

      

Which, but th’ Omnipotent, none could have foiled!1526

274

      

If once they hear that voice, their liveliest pledge1527

275

      

Of hope in fears and dangers—heard so oft

276

      

In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge

277

      

Of battle, when it raged, in all assaults

278

      

Their surest signal—they will soon resume

279

      

New courage and revive, though now they lie

280

      

Grovelling and prostrate on yon lake of fire

281

      

As we erewhile, astounded 1528 and amazed.1529

282

      

No wonder, fall’n such a pernicious1530 height

283

      

   He scarce had ceased when the superior fiend

284

      

Was moving toward the shore, his ponderous shield

285

      

Ethereal 1531 temper, 1532 massy, large, and round

286

      

Behind him cast. The broad circumference

287

      

Hung on his shoulders like the moon, whose orb

288

      

Through optic glass the Tuscan1533 artist1534 views

289

      

At evening, from the top of Fesolé

290

      

Or in Valdarno, to descry1535 new lands

291

      

Rivers, or mountains in her spotty1536 globe

292

      

His spear—to equal which the tallest pine

293

      

Hewn on Norwegian hills to be the mast

294

      

Of some great ammiral,1537 were but a wand—1538

295

      

He walked with, to support uneasy1539 steps

296

      

Over the burning marl,1540 not like those steps

297

      

On Heaven’s azure. And the torrid clime

298

      

Smote1541 on him sore besides, vaulted 1542 with fire

299

      

Nathless1543 he so endured, till on the beach

300

      

Of that inflamèd 1544 sea he stood, and called

301

      

His legions, Angel forms, who lay entranced 1545

302

      

Thick as autumnal leaves that strew the brooks

303

      

In Vallombrosa,1546 where th’ Etrurian1547 shades

304

      

High over-arched, embow’r1548 —or scattered sedge1549

305

      

Afloat, when with fierce winds Orion armed 1550

306

      

Hath vexed 1551 the Red-Sea coast, whose waves o’erthrew

307

      

Busiris1552 and his Memphian1553 chivalry, 1554

308

      

While with perfidious1555 hatred they pursued

309

      

The sojourners1556 of Goshen,1557 who beheld

310

      

From the safe shore their floating carcases

311

      

And broken chariot-wheels. So thick bestrewn

312

      

Abject 1558 and lost, lay these, covering the flood

313

      

Under amazement 1559 of their hideous1560 change

314

      

   He called so loud that all the hollow deep

315

      

Of Hell resounded: “Princes, Potentates,1561

316

      

Warriors, the Flow’r of Heav’n—once yours, now lost

317

      

If such astonishment1562 as this can seize

318

      

Eternal Spirits! Or have ye chosen this place

319

      

After the toil of battle to repose

320

      

Your wearied virtue, 1563 for the ease you find

321

      

To slumber here, as in the vales of Heav’n?

322

      

Or in this abject posture have ye sworn

323

      

To adore the conqueror, who now beholds

324

      

Cherub and Seraph rolling in the flood

325

      

With scattered arms and ensigns,1564 till anon1565

326

      

His swift pursuers from Heav’n-gates discern

327

      

Th’ advantage, and descending, tread us down

328

      

Thus drooping, or with linkèd thunderbolts

329

      

Transfix1566 us to the bottom of this gulf? 1567

330

      

Awake, arise, or be for ever fall’n!”

331

      

   They heard, and were abashed, and up they sprung

332

      

Upon the wing, 1568 as when men wont 1569 to watch

333

      

On duty, sleeping found by whom they dread

334

      

Rouse and bestir themselves ere well awake

335

      

Nor did they not perceive the evil plight

336

      

In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel

337

      

Yet to their general’s voice they soon obeyed

338

      

Innumerable. As when the potent rod

339

      

Of Amram’s son,1570 in Egypt’s evil day

340

      

Waved round the coast, up-called a pitchy1571 cloud

341

      

Of locusts, warping1572 on the eastern wind

342

      

That o’er the realm of impious Pharaoh hung

343

      

Like night, and darkened all the land of Nile

344

      

So numberless were those bad Angels seen

345

      

