Satan was now at hand, and from his seat
The Monster moving onward came as fast [ 675 ]
With horrid strides, Hell trembled as he strode.
Th undaunted Fiend what this might be admird,
Admird, not feard; God and his Son except,
Created thing naught valud he nor shund
And with disdainful look thus first began. [ 680 ]
Whend what art thou, execrable shape,
That darst, though grim and terrible, advance
Thy miscreated Front athwart my way
To yates? through them I mean to pass,
That be assured, without leave askt of thee: [ 685 ]
Retire, or taste thy folly, and learn by proof,
Hell-born, not to tend with Spirits of Heavn.
To whom the Goblin full of wrauth replyd,
Art thou that Traitel, art thou hee,
Who first broke pea Heavn and Faith, till then [ 690 ]
Unbrokn, and in proud rebellious Arms
Drew after him the third part of Heavns Sons
jurd against the highest, for which both Thou
And they outcast from God, are here nd
To waste Eternal dayes in ain? [ 695 ]
And rest thou thy self with Spirits of Heavn,
Hell-doomd, and breathst defiance here and s
Where I reign King, and te thee more,
Thy King and Lord? Back to thy punishment,
False fugitive, and to thy speed add wings, [ 700 ]
Least with a whip of Scorpions I pursue
Thy lingring, or with oroke of this Dart
Strange horror seise thee, and pangs u before.
So spake the grieslie terror, and in shape,
So speaking and so threatning, grew tenfold [ 705 ]
More dreadful and deform: on th other side
I with indignation Satan stood
Unterrifid, and like a et burnd,
That fires the length of Ophiucus huge
In th Artick Sky, and from his horrid hair [ 710 ]
Shakes Pestilend Warr. Each at the Head
Leveld his deadly aime; thir fatall hands
No sed stroke intend, and such a frown
Each cast at th other, as when two black Clouds
With Heavns Artillery fraught, e rattling on [ 715 ]
Over the Caspian, then stand front to front
H a space, till Winds the signal blow
To join thir dark Enter in mid air:
So frownd the mighty batants, that Hell
Grew darker at thir frown, so matcht they stood; [ 720 ]
For never but once more was either like
To meet so great a foe: and now great deeds
Had been achievd, whereof all Hell had rung,
Had not the Snakie Sorceress that sat
Fast by Hell Gate, ahe fatal Key, [ 725 ]
Risn, and with hideous outcry rushd between.
O Father, what intends thy hand, she cryd,
Against thy only Son? What fury O Son,
Possesses thee to bend that mortal Dart
Against thy Fathers head? and knowst for whom; [ 730 ]
For him who sits above and laughs the while
At thee ordaind his drudge, to execute
What ere his wrath, which he calls Justice, bids,
His wrath whie day will destroy ye both.