They ferry over this LETHEAN Sound
Both to and fro, their forrow to augment,
And with, and ftruggle as they pafs, to reach
The tempting ftream, with one fmall drop to lose
In fweet forgetfulness all pain and woe,
All in one moment, and fo near the brink:
But Fate withstands, and to oppofe th' attempt 610
MEDUSA with GORGONIAN terror guards
The ford, and of itself the water flies
All tafte of living wight; as once it fled
The lip of TANTALUS. Thus roving on
In confus'd march forlorn th' advent'rous bands 615
With fhuddring horror pale, and eyes agaft
View'd firft their lamentable lot, and found
No reft through many a dark and dreary vale
They pafs'd, and many a region dolorous,
O'er many a frozen, many a fiery Alp,
Rocks, caves, lakes, fens, bogs, dens, & fhades of death;
A universe of death, which God by curfe
Created evil, for evil only good,
Where all life dies, death lives, and nature breeds,
Perverse, all monftrous, all prodigious things, 625
Abominable, inutterable; and worfe
Than Fables yet have feign'd, or fear conceiv'd, GORGONS and HYDRA's and CHIMERAS dire.
Mean while the adverfary of GoD and man, SATAN, with thoughts inflam'd of higheft defign, 630 Puts on fwift wings, and tow'rds the gates of Hell Explores his folitary flight: fometimes He fcours the right-hand coast, fometimes the left: Now fhaves with level wing the deep; then foars Up to the fiery concave towring high. As when far off at fea a fleet defcry'd, Hangs in the clouds by Equinoctial winds Clofe failing from BENGALA, or the ifles Of TERNATE and TIDORE, whence merchants bring Their fpicy drugs: they on the trading flood
Through the wide ETHIOPIAN, to the Cape
Ply ftemming nightly tow'rd the Pole: So feem'd
Far off the flying Fiend. At laft appear
Hell bounds high reaching to the horrid roof;
And thrice threefold the gates; three folds were brafs,
Three iron, three of adamantine rock,
Impenetrable, impal'd with circling fire,
Yet unconfum'd. Before the gates there fat
On either fide a formidable shape;
The one feem'd woman to the wafte, and fair, 650
But ended foul in many a fcaly fold,
Voluminous and vaft! a ferpent arm'd
With mortal fting: about her middle round
A cry of hell-hounds never ceafing bark'd
With wide CERBERIAN Mouths full loud, and rung
A hideous peal: yet, when they lift, would creep, 656
If ought difturb'd their noise, into her womb,
And kennel there, yet there ftill bark'd, and howl'd
Within, unfeen. Far lefs abhorr'd than these
Vex'd SCYLLA, bathing in the fea that parts 660
CALABRIA from the hoarfe TRINA CRIAN fhore:
Nor uglier follow the Night-Hag, when call'd
In fecret, riding through the air fhe comes
Lur'd with the finell of infant blood, to dance
With LAPLAND witches, while the lab'ring Moon 665
Eclipfes at their charms. The other shape,
If hape it might be call'd that shape had none
Diftinguishable in member, joint, or limb,
Or fubftance might be call'd that shadow feem'd,
For each feem'd either; black it ftood as right, 670
Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as hell,
And fhook a dreadful dart; what feem'd his head,
The likeness of a Kingly crown had on.
SATAN was now at hand, and from his feat
The monfter moving, onward came as fast
With horrid ftrides, Hell trembled as he trode.
Th' undaunted Fiend what this might be admir'd,
Admir'd, not fear'd; Gop and his Son except,
|