Vex'd Scylla, bathing in the sea that parts Calabria from the hoarfe 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 lab'ring Moon Eclipfes at their charms. The other shape 666 (If shape it might be call'd, that shape had none Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb; Or fubftance might be call'd that shadow seem'd, For each feem'd either :) black it stood as night, 670 Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as hell,
And fhook 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 valued he, nor shun'd; And with disdainful look thus first began.
Whence, and what, art thou! execrable shape! That dar'ft, though grim and terrible, advance Thy mif-created front athwart my way To yonder gates? through them I mean to pass, "That be affur'd, without leave ask'd of thee. 685 Retire, or tafte thy folly, and learn by proof, Hell-born! not to contend with spirits of heav'n. To whom the Goblin full of wrath reply'd; Art thou that Traitor-Angel, art thou He,
Who first broke peace in heav'n, and faith, till then Unbroken; and in proud rebellious arms Drew after him the third part of heav'n's fons, Conjur'd against the Highest; for which both thou And they, outcaft from God, are here condemn'd To waste eternal days in woe and pain? And reckon'ft thou thy felf with spirits of heav'n, Hell-doom'd! and breath'ft defiance here and fcorn, Where I reign King, and to enrage thee more, Thy King, and Lord? Back to thy punishment, Falfe fugitive! and to thy speed add wings; Left with a whip of fcorpions I purfue
Thy ling'ring; or with one stroke of this dart Strange horror feize thee, and pangs unfelt before. So fpake the griefly Terror, and in shape, (So fpeaking, and so threatning) grew tenfold 705 More dreadful and deform. On th' other fide Incens'd with indignation Satan stood Unterrify'd; and like a Comet burn'd, That fires the length of Ophiucus huge In th' arctic sky, and from his horrid hair Shakes peftilence and war. Each at the head Level'd his deadly aim; their fatal hands No fecond ftroke intend; and fuch a frown Each cast at th' other, as when two black clouds With heav'n's artil'ry fraught, come rattling on 715 Over the Cafpian; then stand front to front, Hov'ring a space, till winds the signal blow To join their dark encounter in mid air: So frown'd the mighty combatants, that he'l
Grew darker at their frown: fo match'd they stood: For never but once more was either like To meet fo great a foe. And now 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 fon, 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 731 At thee, ordain'd his drudge, to execute Whate'er his wrath, which He calls juftice, bids; His wrath, which one day will deftroy 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 so strange Thou interpofeft, that my fudden hand Prevented, fpares 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 first met, thou call'st Me father, and that phanta'm call'st my son : 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'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
Surpriz'd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy fwum In darkness; while thy head flames thick and fast Threw forth; till on the left fide op'ning wide, 755 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 feiz'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 (Thy felf in me thy perfect image viewing) Becam'ft inamor'd, and fuch joy thou took'ft 765 With me in fecret, that my womb conceiv'd A growing burthen. 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 gen'ral fall
I alfo: at which time this pow'rful key
Into my hand was giv'n, with charge to keep 775 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 feeft, Thine own begotten, breaking violent way
Tore through my intrails; that with fear, and pain Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew Transform'd. But he, my inbred enemy Forth-iffu'd, 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 pursu'd (though more, it seems, Inflam'd with luft than rage) and, swifter far! Me overtook his mother, all dismay'd: And in embraces forcible, and foul, Ingendring with me, of that rape begot
Thefe yelling monsters; that with ceaseless cry 795 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 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 fets them on,
And me his parent would full soon 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,
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