Rafael. Uriel

Rafael:

The whole of Heaven, from base to topmost crown Of her chief palaces, resounds with joy, As Michael's trumpets blow and banners wave. The field is won. Our shields shine splendidly, Shaping new suns. From every shield-sun streams A day triumphant forth. Lo! from the fight, See, Uriel proud, the armor-bearer, comes; And waves the flaming, keen, two-edged sword, That, whet with Heaven's wrath and vengeance, flashed, Amid the fray, through shield and mail and helm Of diamond, left and right, through all that dared Oppose the all-piercing Power, Omnipotence. O armor-bearer, most austere, who art The executioner on high, and dost With one strong, righteous stroke compose the Wrong That would rebel against eternal Right, Blest be thy sword and arm, that thus maintain And guard the honor of our Angel Realm. What praise reserved for thee by Majesty Supreme! Oh! pray relate to us the strife: Unfold to us the management of this, The first campaign in Heaven. We listen, then, In expectation rapt.

Uriel:

Your wish inflames My spirit to begin, this fearful fray In calmness to describe, with sequence just, Success the army crowns that fights with God. The Field-marshal, great Michael (being warned By the envoy of Heaven, who from above Flew downward, downward swifter than a star That shoots athwart the sky, with the tidings how, Against the high decree proud Lucifer Himself so openly opposed, prepared To lead his incense-swinging worshippers— All who his standard and his morning-star Had sworn their bold allegiance), quickly donned, At Gabriel's report—that Herald true— His scaly coat of mail, and with firm voice He forthwith then gave charge to all his chiefs, His captains, lords, and officers to place, In the name of God, the troops in battle rank, That, with united forces and with all Their strength, they might sweep from the airy vast Of purest crystalline this perjured scum: To cast in darkness all those Spirits vile, Ere unawares they us surprise. Upon This charge the legions rapidly deployed Themselves in battle-line, as speedily As flies the nimble arrow from the bow. We saw there countless throngs together swarm In bright array and glowing martial pomp, Until they formed, in serried rank, one firm Trilateral host that, like a triangle, Thrust out its edges sharp upon the eye. We saw a solid mass, like one dense light, Three-pointed, polished mirror-smooth, even like To diamond, and a battle-front advance By God more than by Spirit understood. The Field-marshal towered in the army's heart, Full-faced before God's banner, with the glow Of lurid lightnings in his lifted hand. Who courage would preserve.—would victory And triumph e'er attain.—should first have care To make sure of and then to gain the heart.

Rafael:

But where the host accursed that us would storm?

Uriel:

It came into the field of daring full With all its primal faith, obedience, Honor, and oath, and what besides, forgot In this base and presumptuous attempt 'Gainst God, despite our prayers. It swiftly waxed. And pointed like a crescent moon its ends. It sharpened both its points, and these, even like Two horns, closed in upon us, as amid The Zodiac the Bull doth threaten with His golden horns the other animals Celestial and the monsters that revolve Around. Upon the right horn there advanced Prince Belzebub, whose purpose was to clip Our spreading wings, and also to keep guard. The left horn to Prince Belial was assigned. Thus both stood there in shining panoply, Vying in splendors grand. The Stadtholder, Now Field-marshal 'gainst God, the centre held Of this array, that he might guard the key,— The point strategic of the legions there. The lofty standard, from whose morning-star The day did seem to stream, Apollion Behind him bore, as bravely as he could, In his full glory seated high to view.

Rafael:

Alas! what dares—what dares the great Archangel Attempt? Oh! if I only could in time Have brought him to desist. However, now Describe to me the aspect of their march, And with what show the Prince his legions led.

Uriel:

Surrounded by his staff and retinue In green, he, wickedly impelled by hate Irreconcilable, in golden mail, That brightly shone upon his martial vest Of glowing purple, mounted then his car, Whose golden wheels with rubies were emblazed. The lion and the dragon fell, prepared For speedy flight, with backs sown full of stars And to the chariot joined by pearly traces, Panted for strife, and for destruction flamed. Within his hand a battle-axe he bore, And from his left arm hung a glimmering shield, Wherein his morning-star was artfully Embossed: thus stood he poised to venture all.

