The Complete Poetry of John Milton

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The Complete Poetry of John Milton Page 37

by John Milton


  And wish and struggle, as they pass, to reach

  The tempting stream, with one small drop to loose

  In sweet forgetfulness all pain and woe,

  All in one moment, and so neer the brink;

  610

  But Fate withstands, and to oppose th’ attempt

  Medusa with Gorgonian terror guards

  The Ford, and of it self the water flies

  All taste of living wight, as once it fled

  The lip of Tantalus.27 Thus roving on

  615

  In confus’d march forlorn, th’ adventrous Bands

  With shuddring horror pale, and eyes agast

  View’d first thir lamentable lot, and found

  No rest: through many a dark and drearie Vale

  They pass’d, and many a Region dolorous,

  620

  O’re many a frozen, many a fierie Alp,

  Rocks, Caves, Lakes, Fens, Bogs, Dens, and shades of death,

  A Universe of death, which God by curse

  Created evil, for evil only good,

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

  625

  Perverse, all monstrous, all prodigious things,

  Abominable, inutterable, and worse

  Then Fables yet have feign’d, or fear conceiv’d,

  Gorgons and Hydra’s, and Chimeras dire.

  Mean while the Adversary of God and Man,

  630

  Satan with thoughts inflam’d of highest design,

  Puts on swift wings, and towards the Gates of Hell

  Explores his solitary flight; som times

  He scours the right hand coast, som times the left,

  Now shaves with level wing the Deep, then soars

  635

  Up to the fiery Concave touring high.

  As when farr off at Sea a Fleet descri’d

  Hangs in the Clouds, by Æquinoctial Winds

  Close sailing from Bengala, or the Iles

  Of Ternate and Tidore,28 whence Merchants bring

  640

  Thir spicie Drugs: they on the Trading Flood

  Through the wide Ethiopian to the Cape29

  Ply stemming30 nightly toward the Pole. So seem’d

  Farr off the flying Fiend: at last appeer

  Hell bounds high reaching to the horrid Roof,

  645

  And thrice threefold the Gates; three folds were Brass,

  Three Iron, three of Adamantine Rock,

  Impenetrable, impal’d with circling fire,

  Yet unconsum’d. Before the Gates there sat

  On either side a formidable shape;31

  650

  The one seem’d Woman to the waste, and fair,

  But ended foul in many a scaly fould

  Voluminous and vast, a Serpent arm’d

  With mortal sting: about her middle round

  A cry of Hell Hounds never ceasing bark’d

  655

  With wide Cerberean mouths full loud, and rung

  A hideous Peal: yet, when they list, would creep,

  If aught disturb’d thir noyse, into her woomb,

  And kennel there, yet there still bark’d and howl’d,

  Within unseen. Farr less abhorr’d then these

  660

  Vex’d Scylla bathing in the Sea that parts

  Calabria from the hoarce Trinacrian32 shore:

  Nor uglier follow the Night-Hag,33 when call’d

  In secret, riding through the Air she comes

  Lur’d with the smell of infant blood, to dance

  665

  With Lapland Witches, while the labouring Moon

  Eclipses at thir charms. The other shape,34

  If shape it might be call’d that shape had none

  Distinguishable in member, joynt, or limb,

  Or substance might be call’d that shadow seem’d,

  670

  For each seem’d either; black it stood as Night,

  Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell,

  And shook a dreadful Dart; what seem’d his head

  The likeness of a Kingly Crown had on.

  Satan was now at hand, and from his seat

  675

  The Monster moving onward came as fast

  With horrid strides, 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 valu’d he nor shun’d;

  680

  And with disdainful look thus first began.

  Whence and what art thou, execrable shape,

  That dar’st, though grim and terrible, advance

  Thy miscreated Front athwart my way

  To yonder Gates? through them I mean to pass,

  685

  That be assur’d, without leave askt of thee:

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

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

  To whom the Goblin full of wrauth reply’d,

  Art thou that Traitor Angel, art thou hee,

  690

  Who first 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 Sons35

  Conjur’d against the highest, for which both Thou

  And they outcast from God, are here condemn’d

  695

  To waste Eternal dayes in woe and pain?

  And reck’n’st thou thy self with Spirits of Heav’n,

  Hell-doom’d, and breath’st defiance here and scorn,

  Where I reign King, and to enrage thee more,

  Thy King and Lord? Back to thy punishment,

  700

  False fugitive, and to thy speed add wings,

  Least with a whip of Scorpions I pursue

  Thy lingring, or with one stroke of this Dart

  Strange horror seise thee, and pangs unfelt before.

