Shrill rush’d the hollow winds, and roused throughout A shaking and a gathering dark of dust; Crushing the thunders from the clouds of air, Hot thunderbolts and flames, the fiery darts Of Jove: and in the midst of either host They bore upon their blast the cry confused Of battle, and the shouting. For the din Tumultuous of that sight-appalling strife Rose without bound. Stern strength of hardy proof Wreak’d there its deeds, till weary sank the fight. But first, array’d in battle, front to front, Full long they stood, and bore the brunt of war. Amid the foremost, towering in the van, [211]The war-unsated Gyges, Briareus, And Cottus, bitterest conflict waged: for they Successive thrice a hundred rocks in air Hurl’d from their sinewy grasp: with missile storm [212]The Titan host o’ershadowing, them they drove, Vain-glorious as they were, with hands of strength O’ercoming them, beneath th’ expanse of earth And bound with galling chains: [213]so far beneath This earth, as earth is distant from the sky: So deep the space to darksome Tartarus. A brazen anvil rushing from the sky Through thrice three days would toss in airy whirl, Nor touch this earth, till the tenth sun arose: Or down earth’s chasm precipitate revolve, Nor till the tenth sun rose attain [214]the verge Of Tartarus. A fence of massive brass Is forged around: around the pass is roll’d A night of triple darkness; and above Impend the roots of earth and barren sea. There the Titanic gods in murkiest gloom Lie hidden: such the cloud-assembler’s will: There in a place of darkness, where vast earth Has end: from thence no egress open lies: Neptune’s huge hand has closed with brazen gates The mouth: a wall environs every side. There Gyges, Cottus, high-souled Briareus, Dwell vigilant: the faithful sentinels Of Ægis-bearer Jove. Successive there The dusky Earth, and darksome Tartarus, The sterile Ocean, and the starry Heaven, [215]Arise and end, their source and boundary. [216]A drear and ghastly wilderness, abhorr’d E’en by the gods; a vast vacuity: Might none the space of one slow-circling year Touch the firm soil, that portal enter’d once, [217]But him the whirls of vexing hurricanes Toss to and fro. E’en by immortals loathed This prodigy of horror. There too stand The mansions drear of gloomy Night, o’erspread With blackening vapours: and before the doors Atlas upholding heaven his forehead rears, And indefatigable hands. There Night And Day, near passing, mutual greeting still Exchange, [218]alternate as they glide athwart The brazen threshold vast. This enters, that Forth issues; nor the two can one abode At once constrain. This passes forth and roams The round of earth; that in the mansion waits, Till the due season of her travel come.