That fought at Thebes, and Ilium, on each side Stood like a tower: his form had yet not lost 2 Shorn of his beams; or, from behind the moon, in alliance with the King of Armorica or Bretagne, or Brittany, in France. Aspramont, a town of the Netherlands; Montalban, now Montauban, in the south of France; Trebisond, anciently Trapezus, on the north shore of Asia Minor;-places famed for joustings, or combats on horseback, between the Christians and infidels. Biserta, or Utica, in Africa, whence the Saracens crossed into Spain. Fontarabia, a strong town in Biscay, in Spain, where Charlemain was defeated by the Saracens, according to some writers. 1 Observed their dread commander.-Though so incomparably surpassing all mortal prowess, they kept their eyes on their leader, as watching the first hint of his will. Addison well calls attention to the elaborate sublimity of the following description, which surpasses the ideas of the greatest masters in poetry or painting. 2 Shorn of his beams.-The picturesque truth of this description of the sun seen through a mist is striking. Disastrous. In the days of astrology misfortunes were ascribed to unfavourable positions of the planets: as the twilight occasioned by an eclipse of the sun was due to an unusual position of the sun and moon, it was fitly described in astrological language as disastrous, or unnatural. In ages of ignorance, it was believed to portend disturbance in states, and danger to kings. On half the nations, and with fear of change 600 Of dauntless courage, and considerate pride Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but cast Signs of remorse and passion, to behold 605 The fellows of his crime, the followers rather (Far other once beheld in bliss!) condemned For ever now to have their lot in pain; 610 615 620 625 1 For his fault amerced of Heaven; made to forfeit, penally deprived of. 2 Yet faithful how they stood-1. 605, to behold-how they stood. 3 The appropriateness of this comparison hardly needs to be pointed out. "As stood like these could ever know repulse? “New war, provoked: our better part remains, "At length from us may find, who overcomes 66 By force, hath overcome but half his foe. 2 630 635 640 645 "Space may produce new worlds, whereof so rife "There went a fame in Heaven, that he ere long "Intended to create, and therein plant 650 "A generation, whom his choice regard "Should favour equal to the sons of Heaven. "Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps 655 "Our first eruption; thither or elsewhere: "For this infernal pit shall never hold "Celestial spirits in bondage, nor the abyss "Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts "Full counsel must mature: peace is despaired; 660 1 Regal state, royal pomp, display of royal greatness and dignity. 2 Whereof so rife there went a fame in Heaven, &c.-Beautiful glimpses of the destined creation of man, rumoured in Heaven before the revolt of the angels. The allusion is repeated, book ii. 346. "For who can think submission? war then, war, "Open or understood, must be resolved.” He spake; and, to confirm his words, out flew Far around illumined Hell: highly they raged 665 670 Belched fire and rolling smoke; the rest entire Shone with a glossy scurf; undoubted sign That in his womb was hid metallic ore, The work of sulphur. Thither, winged with speed, A numerous brigade 2 hastened; as when bands 675 Of pioneers, with spade and pickaxe armed, From Heaven; for e'en in Heaven his looks and thoughts 680 The riches of Heaven's pavement, trodden gold, In vision beatific: by him first Men also, and by his suggestion taught, For treasures, better hid. Soon had his crew 685 1 With grasped arms, clashed on their sounding shields, &c.-As the Roman soldiers of old applauded a speech of their general, by striking their shields with their swords. 2 Brigade, spelt in the old editions "brigad," a term supposed to have been introduced into Spain by the Moors. detached or broken off from a larger body. It means a party of troops 3 Mammon, a Syriac word meaning riches, personified as a demon or genius presiding over wealth, like the Greek term Plutus. Opened into the hill a spacious wound, 1 And digged out ribs of gold. Let none admire 690 695 700 Severing each kind, and scummed the bullion dross:2 A third as soon had formed within the ground 705 A various mould, and from the boiling cells, By strange conveyance, filled each hollow nook: To many a row of pipes the sound-board breathes. 710 Rose, like an exhalation, with the sound Were set, and Doric pillars, overlaid With golden architrave :3 nor did there want 715 1 The works of Memphian kings-the Pyramids of Egypt, near Memphis. Ancient writers relate that 360,000 men were employed for nearly twenty years in building one of the Pyramids. 2 Bullion dross.--Bullion means a mass of unwrought precious metal. Milton seems to denote by it, metal not yet perfectly purified. Thus, in his tract on the Reformation of England, he speaks of extracting “gold and silver out of the drossy bullion of the people's sins." 3 Architrave, the lowest division of an entablature, or that part of a |