And kennel there, yet there still bark'd and howl'd
Within unfeen. Farr lefs abhorrd then these
660 Vex'd Scylla bathing in the Sea that
parts
Calabria from the hoarce Trinacrian fhore:
Nor uglier follow the Night-Hag, when call'd
In fecret, riding through the Air she comes
Lur'd with the smell of infant blood, to dance
With Lapland Witches, while the labouring Moon
Eclipfes at thir charms.
The other shape,
If shape it might be call'd that shape had none
Distinguishable in member, joynt, or limb,
Or fubftance might be call'd that fhadow feem'd, 670 For each feem'd either; black it stood as Night, Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell,
And shook a dreadful Dart; what feem'd his head
The likeness of a Kingly Crown had on.
Satan was now at hand, and from his feat
The Monster moving onward came as fast,
With horrid ftrides, Hell trembled as he strode.
Th' undaunted Fiend what this might be admir'd,
Admir'd, not fear'd; God and his Son except,
Created thing naught vallu'd he nor shun'd;
680 And with difdainful look thus first began.
Whence and what art thou, execrable shape,
That dar'ft, though grim and terrible, advance
Thy mifcreated Front athwart my way
To yonder Gates? through them I mean to pafs,
That be affur'd, without leave afkt of thee :
Retire, or taste thy folly, and learn by proof,
Hell-born, not to contend with Spirits of Heav'n.
To whom the Goblin full of wrauth reply'd,
Art thou that Traitor Angel, art thou hee,
Who first broke peace in Heav'n and Faith, till then 690
Unbrok❜n, and in proud rebellious Arms
Drew after him the third part of Heav'ns Sons
Conjur'd against the highest, for which both Thou
And they outcast from God, are here condemn'd
To waste Eternal daies in woe and pain?
And reck'n'ft thou thy felf with Spirits of Heav'n,
Hell-doomd, and breath'st defiance here and scorn,
Where I reign King, and to enrage thee more,
Thy King and Lord? Back to thy punishment,
False fugitive, and to thy fpeed add wings,
Least with a whip of Scorpions I pursue
Thy lingring, or with one stroke of this Dart
Strange horror feife thee, and pangs unfelt before.
So fpake the grieflie terrour, and in shape,
So fpeaking and fo threatning, grew ten fold
More dreadful and deform: on th' other fide
Incenc't with indignation Satan stood
Unterrifi'd, and like a Comet burn'd,
That fires the length of Ophiucus huge
In th' Artick Sky, and from his horrid hair
Shakes Peftilence and Warr. Each at the Head
Level'd his deadly aime; thir fatall hands
No second stroke intend, and such a frown
Each caft at th' other, as when two black Clouds
With Heav'ns Artillery fraught, come rattling on
Over the Cafpian, then stand front to front
Hov'ring a space, till Winds the signal blow
To joyn thir dark Encounter in mid air :
So frownd the mighty Combatants, that Hell
Grew darker at thir frown, fo matcht they ftood;
For never but once more was either like
G
To meet fo great a foe: and now great deeds
Had been achiev'd, whereof all Hell had rung,
Had not the Snakie Sorceress that fat
Fast 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 Son? What fury O Son,
Poffeffes thee to bend that mortal Dart
730 Against thy Fathers head? and know'ft for whom ;
For him who fits above and laughs the while
At thee ordain'd his drudge, to execute
What e're his wrath, which he calls Juftice, bids,
His wrath which one day will destroy ye both.
She fpake, and at her words the hellish Pest
Forbore, then these to her Satan return'd:
So ftrange thy outcry, and thy words fo ftrange
Thou interpofeft, that my fudden hand
Prevented fpares to tell thee yet by deeds
740 What it intends; till firft I know of thee,
What thing thou art, thus double-form'd, and why
In this infernal Vaile first met thou call'ft
Me Father, and that Fantasm call'ft my Son?
I know thee not, nor ever faw till now
Sight more detestable then him and thee.
T' whom thus the Portress of Hell Gate reply'd; Haft thou forgot me then, and do I seem Now in thine eye fo foul, once deemd fo fair In Heav'n, when at th' Affembly, and in fight 750 Of all the Seraphim with thee combin'd In bold confpiracy against Heav'ns King, All on a fudden miserable pain
Surpris'd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzie 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 sprung: amazement seis'd
All th' Hoft of Heav'n; back they recoild affraid
At first, and call'd me Sin, and for a Sign
Portentous held me; but familiar grown,
I pleas'd, and with attractive graces won
The most averse, thee chiefly, who full oft
Thy felf in me thy perfect image viewing
Becam'st enamour'd, and fuch joy thou took'st
With me in fecret, that my womb conceiv'd
A growing burden. Mean while Warr arofe,
And fields were fought in Heav'n; wherein remaind
(For what could elfe) to our Almighty Foe
Cleer Victory, to our part lofs and rout
Through all the Empyrean: 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 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 exceffive grown
Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes.
At last this odious offspring whom thou feest
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
G 2
Forth iffu'd, brandishing his fatal Dart
Made to destroy: I fled, and cry'd out Death; Hell trembl'd at the hideous Name, and figh'd From all her Caves, and back refounded Death. 790 I fled, but he purfu'd (though more, it seems, Inflam'd with luft then rage) and swifter far, Me overtook his mother all difmaid,
And in embraces forcible and foule
Ingendring with me, of that
rape begot
Thefe yelling Monsters that with ceafless cry
Surround me, as thou fawft, 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
800 My Bowels, their repaft; then bursting forth
Afresh with conscious terrours vex me round,
That reft or intermiffion none I find.
Before mine eyes in oppofition fits
Grim Death my Son 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 involvd; and knows that I
Should prove a bitter Morfel, and his bane,
When ever that shall be; fo Fate pronounc'd.
810 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 learnd, now milder, and thus anfwerd smooth.
Dear Daughter, fince thou claim'ft me for thy Sire,
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