But they

474

      

Dreaded not more th’ adventure than his voice

475

      

Forbidding, and at once with him they rose.

476

      

Their rising all at once was as the sound

477

      

Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend

478

      

With awful2099 reverence prone, and as a god

479

      

Extol him equal to the Highest in Heav’n.

480

      

Nor failed they to express how much they praised

481

      

That for the general safety he despised

482

      

His own, for neither do the Spirits damned

483

      

Lose all their virtue, lest bad men should boast

484

      

Their specious2100 deeds on earth, which glory excites,2101

485

      

Or close2102 ambition varnished o’er with zeal.

486

      

Thus they their doubtful consultations dark2103

487

      

Ended, rejoicing in their matchless chief—

488

      

As when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds

489

      

Ascending, while the north wind sleeps, o’erspread

490

      

Heav’n’s cheerful face, the louring2104 element2105

491

      

Scowls o’er the darkened landscape, snow or shower.

492

      

If chance the radiant sun, with farewell sweet,

493

      

Extend 2106 his evening beam, the fields revive,

494

      

The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds

495

      

Attest2107 their joy, that hill and valley rings.

496

      

O shame to men! Devil with devil damned

497

      

Firm2108 concord 2109 holds. Men only2110 disagree

498

      

Of creatures rational, though under2111 hope

499

      

Of Heav’nly grace. And God proclaiming peace,

500

      

Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife

501

      

Among themselves, and levy2112 cruel wars,

502

      

Wasting the earth, each other to destroy,

503

      

As if (which might induce us to accord2113 )

504

      

Man had not hellish foes enow2114 besides,

505

      

That day and night for his destruction wait!

506

      

   The Stygian2115 council thus dissolved, and forth

507

      

In order came the grand infernal peers.

508

      

Midst came their mighty Paramount,2116 and seemed

509

      

Alone th’ antagonist of Heav’n, nor less

510

      

Than Hell’s dread emperor, with pomp supreme,

511

      

And godlike imitated state. Him round

512

      

A globe2117 of fiery Seraphim enclosed

513

      

With bright emblazonry, 2118 and horrent 2119 arms.

514

      

Then of their session ended they bid cry, 2120

515

      

With trumpet’s regal 2121 sound, the great result.

516

      

Toward the four winds four speedy Cherubim

517

      

Put to their mouths the sounding 2122 alchemy,2123

518

      

By herald’s voice explained. The hollow abyss

519

      

Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell

520

      

With deaf ’ning shout returned 2124 them loud acclaim.

521

      

Thence more at ease their minds, and somewhat raised

522

      

By false presumptuous hope, the rangèd 2125 Powers

523

      

Disband and, wand’ring, each his several way

524

      

Pursues, as inclination or sad choice

525

      

Leads him, perplexed,2126 where he may likeliest find

526

      

Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain

527

      

The irksome hours till his great chief return.

528

      

Part on the plain, or in the air sublime, 2127

529

      

Upon the wing or in swift race contend,2128

530

      

As at th’ Olympian2129 games or Pythian2130 fields.

531

      

Part curb2131 their fiery steeds, or shun2132 the goal2133

532

      

With rapid wheels, or fronted 2134 brigades form—

533

      

As when, to warn proud cities, war appears,

534

      

Waged in the troubled sky, and armies rush

535

      

To battle in the clouds. Before each van2135

536

      

Prick 2136 forth the airy knights, and couch2137 their spears,

537

      

Till thickest2138 legions close. 2139 With feats of arms

538

      

From either end of Heav’n the welkin2140 burns.

539

      

Others, with vast Typhoean2141 rage, more fell,2142

540

      

Rend2143 up both rocks and hills, and ride the air

541

      

In whirlwind. Hell scarce holds the wild uproar,

542

      

As when Alcides,2144 from Oechalia2145 crowned

543

      

With conquest, felt th’ envenomed robe, 2146 and tore

544

      

Through pain up by the roots Thessalian2147 pines,

545

      

And Lichas2148 from the top of Oeta2149 threw

546

      

Into th’ Euboic sea.2150 Others, more mild,

547

      

Retreated 2151 in a silent valley, sing

548

      

With notes angelical to many a harp

549

      

Their own heroic deeds and hapless2152 fall

550

      

By doom2153 of battle, and complain that Fate

551

      

Free virtue should enthrall 2154 to force or chance. 2155

552

      

Their song was partial,2156 but the harmony

553

      

(What could it less when Spirits immortal sing?

