Therefore to mee thir doom he hath assignd;
That they may have thir wish, to trie with mee
In Battel which the stronger proves, they all,
Or I alone against them, since by strength [ 820 ]
They measure all, of other excellence
Not emulous, nor care who them excells;
Nor other strife with them do I voutsafe.
So spake the Son, and into terrour gd
His too severe to be beheld [ 825 ]
And full of wrauth bent on his Enemies.
At ohe Four spred out thir Starrie wings
With dreadful shade tiguous, and the Orbes
Of his fierce Chariot rowld, as with the sound
Of torrent Floods, or of a numerous Host. [ 830 ]
Hee on his impious Fht onward drove,
Gloomie as Night; under his burning Wheeles
The stedfast Empyrean shook throughout,
All but the Thro self of God. Full soon
Among them he arrivd; in his right hand [ 835 ]
Graspihousand Thunders, which he sent
Before him, such as in thir Soules infixd
Plagues; they astonisht all resistance lost,
All ce; down thir idle ons dropd;
Ore Shields and Helmes, and helmed heads he rode [ 840 ]
Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostrate,
That wisht the Mountains now might be again
Thrown on them as a shelter from his ire.
Nor less oher side tempestuous fell
His arrows, from the fourfold-visagd Foure, [ 845 ]
Distinct with eyes, and from the living Wheels,
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes,
One Spirit in them ruld, and every eye
Glard lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire
Among th accurst, that witherd all thir strength, [ 850 ]
And of thir wonted vigour left them draind,
Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, falln.