124
��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
�� �
