resume
  New courage and revive, though now they lye
  Groveling and prostrate on yon Lake of Fire,
  As we erewhile, astounded and amaz'd,
  No wonder, fall'n such a pernicious highth.

    He scarce had ceas't when the superiour Fiend
  Was moving toward the shore; his ponderous shield
  Ethereal temper, massy, large and round,
  Behind him cast; the broad circumference
  Hung on his shoulders like the Moon, whose Orb
  Through Optic Glass the TUSCAN Artist views
  At Ev'ning from the top of FESOLE,
  Or in VALDARNO, to descry new Lands,
  Rivers or Mountains in her spotty Globe.
  His Spear, to equal which the tallest Pine
  Hewn on NORWEGIAN hills, to be the Mast
  Of some great Ammiral, were but a wand,
  He walkt with to support uneasie steps
  Over the burning Marle, not like those steps
  On Heavens Azure, and the torrid Clime
  Smote on him sore besides, vaulted with Fire;
  Nathless he so endur'd, till on the Beach
  Of that inflamed Sea, he stood and call'd
  His Legions, Angel Forms, who lay intrans't
  Thick as Autumnal Leaves that strow the Brooks
  In VALLOMBROSA, where th' ETRURIAN shades
  High overarch't imbowr; or scatterd sedge
  Afloat, when with fierce Winds ORION arm'd
  Hath vext the Red-Sea Coast, whose waves orethrew
  BUSIRIS and his MEMPHIAN Chivalrie,
  VVhile with perfidious hatred they pursu'd
  The Sojourners of GOSHEN, who beheld
  From the safe shore their floating Carkases
  And broken Chariot Wheels, so thick bestrown
  Abject and lost lay these, covering the Flood,
  Under amazement of their hideous change.
  He call'd so loud, that all the hollow Deep
  Of Hell resounded. Princes, Potentates,
  Warriers, the Flowr of Heav'n, once yours, now lost,
  If such astonishment as this can sieze
  Eternal spirits; or have ye chos'n this place
  After the toyl of Battel to repose
  Your wearied vertue, for the ease you find
  To slumber here, as in the Vales of Heav'n?
  Or in this abject posture have ye sworn
  To adore the Conquerour? who now beholds
  Cherube and Seraph rowling in the Flood
  With scatter'd Arms and Ensigns, till anon
  His swift pursuers from Heav'n Gates discern
  Th' advantage, and descending tread us down
  Thus drooping, or with linked Thunderbolts
  Transfix us to the bottom of this Gulfe.
  Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n.

    They heard, and were abasht, and up they sprung
  Upon the wing, as when men wont to watch
  On duty, sleeping found by whom they dread,
  Rouse and bestir themselves ere well awake.
  Nor did they not perceave the evil plight
  In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel;
  Yet to their Generals Voyce they soon obeyd
  Innumerable. As when the potent Rod
  Of AMRAMS Son in EGYPTS evill day
  Wav'd round the Coast, up call'd a pitchy cloud
  Of LOCUSTS, warping on the Eastern Wind,
  That ore the Realm of impious PHAROAH hung
  Like Night, and darken'd all the Land of NILE:
  So numberless were those bad Angels seen
  Hovering on wing under the Cope of Hell
  'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding Fires;
  Till, as a signal giv'n, th' uplifted Spear
  Of their great Sultan waving to direct
  Thir course, in even ballance down they light
  On the firm brimstone, and fill all the Plain;
  A multitude, like which the populous North
  Pour'd never from her frozen loyns, to pass
  RHENE or the DANAW, when her barbarous Sons
  Came like a Deluge on the South, and spread
  Beneath GIBRALTAR to the LYBIAN sands.
  Forthwith from every Squadron and each Band
  The Heads and Leaders thither hast where stood
  Their great Commander; Godlike shapes and forms
  Excelling human, Princely Dignities,
  And Powers that earst in Heaven sat on Thrones;
  Though of their Names in heav'nly Records now
  Be no memorial, blotted out and ras'd
  By thir Rebellion, from the Books of Life.
  Nor had they yet among the Sons of EVE
  Got them new Names, till wandring ore the Earth,
  Through Gods high sufferance for the tryal of man,
  By falsities and lyes the greatest part
  Of Mankind they corrupted to forsake
  God their Creator, and th' invisible
  Glory of him, that made them, to transform
  Oft to the Image of a Brute, adorn'd
  With gay Religions full of Pomp and Gold,
  And Devils to adore for Deities:
  Then were they known to men by various Names,
  And various Idols through the Heathen World.
  Say, Muse, their Names then known, who first, who last,
  Rous'd from the slumber, on that fiery Couch,
  At thir great Emperors call, as next in worth
  Came singly where he stood on the bare strand,
  While the promiscuous croud stood yet aloof?
  The chief were those who from the Pit of Hell
  Roaming to seek their prey on earth, durst fix
  Their Seats long after next the Seat of God,
  Their Altars by his Altar, Gods ador'd
  Among the Nations round, and durst abide
  JEHOVAH thundring out of SION, thron'd
  Between the Cherubim; yea, often plac'd
  Within his Sanctuary it self their Shrines,
  Abominations; and with cursed things
  His holy Rites, and solemn Feasts profan'd,
  And with their darkness durst affront his light.
  First MOLOCH, horrid King besmear'd with blood
  Of human sacrifice, and parents tears,
  Though for the noyse of Drums and Timbrels loud
  Their childrens cries unheard, that past through fire
  To his grim Idol. Him the AMMONITE
  Worshipt in RABBA and her watry Plain,
  In ARGOB and in BASAN, to the stream
  Of utmost ARNON. Nor content with such
  Audacious neighbourhood, the wisest heart
  Of SOLOMON he led by fraud to build
  His Temple right against the Temple of God
  On that opprobrious Hill, and made his Grove
  The pleasant Vally of HINNOM, TOPHET thence
  And black GEHENNA call'd, the Type of Hell.
  Next CHEMOS, th' obscene dread of MOABS Sons,
  From AROER to NEBO, and the wild
  Of Southmost ABARIM; in HESEBON
  And HERONAIM, SEONS Realm, beyond
  The flowry Dale of SIBMA clad with Vines,
  And ELEALE to th' ASPHALTICK Pool.
  PEOR his other Name, when he entic'd
  ISRAEL in SITTIM on their march from NILE
  To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe.
  Yet thence his lustful Orgies he enlarg'd
  Even to that Hill of scandal, by the Grove
  Of MOLOCH homicide, lust hard by hate;
  Till good JOSIAH drove them thence to Hell.
  With these came they, who from the bordring flood
  Of old EUPHRATES to the Brook that parts
  EGYPT from SYRIAN ground, had general Names
  Of BAALIM and ASHTAROTH, those male,
  These Feminine. For Spirits when they please
  Can either Sex assume, or both; so soft
  And uncompounded is their Essence pure,
  Not ti'd or manacl'd with joynt or limb,
  Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones,
  Like cumbrous flesh; but in what shape they choose
  Dilated or condens't, bright or obscure,
  Can execute their aerie purposes,
  And works of love or enmity fulfill.
  For those the Race of ISRAEL oft forsook
  Their living strength, and unfrequented