Apollyon: Then Apollyon broke out into a grievous rage, saying, I am an enemy to this Prince; I
hate his person, his laws, and people: I am come out on purpose to withstand
thee.
Christian:
Apollyon, beware what you do, for I am in the King’s highway, the way of
holiness; therefore take heed to yourself.
Apollyon: Then
Apollyon straddled quite over the whole breadth of the way, and said, I am void
of fear in this matter. Prepare thyself to die; for I swear by my infernal den,
that thou shalt go no farther: here will I spill thy soul. And with that he
threw a flaming dart at his breast; but Christian had a shield in his hand,
with which he caught it, and so prevented the danger of that.
Then did
Christian draw, for he saw it was time to bestir him; and Apollyon as fast made
at him, throwing darts as thick as hail; by the which, notwithstanding all that
Christian could do to avoid it, Apollyon wounded him in his head, his hand, and
foot. This made Christian give a little back: Apollyon, therefore, followed his
work amain, and Christian again took courage, and resisted as manfully as he
could. This sore combat lasted for above half a day, even till Christian was
almost quite spent: for you must know, that Christian, by reason of his wounds,
must needs grow weaker and weaker.
Then Apollyon,
espying his opportunity, began to gather up close to Christian, and wrestling
with him, gave him a dreadful fall; and with that Christian’s sword flew out of
his hand. Then said Apollyon, I am sure of thee now: and with that he had
almost pressed him to death, so that Christian began to despair of life. But,
as God would have it, while Apollyon was fetching his last blow, thereby to
make a full end of this good man, Christian nimbly reached out his hand for his
sword, and caught it, saying, Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I
fall, I shall arise, and with that gave him a deadly
thrust, which made him give back, as one that had received his mortal wound.
Christian perceiving that, made at him again, saying, Nay, in all these things
we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us. And with that Apollyon spread forth
his dragon wings, and sped him away, that Christian saw him no more.
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 dreadfullest sight that ever I saw.
So when the
battle was over, Christian said, I will here give thanks to him that hath
delivered me out of the mouth of the lion, to him that did help me against
Apollyon. And so he did, saying,
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“Great Beelzebub, the captain of this fiend,
Designed my ruin; therefore to this end
He sent him harness’d 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.”
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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.
