The Poetical Works of John Milton


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Turnd fierie red, sharpning in mooned hornes  
Thir Phalanx, and began to hemm him round  
With ported Spears, as thick as when a field  
Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends  
980  
Her bearded Grove of ears, which way the wind  
Swayes them; the careful Plowman doubting stands  
Least on the threshing floore his hopeful sheaves  
Prove chaff. On th' other side Satan allarm'd  
Collecting all his might dilated stood,  
Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov'd:  
His stature reacht the Skie, and on his Crest  
Sat horror Plum'd; nor wanted in his graspe  
What seemd both Spear and Shield: now dreadful deeds  
Might have ensu'd, nor onely Paradise  
990  
In this commotion, but the Starrie Cope  
Of Heav'n perhaps, or all the Elements  
At least had gon to rack, disturbd and torne  
With violence of this conflict, had not soon  
Th' Eternal to prevent such horrid fray  
Hung forth in Heav'n his golden Scales, yet seen  
Betwixt Astrea and the Scorpion signe,  
Wherein all things created first he weighd,  
The pendulous round Earth with ballanc't Aire  
In counterpoise, now ponders all events,  
Battels and Realms: in these he put two weights  
The sequel each of parting and of fight;  
1000  
348  


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346 347 348 349 350

Quick Jump
1 198 395 593 790