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'n's King,
All on a fudden miferable pain

750

760

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 fhape and count'nance bright
Then fhining heav'nly fair, a Goddess arm'd,
Out of thy head I fprung: amazement feiz'd
All th' hoft of Heav'n; back they recoil'd afraid
At first, and call'd me SIN; and for a fign
Portentous held me: but familiar grown,
I pleas'd, and with attractive graces won
The most averfe, thee chiefly, who full oft
(Thy felf in me thy perfect image viewing)
Becam'ft inamor'd, and fuch joy thou took'ft
With me in fecret, that my womb conceiv'd
A growing burthen. Mean while war arofe,
And fields were fought in Heav'n; wherein remain'd
(For what could elfe) to our almighty foe
Clear 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 gen'ral fall

I alfo at which time this powerful key

765

770

Into my hand was giv'n, with charge to keep 775
These gates for ever fhut, which none can pass
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 feeft,
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

780

785 Forth

Forth iffu'd, brandishing his fatal dart,

Made to deftroy: I fled, 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 perfu'd (though more, it feems, 790
Inflam'd with luft than rage) and fwifter far,
Me overtook his mother, all difmay'd,
And in embraces forcible and foul
Ingendring with me, of that rape begot
Thefe yelling monfters; that with ceafelefs 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 terrors vex me round,
That rest or intermiffion none I find.
Before mine eyes in oppofition fits

800

805

Grim DEATH my fon 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 fhall 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 refist!

810

815

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 for thy fire, And my fair fon here fhow'ft me (the dear pledge Of dalliance had with thee in Heav'n, and joys Then fweet, now fad to mention, thro' dire change 820 Befall'n us unforeseen, unthought of) know

I come no enemy, but to fet free

From out this dark and difmal houfe of pain,
Both him and thee, and all the heav'nly hoft
Of fpirits that (in our just pretenfes arm'd,) 825
Fell with us from on high: from them I go
This uncouth errand fole; and one for all
My felf expofe, with lonely steps to tread
Th' unfounded deep, and through the void immense
To fearch with wandring queft a place foretold 830
Should be, and, by concurring figns, ere now
Created, vaft and round; a place of bliss
In the pourlieus of Heav'n, and therein plac'd
A race of upftart 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 ought
Than this more fecret, now defign'd, I hafte
To know, and this once known, fhall foon return,
And bring ye to the place where thou and DEATH
Shall dwell at eafe, and up and down unfeen
841
Wing filently the buxom air, imbalm'd
With odors: there ye shall be fed, and fill'd
Immeafurably, all things fhall be your prey.

846

He ceas'd, for both feem'd highly pleas'd, and DEATH
Grinn'd horrible a ghaftly fmile, to hear
His famine fhould be fill'd, and bleft his maw
Deftin'd to that good hour: no less rejoic'd
His mother bad, and thus befpake her fire:

The key of this infernal pit by due,
And by command of Heav'n's all-powerful King,
I keep; by him forbidden to unlock
These adamantine gates; against all force
DEATH ready ftands to interpofe his dart,
Fearless to be o'ermatch'd by living wight.
But what owe I to his commands above
Who hates me, and hath hither thruft me down

850

855

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