Death was conceived of her
Threw forth, till on the left side opening wide, and how Likest to thee in shape and countenance bright, Then shining heavenly fair, a goddess armed, Out of thy head I sprung. Amazement seized All the host of Heaven; back they recoiled afraid At first, and called me Sin, and for a sign 760 Portentous held me; but, familiar grown, I pleased, and with attractive graces won The most averse-thee chiefly, who, full oft Thyself in me thy perfect image viewing, Becam❜st enamoured; and such joy thou took'st With me in secret that my womb conceived A growing burden. Meanwhile war arose, And fields were fought in Heaven: wherein remained
(For what could else?) to our Almighty Foe Clear victory; to our part loss and rout Through all the Empyrean. Down they fell, Driven headlong from the pitch of Heaven, down
Into this Deep; and in the general fall
I also at which time this powerful key
Into my hands was given, with charge to keep These gates for ever shut, which none can pass Without my opening. Pensive here I sat Alone; but long I sat not, till my womb, Pregnant by thee, and now excessive grown, Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes. 780 At last this odious offspring whom thou seest, Thine own begotten, breaking violent way, Tore through my entrails, that, with fear and pain Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew Transformed: but he my inbred enemy Forth issued, brandishing his fatal dart,
Death Made to destroy. I fled, and cried out Death! and Sin Hell trembled at the hideous name, and sighed From all her caves, and back resounded Death! I fled; but he pursued (though more, it seems, 790 Inflamed with lust than rage), and, swifter far, Me overtook, his mother, all dismayed, And, in embraces forcible and foul Engendering with me, of that rape begot These yelling monsters, that with ceaseless cry Surround me, as thou saw'st-hourly conceived And hourly born, with sorrow infinite
To me: for, when they list, into the womb That bred them they return, and howl, and gnaw My bowels, their repast; then, bursting forth 800 Afresh, with conscious terrors vex me round, That rest or intermission none I find. Before mine eyes in opposition sits
Grim Death, my son and foe, who sets them on, And me, his parent, would full soon devour For want of other prey, but that he knows His end with mine involved, and knows that I Should prove a bitter morsel, and his bane, Whenever that shall be: so Fate pronounced. But thou, O father, I forewarn thee, shun His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope To be invulnerable in those bright arms, Though tempered heavenly; for that mortal dint, Save he who reigns above, none can resist.'
She finished; and the subtle Fiend his lore Soon learned, now milder, and thus answered smooth :
'Dear daughter-since thou claim'st me for thy sire,
my fair son here show'st me, the dear pledge
Of dalliance had with thee in Heaven, and joys Satan Then sweet, now sad to mention, through dire declares
Befallen us unforeseen, unthought-of-know, I come no enemy, but to set free
From out this dark and dismal house of pain Both him and thee, and all the Heavenly host Of Spirits that, in our just pretences armed, Fell with us from on high. From them I go This uncouth errand sole, and one for all Myself expose, with lonely steps to tread The unfounded Deep, and through the void immense
To search, with wandering quest, a place fore- told
Should be—and, by concurring signs, ere now 831 Created vast and round-a place of bliss In the purlieus of Heaven; and therein placed A race of upstart creatures, to supply
Perhaps our vacant room, though more removed, Lest Heaven, surcharged with potent multitude, Might hap to move new broils. Be this, or aught Than this more secret, now designed, I haste To know; and, this once known, shall soon return,
And bring ye to the place where thou and Death
Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unseen Wing silently the buxom air, embalmed With odours. There ye
shall be fed and filled Immeasurably; all things shall be your prey.' He ceased; for both seemed highly pleased, and Death
Grinned horrible a ghastly smile, to hear
Sin His famine should be filled, and blessed his maw unlocks Destined to that good hour. No less rejoiced Hell-gate His mother bad, and thus bespake her sire :— 'The key of this infernal Pit, by due 850 And by command of Heaven's all-powerful King, I keep, by him forbidden to unlock These adamantine gates; against all force Death ready stands to interpose his dart, Fearless to be o'ermatched 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 sit in hateful office here confined,
Inhabitant of Heaven and heavenly born- 860 Here in perpetual agony and pain,
With terrors and with clamours compassed round Of mine own brood, that on my bowels feed? Thou art my father, thou my author, thou My being gav'st me; whom should I obey But thee? whom follow? Thou wilt bring me
To that new world of light and bliss, among The gods who live at ease, where I shall reign At thy right hand voluptuous, as beseems Thy daughter and thy darling, without end.' 870 Thus saying, from her side the fatal key, Sad instrument of all our woe, she took; And, towards the gate rolling her bestial train, Forthwith the huge portcullis high up-drew, Which, but herself, not all the Stygian Powers Could once have moved; then in the key-hole
The intricate wards, and every bolt and bar massy. iron or solid rock with ease
Unfastens. On a sudden open fly,
With impetuous recoil and jarring sound, The infernal doors, and on their hinges grate Harsh thunder, that the lowest bottom shook Of Erebus. She opened; but to shut Excelled her power: the gates wide open stood, That with extended wings a bannered host, Under spread ensigns marching, might pass through
With horse and chariots ranked in loose array; So wide they stood, and like a furnace-mouth Cast forth redounding smoke and ruddy flame. Before their eyes in sudden view appear The secrets of the hoary Deep-a dark Illimitable ocean, without bound,
Without dimension; where length, breadth, and
And time, and place, are lost; where eldest
And Chaos, ancestors of Nature, hold
Eternal anarchy, amidst the noise
Of endless wars, and by confusion stand.
For Hot, Cold, Moist, and Dry, four champions fierce,
Strive here for mastery, and to battle bring Their embryon atoms: they around the flag 900 Of each his faction, in their several clans, Light-armed or heavy, sharp, smooth, swift, or slow,
Swarm populous, unnumbered as the sands Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil,
Levied to side with warring winds, and poise Their lighter wings. To whom these most
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