Paradise Lost

by John Milton

But up and enter now into full bliss.167 So having said, a while he stood, expecting 505 Their universal shout and high applause To fill his ear, when contrary he hears On all sides, from innumerable tongues A dismal universal hiss, the sound Of public scorn; he wondered, but not long 510 Had leisure, wond’ring at himself now more; His visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare,168 His arms clung to his ribs, his legs entwining Each other, till supplanted down he fell169 A monstrous serpent on his belly prone, 515 Reluctant, but in vain; a greater power170 Now ruled him, punished in the shape he sinned, According to his doom: he would have spoke,171 But hiss for hiss returned with forkèd tongue To forkèd tongue, for now were all transformed 520 Alike, to serpents all as áccessóries To his bold riot: dreadful was the din172 Of hissing through the hall, thick swarming now With complicated monsters, head and tail,173 Scorpion and asp, and amphisbaena dire,174 525 Cerastes horned, hydrus, and ellops drear,175 And dipsas (not so thick swarmed once the soil176, 177 Bedropped with blood of Gorgon, or the isle Ophiusa); but still greatest he the midst,178 Now dragon grown, larger than whom the sun179, 180 530 Engendered in the Pythian vale on slime, Huge Python, and his power no less he seemed Above the rest still to retain; they all Him followed issuing forth to th’ open field, Where all yet left of that revolted rout 535 Heav’n-fall’n, in station stood or just array,181, 182 Sublim...