Rafael:

O Lucifer, thou shalt this pride repent. Thou phoenix 'mongst God's worshippers on high. How grand thou dost appear amid thy legions, With helm, head, neck, and shoulders eminent! How gloriously thine armor thee becomes, As if by nature fitted to thy form! Oh! Chief of Spirits, no farther go; turn back.

Uriel:

Confronted thus they stood embattled, troop By troop, each in his air and station placed, All ranked by files 'neath their respective chiefs, Both sides arrayed with fairest pomp to view. When furious drum and clarion trumpet sound, Their medley resonance nerves every arm And sharpens every sword; and mounts on high Into the firmament of the holy Light Supreme, a din whereat a pregnant cloud Of darts doth burst with pealing thunder-showers Of fiery hail, a storm and tempest fierce, That makes afraid the very Heaven and shakes The pillars of its palaces. The stars And spheres, perplexed, from their appointed paths And orbits err, or on their circled watch Bewildered stand, not knowing where to turn: Or East or West, or upwards or below. All that is seen is lightning flash and flame; All that is heard is thunder. What remains In its primeval place? That which was once The highest now becomes the thing most low. The squadrons, when the deep-vibrating shock Of their artillery's first volleyed roar Has died away, now struggle hand to hand With halberd, sabre, dagger, club, and spear. All stab and slash, that can. All formed by nature For fell destruction and for greedy spoil Now haste to strike the violating blow. All thoughts of kin and brotherhood have ceased; Nor knoweth any one his fellow more. Above are whirling, like a cloud of dust, Proud crests of pearl with curlèd locks of hair, And plumes and wings refulgent with a gleam Drawn from the singeing lightning's glow. Behold! In rich confusion mingled, blue turquoise, With gold and diamond, necklaces of pearl, And all that can adorn the hair or head. Wings lopped in twain, and broken arrows, whirl Athwart the sky. A horrid battle-cry Rises from out the cohorts clad in green: Their regiments, in danger, are compelled By our hot onset to retreat. Three times The maddened Lucifer the fight renews, And proudly stays his faltering followers, Even as a rock beats back the ocean surge That, wave on wave, with foaming rage assails In vain attempt.

Rafael:

Indeed, 'tis something this: To fight, armed by despair.

Uriel:

Then straightway caused The valiant Michael all the trumps to sound: "Glory to God!" His legions, thus made bold By this their watchword, and by his command, Begin by circling wheels to soar aloft, To gain the wind-side of their battling foe, Who also rises, but with heavier sail, And finally to leeward slowly drifts: As if one heavenward a falcon saw, Mounting with pinions bold into the sky. Ere that the drowsing herons are aware. Who in a wood, hard by a pleasant mead, Tremble with fright, when from their lofty nest They see their dreaded foe. The heron cries, And, fearful of the falcon's direful claw, Awaits him on his beak, thus to impale His enemy's soft breast from there beneath, When swoops the falcon with unerring wings Upon his prey.

Rafael:

O Lucifer, for thee What remedy? It seems most terrible! Now art thou in the open field, where port Nor wall defend. A horrid whirlwind soon Shall suddenly swoop down and bury thee Deep in some gulf and bottomless abyss.

