Each caft at th' other, as when two black clouds,
With Heav'n's artillery fraught, come rattling on
Over the Cafpian, then stand front to front
Hovering a space, till winds the signal blow
To join their dark encounter in mid air:
So frown'd the mighty combatants, that Hell
Grew darker at their frown, fo match'd they stood;
For never but once more was either like
To meet so great a foe: and now great deeds
Had been achiev'd, whereof all Hell had rung,
Had not the fnaky forcerefs 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, she cry'd,
Against thy only Son? What fury', O Son,
Poffeffes thee to bend that mortal dart
Against thy Father's head? and know'ft for whom
For him who fits above and laughs the while
At thee ordain'd his drudge, to execute
Whate'er his wrath, which he calls juftice, bids;
His wrath, which one day will destroy ye both.
She spake, and at her words the hellish pest
Forbore, then thefe to her Satan return'd.
So ftrange thy outcry, and thy words fo ftrange
Thou interpofest, that my fudden hand
Prevented spares to tell thee yet by deeds
What it intends; till firft I know of thee,
What thing thou art, thus double-form'd, and why In this infernal vale firft met thou call'st
Me Father, and that phantafm call'ft my Son;
I know thee not, nor ever faw till now
Sight more deteftable 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 fo fair
In Heav'n, when at th' affembly, and in fight
Of all the Seraphim with thee combin'd
In bold confpiracy against Heav'n's king,
All on a fudden miferable pain
Surpris'd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy swum
In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast
Threw forth, till on the left fide opening wide,
Likeft to thee in shape and count'nance bright,
Then fhining heav'nly fair, a Goddess arm'd
Out of thy head I fprung: amazement feis'd
All th' hoft of Heav'n; back they recoil'd afraid
At first, and call'd me Sin, and for a fign
Portentous held me; but familiar grown,
I pleas'd, and with attractive graces won
The most averse, 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 arose,
And fields were fought in Heav'n; wherein remain
(For what could elfe?) to our almighty foe
Clear victory, to our part lofs and rout
Through all the empyréan: down they fell
Driv'n headlong from the pitch of Heaven, down
Into this deep, and in the general fall
I alfo; at which time this pow'rful key
Into my hand was giv'n, with charge to keep
These gates for ever fhut, which none can pafs
Without my opening. Penfive here I fat
Alone, but long I fat not, till my womb
Pregnant by thee, and now exceffive grown,
Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes.
At last this odious offspring whom thou feeft
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 enemy
Forth iffued, brandishing his fatal dart
Made to destroy: I fled, and cry'd out Death;
Hell trembled at the hideous name, and figh'd
From all her caves, and back refounded Death.
I fled, but he purfued, (though more, it seems,
Inflam'd with luft than rage) and swifter far,
Me overtook his mother all difmay'd,
And in embraces forcible and foul
Ingendring with me, of that rape begot
Thefe yelling monfters, that with ceaseless cry
Surround me, as thou faw'ft, hourly conceiv'd
And hourly born, with forrow infinite
for when they lift, into the womb
That bred them they return, and howl and gnaw ́
My bowels, their repast; 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 sets 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,
Whenever 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 refist.
She finish'd, and the subtle Fiend his lore
Soon learn'd, now milder, and thus anfwer'd fr
Dear Daughter, fince thou clam'ft me for thy fi
And my fair fon here show'ft me, the dear pledg
Of dalliance had with thee in Heav'n, and joys
Then sweet, now sad to mention, through dire c
Befall'n us unforeseen, unthought of ; know
I come no enemy, but to fet free
From out this dark and dismal houfe of pain
Both him and thee, and all the heav'nly host
Of Spirits, 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
Myfelf expofe, with lonely fteps to tread
Th' unfounded deep, and through the void imm
To fearch with wand'ring quest a place foretold
Should be, and, by concurring figns, ere now
Created vast and round, a place of bliss
In the pourlieus of Heav'n, and therein plac'd
A race of upstart creatures, to fupply
Perhaps our vacant room, though more remov'd, 835
Left Heav'n furcharg'd with potent multitude
Might hap to move new broils: Be this or ought
Than this more fecret now defign'd, I hafte
To know, and this once known, fhall foon return,
And bring ye to the place where Thou and Death
Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unfeen
Wing filently the buxom air, imbalm'd
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 ghaftly smile, to hear
His famin fhould be fill'd, and bleft his maw
Deftin'd to that good hour: no lefs rejoic'd
His mother bad, and thus befpake her fire.
The key of this infernal pit by due,
And by command of Heav'n's all-pow'rful king
I keep, by him forbidden to unlock
These adamantin gates; against all force
Death ready stands to interpofe his dart,
Fearlefs to be o'ermatch'd 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 agony and pain,
With terrors and with clamors compass'd round
Of mine own brood, that on my bowels feed?
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