Page 138 of 239

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.

Hell heard the unsufferable noise; Hell saw

Heaven ruining from Heaven, and would have fled

Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep

Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound.

Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roared,

And felt tenfold confusion in their fall

Through his wild anarchy; so huge a rout

Encumbered him with ruin. Hell at last,

Yawning, received them whole, and on them closed;

Hell, their fit habitation, fraught with fire

Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.

Disburdened Heaven rejoiced, and soon repaired

Her mural breach, returning whence it rolled.

Sole Victor, from the expulsion of his foes,

Messiah his triumphal chariot turned.

To meet Him, all his saints, who silent stood

Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,

With jubilee advanced; and, as they went,

Shaded with branching palm, each order bright

Sung triumph, and Him sung victorious King,

Son, Heir, and Lord, to Him dominion given,

Worthiest to reign. He, celebrated, rode

Triumphant through mid heaven, into the courts

And temple of his mighty Father throned