Back they recoiled, afraid

760

      

At first, and called me Sin, and for a sign

761

      

Portentous2282 held me. But, familiar grown,

762

      

I pleased, and with attractive graces won

763

      

The most averse—thee chiefly, who full oft

764

      

Thyself in me thy perfect image viewing,

765

      

Becam’st enamored, and such joy thou took’st

766

      

With me in secret that my womb conceived

767

      

A growing burden. Meanwhile war arose,

768

      

And fields were fought in Heav’n, wherein remained

769

      

(For what could else?) to our Almighty foe

770

      

Clear victory, to our part loss and rout2283

771

      

Through all the Empyrean.2284 Down they fell,

772

      

Driv’n headlong from the pitch2285 of Heaven, do

773

      

Into this deep, and in the general fall

774

      

I also, at which time this powerful key

775

      

Into my hands was giv’n, with charge to keep

776

      

These gates forever shut, which none can pass

777

      

Without my op’ning. Pensive2286 here I sat

778

      

Alone, but long I sat not, till my womb,

779

      

Pregnant by thee, and now excessive grown,

780

      

Prodigious2287 motion felt and rueful 2288 throes.2289

781

      

At last this odious2290 offspring whom thou seest,

782

      

Thine own begotten, breaking violent way, 2291

783

      

Tore through my entrails that,2292 with fear and pain

784

      

Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew

785

      

Transformed. But he my inbred enemy

786

      

Forth issued, brandishing2293 his fatal dart,

787

      

Made to destroy. I fled, and cried out ‘Death!

788

      

Hell trembled at the hideous name, and sighed

789

      

From all her caves, and back resounded ‘Death!

790

      

I fled, but he pursued (though more, it seems,

791

      

Inflamed with lust than rage), and swifter far,

792

      

Me overtook, his mother, all dismayed,2294

793

      

And in embraces forcible and foul

794

      

Engend’ring2295 with me, of that rape begot

795

      

These yelling monsters, that with ceaseless cry

796

      

Surround me, as thou saw’st—hourly conceived

797

      

And hourly born, with sorrow infinite

798

      

To me, for when they list 2296 into the womb

799

      

That bred them they return, and howl, and gnaw

800

      

My bowels, their repast.2297 Then bursting forth

801

      

Afresh, with conscious terrors vex me round,

802

      

That rest or intermission none I find.

803

      

Before mine eyes in opposition2298 sits

804

      

Grim Death, my son and foe, who set them on,

805

      

And me, his parent, would full soon devour

806

      

For want of other prey, but that he knows

807

      

His end with mine involved, and knows that I

808

      

Should prove a bitter morsel, and his bane, 2299

809

      

Whenever that shall be. So Fate pronounced.

810

      

But thou, O father, I forewarn thee, shun

811

      

His deadly arrow. Neither 2300 vainly hope

812

      

To be invulnerable in those bright arms,2301

813

      

Though tempered2302 Heav’nly, for that mortal dint,2303

814

      

Save He who reigns above, none can resist.

815

      

She finished, and the subtle fiend, his lore2304

816

      

Soon learned, now milder, and thus answered smooth:

817

      

   “Dear daughter—since thou claim’st me for thy sire,

818

      

And my fair son here show’st me, the dear pledge2305

819

      

Of dalliance2306 had with thee in Heav’n, and joys

820

      

Then sweet, now sad to mention, through dire change

821

      

Befall’n us unforeseen, unthought-of—know

822

      

I come no enemy, but to set free

823

      

From out this dark and dismal house of pain

824

      

Both him and thee, and all the Heav’nly host

825

      

Of Spirits that, in our just pretences2307 armed,

826

      

Fell with us from on high. From them I go

827

      

This uncouth2308 errand sole, 2309 and one for all

828

      

Myself expose, with lonely steps to tread

829

      

Th’ unfounded 2310 deep, and through the void immense

830

      

To search, with wand’ring quest, a place foretold

831

      

Should be—and by concurring signs, ere now

832

      

Created vast and round—a place of bliss

833

      

In the purlieus2311 of Heav’n, and therein placed

834

      

A race of upstart creatures, to supply

835

      

Perhaps our vacant room,2312 though more removed,2313

836

      

Lest Heav’n, surcharged2314 with potent2315 multitude,

837

      

Might hap to move2316 new broils.2317 Be this, or aught

838

      

Than this more secret, now designed,2318 I haste

839

      

To know, and this once known shall soon return

840

      

And bring ye to the place where thou and Death

841

      

Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unseen

842

      

Wing silently the buxom2319 air, embalmed

843

      

With odors. There ye shall be fed and filled

844

      

Immeasurably; all things shall be your prey.