  So spake the grieslie terrour, and in shape,

  705

  So speaking and so threatning, grew tenfold

  More dreadful and deform: on th’ other side

  Incenst with indignation Satan stood

  Unterrifi’d, and like a Comet burn’d,

  That fires the length of Ophiucus36 huge

  710

  In th’ Artick Sky, and from his horrid hair

  Shakes Pestilence and Warr. Each at the Head

  Level’d his deadly aim; thir fatall hands

  No second stroke intend, and such a frown

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

  715

  With Heav’ns Artillery fraught, come rattling on

  Over the Caspian, then stand front to front

  Hov’ring a space, till Winds the signal blow

  To joyn their dark Encounter in mid air:

  So frownd the mighty Combatants, that Hell

  720

  Grew darker at thir frown, so matcht they stood;

  For never but once more was either like

  To meet so great a foe:37 and now great deeds

  Had been achiev’d, whereof all Hell had rung,

  Had not the Snakie Sorceress that sat

  725

  Fast by Hell Gate, and kept the fatal Key,

  Ris’n, and with hideous outcry rush’d between.

  O Father, what intends thy hand, she cry’d,

  Against thy only Son? What fury O Son,

  Possesses thee to bend that mortal Dart

  730

  Against thy Fathers head? and know’st for whom;

  For him who sits above and laughs the while

  At thee ordain’d his drudge, to execute

  What e’re his wrath, which he calls Justice, bids,

  His wrath which one day will destroy ye both.

  735

  She spake, and at her words the hellish Pest

  Forbore, then t
hese to her Satan return’d:

  So strange thy outcry, and thy words so strange

  Thou interposest, that my sudden hand

  Prevented spares to tell thee yet by deeds

  740

  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 Fantasm call’st my Son?

  I know thee not, nor ever saw till now

  745

  Sight more detestable then him and thee.

  T’ whom thus the Portress of Hell Gate reply’d;

  Hast thou forgot me then, and do I seem

  Now in thine eye so foul, once deemd so fair

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

  750

  Of all the Seraphim with thee combin’d

  In bold conspiracy against Heav’ns King,

  All on a sudden miserable pain

  Surpris’d thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzie swumm

  In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast

  755

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

  Likest to thee in shape and count’nance bright,

  Then shining heav’nly fair, a Goddess arm’d

  Out of thy head I sprung:38 amazement seis’d

  All th’ Host of Heav’n; back they recoild affraid

  760

  At first, and call’d me Sin, and for a Sign

  Portentous39 held me; but familiar grown,

  I pleas’d, and with attractive graces won

  The most averse, thee chiefly, who full oft

  Thy self in me thy perfect image viewing

  765

  Becam’st enamour’d, and such joy thou took’st

  With me in secret, that my womb conceiv’d

  A growing burden. Mean while Warr arose,

  And fields were fought in Heav’n; wherein remaind

  (For what could else) to our Almighty Foe

  770

  Cleer Victory, to our part loss and rout

  Through all the Empyrean: down they fell

  Driv’n headlong from the Pitch of Heaven, down

  Into this Deep, and in the general fall

  I also; at which time this powerful Key

  775

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

  These Gates for ever shut, which none can pass

  Without my op’ning. Pensive here I sat

  Alone, but long I sat not, till my womb

  Pregnant by thee, and now excessive grown

  780

  Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes.

  At last this odious offspring whom thou seest

  Thine own begotten, breaking violent way

  Tore through my entrails, that with fear and pain

  Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew

  785

  Transform’d: but he my inbred40 enemie

  Forth issu’d, brandishing his fatal Dart

  Made to destroy: I fled, and cry’d out Death;

  Hell trembl’d at the hideous Name, and sigh’d

  From all her Caves, and back resounded Death.

  790

  I fled, but he pursu’d (though more, it seems,

  Inflam’d with lust then rage) and swifter far,

  Mee overtook his mother all dismaid,

  And in embraces forcible and foul

  Ingendring with me, of that rape begot

  795

  These yelling Monsters that with ceasless cry

  Surround me, as thou sawst, hourly conceiv’d

  And hourly born, with sorrow infinite

  To me, for when they list into the womb

  That bred them they return, and howl and gnaw

  800

  My Bowels, thir repast; then bursting forth

  Afresh with conscious terrours vex me round,

  That rest or intermission none I find.

  Before mine eyes in opposition sits

  Grim Death my Son and foe, who sets them on,

  805

  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 Morsel, and his bane,

  When ever that shall be; so Fate pronounc’d.