554

      

Suspended 2157 Hell, and took 2158 with ravishment

555

      

The thronging audience. In discourse2159 more sweet

556

      

(For eloquence the soul,2160 song charms the sense)

557

      

Others apart sat on a hill retired,2161

558

      

In thoughts more elevate, and reasoned high

559

      

Of providence, foreknowledge, will, and fate

560

      

Fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute,

561

      

And found no end, in wand’ring mazes lost.

562

      

Of good and evil much they argued then,

563

      

Of happiness and final misery,

564

      

Passion and apathy, and glory and shame:

565

      

Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy

566

      

Yet with a pleasing sorcery could charm

567

      

Pain for a while, or anguish, and excite

568

      

Fallacious hope, or arm th’ obdurèd 2162 breast

569

      

With stubborn patience, as with triple steel.

570

      

Another part, in squadrons and gross2163 bands,

571

      

On bold 2164 adventure to discover 2165 wide2166

572

      

That dismal world, if any clime perhaps

573

      

Might yield them easier habitation, bend

574

      

Four ways their flying 2167 march, along the banks

575

      

Of four infernal rivers, that disgorge

576

      

Into the burning lake their baleful 2168 streams—

577

      

Abhorrèd Styx, the flood 2169 of deadly hate;

578

      

Sad Acheron of sorrow, black and deep;

579

      

Cocytus,2170 named of 2171 lamentation loud

580

      

Heard on the rueful 2172 stream; fierce Phlegeton,2173

581

      

Whose waves of torrent2174 fire inflame2175 with rage. 2176

582

      

Far off from these, a slow and silent stream,

583

      

Lethe, 2177 the river of oblivion, rolls

584

      

Her wat’ry labyrinth,2178 whereof who drinks

585

      

Forthwith2179 his former state and being forgets—

586

      

Forgets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain.

587

      

Beyond this flood 2180 a frozen continent

588

      

Lies dark and wild, beat with perpetual storms

589

      

Of whirlwind and dire hail, which on firm land

590

      

Thaws not, but gathers heap,2181 and ruin seems

591

      

Of ancient pile, 2182 all else deep snow and ice,

592

      

A gulf 2183 profound 2184 as that Serbonian bog2185

593

      

Betwixt Damiata2186 and Mount Casius2187 old,

594

      

Where armies whole have sunk. The parching2188 air

595

      

Burns frore, 2189 and cold performs2190 th’ effect of fire.

596

      

Thither, by harpy-footed Furies haled,2191

597

      

At certain revolutions2192 all the damned

598

      

Are brought and feel by turns the bitter change

599

      

Of fierce extremes, extremes by change more fierce,

600

      

From2193 beds of raging fire to starve2194 in ice

601

      

Their soft ethereal warmth, and there to pine2195

602

      

Immovable, infixed, and frozen round,

603

      

Periods2196 of time, thence hurried back to fire.

604

      

They ferry over this Lethean sound

605

      

Both to and fro, their sorrow to augment,

606

      

And wish and struggle, as they pass, to reach

607

      

The tempting stream, with one small drop to lose

608

      

In sweet forgetfulness all pain and woe,

609

      

All in one moment, and so near the brink.

