Though to delude them sent, could not abstain,

Scorpion and Asp, and Amphisbæna dire,

Heavn-falln, in station stood or just array, [ 535 ]

But on they rould in heaps, and up the Trees

Usd by the Tempter: on that prospect strange

Of public scorn; he wonderd, but not long

Reluctant, but in vaine: a greater power [ 515 ]

Cast on themselves from thir own mouths. There stood

And worn with Famin, long and ceasless hiss,

And the dire hiss renewd, and the dire form

To fill his eare, when contrary he hears

Where all yet left of that revolted Rout

Had leasur九九藏书网e, wondring at himself now more; [ 510 ]

But hiss for hiss returnd with forked tongue

Now ruld him, punisht in the shape he sind,

With hatefullest disrelish writhd thir jaws

Bedropt with blood of Gorgon, or the Isle

This more delusive, not the touch, but taste

Him followd issuing forth to th open Field,

They felt themselvs now changing; down thir arms,

His Visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare,

Of hissing through the Hall, thick swarming now

His will who reigns above, to aggravate

Into the same illusion, not as Man

They saw, but other sig九九藏书ht instead, a crowd

With spattering noise rejected: oft they assayd,

Till thir lost shape, permitted, they resumd,

Ophiusa) but still greatest hee the midst,

Deceavd; they fondly thinking to allay

Sublime with expectation when to see

Yearly enjoynd, some say, to undergo [ 575 ]

Hunger and thirst constraining, drugd as oft,

To his bold Riot: dreadful was the din

Climbing, sat thicker then the snakie locks

Alike, to Serpents all as accessories [ 520 ]

Huge Python, and his Power no less he seemd

And Dipsas (not so thick swarmd once the Soil

As99lib.net in thir crime. Thus was th applause they meant, [ 545 ]

To dash thir pride, and joy for Man seduct.

Neer that bituminous Lake where Sodom flamd;

Now Dragon grown, larger then whom the Sun

The Frutage fair to sight, like that which grew

Cerastes hornd, Hydrus, and Ellops drear, [ 525 ]

Turnd to exploding hiss, triumph to shame

Whom they triumphd once lapst. Thus were they plagud

In Triumph issuing forth thir glorious Chief;

With soot and cinders filld; so oft they fell [ 570 ]

Ingenderd in the Pythian Vale on slime, [ 530 ]

Of ugly Serpents; horr

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or on them fell,

A dismal universal hiss, the sound

Above the rest still to retain; they all

A monstrous Serpent on his Belly prone,

Each other, till supplanted down he fell

Yet parcht with scalding thurst and hunger fierce,

With complicated monsters head and taile,

A Grove hard by, sprung up with this thir change,

Thir universal shout and high applause [ 505 ]

According to his doom: he would have spoke,

Thir appetite with gust, instead of Fruit [ 565 ]

Down fell both Spear and Shield, down they as fast,

On all sides, from innumerable tongues

Chewd bitwww.99lib.netter Ashes, which th offended taste

So having said, a while he stood, expecting

This annual humbling certain numberd days,

To forked tongue, for now were all transformd

His Armes clung to his Ribs, his Leggs entwining

Which grew in Paradise, the bait of Eve

Catcht by Contagion, like in punishment,

For one forbidden Tree a multitude

Now risn, to work them furder woe or shame; [ 555 ]

And horrid sympathie; for what they saw, [ 540 ]

Thir penance, laden with Fruit like that [ 550 ]

Thir earnest eyes they fixd, imagining

That curld Megæra: greedily they pluckd [ 560 ]