She spake, and at her words the hellish Pest [ 735 ]

Forbore, then these to her Satan returnd:

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-formd, and why

In this infernal Vaile first met thou callst

Me Father, and that Fantasm callst my Son?

I know thee not, nor ever saw till now

Sight more detestable then him and thee. [ 745 ]

T whom thus the Portress of Hell Gate replyd;

Hast thou forgot me then, and do I seem

Now in thine eye so foul, once deemd so fair

In Heavn, when at th Assembly, and in sight

Of all the Seraphim with thee combind [ 750 ]

In bold conspiracy against Heavns King,

All on a sudden miserable pain

Surprisd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzie swumm

In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast

Threw forth, till on the left side opning wide, [ 755 ]

Likest to thee in shape and countnance bright,

Then shining Heavnly fair, a Goddess armd

Out of thy head I sprung; amazement seisd

All th Host of Heavn back they recoild affraid

At first, and calld me Sin, and for a Sign [ 760 ]

Portentous held me; but familiar grown,

I pleasd, and with attractive graces won

The most averse, thee chiefly, who full oft

Thy self in me thy perfect image viewing

Becamst enamourd, and such joy thou tookst [ 765 ]

With me in secret, that my womb conceivd

A growing burden. Mean while Warr arose,

And fields were fought in Heavn; wherein remaind

(For what could else) to our Almighty Foe

Cleer Victory, to our part loss and rout [ 770 ]

Through all the Empyrean: down they fell

Drivn headlong from the Pitch of Heaven, down

Into this Deep, and in the general fall

I also; at which time this powerful Key

Into my hand was givn, with charge to keep [ 755 ]

These Gates for ever shut, which none can pass

Without my opning. Pensive here I sat

Alone, but long I sat not, till my womb

Pregnant by thee, and now excessive grown

Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes. [ 780 ]

At last this odious offspring whom thou seest

Thine own begotten, breaking violent way

Tore through my entrails, that with fear and pain

Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew

Transformd: but he my inbred enemie [ 785 ]

Forth issud, brandishing his fatal Dart

Made to destroy: I fled, and cryd out Death;

Hell trembld at the hideous Name, and sighd

From all her Caves, and back resounded Death.

I fled, but he pursud (though more, it seems, [ 790 ]

Inflamd with lust then rage) and swifter far,

Mee overtook his mother all dismaid,

And in embraces forcible and foule

Ingendring with me, of that rape begot

These yelling Monsters that with ceasless cry [ 795 ]

Surround me, as thou sawst, hourly conceivd

And hourly born, with sorrow infinite

To me, for when they list into the womb

That bred them they return, and howle and gnaw

My Bowels, thir repast; then bursting forth [ 800 ]

A fresh with conscious terrours vex me round,

That rest or intermission none I find.