The Poetical Works of John Milton


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Thither by harpy-footed Furies hail'd,  
At certain revolutions all the damn'd  
Are brought: and feel by turns the bitter change  
Of fierce extreams, extreams by change more fierce,  
From Beds of raging Fire to starve in Ice  
Thir soft Ethereal warmth, and there to pine  
Immovable, infixt, and frozen round,  
600  
Periods of time, thence hurried back to fire.  
They ferry over this Lethean Sound  
Both to and fro, thir sorrow to augment,  
And wish and struggle, as they pass, to reach  
The tempting stream, with one small drop to loose  
In sweet forgetfulness all pain and woe,  
All in one moment, and so neer the brink;  
But fate withstands, and to oppose th' attempt  
Medusa with Gorgonian terror guards  
610  
The Ford, and of it self the water flies  
All taste of living wight, as once it fled  
The lip of Tantalus. Thus roving on  
In confus'd march forlorn, th' adventrous Bands  
With shuddring horror pale, and eyes agast  
View'd first thir lamentable lot, and found  
No rest: through many a dark and drearie Vaile  
They pass'd, and many a Region dolorous,  
O're many a Frozen, many a Fierie Alpe,  
620  
Rocks, Caves, Lakes, Fens, Bogs, Dens, and shades of death,  
261  


Page
259 260 261 262 263

Quick Jump
1 198 395 593 790