More dreadful and deform. On the other side,, 710 715 Grew darker at their frown; so matched they stood; 720 For never but once more was either like To meet so great a foe. And now great deeds Had been achieved, whereof all Hell had rung, Fast by Hell-gate and kept the fatal key, 66 “O father! what intends thy hand," she cried, "Against thy only son? What fury, O son, Possesses thee to bend that mortal dart 725 Against thy father's head? and knowest for whom; 730 She spake, and at her words the hellish pest 707. Incensed, in its literal meaning of ablaze, on fire. 709. Ophiuchus, a constellation in the northern heaven. 716. Caspian; a case of Milton's use of geographical names. Introd., p. xlvii. 721. Like, likely. 735. Pest. 735 See Like a plague, a destroyer, something that snatches people from life. Forbore; then these to her Satan returned: "So strange thy outcry, and thy words so strange Thou interposest, that my sudden hand Prevented spares to tell thee yet by deeds What it intends, till first I know of thee, 740 What thing thou art, thus double-formed; and why, In this infernal vale first met, thou callest Me father, and that phantasm callest my son. I know thee not, nor ever saw till now Sight more detestable than him and thee." 745 To whom thus the portress of Hell-gate replied: "Hast thou forgot me then, and do I seem Now in thy eye so foul? once deemed so fair In Heaven, when at the assembly, and in sight 750 Surprised thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy swum 755 Out of thy head I sprung. Amazement seized All the host of Heaven; back they recoiled, afraid 760 765 746-813. The description, more or less allegorical, of Sin and Death is based upon the verse of the epistle of James i. 15, "Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." When Milton puts Satan for lust, he thinks of him as representing unbridled Desire unchecked by a love of Right. So he regarded the perfect Liberty as the opposite of Sin, i. e., freedom to carry out the law of Righteousness. With me in secret, that my womb conceived And fields were fought in Heaven; wherein remained (For what could else?) to our Almighty Foe Clear victory, to our part loss and rout 770 Through all the empyréan. Down they fell Driven headlong from the pitch of Heaven, down I also; at which time this powerful key Into my hand was given, with charge to keep 775 Without my opening. Pensive here I sat Tore through my entrails, that with fear and pain Made to destroy: I fled, and cried out "Death!" 780 785 790 These yelling monsters, that with ceaseless cry 795 Surround me, as thou sawest, hourly conceived To me; for when they list, into the womb That bred them they return, and howl, and gnaw 800 777. Pensive, thoughtful. Afresh with conscious terrors vex me round, Before mine eyes in opposition sits Grim Death, my son and foe, who sets them on, 805 810 His end with mine involved, and knows that I From out this dark and dismal house of pain 803. In opposition, over against. 808. Bane, destruction, death. 813. Dint, blow. 815 819 825 830 825. Just pretences. Pretence had not then, as now, the necessary idea of emptiness, falseness. It meant merely a claim, or a demand, just or unjust. 829. Unfounded, without foundation. Should be, and, by concurring signs, ere now Perhaps our vacant room; though more removed, 835 840 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 846 His famine should be filled, and blessed his maw Destined to that good hour. No less rejoiced His mother bad, and thus bespake her sire: "The key of this infernal pit by due, 850 And by command of Heaven's all-powerful King, These adamantine gates; against all force Death ready stands to interpose his dart, Fearless to be o'ermatched by living wight. . 855 Who hates me, and hath hither thrust me down To sit in hateful office here confined, Inhabitant of Heaven, and heavenly-born; Here, in perpetual agony and pain, 860 833. Purlieus. The places round about a royal domain were called purlieus. Here, however, the word means only near by. 840. How his prophecy is carried out may be seen in ii. 1024-1030 and x. 229-324. 850. By due, as due to me, as my right. 858. Tartarus, the classic name for Hell. |