The other shape,

If shape it might be call'd, that shape had none
Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb;

Or substance might be call'd, that shadow seem'd,
For each seem'd either: black it stood as Night,
Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell,

And shook a dreadful dart; what seem'd his head.
The likeness of a kingly crown had on.

Satan was now at hand, and from his seat
The monster, moving onward, came as fast
With horrid strides; Hell trembled as he strode.
The undaunted Fiend what this might be admir'd,
Admir'd, not fear'd; God and his Son except,
Created thing nought valued he, nor shunn'd;
And with disdainful look thus first began.

Whence and, what art thou, excorable shape,
That dar'st, though grim and terrible, advance
Thy miscreated front athwart my way
To yonder gates? through them, I mean to pass,
That be assur'd, without leave ask'd of thee:
Retire, or taste thy folly, and learn by proof,
Hell-born, not to contend with Spirits of Heaven.
To whom the goblin full of wrath replied:
Art thou that traitor-Angel, art thou He,

Who first broke peace in Heaven, and faith till then
Unbroken, and in proud rebellious arms

Drew after him the third part of Heaven's sons
Conjur'd against for Highest; for which both thou
And they, outcast from God, are here condemn'd
To waste eternal days in woe and pain?
And reckon'st thou thyself with Spirits of Heaven,
Hell-doom'd, and breath'st defiance here and scorn,

L'altra forma,

Se forma dir si può, cui forma niuna

Distingue in parte od in giuntura o membro; O sostanza chiamar chi a un tempo istesso Parea fantasma; negra stea qual notte,

Crudel qual dieci furie, come inferno

Tremenda, e un dardo fier brandiva, e quanto
Parea sua testa di regal corona

Imago aveva. Or qui è Satan, e il mostro
Dal seggio suo gli move incontro e avventasi
Con vasti passi e ne tremò l'inferno.
L'impavido Satan stupissi a tanto,
Stupissi non temè. Tranne l'Eccelso
Creata cosa ei non paventa o schiva,
E con occhio sdegnoso sì comincia:

«E donde e chi se' tu, forma esecrata,
Che osi inoltrar benchè tremenda e torva,
Tuo ceffo informe a traversar mia via
Su quelle porte? Io vo' passar per elle
Tel giuro, a tuo dispetto; arretra, o sappi
Quanto sei folle e, inferna razza, impara
A non pugnar con i celesti spirti. »

A lui lo spettro d'ira pien rispose :
Se' tu quell' angel traditor, se' tu,
Quel che in ciel primo pace ruppe e fede
Non tocca ancor, e in armi altier rubelle
Dietro a sè un terzo de' celesti trasse
Contro Dio congiurati; onde tu ed elli
Da Dio cacciati siete qui dannati
Eterni di a durar in duoli e affanni?
E conti tu te fra celesti spirti,

Tu qui dannato, e getti sfide e oltraggi

Where I reign king; and, to enrage thee more,
Thy king and lord? Back to thy punishment,
False fugitive, and to thy speed add wings,
Lest with a whip of scorpions I pursue

Thy lingering, or with one stroke of this dart
Strange horror seize thee, and pangs unfelt before..
So spake the grisly Terror, and in shape,

So speaking and so threatening, grew ten-fold
More dreadful and deform. On the other side,
Incens'd with indignation, Satan stood
Unterrified, and like a comet burn'd,
That fires the length of Ophiuchus huge
In the arctic sky, and from his horrid hair
Shakes pestilence and war.

Each at the head

Level'd his deadly aim; their fatal hands

No seconde stroke intend; and such a frown

Each cast at the other, as when two black clouds,
With Heaven's artillery fraught, come rattling on
Over the Caspian, then stand front to front,
Hovering a space, till winds the signal blow
To join their dark encounter in mid air:
So frown'd the mighty combatants, that Hell
Grew darker at their frown; so match'd they stood;

For never but once more was either like

To meet so great a foe: and now great deeds
Had been achiev'd, whereof all Hell had rung,

Had not the snaky sorceress, that sat

Fast by Hell-gate, and kept the fatal key,
Ris'n, and with hideous outcry rush'd between.

"

« O Father! what intends thy hand, she cried,

Against thy only Son? What fury, O Son,

Dove regno io; dove a maggior tua rabbia,
Tuo re e signor son io? Vanne a tua pena,
Fuggiasco mentitor, t'invola ratto,

O che io, se tardi, con flagel t'incalzo
Di scorpi, o a un colpo d' esto dardo orrore
Strano t'infliggo e doglie pria inudite. »

Si disse il mostro, e in vista sì dicendo
E minacciando dieci volte crebbe
Più tremendo e deformie. All'altro lato
Acceso di furor sen stea Satano

Intrepido e simile a ria cometa

Ch' arde pei tratti d'Ofiuco immenso
Nel ciel di borea e dal suo crin funesto

Scote contagi e guerre.

Ognuno al capo

Drizza mira mortal; lor fatal destra

Non s'aspetta a secondo colpo; e un piglio
Tal ognun getta all'altro, qual due nubi
Nere e gravi di tuoni rumorose

Salgon sul Caspio mar, e giunte a fronte
Si stan librate finchè i venti il segno
Lor dian d'atro lottar in mezzo all' aria:
Così i campioni s' accigliar che inferno.
Crebbe sua notte: eguale è il paragone;
Ed una volta sol sì gran nemico
Entrambi incontro avran: e lor gran gesta
Avrian già imprese e rintronato abisso,
Se non l'anguinea maga che alle porte
Siede d'inferno e tien la fatal chiave

Sorgea ed urlando si spingea nel mezzo.

Padre, gridò, che vuol tua mano, o padre,

Contro un tuo figlio sol? Qual furia o figlio,

14

Possesses thee, to bend that mortal dart

Against thy Father's head? and know'st for whom;
For him who sits above and laughs the while
At thee ordain'd his drudge, to execute

Whate'er his wrath, which he calls justice, bids;
His wrath, which one day will destroy ye both. »
She spake, and at her words the hellish pest
Forbore; then these to her Satan return'd.

"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,
What thing thou art, thus double-form'd; and why,
In this infernal vale first met, thou call'st
Me Father, and that phantasm call'st my Son:

I know thee not, nor ever saw till now
Sight more detestable than him and thee. »

To whom thus the portress of Hell-gate replied:
«Hast thou forgot me then, and do I seem
Now in thine eye so foul? once deem'd so fair
In Heaven, when at the assembly, and in sight
Of all the seraphim with thee combin'd

In bold conspiracy against Heaven's king
All on a sudden miserable pain

Surpris'd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy swum
In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast.
Threw forth, till on the left side opening wide,
Likest to thee in shape and countenance bright,
Then shining heavenly fair, a goddess arm'd,
Out of thy head I sprung: amazement seiz'd
All the host of Heaven; back they recoil'd, afraid
At first, and call'd me SIN, and for a sign