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Gabriel is chief of the guards in Heaven, and he is depicted as fighting alongside Michael in the battle against Satan. However, Gabriel’s primary appearance is in Book IV, when he is called to action after Uriel realizes that he has unknowingly allowed an interloper into Eden. Gabriel sends his scouts to look for the stranger, and Satan is eventually brought before him.
Upon meeting Satan, Gabriel is presented as a strong and unintimidated warrior. When Satan taunts Gabriel by asking if he no longer recognizes him, Gabriel responds with scorn, insulting Satan by telling him that, in his fallen state, he is no longer recognizable. Gabriel’s derision brings Satan to shame, and he reflects with some sadness on his beautiful former state of goodness and virtue. However, Satan rallies, and the two continue to engage in a biting dialogue dripping with contempt. As the argument intensifies, they prepare for a battle but are stopped by a signal from God – a set of scales – which suggests that, although Satan and Gabriel alone might be equally yoked in a fight, Satan will lose because Gabriel has God’s might on his side. By calling to action the other guards and presenting a formidable force against Satan, both physically and intellectually, Gabriel emotionally wounds Satan and scares him away. However, this intimidation is only temporary. Ultimately, the damage has already been done – Satan now knows the way to Eden and is able to slip back into Paradise in another form later in the poem.
