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Unanimous, as sons of one great Sire, Hymning the Eternal Father. But the shout Of battle now began, and rushing sound Of onset ended soon each milder thought. High in the midst, exalted as a god, 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. Abdiel that sight endured not, where he stood Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds, And thus his own undaunted heart explores:

PARADISE LOST.

O Heaven! that such resemblance of the Highest Should yet remain, where faith and realty¹ Remain not! Wherefore should not strength and might There fail where virtue fails? or weakest prove Where boldest, though to sight unconquerable? His puissance, trusting in the Almighty's aid, I mean to try, whose reason I have tried Unsound and false. Nor is it aught but just That he, who in debate of truth hath won, Should win in arms, in both disputes alike Victor; though brutish that contest and foul, When reason hath to deal with force, yet so Most reason is that reason overcome.

So pondering, and from his armed peers

Forth stepping opposite, half-way he met

Reality.—Realness.

Of wrath awaked; nor with less dread the loud Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow: At which command the powers militant, That stood for Heaven, in mighty quadrate joined Of union irresistible, moved on In silence their bright legions, to the sound Of instrumental harmony, that breathed Heroic ardour to adventurous deeds Under their godlike leaders, in the cause Of God and his Messiah. On they move Indissolubly firm; nor obvious hill, Nor straitening vale, nor wood, nor stream, divides Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground Their march was, and the passive air upbore Their nimble tread. As when the total kind Of birds, in orderly array on wing, Came, summoned over Eden, to receive Their names of thee; so over many a tract Of heaven they marched, and many a province wide, Tenfold the length of this terrene. At last, Far in the horizon to the North, appeared From skirt to skirt a fiery region stretched In battailous aspect; and, nearer view, Bristled with upright beams innumerable Of rigid spears, and helmets thronged, and shields Various, with boastful argument portrayed, The banded powers of Satan hasting on With furious expedition; for they weened That self-same day, by fight, or by surprise, To win the mount of God, and on His throne To set the envier of his state, the proud Aspirer; but their thoughts proved fond and vain In the mid-way. Though strange to us it seemed At first, that Angel should with Angel war, And in fierce hosting meet, who wont to meet So oft in festivals of joy and love