845

      

   He ceased, for both seemed highly pleased, and Death

846

      

Grinned horrible a ghastly smile, to hear

847

      

His famine2320 should be filled, and blessed his maw2321

848

      

Destined to that good hour. No less rejoiced

849

      

His mother bad, and thus bespoke2322 her sire:

850

      

   “The key of this infernal pit, by due2323

851

      

And by command of Heav’n’s all-powerful King,

852

      

I keep, by Him forbidden to unlock

853

      

These adamantine gates. Against all force

854

      

Death ready stands to interpose2324 his dart,2325

855

      

Fearless to be o’ermatched by living might.

856

      

But what owe I to His commands above,

857

      

Who hates me, and hath hither thrust me down

858

      

Into this gloom of Tartarus2326 profound,2327

859

      

To sit in hateful office here confined,

860

      

Inhabitant of Heav’n and Heav’nly born—

861

      

Here in perpetual agony and pain,

862

      

With terrors and with clamors compassed round 2328

863

      

Of mine own brood, that on my bowels feed?

864

      

Thou art my father, thou my author, thou

865

      

My being gav’st me. Whom should I obey

866

      

But thee? whom follow? Thou wilt bring me soon

867

      

To that new world of light and bliss, among

868

      

The gods who live at ease, where I shall reign

869

      

At thy right hand voluptuous,2329 as beseems2330

870

      

Thy daughter and thy darling, without end.

871

      

   Thus saying, from her side the fatal key,

872

      

Sad instrument of all our woe, she took,

873

      

And towards the gate rolling her bestial train,2331

874

      

Forthwith the huge portcullis2332 high up-drew,

875

      

Which, but herself, not all the Stygian2333 Powers

876

      

Could once have moved, then in the key-hole turns

877

      

Th’ intricate wards,2334 and every bolt and bar

878

      

Of massy iron or solid rock with ease

879

      

Unfastens. On a sudden, open fly

880

      

(With impetuous2335 recoil and jarring sound)

881

      

Th’ infernal doors, and on their hinges grate

882

      

Harsh thunder, that the lowest bottom shook

883

      

Of Erebus.2336 She opened—but to shut

884

      

Excelled 2337 her power. The gates wide open stood,

885

      

That with extended wings a bannered host,

886

      

Under spread ensigns marching, might pass through

887

      

With horse and chariots ranked in loose array.

888

      

So wide they stood, and like a furnace-mouth

889

      

Cast forth redounding 2338 smoke and ruddy flame.

890

      

Before their eyes in sudden view appear

891

      

The secrets of the hoary deep—a dark

892

      

Illimitable ocean, without bound,

893

      

Without dimension, where length, breadth, and height,

894

      

And time, and place, are lost, where eldest Night

895

      

And Chaos, ancestors of Nature, hold

896

      

Eternal anarchy, amidst the noise

897

      

Of endless wars, and by confusion2339 stand.

898

      

For hot, cold, moist, and dry, four champions fierce,

899

      

Strive here for mast’ry, and to battle bring

900

      

Their embryon2340 atoms. They around the flag

901

      

Of each his faction, in their several clans,

902

      

Light-armed or heavy, sharp, smooth, swift, or slow,

903

      

Swarm populous, unnumbered as the sands

904

      

Of Barca2341 or Cyrene’s2342 torrid soil,

905

      

Levied2343 to side with warring winds, and poise2344

906

      

Their lighter wings. To whom these most adhere, 2345

907

      

He rules a moment. Chaos umpire sits,

908

      

And by decision more embroils2346 the fray

909

      

By which he reigns. Next him, high arbiter,

910

      

Chance governs all. Into this wild abyss,

911

      

The womb of Nature, and perhaps her grave,

912

      

Of neither sea, nor shore, nor air, nor fire,

913

      

But all these in their pregnant causes mixed

914

      

Confus’dly, and which thus must ever fight,

915

      

Unless th’Almighty Maker them ordain2347

916

      

His dark materials to create more worlds—

917

      

Into this wild abyss the wary2348 fiend

918

      

Stood on the brink of Hell and looked a while,

919

      

Pondering his voyage, for no narrow frith2349

920

      

He had to cross. Nor was his ear less pealed 2350

921

      

With noises loud and ruinous2351 (to compare

922

      

Great things with small) than when Bellona2352 storms

923

      

With all her battering engines,2353 bent2354 to raze2355

924

      

Some capital city; or less than if this frame

925

      

Of Heav’n were falling, and these elements

926

      

In mutiny had from her axle torn

927

      

The steadfast earth. At last his sail-broad vans 2356

928

      

He spread for flight and, in the surging smoke

929

      

Uplifted, spurns2357 the ground, thence many a league,

930

      

As in a cloudy chair, ascending rides

931

      

Audacious,2358 but that seat soon failing, meets

932

      

A vast vacuity. All unawares,

933

      

Flutt’ring his pennons 2359 vain,2360 plumb-down he drops

934

      

Ten thousand fathom deep, and to this hour

935

      

Down had been falling, had not, by ill chance,

936

      

The strong rebuff 2361 of some tumultuous cloud,

937

      

Instinct2362 with fire and niter, 2363 hurried him

938

      

As many miles aloft. That fury2364 stayed—2365

939

      

Quenched in a boggy Syrtis,2366 neither sea,

940

      

Nor good dry land—nigh2367 foundered,2368 on he fares,

941

      

Treading the crude2369 consistence, 2370 half on foot,

942

      

Half flying. Behoves him now2371 both oar and sail.

