The Descent into Hell Second Edition, Revised and Re-arranged, with an Analysis and Notes: To which are added, Uriel, a Fragment and Three Odes. By John A. Heraud |
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| III. |
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| XVIII. |
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 | The Descent into Hell |  |
III.1
Heaven! ope thy windows! send the Flood abroad!
Thou Earth, break up thy fountains,..and spurn hence
The proud Oppressor, son of force and fraud!
Thou Earth, break up thy fountains,..and spurn hence
The proud Oppressor, son of force and fraud!
—The starting Horse, hit by the hail intense
Though small, intensely small, erects his ears,
His mane erects, and smarts in every sense.
Though small, intensely small, erects his ears,
His mane erects, and smarts in every sense.
With martial pride his arched neck he rears,
His veins with courage tremble while they madden,
His eye returns the lightning while it sears,
His veins with courage tremble while they madden,
His eye returns the lightning while it sears,
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Till the surrounding storms his spirit sadden,
And reeling in the rain and wind and thunder,
He yields the life the hills no longer gladden.
And reeling in the rain and wind and thunder,
He yields the life the hills no longer gladden.
III.2.
Fear, Madness, Blasphemy and wanton Wonder,
A Band of revellers, in open air,
Invoking Hymen, when the rock asunder
A Band of revellers, in open air,
Invoking Hymen, when the rock asunder
Rent, and the Fountain of the Abyss rose there,
'Mid the cleft Cliff upboiling—on one ridge,
Rage perishing, and curses breathe for prayer!
'Mid the cleft Cliff upboiling—on one ridge,
Rage perishing, and curses breathe for prayer!
Lo, on the other torn and riven ledge,
Despair, amid his sullen family,
Sits fixed, remediless, though the peak's edge
Despair, amid his sullen family,
Sits fixed, remediless, though the peak's edge
Might tempt him, if awaked to sense were he,
Plunging into the flood that fulmines near,
To brave his dread and prove his destiny.
Plunging into the flood that fulmines near,
To brave his dread and prove his destiny.
But now, exanimate of all but fear,
Fear worse than Death, them howl the Wolves about
Unfeared, for worse than Famine clings them there.
Fear worse than Death, them howl the Wolves about
Unfeared, for worse than Famine clings them there.
III.3
Long Days and Nights, on that high station, out
Amidst the Ocean, they have sate and watched
Destruction's goings-on, since first the shout
Amidst the Ocean, they have sate and watched
Destruction's goings-on, since first the shout
Rose from all people, and all eyes attached
Looked through the gloom up to the sky, wherein
Orb met with orb. How fearfully they clashed,
Looked through the gloom up to the sky, wherein
Orb met with orb. How fearfully they clashed,
And rent the heavens! Then Death gat hold of Sin,
And strangled her amidst the waves,..but kills
Her not. Behold no refuge! Earth hath been!
And strangled her amidst the waves,..but kills
Her not. Behold no refuge! Earth hath been!
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With multitudes yon ample cavern fills,
Who, from the bursting waters rushing thence,
Meet myriads scaping from the falling Hills!
Who, from the bursting waters rushing thence,
Meet myriads scaping from the falling Hills!
| The Descent into Hell | |