Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/166

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��PARADISE LOST

��Forth issued, brandishing his fatal dart, Made to destroy. I fled, and cried out

Death ! Hell trembled at the hideous name, and

sighed From all her caves, and back resounded

Death !

I fled; but he pursued (though more, it

seems, 790

Inflamed with lust than rage), and, swifter

far,

Me overtook, his mother, all dismayed, And, in embraces forcible and foul Engendering with me, of that rape begot These yelling monsters, that with ceaseless

cry

Surround me, as thou saw'st hourly con- ceived

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 800

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 de- vour

For want of other prey, but that he knows His end with mine involved, and knows

that I

Should prove a bitter morsel, and his bane, Whenever that shall be: so Fate pro-

- nounced.

But thou, O father, I forewarn thee, shun His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope 8n To be invulnerable in those bright arms, Though tempered heavenly; for that mor- tal dint,

Save He who reigns above, none can re- sist." She finished; and the subtle Fiend his

lore

Soon learned, now milder, and thus an- swered smooth : " Dear daughter since thou claim'st

me for thy sire, And my fair sou 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 820

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 armed,

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 830

Should be and, by concurring signs, ere now

Created vast and round a place of bliss

In the pourlieues of Heaven; and therein placed

A race of upstart creatures, to supply

Perhaps our vacant room, though more removed,

Lest Heaven, surcharged with potent mul- titude,

Might hap to move new broils. Be this, or aught

Than this more secret, now designed, 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 un- seen

Wing silently the buxom air, imbalmed

With odours. There ye shall be fed and filled

Immeasurably; all things shall be your

prey."

He ceased; for both seemed highly- pleased, and Death

Grinned horrible a ghastly smile, to hear

His famine should be filled, and blessed his maw

Destined to that good hour. No less re- joiced

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, 8 S i

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