610

      

But Fate withstands2197 and, to oppose th’ attempt,

611

      

Medusa,2198 with Gorgonian terror, guards

612

      

The ford, and of itself the water flies2199

613

      

All taste of living wight,2200 as once it fled

614

      

The lip of Tantalus.2201 Thus roving on

615

      

In confused 2202 march forlorn, th’ adventurous bands,

616

      

With shuddering horror pale and eyes aghast,

617

      

Viewed first their lamentable2203 lot, and found

618

      

No rest. Through many a dark and dreary vale

619

      

They passed, and many a region dolorous,

620

      

O’er many a frozen, many a fiery alp,

621

      

Rocks, caves, lakes, fens, bogs, dens, and shades of death—

622

      

A universe of death, which God by curse

623

      

Created evil, for evil only good,2204

624

      

Where all life dies, death lives, and Nature breeds,

625

      

Perverse, all monstrous, all prodigious2205 things,

626

      

Abominable, inutterable, and worse

627

      

Than fables yet have feigned 2206 or fear conceived,

628

      

Gorgons,2207 and Hydras,2208 and Chimeras2209 dire.

629

      

   Meanwhile the adversary of God and man,

630

      

Satan, with thoughts inflamed of highest design,2210

631

      

Puts on2211 swift wings, and toward the gates of Hell

632

      

Explores2212 his solitary flight. Sometimes

633

      

He scours2213 the right-hand coast, sometimes the left,

634

      

Now shaves2214 with le

635

      

Up to the fiery concave2215 towering high.

636

      

As when far off at sea a fleet descried 2216

637

      

Hangs in the clouds, by2217 equinoctial 2218 winds

638

      

Close sailing2219 from Bengala,2220 or the isles

639

      

Of Ternate and Tidore, 2221 whence merchants bring

640

      

Their spicy drugs—they on the trading2222 flood,2223

641

      

Through the wide Ethiopian2224 to the Cape2225

642

      

Ply 2226 stemming2227 nightly toward the pole:2228 so seemed

643

      

Far off the flying fiend. At last appear

644

      

Hell-bounds,2229 high reaching to the horrid roof,

645

      

And thrice threefold the gates. Three folds2230 were brass,

646

      

Three iron, three of adamantine rock,

647

      

Impenetrable, impaled 2231 with circling fire,

648

      

Yet unconsumed. Before the gates there sat

649

      

On either side a formidable2232 shape.

650

      

The one seemed woman to the waist, and fair,

651

      

But ended foul in many a scaly fold,

652

      

Voluminous and vast—a serpent armed

653

      

With mortal sting. About her middle round

654

      

A cry 2233 of Hell-hounds never-ceasing barked

655

      

With wide Cerberean mouths full loud, and rung

656

      

A hideous peal,2234 yet when they list,2235 would creep,

657

      

If aught disturbed their noise, into her womb,

658

      

And kennel 2236 there, yet there still barked and howled

659

      

Within unseen. Far less abhorred than these

660

      

Vexed 2237 Scylla,2238 bathing in the sea that parts

661

      

Calabria2239 from the hoarse2240 Trinacrian2241 shore.

662

      

Nor uglier follow 2242 the night-hag, 2243 when called

663

      

In secret, riding through the air she comes,

664

      

Lured with the smell of infant blood, to dance

665

      

With Lapland 2244 witches, while the laboring moon2245

666

      

Eclipses at 2246 their charms. The other shape

667

      

If shape it might be called, that shape had none

668

      

Distinguishable in member, 2247 joint, or limb,

669

      

Or substance might be called that shadow seemed,2248

670

      

For each seemed either—black it stood as Night,

671

      

Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell,

672

      

And shook a dreadful dart.2249 What seemed his head

673

      

The likeness of a kingly crown had on.

674

      

Satan was now at hand, and from his seat

675

      

The monster moving onward came as fast2250

676

      

With horrid strides. Hell trembled as he strode.

677

      

Th’ undaunted fiend what this might be admired—2251

678

      

Admired, not feared (God and His Son except,

679

      

Created thing naught valued2252 he nor shunned),2253

680

      

And with disdainful look thus first began:

681

      

   “Whence and what art thou, execrable2254 shape,

682

      

That dar’st, though grim2255 and terrible, advance

683

      

Thy miscreated 2256 front2257 athwart 2258 my way

684

      

To yonder gates? Through them I mean to pass,

685

      

That be assured, without leave asked of thee.

686

      

Retire, or taste thy folly, and learn by proof,

687

      

Hell-born, not to contend with Spirits of Heav’n.

