This is a continuation of the book Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. In this edition, we will read about the battle with Apollyon. Then I saw in my dream that these good companions when Christian was gone to the bottom of the hill. gave him a loaf of bread, bottle of wine, and a cluster of raisins, and then he went on his way. But now, in this valley of humiliation, poor Christian was hard put to it, for he'd gone but a little way before he spied a foul fin coming over the field to meet him. His name is Apollyon. Then did Christian begin to be afraid, and he cast in his mind whether to go back or to stand his ground. But he considered again that he had no armor 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 he thought, had I no more in my life than the saving of my life, It would be the best way to stand. So he went on, and Apollyon met him. Now the monster was hideous to behold. He was clothed with scales like a fish, and hair as 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, Whence came you? Where are you going? I am come from the city of destruction, which is a place of all evil, and am going to the city of Zion. By this I perceive that you are one of my subjects, for all that country is mine, and I am the prince and god of it. How is it, then, that you have run away from your king? Were it not that I hope you may do me more service, I would strike you now at one blow to the ground. 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 yours, I did, as other considerate persons do, look out, if perhaps I might mend myself. There is no prince that will thus lightly lose his subjects. Neither will I as yet lose you. But since you complain of your service and wages, be content to go back. What our country will afford, I do here promise to give you. But I have lent myself to another, even to the king of princes. And how can I with fairness go back with you? you have done in this, according to the proverb, change the 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, to you too, and all shall be well. 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? You did the same to me, and yet I am willing to pass by all if now you will yet turn again and go back. What I promise you was in my knowledge, and besides account the prince under whose banner now I stand is able to absolve me. Yea, in the pardon also, what I did is to my compliance with you. And besides, are you destroying Napoleon? To speak truth, I like his service, his wages, his servants, his government, his company and country better than yours. And therefore leave off to persuade me further. I am his servant and I will follow him. Consider again when you are in cold blood, what you were like to me with and the way that you were going. You know that, for the most part, his servants come to an ill end because they are transgressors against me in my ways. How many of them have been put to shameful deaths? And besides, you count a servant better than mine, whereas he never came yet from the place where he is to deliver any of the servants out of their hands. But as for me, how many times, as all the world very well knows, have I delivered, either by power or fraud, those that have faithfully served me, from him and his, though taken by them, and so I will deliver you. His forbearing at present to deliver them is on purpose, to try their love, whether they will cleave to him to the end. And as for the Elan you say they come to, that is most glorious in their account. For, for present deliverance, they do not much expect it, for they stay for their glory, and then they shall have it when their prince comes in his and the glory of the angels. You have already been unfaithful in a service to him, and how do you think to receive wages of him? Wherein, O Lepallion, have I been unfaithful to him? You did faint at first setting out, when you were almost choked and the gulf had despond. You did attempt wrong ways to be rid of your burden, whereas you should have stayed till your prince had taken it off, and you did sinfully sleep and lose your joy, thank. You were also almost persuaded to go back at the sight of the lions. And when you talk of your journey, and of what you have heard and seen, you are inwardly desirous of paying glory in all that you say or do. All this is true, and much more which you have left out, but the prince on my servant honor is merciful. and ready to forgive. But besides, these infirmities possess me in your country, for there I sucked them in, and I've grown under them, been sorry for them, and have obtained pardon of my prince." 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 have come out on purpose to withstand you. Apollyon, beware what you do, for I am in the king's highway, the way of holiness. Therefore, take heed to yourself." Then Apollyon straddled quite over the whole breadth of the way, and said, I am void of fear in this manner. Prepare yourself to die. For I swear by my infernal den that you shall go no further. Here will I spill your 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 a 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, spying 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 you now, and with that he had almost pressed him to death. So the Christian began to despair of life, but as God would have it, while Apollyon was fetching of his last blow, thereby to make a full end of this good man, Christian nimbly stretched 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 his one that had received his mortal wound. Christian, perceiving that, made at him again, saying, Nay, in all thee things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. And with that Apollyon spread forth his dragon wings and sped him away. The Christian for a season saw him no more. In his 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, with sighs and groans, burst from Christian's heart. I never saw him all the while give so much as one pleasant look, till he had perceived he had wounded Apollyon with his two-edged sword. Then indeed he did smile and look upward, but it was the dreadfulest sight that I ever saw. 