Page:Paradise lost by Milton, John.djvu/71

Rh Then shining heavenly fair, a goddess armed, Out of thy head I sprung. Amazement seized All the host of Heaven; back they recoiled afraid At first, and called me Sin, and for a sign Portentous held me; but familiar grown I pleased, and with attractive graces won The most averse, thee chiefly, who full oft Thyself in me thy perfect image viewing Becamest enamoured, and such joy thou tookest With me in secret, that my womb conceived A growing burden. Meanwhile war arose, And fields were fought in Heaven, wherein remained —For what could else?—to our almighty Foe Clear victory, to our part loss and rout Through all the Empyrean. Down they fell. Driven headlong from the pitch of Heaven, down Into this Deep, and in the general fall I also; at which time this powerful key Into my hand was given, with charge to keep These gates for ever shut, which none can pass Without my opening. Pensive here I sat, Alone; but long I sat not, till my womb, Pregnant by thee and now excessive grown, Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes. At last this odious offspring whom thou seest, Thine own begotten, breaking violent away,