Hovering on wing under the cope1573 of Hell

346

      

’Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fires

347

      

Till, as a signal giv’n, th’ uplifted spear

348

      

Of their great sultan waving to direct

349

      

Their course, in even balance down they light1574

350

      

On the firm1575 brimstone, 1576 and fill all the plain

351

      

A multitude like which the populous North1577

352

      

Poured never from her frozen loins to pass

353

      

Rhine or the Danau,1578 when her barbarous sons

354

      

Came like a deluge on the South and spread

355

      

Beneath1579 Gibraltar to the Libyan sands

356

      

   Forthwith,1580 from every squadron and each band

357

      

The heads and leaders thither haste, where stood

358

      

Their great commander—godlike shapes, and forms

359

      

Excelling 1581 human; princely Dignities

360

      

And Powers that erst 1582 in Heav’n sat on thrones

361

      

Though of their names in Heav’nly records now

362

      

Be no memorial, blotted out and razed

363

      

By their rebellion, from the Books of Life. 1583

364

      

Nor had they yet among the sons of Eve

365

      

Got them new names, till wand’ring o’er the earth

366

      

(Through God’s high sufferance)1584 for the trial 1585 of man

367

      

By falsities and lies the greatest part

368

      

Of mankind they corrupted to forsake

369

      

God their Creator, and th’ invisible

370

      

Glory of Him that made them to transform

371

      

Oft to the image of a brute, adorned

372

      

With gay 1586 religions full of pomp and gold

373

      

And devils to adore for deities

374

      

Then were they known to men by various names

375

      

And various idols through the heathen world

376

      

   Say, Muse, their names then known, who first, who last

377

      

Roused from their slumber on that fiery couch,1587

378

      

At their great emperor’s call, as next in worth

379

      

Came singly where he stood on the bare strand,1588

380

      

While the promiscuous1589 crowd stood yet aloof?1590

381

      

The chief 1591 were those who, from the pit of Hell

382

      

Roaming to seek their prey on Earth, durst fix1592

383

      

Their seats, long after, next the seat of God

384

      

Their altars by His altar, gods adored

385

      

Among the nations round, and durst abide1593

386

      

Jehovah thundering out of Sion, throned

387

      

Between the Cherubim, yea, often placed

388

      

Within His sanctuary itself their shrines

389

      

Abominations!—and with cursèd things

390

      

His holy rites and solemn feasts profaned,1594

391

      

And with their darkness durst affront 1595 His light

392

      

   First, Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood

393

      

Of human sacrifice, and parents’ tears

394

      

Though, for the noise of drums and timbrels1596 loud

395

      

Their children’s cries unheard that passed through fire

396

      

To his grim1597 idol. Him the Ammonite1598

397

      

Worshipped in Rabba1599 and her wat’ry plain

398

      

In Argob1600 and in Basan,1601 to the stream

399

      

Of utmost Arnon.1602 Nor content with such

400

      

Audacious 1603 neighborhood, the wisest heart

401

      

Of Solomon he led by fraud to build

402

      

His1604 temple right against the temple of God

403

      

On that opprobrious 1605 hill, and made his grove

404

      

The pleasant valley of Hinnom,1606 Tophet 1607 thence

405

      

And black Gehenna 1608 called, the type 1609 of Hell

406

      

   Next Chemos,1610 th’ obscene1611 dread 1612 of Moab’s1613 sons

407

      

From Aroar1614 to Nebo1615 and the wild

408

      

Of southmost Abarim,1616 in Hesebon1617

409

      

And Horonaim,1618 Seon’s 1619 realm, beyond

410

      

The flow’ry dale of Sibma1620 clad with vines

411

      

And Eléalé 1621 to th’ asphaltic pool.1622

412

      

Peor 1623 his other name, when he enticed

413

      

Israel in Sittim,1624 on their march from Nile, 1625

414

      

To do him wanton1626 rites, which cost them woe

415

      

Yet thence his lustful orgies he enlarged

416

      

Ev’n to that hill of scandal,1627 by the grove

417

      

Of Moloch homicide, lust hard by 1628 hate

418

      

