And in embraces forcible and foul,
Ingendering with me, of that rape begot These yelling monsters that with ceaseless cry Surround me, as thou saw'st, 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 My bowels, their repast; then bursting forth Afresh with conscious terrors 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, 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, Whenever that shall be; so Fate pronounc'd. But thou, O Father, I forewarn thee, shun His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope To be invulnerable in those bright arms, Though temper'd heavenly, for that mortal dint, Save he who reigns above, none can resist.
She finish'd, and the subtle Fiend his lore
Soon learn'd, now milder, and thus answer'd smooth.
Dear Daughter, since thou claim'st me for thy sire, And my fair son here show'st me, the dear pledge Of dalliance had with thee in Heaven, and joys Then sweet, now sad to mention, through dire change Befallen us unforeseen, unthought of, know
I come no enemy, but to set free
From out this dark and dismal house of pain, Both him and thee, and all the heavenly host Of spirits that in our just pretences arm'd Fell with us from on high: from them I go This uncouth errand sole, and one for all
Myself expose, with lonely steps to tread
The unfounded deep, and through the void immense To search with wandering quest a place foretold Should be, and by concurring signs, ere now Created vast and round, a place of bliss
In the purlieus of Heaven, and therein plac'd A race of upstart creatures, to supply Perhaps our vacant room, though more remov'd, Lest Heaven surcharg'd with potent multitude Might hap to move new broils: be this or ought Than this more secret now design'd, I haste To know, and this once known, shall soon return,
And bring ye to the place where Thou and Death Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unseen Wing silently the buxom air, imbalm'd With odours; there ye shall be fed and fill'd Immeasurably, all things shall be your prey.
He ceas'd, for both seem'd highly pleas'd, and Death Grinn'd horrible a ghastly smile, to hear
His famine should be fill'd, and blest his maw Destin'd to that good hour: no less rejoic'd His mother bad, and thus bespake her sire. The key of this infernal pit by due, And by command of Heaven's all-powerful King, I keep, by him forbidden to unlock These adamantine gates; against all force Death ready stands to interpose his dart, Fearless to be o'ermatch'd by living might. But what owe 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, Inhabitant of Heaven, and heavenly-born,
Here in perpetual agony and pain,
With terrors and with clamours compass'd round,
Of mine own brood, that on my bowels feed? Thou art my father, thou my author, thou 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 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 rolling her bestial train, Forthwith the huge portcullis high up drew, Which but herself not all the Stygian Powers Could once have mov'd; then in the key-hole turns The intricate wards, and every bolt and bar
Of massy iron or solid rock with ease Unfastens : on a sudden open fly
With impetuous recoil and jarring sound The infernal doors, and on their hinges grate Harsh thunder, that the lowest bottom shook Of Erebus. She open'd, but to shut Excell'd her power; the gates wide open stood, That with extended wings a banner'd host
Under spread ensigns marching, might pass through With horse and chariots rank'd in loose array; So wide they stood, and like a furnace mouth Cast forth redounding smoke and ruddy flame. Before their eyes in sudden view appear
The secrets of the hoary deep, a dark Illimitable ocean without bound,
Without dimension, where length, breadth, and highth, And time, and place are lost; where eldest Night And Chaos, ancestors of nature, hold
Eternal anarchy, amidst the noise
Of endless wars, and by confusion stand.
For hot, cold, moist, and dry, four champions fierce Strive here for mastery, and to battle bring
Their embryon atoms; they around the flag Of each his faction, in their several clans, Light-arm'd or heavy, sharp, smooth, swift or slow, Swarm populous, un-number'd as the sands Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil,
Levied to side with warring winds, and poise
Their lighter wings.
He rules a moment;
To whom these most adhere,
Chaos umpire sits,
And by decision more embroils the fray
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