Created thing not valued he nor fhun'd;
And with disdainful look thus first began.

680

Whence and what art thou, execrable shape, That dar'ft, though grim and terrible, advance Thy mifcreated front athwart my way To yonder gates? through them I mean to pafs, That be affur'd, without leave ask'd of thee. 685 Retire, or tafte thy folly, and learn by proof, Hell-born! not to contend with fpirits of Heav'n.

To whom the Goblin full of wrath reply'd;
Art thou that Traitor-Angel, art thou he,
Who first broke peace in Heav'n, and faith, till then
Unbroken; and in proud rebellious arms 691

Drew after him the third part of Heav'n's fons,
Conjur'd against the Higheft; for which both thou
And they outcaft from GoD, are here condemn'd
To walle eternal days in woe and pain?
695
And reckon't thou thy felf with fpirits of Heav'n,
Hell-doom'd! and breath'ft defiance here and fcorn
Where I reign King, and to enrage thee more,
Thy King and Lord? Back to thy punishment,
Falle fugitive! and to thy speed add wings;
Left with a whip of fcorpions I perfue
Thy lingring; or with one ftroke of this dart
Strange horror feize thee, and pangs unfelt before.

So fpake the griefly Terror, and in shape,
So fpeaking and fo threatning, grew tenfold
More dreadful and deform. On th' other fide
Incens'd with indignation SATAN ftood
Unterrify'd; and like a Comet burn'd,
That fires the length of OPHIUCUS huge
In th' arctic sky, and from his horrid hair
Shakes peftilence and war. Each at the head
Level'd his deadly aim; their fatal hands
No fecond stroke intend; and fuch a frown

700

705

710

Each

Each caft at th' other, as when two black clouds
With Heav'n's artill'ry fraught, come rattling on 715
Over the CASPIAN; then stand front to front
Hov'ring a space, till winds the fignal blow
To join their dark encounter in mid air:
1 So frown'd the mighty combatants, that Hell
Grew darker at their frown: fo match'd they stood, 720
For never but once more was either like

To meet fo great a foe. And now great deeds
Had been atchiev'd, whereof all Hell had rung,
Had not the fnaky forceress that fat
Eaft by hell-gate, and kept the fatal key,
Ris'n, and with hideous outcry rush'd between.

725

O father! what intends thy hand, the cry'd, Againft thy only fon? What fury, O fon, Poffeffes thee, to bend that mortal dart Against thy father's head? and know'ft for whom ; 730 For him who fits above, and laughs the while At thee ordain'd his drudge, to execute Whate'er his wrath, which he calls juftice, bids, His wrath, which one day will deftroy ye both.

She fpake, and at her words the hellish pest 735 Forbore; then thefe to her SATAN return'd.

740 and why,

So ftrange thy outcry, and thy words fo ftrange Thou interpofeft, that my fudden hand Prevented fpares to tell thee yet by deeds What it intends; till firft I know of thee, What thing thou art, thus double-form'd; In this infernal vale firft met, thou call'ft Me father, and that phanta'm call'ft my fon: I know thee not, nor ever faw till now Sight more detestable than bim, and thee.

T'whom thus the portrefs of hell-gate reply'd; Haft thou forgot me then, and do I feem

745

Now