Polypus 1

The word 'Polypus' appears in Blake's poetry often. In Medicine a 'polypus' is a tumor, usually with a narrow base, somewhat resembling a pear, - found in the nose, 
uterus, etc., and produced by hypertrophy of some portion of the mucous membrane 

For Blake 'polypus' may be thought of as the ultimate evil.


From page 163 of Easson and Easson's commentary on Milton a Poem by William Blake:
A sea aenemone like Vala is "adjoin'd to Beulah as the Polypus to the Rock"

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Then view'd from Miltons Track they see the Ulro: a vast Polypus 
(E134; Plate 35: So spake Ololon in reminiscence astonishd, but they 
And Ololon examined all the Couches of the Dead. 
(Erdman 119) Plate24:
Plate 35 (E135):

Enveloping the Mundale Egg, the fallen world of Adam, Satan's Space, Entuthon, Benython and Ulro is Blake's Polypus.

(The Four Zoas [Nt 7b], 87[95][1st].2; E367)

From MILTON:
(Plate 34; Erdman 134)
But Ololon sought the Or-Ulro & its fiery Gates
And the Couches  of the Martyrs: & many Daughters of Beulah
Accompany them down to the Ulro with soft melodious tears
To where the Contraries of Beulah War beneath Negations Banner.

Of living fibres down into the Sea of Time & Space growing 
A self-devouring monstrous Human Death Twenty-seven fold. 
Within it sit Five Females & the nameless Shadowy Mother 
Spinning it from their bowels with songs of amorous delight 
And melting cadences that lure the Sleepers of Beulah down 
The River Storge (which is Arnon) into the Dead Sea: 
Around this Polypus Los continual builds the Mundane Shell
(Plate 34; Erdman 134)

Could not behold Golgonooza without passing the Polypus 
A wondrous journey not passable by Immortal feet, & none 
But the Divine Saviour can pass it without annihilation. 
For Golgonooza cannot be seen till having passd the Polypus 
It is viewed on all sides round by a Four-fold Vision 
Or till you become Mortal & Vegetable in Sexuality 
Then you behold its mighty Spires & Domes of ivory & gold

Even of Los & Enitharmon & all the Sons of Albion 
And his Four Zoas terrified & on the verge of Death 
In midst of these was Miltons Couch, & when they saw Eight 
Immortal Starry-Ones, guarding the Couch in flaming fires 
They thunderous utterd all a universal groan falling down 
Prostrate before the Starry Eight asking with tears forgiveness 
Confessing their crime with humiliation and sorrow.


"Arise O Sons give all your strength against Eternal Death
A Web of Death: & were it not for Bowlahoola & Allamanda
No Human Form but only a Fibrous Vegetation
A Polypus of soft affections without Thought or Vision
Must tremble in the Heavens & Earths thro all the Ulro space[.]
Throw all the Vegetated Mortals into Bowlahoola
But as to this Elected Form who is returnd again
He is the Signal that the Last Vintage now approaches
Nor Vegetation may go on till all the Earth is reapd
So Los spoke." 

But Ololon sought the Or-Ulro & its fiery Gates
And the Couches of the Martyrs: & many Daughters of Beulah
Accompany them down to the Ulro with soft melodious tears
A long journey & dark thro Chaos in the track of Miltons course
To where the Contraries of Beulah War beneath Negations Banner
Then view'd from Miltons Track they see the Ulro: a vast Polypus
Of living fibres down into the Sea of Time & Space growing
A self-devouring monstrous Human Death Twenty-seven fold[.]
Within it sit Five Females & the nameless Shadowy Mother
Spinning it from their bowels with songs of amorous delight
And melting cadences that lure the Sleepers of Beulah down
The River Storge (which is Arnon) into the Dead Sea:
Around this Polypus Los continual builds the Mundane Shell

Plate 29; E 126:
But Rintrah & Palamabron govern over Day & Night 
In Allamanda & Entuthon Benython where Souls wail: 
Where Orc incessant howls burning in fires of Eternal Youth, 
Within the vegetated mortal Nerves; for every Man born is joined 
Within into One mighty Polypus  and this Polypus is Orc.