In th'Artic fky, and from his horrid hair Shakes peftilence and war. Each at the head Levell'd his deadly aim; their fatal hands No second stroke intend, and fuch a frown Each caft at th'other, as when two black clouds With heav'n's artill'ry fraught, came rattling on Over the Cafpian, then ftand front to front Hov'ring a space, till winds the signal blow To join their dark encounter in mid air :
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So frown'd the mighty combatants, that hell Grew darker at their frown, fo matcht they food & For never but once more was either like
To meet fo great a foe: and how great deeds Had been atchiev'd, whereof all hell had rung, Had not the fnaky forceress that fat
Faft by hell-gate, and kept the fatal key, Ris'n, and with hideous outcry rush'd between. O Father, what intends thy hand, the cry'd, Against thy only fon? what fury, O son, Poffeffes thee to bend that mortal dart
Against thy father's head? and know’st for whom ; For him who fits above and laughs the while At thee ordain'd his drudge, to execute Whate're his wrath, which he calls juftice, bids, His wrath which one day will deftroy ye both. She spake, and at her words the hellish peft Forebore, then these to her Satan réturn'd: So ftrange thy outery, and thy words so strange Thou interpofeft, that my fudden händ Prevented spares to tell thee yet by deeds What it intends; till first I know of thee,
What thing thou art, thus double-form'd, and why In this infernal vale firft met thou call'ft
Me father, and that fantasm, call'ft my fon? I know thee not, nor ever faw till now Sight more detestable than him and thee. T'whom thus the portrefs of hell-gate reply'd; Haft thou forgot me then? and do I seem Now in thine eye fo foul? once deem'd so fair In heav'n, when at th'assembly, and in fight Of all the seraphim with thee combin'd In bold confpiracy against heav'n's king, All on a fudden miserable pain
Surpriz'd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy swumm In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast Threw forth, till on the left fide op'ning wide, Likeft to thee in shape and count'nance bright, Then shining heav'nly fair, a goddess arm'd Out of thy head I fprung: amazement seiz'd All the host of heav'n; back they recoil'd afraid At first, and call'd me Sin, and for a fign Portentous held me e; but familiar grown I pleas'd, and with attractive graces won The most averfe, thee chiefly, who full oft Thyself in me thy perfect image viewing Becam'ft enamour'd, and fuch joy thou took'st With me in fecret, that my womb conceiv'd A growing burden. Mean while war arofe, And fields were fought in heav'n; wherein remain'd (For what could elfe) to our almighty foe Clear victory, to our part lofs and rout Through all the Empyrean: down they fell
Driv'n headlong from the pitch of heav'n, down Into this deep, and in the general fall
I also; at which time this powerful key Into my hand was giv'n, with charge to keep These gates for ever shut, which none can pass Without my op'ning. Penfive here I fat Alone, but long I fat not, till my womb Pregnant by thee, and now excessive grown Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes. At laft this odious offspring whom thou seeft Thine own begotten, breaking violent way Tore through my entrails, that with fear and pain Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew Transform'd: but he my inbred enemie
Forth iffu'd, brandishing his fatal dart Made to destroy: I filed, and cry'd out Death; Hell trembl'd at the hideous name, and figh'd From all her caves, and back refounded Death. I fied, but he pursu'd (though more, it seems, Inflam'd with luft than rage) and swifter far, Me overtook his mother all dismaid,
And in embraces forcible and foul Ingendring with me, of that rape begot Thefe yelling monsters that with ceaseless cry Surround me, as thou faw'ft, hourly conceiv'd And hourly born, with forrow infinite
To me, for when they lift into the womb
That bred them they return, and howle and gnaw My bowels, their repaft; then bursting forth Afresh with confcious terrors vex me round, That reft or intermiffion none I find.
Before mine eyes in oppofition fits
Grim Death my fon and foe, who fets them on, And me his parent would full foon devour For want of other prey, but that he knows His end with mine involv'd; and knows that I Should prove a bitter morfel, and his bane, When ever that shall be ; fo fate pronounc'd. But thou O father, I forewarn thee, fhun His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope To be invulnerable in thofe bright arms, Though temper'd heav'nly, for that mortal dint, Save he who reigns above, none can refift.
She finish'd, and the futtle fiend his lore
Soon learn'd, now milder, and thus anfwer'd smooth. Dear daughter, fince thou claim'ft me for thy Sire, And my fair fon here show'ft me, the dear pledge Of dalliance had with thee in heav'n, and joys Then fweet, now fad to mention, through dire change Befall'n us unforeseen, unthought of, know I come no enemie, but to fet free
From out this dark and dismal house of pain, Both him and thee, and all the heav'nly hoft Of fpirits that in our just pretences arm'd Fell with us from on high: from them I go This uncouth errand fole, and one for all Myself expose, with lonely steps to tread Th'unfounded deep, and through the void immenfe To search with wandring quest a place foretold Should be, and, by concurring figns, ere now Created vaft and round, a place of blifs In the pourlieues of heav'n, and therein plac't
A race of upstart creatures, to supply
Perhaps our vacant room, though more remov'd, Left heav'n furcharg'd with potent multitude Might hap to move new broils: be this or aught Than this more secret now defign'd, I haste
To know, and this once known, shall foon return, And bring ye to the place where thou and Death Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unseen Wing filently the buxom air, imbalm'd With odours; there ye fhall be fed and fill'd Immeasurably, all things shall be your prey. He ceas'd, for both feem'd highly pleas'd, and Death Grinn'd horrible a gastly smile, to hear
His famine fhould be fill'd, and bleft his maw Destin'd to that good hour: no less rejoyc'd His mother bad, and thus befpake her Sire. The key of this infernal pit by due, And by command of heav'n's all-powerful king I keep, by him forbidden to unlock These adamantine gates; against all force Death ready stands to interpofe his dart, Fearless to be orematcht by living * might. But what owe I to his commands above Who hates me, and hath hither thrust me down Into this gloom of Tartarus profound, To fit in hateful office here confin'd, Inhabitant of heav'n, and heav'nly-born, Here in perpetual agonie and pain,
With terrors and with clamours compast round
* 1ft. and 2d. Edit. wight 3d, and 4th, Edit.
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