  810

  But thou O Father, I forewarn thee, shun

  His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope

  To be invulnerable in those bright Arms,

  Though temper’d heav’nly, for that mortal dint,

  Save he who reigns above, none can resist.

  815

  She finish’d, and the suttle Fiend his lore

  Soon learnd, now milder, and thus answerd smooth.

  Dear Daughter, since thou claim’st me for thy Sire,

  And my fair Son here showst me, the dear pledge

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

  820

  Then sweet, now sad to mention, through dire change

  Befall’n us unforeseen, unthought of, know

  I come no enemie, but to set free

  From out this dark and dismal house of pain,

  Both him and thee, and all the heav’nly Host

  825

  Of Spirits that in our just pretenses arm’d

  Fell with us from on high: from them I go

  This uncouth errand sole, and one for all

  My self expose, with lonely steps to tread

  Th’ unfounded deep, and through the void immense

  830

  To search with wandring quest a place foretold

  Should be, and, by concurring signs, ere now

  Created vast and round, a place of bliss

  In the Pourlieues of Heav’n, and therein plac’t

  A race of upstart Creatures, to supply

  835

  Perhaps our vacant room, though more remov’d,

  Least Heav’n surcharg’d with potent multitude

  Might hap to move new broils: Be this or aught

  Then this more secret now design’d, I haste

  To know, and this once known, shall soon return,

  840

  And bring ye to the place where Thou and Death

  Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unseen

  Wing silently the buxom41 Air, imbalm’d

  With odours; there ye shall be fed and fill’d

  Immeasurably, all things shall be your prey.

  845

  He ceas’d, for both seemd highly pleas’d, and Death

  Grinnd horrible a gastly smile, to hear

  His famine should be fill’d, and blest his maw

  Destin’d to that good hour: no less rejoyc’d

  His mother bad, and thus bespake her Sire.

  850

  The key of this infernal Pit by due,

  And by command of Heav’ns all-powerful King

  I keep, by him forbidden to unlock

  These Adamantine Gates; against all force

  Death ready stands to interpose his dart,

  855

  Fearless to be o’rematcht by living might.

  But what ow I to his commands above

  Who hates me, and hath hither thrust me down

  Into this gloom of Tartarus profound,

  To sit in hateful Office here confin’d,

  860

  Inhabitant of Heav’n, and heav’nlie-born,

  Here in perpetual agonie and pain,

  With terrors and with clamors compasst round

  Of mine own brood, that on my bowels feed:

  Thou art my Father, thou my Author, thou

  865

  My being gav’st me; whom should I obey

  But thee, whom follow? thou wilt bring me soon

  To that new world of light and bliss, among

  The Gods who live at ease, where I shall Reign />
  At thy right hand voluptuous, as beseems

  870

  Thy daughter and thy darling, without end.

  Thus saying, from her side the fatal Key,

  Sad instrument of all our woe, she took;

  And towards the Gate rouling her bestial train,

  Forthwith the huge Porcullis high up drew,

  875

  Which but her self not all the Stygian powers

  Could once have mov’d; then in the key-hole turns

  Th’ intricate wards, and every Bolt and Bar

  Of massie Iron or sollid Rock with ease

  Unfast’ns: on a sudden op’n flie

  880

  With impetuous recoil and jarring sound

  Th’ infernal dores, and on thir hinges grate

  Harsh Thunder, that the lowest bottom shook

  Of Erebus.42 She op’nd, but to shut

  Excel’d her power;43 the Gates wide op’n stood,

  885

  That with extended wings a Bannerd Host

  Under spread Ensigns marching might pass through

  With Horse and Chariots rankt in loose array;

  So wide they stood, and like a Furnace mouth

  Cast forth redounding smoak and ruddy flame.

  890

  Before thir eyes in sudden view appear

  The secrets of the hoarie deep, a dark

  Illimitable Ocean without bound,

  Without dimension, where length, breadth, and highth,

  And time and place are lost; where eldest Night

  895

  And Chaos, Ancestors of Nature, hold

  Eternal Anarchie, amidst the noise

  Of endless Warrs, and by confusion stand.

  For hot, cold, moist, and dry,44 four Champions fierce

  Strive here for Maistrie, and to Battel bring

  900

  Thir embryon Atoms; they around the flag

  Of each his Faction, in thir several Clanns,

  Light-arm’d or heavy, sharp, smooth, swift or slow,

  Swarm populous, unnumber’d as the Sands

  Of Barca or Cyrene’s45 torrid soil,

  905

  Levied to side with warring Winds, and poise46

 

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