Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.

III. War

Battle of the Angels

John Milton (1608–1674)

NOW went forth the morn,

Such as in highest heaven, arrayed in gold

Empyreal; from before her vanished night,

Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain

Covered with thick embattled squadrons bright,

Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds,

Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view.

The apostate in his sun-bright chariot sat,

Idol of majesty divine, enclosed

With flaming cherubim, and golden shields;

Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now

’Twixt host and host but narrow space was left,

A dreadful interval, and front to front

Presented stood in terrible array

Of hideous length: before the cloudy van,

On the rough edge of battle ere it joined,

Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanced,

Came towering, armed in adamant and gold.

Michael bid sound

The archangel trumpet; through the vast of heaven

It sounded, and the faithful armies rung

Hosanna to the Highest: nor stood at gaze

The adverse legions, nor less hideous joined

The horrid shock. Now storming fury rose,

And clamor, such as heard in heaven till now

Was never; arms on armor clashing brayed

Horrible discord, and the madding wheels

Of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise

Of conflict; overhead the dismal hiss

Of fiery darts in flaming volleys flew,

And flying vaulted either host with fire.

So under fiery cope together rushed

Both battles main, with ruinous assault

And inextinguishable rage. All heaven

Resounded; and had earth been then, all earth

Had to her centre shook.

Deeds of eternal fame

Were done, but infinite: for wide was spread

That war, and various: sometimes on firm ground

A standing fight, then, soaring on main wing,

Tormented all the air; all air seemed then

Conflicting fire.

Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power

Which God hath in his mighty angels placed!)

Their arms away threw, and to the hills

(For earth hath this variety from heaven,

Of pleasures situate in hill and dale),

Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew,

From their foundations loosening to and fro,

They plucked the seated hills, with all their load,

Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops

Uplifting bore them in their hands: amaze,

Be sure, and terror, seized the rebel host,

When coming towards them so dread they saw

The bottom of the mountains upward turned,

….and on their heads

Main promontories flung, which in the air

Came shadowing, and oppressed whole legions armed;

Their armor helped their harm, crushed in and bruised

Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain

Implacable, and many a dolorous groan;

Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind

Out of such prison, though spirits of purest light,

Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown.

The rest, in imitation, to like arms

Betook them, and the neighboring hills uptore:

So hills amid the air encountered hills,

Hurled to and fro with jaculation dire,

That underground they fought in dismal shade;

Infernal noise! war seemed a civil game

To this uproar; horrid confusion heaped

Upon confusion rose.

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 infixèd

Plagues: they, astonished, all resistance lost,

All courage; down their idle weapons dropt;

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

Of thrones and mighty seraphim prostráte,

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 vigor 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

Not to destroy, but root them out of heaven:

The overthrown he raised, and as a herd

Of goats or timorous flock together thronged,

Drove them before him thunderstruck, pursued

With terrors and with furies, to the bounds

And crystal wall of heaven; which, opening wide,

Rolled inward, and a spacious gap disclosed

Into the wasteful deep: the monstrous sight

Struck them with horror backward, but far worse

Urged them behind: headlong themselves they threw

Down from the verge of heaven; eternal wrath

Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.