The Pilgrim's Progress

In this combat, no man can imagine, unless he had seen and heard as I did, what yelling and hideous roaring Apollyon made all the time of the fight. He spake like a dragon, and on the other side, what sighs and groans burst from Christian's heart. I never saw him all the while give so much as one pleasant look, till he perceived he had wounded Apollyon with his two-edged sword. Then, indeed, he did smile and look upward, but it was the dreadful sight that ever I saw. A more unequal match can hardly be. Christian must fight an angel, but you see the valiant man by handling sword and shield, but make him, though a dragon, quit the field. So, when the battle was over, Christian said, I will here give thanks to him that delivered me out of the mouth of the lion, to him that did help me against Apollyon. Great be Elzebub, the captain of this fiend designed my ruin, therefore to this end he sent him harnessed out, and he with rage that hellish was did fiercely me engage, but blessed Michael helped me, and I by dint of sword did quickly make him fly. Therefore to him let me give lasting praise, and thank and bless his holy name always. Then there came to him a hand with some of the leaves of the tree of life, the which Christian took and applied to the wounds that he had received in the battle, and was healed immediately. He also sat down in that place to eat bread, and to drink of the bottle that was given him a little before. So, being refreshed, he addressed himself to his journey with his sword drawn in his hand, for he said, I know not but some other enemy may be at hand. But he met with no other affront from Apollyon quite through this valley. Now at the end of this valley was another called the valley of the shadow of death, and Christian must needs go through it, because the way to the celestial city lay through the midst of it. Now this valley is a very solitary place. The prophet Jeremiah thus describes it, a wilderness, a land of deserts and of pits, a land of droughts and of the shadow of death, a land that no man but a Christian passed through, and where no man dwelt. Now here Christian was worse put to it than in his fight with Apollyon, as by the sequel you shall see. I saw then in my dream that when Christian was got to the borders of the shadow of death, there met him two men, children of them that brought up an evil report of the good land, making haste to go back. To whom Christian spake as follows, Whither are you going? Back, back. We would have you to do so too, if either life or peace is prized by you. Why? What's the matter? Matter? We were going that way as you were going, and went as far as we darest. Indeed, we were almost past coming back, for had we gone a little further, we had not been here to bring the news to thee. But what have you met with? We were almost in the valley of the shadow of death, but that by good hap we looked before us, and saw the danger before we came to it. But what have you seen? Seen? By the valley itself, which is as dark as pitch. We also saw there hobgoblins, satyrs, and dragons of the pit. We also heard in that valley, a continual howling and yelling, as the people under unutterable misery, who there sat bound in affliction and irons. And over that valley, there hangs the discouraging clouds of confusion. Death doth always spread its wings over it. In a word, it is every wit dreadful, being utterly without order. Then I perceive not yet by what you have said, but that this is my way to the desired haven. Be it thy way. We will not choose it for ours. Nay, nay, not ours. So they parted, and Christian went on his way, but still with his sword drawn in his hand, for fear lest he should be assaulted.