parts Calabria from the hoarse Trinacrian shore; Nor uglier follow the night-hag, when, called In secret, riding through the air she comes, Lured with the smell of infant blood, to dance With Lapland witches, while the labouring moon Eclipses at their charms. The other Shape— If shape it might be called that shape had none Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb; Or substance might be called that shadow seemed, For each seemed either—black it stood as Night, Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell, And shook a dreadful dart; what seemed 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 admired, Admired, not feared—God and his Son except, Created thing naught valued he nor shunned— And with disdainful look thus first began:
“Whence and what art thou, execrable 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 assured, without leave asked 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, Conjured against the Highest, for which both thou And they, outcast from God, are here condemned To waste eternal days in woe and pain? And reckon’st thou thyself with Spirits of Heaven, Hell-doomed, and breath’st defiance here and scorn, 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 tenfold More dreadful and deform. On the other side, Incensed