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1010He ceas'd; and Satan ſtaid not to reply,
But glad that now his Sea ſhould find a ſhore,
With freſh alacritie and force renew'd
Springs upward like a Pyramid of fire
Into the wilde expanſe, and through the ſhock
Of fighting Elements, on all ſides round
Environ'd wins his way; harder beſet
And more endanger'd, then when Argo paſs'd
Through Boſporus betwixt the juſtling Rocks:
Or when Ulyſſes on the Larbord ſhunnd
1020Charybdis, and by th’ other whirlpool ſteard.
So he with difficulty and labour hard
Mov'd on, with difficulty and labour hee;
But hee once paſt, ſoon after when man fell,
Strange alteration! Sin and Death amain
Following his track, ſuch was the will of Heav’n,
Pav'd after him a broad and beat'n way
Over the dark Abyſs, whoſe boiling Gulf
Tamely endur'd a Bridge of wondrous length
From Hell continu'd reaching th’ utmoſt Orbe
1030Of this frail World; by which the Spirits perverſe
With eaſie intercourſe paſs to and fro
To tempt or puniſh mortals, except whom
God and good Angels guard by ſpecial grace.
But now at laſt the ſacred influence
Of light appears, and from the walls of Heav’n
Shoots farr into the boſom of dim Night
A glimmering dawn; here Nature firſt begins
Her fardeſt verge, and Chaos to retire
As from her outmoſt works a brok'n foe
1040With tumult leſs and with leſs hoſtile din,
That Satan with leſs toil, and now with eaſe