Paradise Lost

Beyond this Deep; whatever drawes me on, 
Or sympathie, or som connatural force 
Powerful at greatest distance to unite 
With secret amity things of like kinde 
By secretest conveyance.  Thou my Shade 
Inseparable must with mee along: 
For Death from Sin no power can separate. 
But least the difficultie of passing back 
Stay his returne perhaps over this Gulfe 
Impassable, impervious, let us try 
Adventrous work, yet to thy power and mine 
Not unagreeable, to found a path 
Over this Maine from Hell to that new World 
Where Satan now prevailes, a Monument 
Of merit high to all th' infernal Host, 
Easing thir passage hence, for intercourse, 
Or transmigration, as thir lot shall lead. 
Nor can I miss the way, so strongly drawn 
By this new felt attraction and instinct. 
  Whom thus the meager Shadow answerd soon. 
Goe whither Fate and inclination strong 
Leads thee, I shall not lag behinde, nor erre 
The way, thou leading, such a sent I draw 
Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste 
The savour of Death from all things there that live: 
Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest 
Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid. 
  So saying, with delight he snuff'd the smell 
Of mortal change on Earth.  As when a flock 
Of ravenous Fowl, though many a League remote, 
Against the day of Battel, to a Field, 
Where Armies lie encampt, come flying, lur'd 
With sent of living Carcasses design'd 
For death, the following day, in bloodie fight. 
So sented the grim Feature, and upturn'd 
His Nostril wide into the murkie Air, 
Sagacious of his Quarrey from so farr. 
Then Both from out Hell Gates into the waste 
Wide Anarchie of CHAOS damp and dark 
Flew divers, & with Power (thir Power was great) 
Hovering upon the Waters; what they met 
Solid or slimie, as in raging Sea 
Tost up and down, together crowded drove 
From each side shoaling towards the mouth of Hell. 
As when two Polar Winds blowing adverse 
Upon the CRONIAN Sea, together drive 
Mountains of Ice, that stop th' imagin'd way 
Beyond PETSORA Eastward, to the rich 
CATHAIAN Coast.  The aggregated Soyle 
Death with his Mace petrific, cold and dry, 
As with a Trident smote, and fix't as firm 
As DELOS floating once; the rest his look 
Bound with GORGONIAN rigor not to move, 
And with ASPHALTIC slime; broad as the Gate, 
Deep to the Roots of Hell the gather'd beach 
They fasten'd, and the Mole immense wraught on 
Over the foaming deep high Archt, a Bridge 
Of length prodigious joyning to the Wall 
Immoveable of this now fenceless world 
Forfeit to Death; from hence a passage broad, 
Smooth, easie, inoffensive down to Hell. 
So, if great things to small may be compar'd, 
XERXES, the Libertie of GREECE to yoke, 
From SUSA his MEMNONIAN Palace high 
Came to the Sea, and over HELLESPONT 
Bridging his way, EUROPE with ASIA joyn'd, 
And scourg'd with many a stroak th' indignant waves. 
Now had they brought the work by wondrous Art 
Pontifical, a ridge of pendent Rock 
Over the vext Abyss, following the track 
Of SATAN, to the selfsame place where hee 
First lighted from his Wing, and landed safe 
From out of CHAOS to the outside bare 
Of this round World: with Pinns of Adamant 
And Chains they made all fast, too fast they made 
And durable; and now in little space 
The Confines met of Empyrean Heav'n 
And of this World, and on the left hand Hell 
With long reach interpos'd; three sev'ral wayes 
In sight, to each of these three places led. 
And now thir way to Earth they had descri'd, 
To Paradise first tending, when behold 
SATAN in likeness of an Angel bright 
Betwixt the CENTAURE and the SCORPION stearing 
His ZENITH, while the Sun in ARIES rose: 
Disguis'd he came, but those his Children dear 
Thir Parent soon discern'd, though in disguise. 
Hee, after EVE seduc't, unminded slunk 
Into the Wood fast by, and changing shape 
To observe the sequel, saw his guileful act 
By EVE, though all unweeting, seconded 
Upon her Husband, saw thir shame that sought 
Vain covertures; but when he saw descend 
The Son of God to judge them, terrifi'd 
Hee fled, not hoping to escape, but shun 
The present, fearing guiltie what his wrauth 
Might suddenly inflict; that past, return'd 
By Night, and listning where the hapless Paire 
Sate in thir sad discourse, and various plaint, 
Thence gatherd his own doom, which understood