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Their glory withered: as when heavens fire

Hath scathed the forest oaks, or mountain pines,

With singed top, their stately growth, though bare,

Stands on the blasted heath. He now prepared

To speak; whereat their doubled ranks they bend

From wing to wing, and half enclose him round

With all his peers: attention held them mute.

Thrice he essayed, and thrice, in spite of scorn,

Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth: at last

Words, interwove with sighs, found out their way.

O myriads of immortal spirits! O powers Matchless, but with the Almighty! and that strife Was not inglorious, though the event was dire, As this place testifies, and this dire change, Hateful to utter! But what power of mind, Foreseeing or presaging, from the depth Of knowledge past or present, could have feared, How such united force of gods, how such As stood like these, could ever know repulse? For who can yet believe, though after loss, That all these puissant legions, whose exile Hath emptied heaven, shall fail to re-ascend Self-raised, and re-possess their native seat? For me, be witness all the host of heaven, If counsels different, or dangers shunned By me, have lost our hopes. But He who reigns Monarch in heaven, till then as one secure Sat on His throne, upheld by old repute. Consent or custom, and His regal state Put forth at full, but still His strength concealed, Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall. Henceforth His might we know, and know our own; So as not either to provoke, or dread New war provoked. Our better part remains To work in close design, by fraud or guile, What force effected not, that He no less