Uriel:

What fair perspective it was, thus to view A hemisphere or crescent moon beneath, And up above a point trilateral: To see the legions, that upon the word Of their commanding chiefs close in their ranks, Or them deploy, in their battalions stand As firm as walls of iron, as if they, With all their ordnance, dumb artillery, And martial engines, there in equipoise Were placed, full-weighted 'gainst the balanced air! They hang suspended like a silent cloud, A cloud whereon the sun doth pour his beams, And which he paints with shade and varied hue And airy rainbows. So then, steeply flown Aloft, the bold celestial eagle sees God's foe, the hawk, circling his flight beneath. He strikes his wings together valiantly; But brooks awhile the hawk's wild wheeling there, And vain defiance, while he flames ere long To swoop upon his feathered back and pluck His glossy plumes: when, in the aery vast, "With curvèd beak and talons he shall seize His prey, or drive it, with the wind behind, Far from his eyes. Thus they precipitate Themselves, and stream down from their place on high. Even like some inland lake, or waterfall. In some far, Northern wild, that from the cliffs Dashes with thundering resonance that frights The beasts and monsters in deep-hidden dells; Where from the precipice, rocks, loosened, fall, With massive torrents and uprooted trees In countless numbers, that in their fierce plunge Crush and destroy all that the violence Of stream and stone and wood cannot withstand. The point of the advancing column strikes The crescent's centre with assault most fell Of brimstone, red and blue, and flames, with stroke On stroke and quick-succeeding thunderbolts A piercing cry ascends. Their army's heart, Endangered, now begins, by slow degrees, To fail support of the accursèd one. The half-moon's bow, beneath the strain, begins To crack and break (for the ends together curve); So that they who the centre hold, must yield Before that onset fierce, and flee, if soon Deliverance be not brought from their distress. Prince Lucifer, swift-driven here and there, Approaches at this cry, and fearlessly Himself exposes on his car, to show His valor in this crisis dire. This gives New heart unto the faltering ones. Then, from The foaming bit of his now furious team. He wards the feilest blows and fiercest strokes. The lion and the dragon blue, enraged, Leap forward at his word with fearful strides: One bellows, bites, and rends, while poison shoots Out from the other's forkèd tongue, who thus A pest provokes, and, raving, fills the air With smoke blown from his nostrils far and wide.

Rafael:

Now will the burning strike him from on high?

Uriel:

He waves his battle-axe aloft to fell God's banner, that, descending, darts the beams And fairer radiance of God's name into His glowing face. Oh! think what envy then Him filled, to see this portent on our side. With battle-axe in hand, now here, now there, He parries every stroke, or breaks their force Upon his shield, till Michael comes before Him, clad in glittering armor, like a God Amid a ring of suns: "Cease, Lucifer; Give God the victory. Lay down your arms And standard; yield to God. Come, lead away This wicked crew, this impious horde. Or else, Beware thy head!" Thus shouts he from on high. The Grand Foe of God's name, stiff-necked, unmoved, And more defiant at these words, renews The fight with haste precipitate, and thrice With war-axe strives to cleave the diamond shield Where glowed God's holy name. But who provokes The Deity shall feel His wrath. The axe The holy diamond strikes, but lo! rebounds, And shivers into fragments. Then aloft His right hand Michael lifts, and through the helm And head of that rebellious one he smites, Helped by the great Omnipotent, his lightnings, Cleaving unto his eyes with violence So great that he falls backward, and is hurled Down from his chariot, that forthwith follows Him, whirling round and round in its descent; Thus lion, dragon, driver, all plunge down. The standard of the Star doth cease to shine, When feels Apollion my flaming sword. Whereon his banner, straightway, he doth leave As plunder in my hands; while in fierce swarms Tumultuous their warring myriads Attempt, in vain, to stay the falling Chief Of all the hosts infernal, and to save Him from this fate and great calamity. Here fights Prince Belzebub, and there opposed Stands Belial. Thus their squadrons are confused: And with the Stadtholder's important fall The crescent's bow soon into shivers breaks. Then comes Apollion into the field, With all the monsters from the firmament. The giant Orion shrieks, until the sound The very air makes faint; then with his club He strives to crush the head of our assault, That, heedless of Orion or his club, Moves grandly on. The Northern Bears rear back Upon their haunches, that their brutish strength May blindly us oppose. The Hydra gapes With fifty throats, that vomit poison forth. I view a gallery of battle-scenes, All happening in the fray, as far as eye Can see.