688

      

To whom the goblin,2259 full of wrath, replied:

689

      

   “Art thou that traitor Angel? Art thou he

690

      

Who first broke peace in Heav’n, and faith, till then

691

      

Unbroken, and in proud rebellious arms

692

      

Drew after him the third part of Heav’n’s sons,

693

      

Conjured2260 against the Highest—for which both thou

694

      

And they, outcast from God, are here condemned

695

      

To waste2261 eternal days in woe and pain?

696

      

And reckon’st2262 thou thyself with Spirits of Heav’n,

697

      

Hell-doomed, and breath’st defiance here and scorn,

698

      

Where I reign king and, to enrage thee more,

699

      

Thy king and lord? Back to thy punishment,

700

      

False fugitive, and to thy speed add wings,

701

      

Lest with a whip of scorpions I pursue

702

      

Thy ling’ring, or with one stroke of this dart

703

      

Strange2263 horror seize thee, and pangs unfelt before.

704

      

   So spoke the grisly terror, and in shape,

705

      

So speaking and so threat’ning, grew tenfold

706

      

More dreadful and deform. On th’ other side,

707

      

Incensed with indignation, Satan stood

708

      

Unterrified, and like a comet burned,

709

      

That fires the length of Ophiuchus2264 huge

710

      

In th’ arctic sky, and from his horrid hair

711

      

Shakes pestilence and war. Each at the head

712

      

Levelled his deadly aim. Their fatal 2265 hands

713

      

No second stroke intend. And such a frown

714

      

Each cast at th’ other as when two black clouds,

715

      

With Heav’n’s artillery fraught,2266 come rattling on

716

      

Over the Caspian,2267 then stand front to front,

717

      

Hov’ring a space, 2268 till winds the signal blow

718

      

To join2269 their dark encounter in mid-air.

719

      

So frowned the mighty combatants, that Hell

720

      

Grew darker at their frown. So matched they stood,

721

      

For never but once more was either like

722

      

To meet so great a foe. 2270 And now great deeds

723

      

Had been achieved, whereof all Hell had rung,

724

      

Had not the snaky sorceress, that sat

725

      

Fast by 2271 Hell-gate and kept the fatal key,

726

      

Ris’n, and with hideous outcry rushed between.

727

      

   “O father, what intends thy hand,” she cried,

728

      

“Against thy only son? What fury, O son,

729

      

Possesses thee to bend 2272 that mortal 2273 dart

730

      

Against thy father’s head? And know’st for whom?

731

      

For Him who sits above, and laughs the while

732

      

At thee, ordained His drudge to execute

733

      

Whate’er His wrath, which He calls justice, bids—

734

      

His wrath, which one day will destroy ye both!

735

      

   She spoke, and at her words the hellish pest 2274

736

      

Forbore. 2275 Then these2276 to her Satan returned:

737

      

   “So strange thy outcry, and thy words so strange

738

      

Thou interposest,2277 that my sudden2278 hand,

739

      

Prevented, spares2279 to tell thee yet by deeds

740

      

What it intends, till first I know of thee

741

      

What thing thou art, thus double-formed, and why,

742

      

In this infernal vale first met, thou call’st

743

      

Me father, and that phantasm call’st my son?

744

      

I know thee not, nor ever saw till now

745

      

Sight more detestable than him and thee.

746

      

T’ whom thus the portress2280 of Hell-gate replied:

747

      

   “Hast thou forgot me, then? and do I seem

748

      

Now in thine eye so foul?—once deemed so fair

749

      

In Heav’n when at th’ assembly, and in sight

750

      

Of all the Seraphim with thee combined

751

      

In bold conspiracy against Heav’n’s King,

752

      

All on a sudden miserable pain

753

      

Surprised thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy swum

754

      

In darkness, while thy head flames2281 thick and fast

755

      

Threw forth, till on the left side op’ning wide,

756

      

Likest to thee in shape and count’nance bright,

757

      

Then shining heavenly fair, a goddess armed,

758

      

Out of thy head I sprung. Amazement seized

759

      

All th’ host of Heav’n.