O'er-wearied, through the faint Satanic host Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surpris'd, Then first with fear surpris'd, and sense of pain; Fled ignominious, to such evil brought
By sin of disobedience: till that hour
Not liable to fear, or flight, or pain.
Far otherwise the inviolable saints, In cubic phalanx firm, advanc'd entire, Invulnerable, impenetrably arm'd;
Such bigh advantages their innocence
Gave them above their foes; not to have sinn'd, Not to have disobey'd; in fight they stood Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pain'd
By wound, though from their place by violence mov❜d. Now night her course began, and over heaven Inducing darkness, grateful truce impos'd,
And silence on the odious din of war:
Under her cloudy covert both retir'd,
Victor and vanquish'd. On the foughten field Michael and his angels prevalent
Encamping, plac'd in guard their watches round, Cherubic waving fires: on the other part, Satan with his rebellious disappear'd,
Far in the dark dislodg'd; and, void of rest, His potentates council call'd by night; And in the midst thus undismay'd began:
« O now in danger tried, now known in arms Not to be overpower'd, companions dear,
Found worthy not of liberty alone,
Too mean pretence! but what we more affect, Honour, dominion, glory and renown;
Who have sustain'd one day in doubtful fight,
Chi stava ancor; più l'oste di Satano Schermo non ha, e, da pallida paura Compresa allor la prima volta e senso Di duol fuggì scornata; a tanto addotta Da pravo inobbedir, benchè finora
Non vinta mai da tema o fuga o pena. Con altra sorte i fidi stuoli avanzano In cubica falange salda integra, Invulneranda e impenetranda in arme; Di tanto l'innocenza lor li estolle
Sui lor nemici; ei non peccar, nè alteri Disobbediro; e in pugna stero invitti Non servi a piaga o a duol, sebben dal loco Loro talor per violenza mossi.
Ma già la notte incombe e di tenebra Velando il ciel, gioconda tregua impone E silenzio all'odiato suon di guerra; Sotto il suo nero ammanto entrambi accoglie E vinto e vincitore. Sul pugnato Campo Michele i suoi vincenti spirti Accampando, locò a sue guardie intorno Cherubi fiammeggianti. All' altro lato Si dileguò Satan co' suoi rubelli
Lontan sloggiando al buio; e inquieto i suoi Grandi chiamò per assemblea notturna, Ove tra lor si intrepido comincia:
«Or ne' perigli corsi, or noto è in arme L'alto vostro valor, compagni amati, Ben degni inver di libertà non solo, Si chiesta a dritto, ma qual più bramiamo, D'onor, d'impero, d'alta gloria e fama; Voi sosteneste un giorno in dubbia pugna.
(And if one day, why not eternal days?) What heaven's Lord had powerfullest to send
Against us from above his throne, and judg'd Sufficient subdue us to his will,
But proves not so: then fallible, it seems, Of future we may deem him, though till now Omniscient thought. True is, less firmly arm'd, Some disadvantage we endur'd and pain,
Till now not known, but, known, as soon contemn'd; Since now we find this our empyreal form
Incapable of mortal injury,
Imperishable, and, though pierc'd with wound,
Soon closing, and by native vigour heal'd. Of evil then so small as easy think The remedy; perhaps more valid arms, Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us, and worse our foes, Or equal what between us made the odds, In nature none: if other hidden cause Left them superior, while we can preserve Unhurt our minds, and understanding sound, Due search and consultation will disclose. »>
He sat; and in the assembly next upstood Nisroch, of principalities the prime; As one he stood escap'd from cruel fight, Sore toil, his riven arms to havoc hewn, And cloudy in aspect thus answering spake: «Deliverer from new lords, leader to free Enjoyment of our right as gods; yet hard For gods, and too unequal work we find, Against unequal arms to fight in pain, Against unpain'd, impassive; from which evil
(E se un giorno, perchè non giorni eterni?) Quanto il Signor del ciel di maggior possa Contro ne spinse dal suo trono, e tanto Stimollo a soggiogarne ai suoi voleri, Ma tal non fu; fallibil dunque, ei sembra, È in preveder chi noi finor pensammo Tutto saper. Men fermi, è vero, in arme Durammo alcun svantaggio e duolo ignoto Finor, ma che spreggiar sapemmo ancora ; Chè omai proviam la nostra empirea forma Non serva a letal danno, ed immortale, E benchè scissa da ferite, tosto Si salda e per natio vigor risana. Di mal si poco ancor cercare è lieve
I rimedio più forse valide armi,
Più violenti dardi in nuova pugna
Meglio diranno a noi, peggio al nemico, O fato egual; chè egual ci die' natura
La forza chè s' altra cagione occulta
Li fe' maggiori, or che serbiamo illese Le nostre menti e l'intelletto intégro Studio atto a noi la scoprirà e consiglio. »
Ei sede; e presso a lui in senato alzossi Nisroco, fra que' prenci a niun secondo; Ei ste', qual chi campato a cruda lotta, Dolorando, con armi peste e infrante, E nubiloso in volto sì rispose:
« Liberator da nuovi donni, e duce
A francar la ragion di numi; è dura Per numi ancor, troppo è ineguale impresa, Pugnar contro armi disuguali in duolo, Contro chi duol non può patir; ruina
Ruin must needs ensue; for what avails
Valour or strength, though matchless, quell'd with pain Which all subdues, and makes remiss the hands Of mightiest! Sense of pleasure we may well Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine, But live content, which is the calmest life; But pain is perfect misery, the worst Of evils, excessive, overturns
All patience. He, who therefore can invent With what more forcible we may offend Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm Ourselves with like defence, to me deserves No less than for deliverance what we owe. » Whereto with look compos'd Satan replied: "Not uninvented that, which thou aright Believ'st so main to our success, I bring. Which of us who heholds the bright surface Of this ethereous mould whereon we stand, This continent of spacious heaven, adorn'd With plan, fruit, flower ambrosial, gems, and gold : Whose eye so superficially surveys
These things, as not to mind from whence they grow Deep under ground, materials dark and crude, Of spiritous and fiery spume, till, touch'd
With heaven's ray, and temper'd, they shoot forth So beauteous, opening to the ambient light? These in their dark nativity the deep
Shall yield us, pregnant with infernal flame; Which, into hollow engines, long and round, Thick ramm'd, at the other bore with touch of fire Dilated and infuriate, shall send forth
From far, with thundering noise, among our foes
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