Over this main from Hell to that new world,
Where Satan now prevails, a monument
Of merit high to all th' infernal host;
Eafing their passage hence, for intercourse, 260
Or tranfmigration, as their lot shall lead.
Nor can I miss the way, so strongly drawn
By this new felt attraction and instinct.
Whom thus the meager Shadow answer'd
foon.

265

L

Go whither fate and inclination strong
Leads thee; I shall not lag behind, nor err
The way, thou leading, such a scent I draw
Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste
The favour of Death from all things there that

live.

Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest 270 Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid., I

So saying, with delight he snuff'd the smell Of mortal change on earth. As when a flock Of ravenous fowl, though many a league re

275

Against the day of battel, to a field,
Where armies lie incamp'd, come flying, lur'd
With scent of living carcasses, design'd

For death the following day, in bloody fight:
So scented the grim Feature, and upturn'd
His nostrils wide into the murky air,
Sagacious of his quarry from fo far.

280

Then both from out Hell-gates; into the waste

Wide anarchy of Chaos, damp and dark, Flew diverse, and with pow'r: their pow'r

was great...

Hovering upon the waters, what they met 285 Solid or flimy, as in raging fea

Tost up and down, together crowded drove From each side shoaling towards the mouth of

Hell:

As when two polar winds, blowing adverse Upon the Cronian sea, together drive Mountains of ice, that stop th' imagin'd way Beyond Petsora eastward, to the richa

290

}

Cathaian coast. The aggregated foil... Death with his mace petrific, cold and dry, As with a trident smote; and fix'd as firm 295 As Delos floating once: the rest his' look, Bound with Gorgonian, rigor not to move: And with Afphaltic flime, broad as the gate, Deep to the roots of Hell the gather'd beach They fasten'd; and the mole immenfe wrought

on

:

300

Over the foaming deep high arch'd; a bridge, Of length prodigious, joining to the wall Immoveable of this now fenceless world, Forfeit to Death. From hence a passage

broad,

1

Smooth, easy, inoffenfive, down to Hell. 305 So, if great things to small may be compar'd, Xerxes, the Liberty of Grece to yoke.

L

From Sufa, his Memnonian palace high, Came to the sea; and over Hellefpontot Bridging his way, Europe with Afia join'd; 310 And scourg'd with many a stroke th' indignant

:

waves..

Now had they brought the work, by won

drous art

1

Pontifical, a ridge of pendent rock
Over the vex'd Abyss, following the track A
Of Satan, to the self-fame place, where he 315
First lighted from his wing, and landed safe!!
From out of Chaos to the outfide bare
Of this round world: with pins of adamant
And chains they made all fast; too fast they

And durable: And now in little space 320
The confines met of empyréan Heav'n
And of this world, and on the left hand hell.
With long reach interpos'd: three sev'ral ways
In fight, to each of these three places led.
And now their way to earth they had defcry'd 325
To Paradife first tending; when, behold!
Satan, in likeness of an Angel bright,
Betwixt the Centaur and the Scorpion steering
His zenith, while the Sun in Aries rose :
Disguis'd he came; but those his childern

Their parent foon difcern'd, though in disguife. He, after Eve seduc'd, unminded slunk

Into the wood fast by; and changing shape
T' observe the sequel, saw his guileful act
By Eve, though all unweeting, seconded 335
Upon her husband; faw their shame, that
fought

Vain covertures: but when he saw descend
The Son of God to judge them, terrify'd
He fled; not hoping to escape, but shunn'd
Thepresent; fearing guilty, what his wrath 340
Might fuddenly inflict: that past, return'd:
By night, and listening, where the hapless pair
Sat in their sad discourse, and various plaint,
Thence gather'd his own doom: which un-

derstood

Not instant, but of future time, with joy 345
And tidings fraught, to Hell be now return'd:
And at the brink of Chaos, near the foot
Of this new wondrous pontifice, unhop'd
Met, who to meet him came, his offspring

dear.

Great joy was at their meeting, and at fight 350
Of that stupendous bridge his joy increas'd.
Long he admiring stood, till Sin, his fair
Inchanting daugther, thus the filence broke.
O parent! these are thy magnific deeds,
Thy trophies, which thou view'lt as not thine
355

own;

Thou art their author, and prime architect, 3 For I no fooner in my heart divin'd,

;

My heart, which by a secret harmony

Still moves with thine, join'd in connexion

That I must after thee with this thy son:

Such fatal confequence unites us three!

Hell could no longer hold us in her

bounds;

Nor this unvoyageable gulf obfcure,

365

Detain from following thy illustrious track. Thou haft atchiev'd our liberty, confin'd Within Hell gates till now: Thou us impower'd

To fortify thus far, and ever-lay

1.370

With this portentous bridge the dark Abyss. Thine now is all this world; thy virtue hath

won,

What thy hands builded not: thy wildom gain'd With odds, what war hath lost: and fully

As battel hath adjudg'd, from this new world Retiring, by his own doom alienated:

And