943

      

As when a gryphon2372 through the wilderness

944

      

With wingèd course, o’er hill or moory dale,

945

      

Pursues the Arimaspian,2373 who by stealth

946

      

Had from his2374 wakeful2375 custody purloined2376

947

      

The guarded gold, so eagerly the fiend

948

      

O’er bog or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare,

949

      

With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way,

950

      

And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies.

951

      

   At length a universal hubbub wild

952

      

Of stunning sounds, and voices all confused,

953

      

Borne through the hollow dark, assaults his ear

954

      

With loudest vehemence. 2377 Thither he plies 2378

955

      

Undaunted, to meet there whatever Power

956

      

Or Spirit of the nethermost abyss

957

      

Might in that noise reside, of whom to ask

958

      

Which way the nearest coast of darkness lies,

959

      

Bord’ring on light. When straight behold the throne

960

      

Of Chaos, and his dark pavilion spread

961

      

Wide on the wasteful deep! With him enthroned

962

      

Sat sable-vested Night, eldest of things,

963

      

The consort 2379 of his reign; and by them stood

964

      

Orcus and Adès,2380 and the dreaded name

965

      

Of Demogorgon,2381 Rumor next, and Chance,

966

      

And Tumult, and Confusion, all embroiled,2382

967

      

And Discord with a thousand various 2383 mouths.

968

      

   T’ whom Satan, turning boldly, thus: “Ye Powers

969

      

And Spirits of this nethermost abyss,

970

      

Chaos and ancient Night, I come no spy

971

      

With purpose to explore or to disturb

972

      

The secrets of your realm, but by constraint

973

      

Wand’ring this darksome desert, as my way

974

      

Lies through your spacious empire up to light,

975

      

Alone and without guide, half lost, I seek

976

      

What readiest path leads where your gloomy bounds

977

      

Confine 2384 with Heav’n, or if some other place

978

      

From your dominion won,2385 th’ Ethereal King

979

      

Possesses lately, thither to arrive

980

      

I travel this profound,2386 direct2387 my course:

981

      

Directed, no mean2388 recompense it brings

982

      

To your behoof, 2389 if I that region lost,2390

983

      

All usurpation2391 thence expelled, reduce

984

      

To her original darkness, and your sway

985

      

(Which is my present journey), and once more

986

      

Erect the standard2392 there of ancient Night.

987

      

Yours be th’ advantage all, mine the revenge!

988

      

   Thus Satan; and him thus the Anarch2393 old,

989

      

With falt’ring speech and visage incomposed,2394

990

      

Answered: “I know thee, stranger, who thou art—

991

      

That mighty leading Angel, who of late

992

      

Made head 2395 against Heav’n’s King, though overthrown.

993

      

I saw and heard, for such a numerous host

994

      

Fled not in silence through the frighted deep,

995

      

With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout,2396

996

      

Confusion worse confounded.2397 And Heav’n-gates

997

      

Poured out by millions her victorious bands,

998

      

Pursuing. I upon my frontiers here

999

      

Keep residence; if all I can2398 will serve

1000

      

That little which is left so2399 to def

1001

      

Encroached on still through our intestine2400 broils,2401

1002

      

Weakening the scepter of old Night. First Hell,

1003

      

Your dungeon, stretching far and wide beneath;

1004

      

Now lately Heav’n and earth, another world

1005

      

Hung o’er my realm, linked in a golden chain

1006

      

To that side Heav’n from whence your legions fell!

1007

      

If that way be your walk, you have not far;

1008

      

So much the nearer danger. Go, and speed;2402

1009

      

Havoc, and spoil, and ruin, are my gain.

1010

      

   He ceased, and Satan stayed not to reply,

1011

      

But glad that now his sea should find a shore,

1012

      

With fresh alacrity and force renewed

1013

      

Springs upward like a pyramid of fire,

1014

      

Into the wild expanse, and through the shock2403

1015

      

Of fighting elements, on all sides round

1016

      

Environed,2404 wins his way, harder beset 2405

1017

      

And more endangered than when Argo2406 passed

1018

      

Through Bosphorus betwixt the jostling rocks,

1019

      

Or when Ulysses on the larboard 2407 shunned

1020

      

Charybdis, and by th’ other whirlpool steered.

1021

      

So he2408 with difficulty and labor hard

1022

      

Moved on, with difficulty and labor he.