The comet represents the uprising of a rebellious power against the supreme and orderly dominion of God. The angel Abdiel says to Satan: "Fool! not to think how vain Against the Omnipotent to rise in arms; Who out of smallest things could without end Have raised incessant armies to defeat Thy folly; or, with solitary hand, Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow, Unaided, could have finished thee, and whelmed Thy legions under darkness." The battle begins: "Now storming fury rose, And clamor such as heard in heav'n till now Was never; arms on armor clashing brayed {p. 248} Horrible discord, and the madding wheels Of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise Of conflict; overhead the dismal _hiss_ Of fiery darts in _flaming volleys flew_, And, flying, vaulted either host with fire. . . . Army 'gainst army, numberless to raise _Dreadful combustion_ warring and disturb Though not destroy, their happy native seat. . . . Sometimes on firm ground A standing fight, then _soaring on main wing_ Tormented all the air, _all air seemed then_ Conflicting fire." Michael, the archangel, denounces Satan as an unknown being a stranger: "Author of evil, _unknown till thy revolt_, _Unnamed_ in heaven . . . how hast thou disturbed Heav'n's blessed peace, and into nature brought Misery, uncreated till the crime Of thy rebellion! . . . But think not here To trouble holy rest; heav'n casts thee out From all her confines: heav'n, the seat of bliss, Brooks not the works of violence and war. Hence then, and evil go with thee along, Thy offspring, to the place of evil, bell, Thou and thy wicked crew! " But the comet (Satan) replies that it desires liberty to go where it pleases; it refuses to submit its destructive and erratic course to the domination of the Supreme Good; it proposes-- "Here, however, to dwell free If not to reign." The result, of the first day's struggle is a drawn battle. The evil angels meet in a night conference, and prepare gunpowder and cannon, with which to overthrow God's armies! "Hollow engines, long and round, Thick rammed, at th' other bore with touch of fire {p. 249} Dilated and infuriate, shall send forth From far, with thund'ring noise, among our foes Such implements of mischief, as shall dash To pieces, and overwhelm whatever stands Adverse." Thus armed, the evil ones renew the fight. They fire their cannon: