From the view of pure propositional meaning, all three versions are the 
same. The choice is a matter of selective focus, which would depend on 
the rest of your text.

For purely 'euphonic' reasons I would choose #2--it is closest to iambic 
pentameter! #1 starts with 3 weak syllables, and although #3 is also 
close, I find the subject choice awkward unless you have a special focus 
situation, for instance in which 'a fearful thing' as already given, and 
the rest is new info.
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Johanna Rubba   Associate Professor, Linguistics
English Department, California Polytechnic State University
One Grand Avenue  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Tel. (805)-756-2184  •  Fax: (805)-756-6374 • Dept. Phone.  756-2596
• E-mail: [log in to unmask] •      Home page: 
http://www.cla.calpoly.edu/~jrubba
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