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No, less on either side tempestuous fell
His arrows, from the fourfold-visag'd Four
Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;

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One Spirit in them rul'd, and every eye

Glar'd lightning and shot forth pernicious fire

Among the accurs'd, that wither'd all their strength,
And of their wonted vigour left them drain'd,

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Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fall'n.

Yet half his strength he put not forth, but check'd
His thunder in mid volley; for he meant

Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven:

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The overthrown he rais'd, and as a herd
Of goats or timorous flock together throng'd,
Drove them before him thunder-struck, pursued,
With terrors and with furies, to the bounds

And crystal wall of Heav'n, which opening wide,
Roll'd inward, and a spacious gap disclos'd
Into the wasteful deep; the monstrous sight

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Struck them with horror backward, but far worse

Urg'd them behind; headlong themselves they threw

Down from the verge of Heaven; eternal wrath
Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.

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"Hell heard the unsufferable noise, Hell saw Heav'n ruining from Heav'n, and would have fled Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep

Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound.

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Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roar'd,
And felt tenfold confusion in their fall

Through this wild anarchy, so huge a rout

Encumber'd him with ruin: Hell at last

Yawning received them whole, and on them clos'd;
Hell their fit habitation, fraught with fire

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Unquenchable, the house of wo and pain.

Disburden'd Heav'n rejoic'd, and soon repair'd

Her mutual breach, returning whence it roll'd.
Sole victor from th' expulsion of his foes
Messiah his triumphal chariot turn'd:

To meet him all his Saints, who silent stood

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Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts

With jubilee advanc'd; and as they went,
Shading 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 Heav'n, into the courts
And temple of his mighty Father thron'd
On high; who into glory him receiv'd,

Where now he sits at the right band of bliss.

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"Thus measuring things in Heav'n by things on Earth, At thy request, and that thou may'st beware By what is past, to thee I have reveal'd

What might have else to human race been hid
The discord which befel, and war in Heaven
Among th' angelic Pow'rs, and the deep fall
Of those too high aspiring, who rebell'd
With Satan; he who envies now thy state,
Who now is plotting how he may seduce
Thee also from obedience, that with him,
Bereaved of happiness, thou may'st partake
His punishment, eternal misery;

Which would be all his solace and revenge,
As a despite done against the most High,
Thee once to gain companion of his woe.
But listen not to his temptations, warn
Thy weaker; let it profit thee to' have heard,
By terrible example, the reward

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Of disobedience; firm they might have stood,
Yet fell remember, and fear to transgress."

END OF THE SIXTH BOOK.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK VI.

ARGUMENT.

Raphael at the request of Adam, relates how and wherefore this world was first created; that God, after the expelling of Satan and his Angels out of Heaven, declared his pleasure to create another world and other creatures to dwell therein; sends his Son with glory and attendance of Angels to perform the work of creation in six days: the Angels celebrate with hymns the perform ance thereof, and his reascension into Heaven.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK VII.

DESCEND from Heav'n, Urania, by that name
If rightly thou art call'd, whose voice divine
Following, above th' Olympian hill I soar,
Above the flight of Pegaséan wing.
The meaning, not the name, I call: for thou
Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top
Of old Olympus dwell'st, but heav'nly born,
Before the hills appear'd, or fountains flow'd,
Thou with eternal wisdom didst converse,
Wisdom thy sister, and with her didst play
In presence of th' almighty Father, pleas'd
With thy celestial song. Up led by thee
Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns I have presum'd,
An earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air,
Thy temp'ring; with like safety guided down
Return me to my native element:

Lest from this flying steed unrein'd, (as once
Bellerophon, though from a lower clime)
Dismounted, on th' Aleian field I fall,
Erroneous there to wander, and forlorn.
Half yet remains unsung, but narrower bound,
Within the visible diurnal sphere;
Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole,
More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchang'd
To hoarse or mute, though fall'n on evil days,
On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues;
In darkness, and with dangers compass'd round,-
And solitude; yet not alone, while thou

BOOK VH,

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