What should they do? if on they rusht, repulse
Repeated, and i overthrow
Doubld, would rehem yet more despisd,
And to thir foes a laughter; for in view
Stood rankt of Seraphim another row
In posture to displode thir sed tire [ 605 ]
Of Thunder: back defeated to return
They worse abhorrd. Satan beheld thir plight,
And to his Mates thus in derision calld.
O Friends, why e not on these Victors proud?
Ere while they fierce were ing, and when wee, [ 610 ]
To eain them fair with open Front
And Brest, (what could we more?) propouerms
Of position, strait they gd thir minds,
Flew off, and inte vagaries fell,
As they would dance, yet for a dahey seemd [ 615 ]
Somwhat extravagant and wilde, perhaps
For joy of offerd peace: but I suppose
If our proposals once again were heard
We should pel them to a quick result.
To whom thus Belial in like gamesom mood, [ 620 ]
Leader, the terms we seerms of weight,
Of hard tents, and full of force urgd home,
Such as we might perceive amusd them all,
And stumbld many, who receives them right,
Had need from head to foot well uand; [ 625 ]
Not uood, this gift they have besides,
They shew us when our foes walk not upright.
So they among themselves in pleasant veine
Stood scoffing, highthnd in thir thoughts beyond
All doubt of victorie, eternal might [ 630 ]
To match with thir iions they presumd
So easie, and of his Thunder made a s,
And all his Host derided, while they stood
A while in trouble; but they stood not long,
Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms [ 635 ]
Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose.