Imatges de pàgina
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Then sweet, now sad to mention, through dire change
Befallen us, unforeseen, unthought of) know,

I come no enemy, but to set free

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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

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The unfounded deep, and through the void immense
To search with wandering quest a place foretold 830
Should be, and, by concurring signs, ere now
Created vast and round, a place of bliss

In the purlieus of Heaven, and therein placed
A race of upstart creatures, to supply

Perhaps our vacant room; though more removed, 835
Lest Heaven, surcharged with potent multitude,
Might hap to move new broils. Be this or aught
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 840
Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unseen

Wing silently the buxom air, embalm'd

With odours; there ye shall be fed and fill'd
Immeasurably, all things shall be your prey.

He ceased, for both seem'd highly pleased; and Death Grinn'd horrible a ghastly smile, to hear

846

His famine should be fill'd; and bless'd his maw

Destined to that good hour: No less rejoiced

His mother bad, and thus bespake her sire :
The key of this infernal pit by due,

850

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

855

Who hates me, and hath hither thrust me down

Into this gloom of Tartarus profound,

To sit in hateful office here confined,
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 gavest 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, toward the gate rolling her bestial train,
Forthwith the huge portcullis high updrew,

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Which but herself, not all the Stygian Powers

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Could once have moved; then in the keyhole turns The intricate wards, and every bolt and bar

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Excell'd her power; the gates wide open stood,

That with extended wings a banner'd host,

885

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,

890

Without dimension; where length, breadth, and height,
And time, and place are lost; where eldest Night
And Chaos, ancestors of Nature, hold

895

Eternal anarchy, amidst the noise

Of endless wars, and by confusion stand.

900

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, unnumber'd as the sands
Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil,

Levied to side with warring winds, and poise

Their lighter wings. To whom these most adhere, He rules a moment: Chaos umpire sits,

And by decision more embroils the fray,

By which he reigns:

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Next him, high arbiter, Chance governs all. Into this wild abyss, The womb of Nature and perhaps her grave, Of neither sea, nor shore, nor air, nor fire, But all these in their pregnant causes mix'd Confusedly, and which thus must ever fight, Unless the Almighty Maker them ordain His dark materials to create more worlds; Into this wild abyss the wary Fiend Stood on the brink of Hell, and look'd awhile, Pondering his voyage; for no narrow frith He had to cross. Nor was his ear less peal'd With noises loud and ruinous (to compare Great things with small) than when Bellona storms, With all her battering engines bent to rase Some capital city; or less than if this frame Of Heaven were falling, and these elements In mutiny had from her axle torn

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The steadfast earth. At last his sail-broad vans
He spreads for flight, and in the surging smoke
Uplifted spurns the ground; thence many a league,
As in a cloudy chair, ascending rides

Audacious; but, that seat soon failing, meets

A vast vacuity: all unawares

Fluttering his pennons vain, plumb down he drops

930

Ten thousand fathom deep; and to this hour
Down had been falling, had not by ill chance
The strong rebuff of some tumultuous cloud,
Instinct with fire and nitre, hurried him
As many miles aloft: that fury staid,
Quench'd in a boggy Syrtis, neither sea,
Nor good dry land: nigh founder'd on he fares,
Treading the crude consistence, half on foot,
Half flying; behoves him now both oar and sail.
As when a gryphon, through the wilderness
With winged course, o'er hill or moory dale
Pursues the Arimaspian, who by stealth
Had from bis wakeful custody purloin'd
The guarded gold: So eagerly the Fiend

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O'er bog, or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare,
With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way,
And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies. 950
At length a universal hubbub wild

Of stunning sounds and voices all confused,
Borne through the hollow dark, assaults his ear
With loudest vehemence: thither he plies,
Undaunted to meet there whatever Power
Or Spirit of the nethermost abyss

955

Might in that noise reside, of whom to ask

Which way the nearest coast of darkness lies

Bordering on light; when straight behold the throne Of Chaos, and his dark pavilion spread

960

Wide on the wasteful deep; with him enthroned
Sat sable-vested Night, eldest of things,

The consort of his reign; and by them stood
Orcus and Hades, and the dreaded name
Of Demogorgon; Rumour next and Chance,

965

And Tumult and Confusion all embroil'd,
And Discord with a thousand various mouths.

To whom Satan turning boldly, thus: Ye Powers And Spirits of this nethermost abyss,

Chaos and ancient Night! I come no spy,

970

With purpose to explore or to disturb

The secrets of your realm: but, by constraint
Wandering this darksome desert, as my way
Lies through your spacious empire up to light,

Alone, and without guide, half lost, I seek

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What readiest path leads where your gloomy bounds

Confine with Heaven; or if some other place,

From your dominion won, the ethereal King
Possesses lately, thither to arrive

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I travel this profound; direct my course;
Directed, no mean recompense it brings
To your behoof: if I that region lost,
All usurpation thence expell'd, reduce
To her original darkness, and your sway
(Which is my present journey,) and once more
Erect the standard there of ancient Night;
Yours be the advantage all, mine the revenge!
Thus Satan; and him thus the Anarch old,
With faltering speech and visage incomposed,
Answer'd I know thee, stranger, who thou art, 990
That mighty leading Angel, who of late

Made head against Heaven's King, though overthrown
I saw and heard; for such a numerous host

Fled not in silence through the frighted deep,

With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout,

Confusion worse confounded; and Heaven gates

995

Pour'd out by millions her victorious bands
Pursuing. I upon my frontiers here
Keep residence; if all I can will serve
That little which is left so to defend,

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Encroach'd on still through your intestine broils
Weakening the sceptre of old Night: first Hell,
Your dungeon, stretching far and wide beneath;
Now lately Heaven, and Earth, another world,
Hung o'er my realm, link'd in a golden chain
To that side Heaven from whence your legions fell:
If that way be your walk, you have not far;
So much the nearer danger; go, and speed!
Havoc, and spoil, and ruin are my gain.

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