CHRISTIAN'S FIGHT WITH THE MONSTER APOLLYON By John Bunyan In the Valley of _Humiliation_, poor _Christian_ was hard put to it; for he had gone but a little way, before he espied a foul _Fiend_ coming over the field to meet him; his name is _Apollyon_. Then did _Christian_ begin to be afraid, and to cast in his mind whether to go back or to stand his ground: But he considered again that he had no Armour for his back, and therefore thought that to turn the back to him might give him the greater advantage with ease to pierce him with his Darts. Therefore he resolved to venture and stand his ground; For, thought he, had I no more in mine eye than the saving of my life, 'twould be the best way to stand. So he went on, and _Apollyon_ met him. Now the Monster was hideous to behold; he was cloathed with scales like a Fish (and they are his pride); he had wings like a Dragon, feet like a Bear, and out of his belly came Fire and Smoke; and his mouth was as the mouth of a Lion. When he was come up to _Christian_, he beheld him with a disdainful countenance, and thus began to question with him. APOL. Whence come you? and whither are you bound? CHR. I am come from the City of _Destruction_, which is the place of all evil, and am going to the City of _Zion_. APOL. By this I perceive thou art one of my Subjects, for all that country is mine, and I am the Prince and God of it. How is it then that thou hast run away from the King? Were it not that I hope thou mayest do me more service, I would strike thee now at one blow to the ground. CHR. I was born indeed in your dominions, but your service was hard, and your wages such as a man could not live on, _for the wages of sin is death_; therefore when I was come to years, I did as other considerate persons do, look out, if perhaps I might find something better. APOL. There is no Prince that will thus lightly lose his Subjects, neither will I as yet lose thee: but since thou complainest of thy service and wages, be content to go back; what our country will afford, I do here promise to give thee. CHR. But I have let myself to another, even to the King of Princes, and how can I with fairness go back with thee? APOL. Thou hast done in this, according to the Proverb, changed a bad for a worse; but it is ordinary for those that have professed themselves his Servants, after a while to give him the slip, and return again to me: Do thou so too, and all shall be well. CHR. I have given him my faith, and sworn my allegiance to him; how then can I go back from this, and not be hanged as a Traitor? APOL. Thou didst the same to me, and yet I am willing to pass by all, if now thou wilt yet turn again and go back.