The Poetical Works of John Milton


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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  
310  
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  
320  
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:  
534  


Page
532 533 534 535 536

Quick Jump
1 198 395 593 790