Till good Josiah1629 drove them thence to Hell

419

      

With these came they who, from the bord’ring flood

420

      

Of old Euphrates1630 to the brook1631 that parts

421

      

Egypt from Syrian ground, had general names

422

      

Of Baalim1632 and Ashtaroth1633 —those male

423

      

These feminine. For Spirits, when they please

424

      

Can either sex assume, or both, so soft

425

      

And uncompounded 1634 is their essence pure

426

      

Not tied or manacled with joint or limb

427

      

Nor founded 1635 on the brittle strength of bones

428

      

Like cumbrous1636 flesh, but in what shape they choose

429

      

Dilated 1637 or condensed, bright or obscure

430

      

Can execute their airy purposes

431

      

And works of love or enmity 1638 fulfil

432

      

For those the race of Israel oft forsook

433

      

Their Living Strength, and unfrequented 1639 left

434

      

His righteous altar, bowing lowly down

435

      

To bestial gods, for which their heads as low

436

      

Bowed down in battle, sunk before the spear

437

      

Of despicable 1640 foes.

With these in troop

438

      

Came Astoreth,1641 w

439

      

Astarté, queen of heaven, with crescent horns

440

      

To whose bright image nightly by the moon

441

      

Sidonian1642 virgins paid their vows and songs

442

      

In Sion1643 also not unsung, where stood

443

      

Her temple on th’ offensive1644 mountain, built

444

      

By that uxorious1645 king 1646 whose heart, though large

445

      

Beguiled by fair idolatresses, fell

446

      

To idols foul.

Thammuz 1647 came next behind

447

      

Whose annual wound in Lebanon allured

448

      

The Syrian damsels to lament his fate

449

      

In amorous ditties all a summer’s day

450

      

While smooth Adonis1648 from his native rock

451

      

Ran purple to the sea, supposed with blood

452

      

Of Thammuz yearly wounded. The love-tale

453

      

Infected Sion’s daughters with like heat

454

      

Whose wanton passions in the sacred porch1649

455

      

Ezekiel 1650 saw, when by the vision led

456

      

His eye surveyed the dark idolatries

457

      

Of alienated Judah.1651

Next came one

458

      

Who mourned in earnest, when the captive ark 1652

459

      

Maimed his brute image, head and hands lopped off

460

      

In his own temple, 1653 on the grunsel-edge, 1654

461

      

Where he fell flat and shamed his worshippers

462

      

Dagon his name, sea-monster, upward man

463

      

And downward fish, yet 1655 had his temple high

464

      

Reared in Azotus,1656 dreaded through the coast

465

      

Of Palestine, in Gath 1657 and Ascalon,1658

466

      

And Accaron1659 and Gaza’s1660 frontier bounds

467

      

   Him followed Rimmon,1661 whose delightful seat

468

      

Was fair Damascus, on the fertile banks

469

      

Of Abbana1662 , 1663 lucid 1664 streams.1665

470

      

He also against the house of God was bold

471

      

A leper 1666 once he lost, and gained a king

472

      

Ahaz,1667 his1668 sottish1669 conqueror, whom he drew1670

473

      

God’s altar to disparage and displace

474

      

For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn

475

      

His odious offerings, and adore the gods

476

      

Whom he1671 had vanquished.

After these appeared

477

      

A crew who, under names of old renown

478

      

Osiris, Isis, Orus, and their train—1672

479

      

With monstrous shapes and sorceries abused 1673

480

      

Fanatic Egypt and her priests to seek

481

      

Their wand’ring gods disguised in brutish forms

482

      

Rather than human. Nor did Israel scape

483

      

Th’ infection, when their borrowed gold composed 1674

484

      

The calf 1675 in Oreb,1676 and the rebel king1677

485

      

Doubled that sin in Bethel 1678 and in Dan,1679

486

      

Lik’ning his Maker to the grazèd ox—1680

487

      

Jehovah, who in one night, when he1681 passed

488

      

From Egypt marching, equalled 1682 with one stroke1683

489

      

Both her first-born and all her bleating gods

490

      

   Belial 1684 came last, than whom a Spirit more lewd

491

      

