Dilated or condens'd, bright or obscure,
Can execute their airy purposes,
And works of love or enmity fulfil.
For those the race of Israel oft forsook
Their living strength, and unfrequented left His righteous altar, bowing lowly down
To bestial Gods; for which their heads as low 435 Bow'd down in battle, sunk before the spear Of despicable foes. With these in troop Came Astoreth, whom the Phoenicians call'd Astarte, Queen of Heav'n, with crescent horns; To whose bright image nightly by the moon 440 Sidonian virgins paid their vows and songs, In Sion also not unsung, where stood Her temple on th' offensive mountain, built By that uxorious king, whose heart though large, Beguil'd by fair idolatresses, fell
To idols foul. Thammuz came next behind,
Whose annual wound in Lebanon allur'd
The Syrian damsels to lament his fate
In am'rous ditties all a summer's day,
While smooth Adonis from his native rock 450 Ran purple to the sea, suppos'd with blood Of Thammuz yearly wounded. The love-tale Infected Sion's daughters with like heat, Whose wanton passions in the sacred porch Ezekiel saw, when by the vision led His eye survey'd the dark idolatries Of alienated Judah. Next came one
Who mourn'd in earnest, when the captive ark
Maim'd his brute image, head and hands lopt off In his own temple, on the grunsel edge, 460 Where he fell flat, and sham'd his worshippers: Dagon his name, sea-monster; upward man And downward fish: yet had his temple high Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coast Of Palestine, in Gath, and Ascalon,
And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds. Him follow'd Rimmon, whose delightful seat Was fair Damascus, on the fertile banks Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams.
He also 'gainst the house of God was bold: 470 A leper once he lost, and gain'd a king, Ahaz his sottish conqu'ror, whom he drew God's altar to disparage and displace For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn His odious off'rings, and adore the Gods Whom he had vanquish'd. After these appear'd A crew who, under names of old renown, Osiris, Isis, Orus, and their train,
With monstrous shapes and sorceries abus'd- Fanatic Egypt and her priests, to seek
Their wand'ring Gods disguis'd in brutish forms Rather than human. Nor did Israel 'scape Th'infection, when their borrow'd gold compos'd The calf in Oreb; and the rebel king
Doubl'd that sin in Bethel and in Dan,
Lik'ning his Maker to the grazed ox,
Jehovah, who in one night when he pass'd From Egypt marching, equal'd with one stroke
Both her first-born and all her bleating Gods, Belial came last, than whom a Sp'rit more lewd Fell not from Heaven, or more gross to love 491 Vice for itself. To him no temple stood Nor altar smok'd; yet who more oft than he In temples and at altars, when the priest Turns atheist, as did Eli's sons, who fill'd With lust and violence the house of God? In courts and palaces he also reigns, And in luxurious cities, where the noise Of riot ascends above their loftiest tow'rs, And injury and outrage: and when night 500 Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine, Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night In Gibeah, when th' hospitable door Expos'd a matron, to avoid worse rape. These were the prime in order and in might; The rest were long to tell, though far renown'd, Th' Iönian Gods, of Javan's issue held Gods, yet confess'd later than Heav'n and Earth Their boasted parents: Titan, Heav'n's first-born, With his enormous brood, and birthright seis'd By younger Saturn; he from mightier Jove His own and Rhea's son like measure found; So Jove usurping reign'd: these first in Crete And Ida known, thence on the snowy top 515 Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle air, Their highest Heav'n; or on the Delphian cliff, Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds
Of Doric land; or who with Saturn old Fled over Adria to th' Hesperian fields, And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmost isles. All these and more came flocking; but with looks Downcast and damp, yet such wherein appear'd Obscure some glimpse of joy, t' have found their chief
Not in despair, t' have found themselves not lost In loss itself; which on his count'nance cast 526 Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore Semblance of worth not substance, gently rais'd Their fainting courage, and dispell'd their fears. Then straight commands that at the warlike sound Of trumpets loud and clarions, be uprear'd 532 His mighty standard. That proud honour claim'd Azazel as his right, a Cherub tall;
Who forthwith from the glitt'ring staff unfurl'd Th' imperial ensign, which full high advanc'd 536 Shone like a meteor streaming to the wind, With gems and golden lustre rich emblaz'd, Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds At which the universal host up sent A shout that tore Hell's concave, and beyond Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night. All in a moment through the gloom were seen Ten thousand banners rise into the air 545 With orient colours waving. With them rose A forest huge of spears; and thronging helms
Appear'd, and serried shields in thick array Of depth immeasurable. Anon they move In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood Of flutes and soft recorders; such as rais'd To height of noblest temper heroes old Arming to battle, and instead of rage Delib'rate valour breath'd, firm and unmov'd With dread of death to flight or foul retreat; 555 Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and 'suage, With solemn touches, troubl'd thoughts, and chace Anguish, and doubt, and fear, and sorrow, and
From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they, Breathing united force with fixed thought, 560 Mov'd on in silence to soft pipes, that charm'd Their painful steps o'er the burnt soil; and now Advanc'd in view they stand, a horrid front Of dreadful length and dazzling arms, in guise Of warriors old with order'd spear and shield, Awaiting what command their mighty chief 566 Had to impose. He through the armed files Darts his experienc'd eye, and soon traverse The whole battalion views, their order due, Their visages and statures as of Gods, Their number last he sums. And now his heart Distends with pride, and hard'ning in his strength Glories; for never since created man
Met such embody'd force, as nam'd with these Could merit more than that small infantry 575 Warr'd on by cranes; tho' all the giant brood
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