Luna caput, dirifque fugit conterrita Sacris. Altera Formarum (poterat fi Forma vocari Umbra rudis membrisque carens) terroribus omnes Evicit Furias, Noctemque Erebumque tenebris. Tum jaculum lethale quatit: quà frontis imago Cernitur, effigies celfi diadematis ardet.
Jamque propinquabat Satanas; jam sede relictâ Adverfis latè fpatians fe paffibus effert
Monftrum ingens, immane; domus tremit omnis Averni.. Miratur vifum hoc cœli implacabilis Hoftis;
Miratur, neque enim metuit: non Ille creati
Horreret quidquam aut fugeret: Timor unicus Olli Magnus erat Pater, & magnum Patris Incrementum. Ipfe indignanti tandem prior ore locutus:
Unde venis, quam te memorem, Forma horrida, turpem Aufa mihi frontem torvofque opponere vultus,
Ad portas iter hinc claudens? hâc tendere certum eft, Nec te obteftabor: dignas dabis, improbe, pœnas,
Eclipfes at their charms. The other Shape,
(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 feem'd, For each feem'd either:) black it stood as Night, Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell,
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 not valued he, nor shun'd; And with difdainful look thus first began: Whence, and What art thou, execrable Shape,
And shook a dreadful dart: what seem'd his Head, That dar'ft, though grim and terrible, advance
The likeness of a Kingly Crown had on. Satan was now at hand; and from his feat The Monster moving onward came as fast
Thy mif-created Front athwart my way To yonder gates? Through them I mean to país, That be affur'd, without leave ask'd of thee.
Ni fugis hinc præceps, certâ jam clade docendus, Quàm malè cum Divis Soboles contendat Averni.
Cui Spectrum hæc, iræ impatiens: Tune ætheris ifte Defertor, Tune ifte, fidem qui primus in oris Æthereis nec læfa priùs fanctiffima rupit Fœdera; quem comitata ducem pars tertia cœli Intulit arma ferox fupremo infanda Tonanti: Qui deinde hic tecum triftes æterna fevero Exilio, & mæfto confumunt fæcula luctu?
Tuque inter fuperas Orco damnate Cohortes Te numeras? Tune infanos faftufque minasque
Hic fpiras Me Rege, animumque quod acriùs urat, Rege Tuo Dominoque? Fuge hinc, repete ociùs antrum Tartareum; fuge, Defertor, pernicibus alis,
Ne Te viperei cunctantem verbere flagri Infequar; aut hujus femel ictum cufpide teli Corripiat dirus tremor, infolitique dolores.
Hæc, linguâ fimul horrendâ vultuque minatus,
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,
To wafte eternal days in woe and pain? And reckon't Thou thy felf with Spirits of Heav'n, Hell-doom'd? and breath'ft defiance here and scorn, Where I reign King, and to enrage thee more,
Who firft broke peace in Heav'n, and Faith, till Thy King and Lord? Back to thy punishment,
Unbroken; and in proud rebellious arms Drew after him the third part of Heav'n's Sons, Conjur'd against the Higheft: for which both Thou And They, outcaft from GoD, are here condemn'd
Falfe fugitive, and to thy speed add wings; Left with a whip of Scorpions I pursue Thy lingring; or with one ftroke of this dart Strange horror feize thee, and pangs unfelt before. So fpake the griefly Terror; and in shape,
Dixit; & immanem media inter dicta furorem Concipit Os torvum & decies deformius horret. Parte aliâ ingenti Satanas ftetit efferus irâ Imperterritus; ac furialis more Cometa ArƐtoo ardentis cœlo per maxima longè Sideris anguiferi fpatia, & ferale rubenti Cæfarie peftem fpargentis & horrida bella, Exarfit. Capiti alterius grave vulnus Uterque Intentat; neque enim plus fimplice deftinat ictu. Jamque truces dat Uterque minas, velut æthere binæ Hinc atque hinc nimbis & multo fulmine fœtæ Fronte petunt frontem Nubes fuper æquora latè Cafpia pendentes; dum, rauca canentibus Euris Classica, turbato trepident concurrere cœlo. Sic utrinque graves fe opponunt cominus Hoftes Frontibus adverfis, tenebrafque horrentis Averni Ingeminant; fic compofiti ftant viribus æquis: Scilicet hofte pari neutrum certamina pofthac
So fpeaking, and fo threat'ning, grew tenfold 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 stroke intend: and fuch a frown
Each caft at th' other, as when two black Clouds With Heav'n's Artill'ry fraught, come rattling on Over the Cafpian; then ftand front to front, Hov'ring a space, till Winds the fignal 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 fo great a foe. And now great deeds
Plus femel ulla manent. Jamque afpera bella frementem Mifcuerant Erebum; ni Saga informis, Averni
Cui data portarum & duræ cuftodia clavis,
Vipereâ sese caudâ immififfet, acerbum
Exululans: Quid dextra parat, Pater improbe, Natum
Unigenam contra? Quæ te dementia, Nate,
Arripit, in patrium caput ut tela horrida vibres ? Quemque juvas, noftin'? Illum, qui te æthere ab alto Præftantem pensa irridet, tibi quæ fua cunque
Ira dedit, (fas Ipfe vocat) vos Ira tremendo
His dictis pacata reduxit
Satanas dein talia contra:
Mira adeò tibi vox, adeò nova perculit aures Attonitas, paulùm ut retrahat cunctata furorem
Dextera, dum doceas, quid fis atque unde, Biformis: Quid me jam primò confpectam in valle falutas Tartareâ, jactafque Tuî Spectrique parentem Illius: Haud equidem memini, nec tristius olim
Had been atchiev'd, whereof all Hell had rung; Had not the Snaky Sorcerefs that fat Faft by Hell Gates, and kept the fatal Key, Ris'n, and with hideous outcry rush'd between, O Father, what intends thy Hand, fhe 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 deftroy ye both. She fpake, and at her words the hellish Peft Forbore: then these to her Satan return'd:
So ftrange thy outcry, and thy Words fo ftrange Thou interpofeft, that my fudden hand Prevented spares 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
Te quidquam afpexi, nec monftrum informius Illo. Olli deinde Erebi portarum talia Cuftos:
Siccine Tu noftrî oblitus? tamque horrida formæ Jam tibi vifa meæ fpecies, pulcherrima vestro
Quondam vifa choro? quum magno adftante Seraphum Concilio, in fuperum forti fimul agmine regem Conjuratorum, extemplò tentaret amarus
Te dolor, offufique incertâ nube natarent Languentes oculi. Capite erupere feroces Undatim flammarum æftus: pars deinde finiftra Vulnere diffiliens vafto patet; unde repente Ipfa tibi vultu placidâque fimillima formâ Et fulgore pari, Dea cincta ardentibus armis Emicui; attonitos Superos ftupor occupat ingens; Horrescunt, revocantque pedem trepidantiùs, Aten Clamantes, veriti portentum immane: sed usu Nota magis tandem placui; captufque lepore Illecebrifque meis, quicunque refugerat olim,
Me Father, and that Phantasm call'st my Son: I know thee not; nor ever faw till now Sight more detestable than 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 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
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, Likeft to thee in shape, and count'nance bright, Then fining 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
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