Fell not from Heaven, or more gross1685 to love

492

      

Vice for itself. To him no temple stood

493

      

Or altar smoked, yet who more oft than he

494

      

In temples and at altars, when the priest

495

      

Turns atheist, as did Eli’s sons, who filled

496

      

With lust and violence the house of God?1686

497

      

In courts and palaces he also reigns

498

      

And in luxurious1687 cities, where the noise

499

      

Of riot 1688 ascends above their loftiest tow’rs,

500

      

And injury 1689 and outrage. 1690 And when night

501

      

Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons

502

      

Of Belial,1691 flown1692 with insolence and wine

503

      

Witness the streets of Sodom,1693 and that night

504

      

In Gibeah,1694 when the hospitable door

505

      

Exposed 1695 a matron,1696 to avoid worse rape.1697

506

      

   These were the prime 1698 in order and in might.

507

      

The rest were long to tell, though far1699 renowned,1700

508

      

Th’ Ionian gods—of Javan’s issue1701 held

509

      

Gods, yet confessed 1702 later than Heav’n and Earth,

510

      

Their boasted parents; Titan,1703 Heav’n’s first-born,

511

      

With his enormous brood, and birthright seized

512

      

By younger Saturn. He1704 from mightier Jove,

513

      

His own and Rhea’s1705 son, like measure1706 found:

514

      

So Jove usurping reigned. These first in Crete

515

      

And Ida1707 known, thence on the snowy top

516

      

Of cold Olympus1708 ruled the middle air,1709

517

      

Their highest heav’n, or 1710 on the Delphian cliff,1711

518

      

Or in Dodona,1712 and through all the bounds1713

519

      

Of Doric land,1714 or who with Saturn old

520

      

Fled over Adria1715 to th’ Hesperian1716 fields

521

      

And o’er the Celtic roamed the utmost isles.1717

522

      

All these and more came flocking, but with looks

523

      

Downcast and damp,1718 yet such wherein appeared

524

      

Obscure 1719 some glimpse of joy to have found their chief 1720

525

      

Not in despair, to have found themselves not lost

526

      

In loss itself, which on his countenance cast

527

      

Like1721 doubtful1722 hue. 1723 But he, his wonted 1724 pride

528

      

Soon recollecting, with high words that bore

529

      

Semblance1725 of worth, not substance, gently raised

530

      

Their fainting courage and dispelled their fears

531

      

Then straight 1726 commands that, at the warlike sound

532

      

Of trumpets loud, and clarions,1727 be upreared 1728

533

      

His mighty standard.1729 That proud honor claimed

534

      

Azazel 1730 as his right, a Cherub tall

535

      

Who forthwith from the glittering staff 1731 unfurled

536

      

Th’ imperial ensign, which, full high advanced,1732

537

      

Shone like a meteor streaming to the wind

538

      

With gems and golden luster rich emblazed

539

      

Seraphic arms and trophies, all the while

540

      

Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds

541

      

At which the universal host up-sent

542

      

A shout that tore Hell’s concave, 1733 and beyond

543

      

Frighted the reign1734 of Chaos and old Night

544

      

All in a moment through the gloom were seen

545

      

Ten thousand banners rise into the air

546

      

With orient1735 colors waving. With them rose

547

      

A forest huge of spears, and thronging helms1736

548

      

Appeared, and serried1737 shields in thick array

549

      

Of depth immeasurable. Anon1738 they move

550

      

In perfect phalanx1739 to the Dorian mood 1740

551

      

Of flutes and soft recorders1741 —such as raised

552

      

To height of noblest temper1742 heroes old

553

      

Arming to battle, and instead of rage

554

      

Deliberate valour breathed, firm, and unmoved

555

      

With dread of death to flight or foul retreat

556

      

Nor wanting 1743 power to mitigate 1744 and suage1745

557

      

With solemn touches troubled thoughts, and chase

558

      

Anguish and doubt and fear and sorrow and pain

559

      

From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they

560

      

Breathing united force with fixèd thought

561

      

Moved on in silence to soft pipes that charmed

562

      

Their painful steps o’er the burnt soil.