Who firft broke peace in Heav'n and Faith, till then Unbrok'n, and in proud rebellious Arms
Drew after him the third part of Heav'ns Sons
Conjur'd against the higheft, for which both thou
And they outcaft from God, are here condemn'd
To wafte Eternal days in woe and pain?
And reck'n'ft thou thy felf with Spirits of Heav'n,
Hell-doom'd, and breath'ft defiance here and fcom
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 Scorpions I purfue
Thy lingring, or with one stroke of this Dart
Strange horror feize thee, and pangs unfelt before.
So fpake the griefly terrour, and in shape,
So fpeaking and fo threatning, grew tenfold
More dreadful and deform: on th'other fide
Incens'd 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 War. Each at the Head
Levell❜d his deadly aim; their fatal hands
No fecond ftroke intend, and fuch a frown
Each caft at th' other, as when two black Clouds
With Heav'ns Artill'ry fraught, come ratling on 715
Over the Cafpian, then ftand front to front
Hov'ring a space, till Winds the Signal blow
To joyn their dark Encounter in mid air:
So frown'd the mighty Combatants, that Hell
Grew daiker at their frown, fo match'd they stood;
For never but once more was either like
To meet so great a foe: and now great deeds
Had been atchiev'd, whereof all Hell had rung,
Had not the Snaky Sorcerefs 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,
Againft 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
What e'er his wrath, which he calls Juftice, bids,
His Wrath which one day will deftroy ye both.
She spake, and at her words the hellish Peft 735 Forbore, then thefe 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 firft I know of the, What thing thou art, thus double-form'd, and why In this infernal vale firft met thou call'ft Me Father, and that Fantafm call'ft my Son; I know thee not, nor ever faw till now
Sight more deteftable than him and thee.
T'whom thus the Fortrefs of Hell Gate rèpiy'd;
Haft thou forgot me then, and do I feem
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'ns King,
All on a fudden miferable pain
Surpriz'd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy fwum
In darkness, while thy head flames thick and faft
Threw forth, till on the left fide op'ning wide, 755
Likeft to thee in shape and count'nance bright,
Then shining heav'nly fair, a Goddess arm'd
Out of thy head I fprung: amazement seiz'd
All th' Hoft of Heav'n; back they recoil'd 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 adverse, thee chiefly, who full oft
Thy felf in me thy perfect image viewing
Becam'ft inamour'd, and fuch joy thou took'ft 765
With me in fecret, that my womb conceiv'd
A growing Burthen. Mean while war arose,
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 Heaven, down
Into this Deep, and in the gen'ral fall
I alfo; at which time this powerful Key
Into my hand was giv'n, with charge to keep 775
Thefe Gates for ever fut, which none can pafs
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 laft this odious offspring whom thou seeft
Thine own begotten, breaking violent way
Tore through my intrails, that with fear and pain
Distorted, all my nether fhape thus grew
Transform'd: but he my inbred enemy
Forth iffu'd, brandishing his fatal Dart
Made to destroy: I filed, and cry'd out Death;
Hell trembl'd at the hideous Name, and figh'd
From all her Caves, and back refounded Death.
I fled, but he purfu'd (though more, it seems, 796
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 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 howl and gnaw
My Bowels, their repaft; then bursting forth
Afresh with confcious terrours vex me round,
That reft or intermiffion none 1 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 involv'd; and knows that I
Should prove a bitter Morfel, and his bane,
Whenever that hall be; fo Fate pronounc'd.
But thou O Father, I forewarn thee, fhun
His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope
To be invuln'rable 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 fubtle Fiend his lore Soon learn'd, now milder, and thus anfwer'd fmooth. Dear Daughter, fince thou claim'ft me forthy Sire, And my fair Son here showft me, the dear pledge Of dalliance had with thee in Heav'n, and joys Then fweet, now fad to mention, thro' dire change Befall'n us unforeseen, unthought of, know
I come no enemy, but to fet free
From out this dark and difmal house of pain,
Both him and thee, and all the heav'nly Hoft
Of Spirits that in our just pretenfes arm'd
Fell with us from on high: from them I go
This uncouth Errand fole, and one for all
My felf expofe, with lonely fteps to tread
Th'unfounded deep, and through the void immense
To fearch with wandring queft a place foretold 330
Should be, and, by concurring figns, e'er now
Created vaft and round, a place of bliss.
In the pourlieues of Heav'n, and therein plac'd
A race of upitart Creatures, to fupply
Perhaps our vacant room, though more remov'd, 835
Left Heav'n furcharg'd with potent multitude
Might hap to move new broils: Be this or aught
Than this more fecret now defign'd, I hafte
To know, and this once known, all foon return,
|