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. So he did, saying, Crabe Beelzebub, to captain of this fend, design my ruined. 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. Dinner came to him a hand, with some of the leaves of the tree of life, to which Christian took, and applied to the wounds that he had received in the battle, and was healed immediately. He also sat down in a 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 the sword drawn in his hand. For he said, I know not, but some other enemy may be at hand. But he meant with no other affront from Apollyon quite through the valley. At the end of this valley was another called the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and Christian must needs go through it. because a 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 drought, of the shadow of death, a land no man but a Christian passed through, and where no man dwelt. And here Christian was worse put to it than in his fight with Apollyon. As by the seagull you shall see, I saw then in my dream. Then when Christian was got to the porters 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. Where are you going?" they said. Back! Back! And we would have you do so also, if either life or peace is prized by you. Why? What's the matter?" said Christian. Matter, they said. We were going that way as you were going, and went as far as we dared. And indeed we're almost past coming back, for we had gone a little further when we had been here to bring the news to you. But what have you met with?" said Christian. Why, we were almost in the valley of the shadow of death, but that, by good half, we looked before us and saw the danger before we came to it. But what have you seen?" said Christian. Seen? Why, the valley itself, which is as dark as pitch. We also there saw the hobgoblins, satyrs, and dragons of the pit. We heard also in the valley a continual howling and yelling. as of a people under unutterable misery, who there sat bound in afflictions and irons, and over that valley hangs the discouraging clouds of confusion. Death also does always spread his wings over it. In a word, it is everywit dreadful, being utterly without order. Then say, Christian, I perceive not yet by what you have said, but that this is my way to the desired haven. Be it that way, we will not choose it for ours." So they parted and Christian went on his way, but still with the sword drawn in his hand, for fear lest he should be assaulted. I saw then in my dreams how far as this valley reached, there was on the right hand a very deep ditch, that ditches it into which the blind have led the blind in all ages. and the both there miserably perished. Again, behold on the left, there was a dangerous quag, in which if even a good man falls he can find no bottom for his feet to stand on. Into that quag, King David once fell, and had no doubt their end been smothered had not he that is able plucked them out. The pathway was here also, exceeding narrow, and therefore good Christian was amore put to it. For when he saw it in the dark, to shun the ditch on the one hand, he was ready to tip over into the mire on the other. Also when he saw it to escape the mire, Without great carefulness, he would be ready to fall into the ditch. Thus he went on, and I heard him there sigh bitterly. For besides the dangers mentioned above, the pathway here was so dark, and oftentimes when he lifted up his foot to set forward, he did not know whereupon what he should set it next. About the midst of this valley I perceived the mouth of hell to be, and it stood also hard by the wayside. Now thought Christian, what shall I do? And ever and anon the flame and smoke would come out in such abundance, with sparks and hideous noises, things that cared not for Christian's sword, as did Apollyon before, that he was forced to put up his sword and betake himself to another weapon called all prayer. So he cried in my hearing, O Lord, I beseech you, deliver my soul. Thus he went on a great while. Yet still the flames would be reaching towards him. Also he heard doleful voices and rushes to and fro, so that sometimes he thought it should be torn in pieces or trodden down, like mire in the streets. Just frightful sight was seen, and these dreadful noises were heard by him for several miles together. And coming to a place where he thought he heard a company of fins, Coming forward to meet him, he stopped and began to muse what he had best to do. Sometimes he had half a thought to go back. And again he thought he might be halfway through the valley. He remembered also how he had already vanquished many a danger, and that the danger of going back might be much more than four to go forward. So he resolved to go on. Yet, defense seemed to come nearer and nearer. But when they were come even almost at him, he cried out with a most vehement voice, I will walk in the strength of the Lord God. so they gave back, and came no further. One thing I would also say, I took notice that now poor Christian was so confounded, that he did not know his own voice, and thus I perceived it. Just when he was come over against the mouth of the burning pit, one of the wicked ones got behind him, and stepped up softly to him, and whisperingly suggested many grievous blasphemies to him, which he verily thought. had proceeded from his own mind. Disc put Christian more to it than anything that he had met with before, even to think that he should now blaspheme him that he loved so much before. Yet, if he could have helped it, he would not have done it, but he had not the discretion either to stop his ears or to know from where these blasphemies came. When Christian had traveled in this disconsolate condition some considerable time, He thought he heard the voice of a man. It's going before him saying, Do I walk through the valley of the shadow of death? I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Then he was glad. And that for these reasons first, because it gathered from this, that some who feared God were in this valley as well as himself. Secondly, for by this he perceived God was with them, though in a dark and dismal state. And why not thought he with me? Though by reason of the impediment that attends his place, I cannot perceive it. Thirdly, for that he hoped, could he overtake them to have company by and by? So he went on and called to him that was before, but he knew not what to answer, for that he also thought to be alone. And by and by the day broke. Then said Christian he has turned a shadow of death into the morning. Now morning being calm he looked back, not out of desire to return, but to see by the light of the day what hazards he had gone through in the dark. So he saw more perfectly the ditch that was on the one hand and the mire that was on the other. also how narrow the way was, which led between them both. Also now he saw the hobgoblins and satyrs and dragons of the pit, but all afar off, for after break of day they came not nigh, yet they were discovered to him according to that which is written. He discovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death. Now was Christian much affected with his deliverance, from all the dangers of a solitary way, which dangers though he feared them more before, yet he saw them more clearly now, because the light of the day made them conspicuous to him. And about his time the sun was rising, and this was another mercy to Christian, for you must note that though the first part of the valley of the shadow of death was dangerous, Yet, the second part which he was yet to go was, if possible, far more dangerous. For from the place where he now stood, even to the end of the valley, the way was all alongside full of snares, traps, jins, and nets here, and so full of pits, pitfalls, deep holes, and shelvings down there. That, had it now been dark, as it was when he came the first part of the way, had he a thousand souls, they had in reason been cast away. But, as I said just now, the sun was rising. Then he said, his candle shines upon my head, and by his light I'll walk through darkness. In this light, therefore, he came to the end of the valley. Now I saw in my dream that at the end of this valley lay blood, bones, ashes, and mangled bodies of men, even of pilgrims that had gone this way formerly. And while I was musing what should be the reason, I spied a little before me a cave, where two giants, Pope and Pagan, dwelt an old time, by whose power and tyranny the men whose bones, blood and ashes, and so on lay there. and were cruelly put to death. But by this place Christian went without much danger, whereat I somewhat wondered. But I have learned since that Pagan has been dead many a day, and as for the other, though he is yet alive, he is by reason of age. And also the many shrewd brushes that he met with in his younger days, grown so crazy and stiff in his joints, that he can now do little more than sit in his cave's mouth. grinning at pilgrims as they go by, and biting his nails because he cannot come at them. So I saw the Christian went on his way. Yet, at the sight of the old man that sat in the mouth of the cave, he could not tell what to think, especially because he spake to him, though he could not go after him, saying, You will never mend till more of you be burned. But he held his peace. and set a good face on it, and so on by, and caught no hurt. Then sang Christian, O world of wonders, I can say no less, that I should be preserved in that distress, that I have met with here, O blessed be, that hand that from it has delivered me. Dangers and darkness, devils, hell, and sin, did compass me while I, this veil, was in. These snares and pits and traps and nets did lie. My path about, that worthless, silly eye, might have been cashed and tangled and cast down, but since I live, thy Jesus were to crown. Now, as Christian went on his way, he came to a little ascent, which was cast upon purpose that pilgrims might see before them. Up there, therefore, Christian went, and looking forward he saw a faithful before him upon his journey. Then said Christian, Allow, ho, ho, so, ho, stay, and I'll be your companion. And that faithful looked behind him, to whom Christian cried again, Stay, stay, till I come up to you. But Faithful answered, No, I am upon my life, and the avenger of blood is behind me. And as Christian was somewhat moved and put into all his strength, he quickly got up with Faithful, and had also overrun him, so the last was first. Then did Christian vaingloriously smile, because he had gotten the start of his brother, but not taken good heed to his feet. He suddenly stumbled and fell, and could not rise again until Faithful came up to help him.