As for thofe captive tribes, themfelves were they
Who wrought their own captivity, fell off
From God to worship calves, the deities

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The God of their forefathers; but fo dy'd
Impenitent, and left a race behind
Like to themselves, diftinguifhable scarce
From Gentiles, but by circumcifion vain,
And God with idols in their worship join'd.
Should I of thefe the liberty regard,

Who freed, as to their ancient patrimony,

Unhumbled, unrepentant, unreform'd,

Headlong would follow'; and to their gods perhaps
Of Bethel and of Dan? no, let them ferve
Their enemies, who ferve idols with God."'
Yet he at length, time to himself best known,
Remembring Abraham, by fome wondrous call
May bring them back repentant and fincere,
And at their paffing cleave th' Affyrian flood,
While to their native land with joy they haste,
As the Red Sea and Jordan once he cleft,
When to the promis'd land their father's pafs'd;
To his due time and providence I leave them.

So fpake Ifrael's true king, and to the Fiend

Made answer meet, that made void all his wiles.
So fares it when with truth falfhood contends.

The END of the THIRD Book.

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PARADISE

P

REGAIN'D.

BOOK

IV.

Erplex'd and troubled at his bad fuccefs
The Tempter ftood, nor had what to reply,
Difcover'd in his fraud, thrown from his hope

So oft, and the perfuafive rhetoric

That fleek'd his tongue, and won fo much on Eve,
So little here, nay loft; but Eve was Eve,
This far his over-match, who felf deceiv'd
And rafh, before-hand had no better weigh'd
The frength he was to cope with, or his own:
But as a man who had been matchlefs held
In cunning, over-reach'd where leaft he thought,
To falve his credit, and for very spite,
Still will be tempting him who foils him still,
And never cease, though to his fhame the more;
Or as a swarm of flies in vintage time,
About the wine-prefs where fweet muft is pour'd,
Beats off, returns as oft with humming found;
Or furging waves against a solid rock,
Though all to fhivers dash'd, th' assault renew,
Vain batt'ry, and in froth or bubbles end;
So Satan, whom repulfe upon repulse
Met ever, and to shameful filence brought,
Yet gives not o'er though defp'rate of fuccefs,
And his vain importunity pursues.

He brought our Saviour to the western fide

Of that high mountain, whence he might behold.
Another plain, long but in breadth not wide,
Wash'd by the fouthern fea, and on the north
To equal length back'd with a ridge of hills,
That screen'd the fruits of th' earth and feats of men
From cold Septentrion blafts, thence in the midst
Divided by a river, of whofe banks

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On each fide an imperial city ftood,
With tow'rs and temples proudly elevate

On fev'n fmall hills, with palaces adorn'd,
Porches and theatres, baths, aqueducts,"
Statues and trophies, and triumphal arcs,
Gardens and groves prefented to his eyes,
Above the heighth of mountains interpos'd:
By what strange parallax or optic skill
Of vifion multiply'd through air, or glass
Of telescope, were curious to inquire:
And now the tempter thus his filence broke.

The city which thou feeft no other deem

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Than great and glorious Rome, queen of the earth

45

So far renown'd, and with the fpoils enrich'd

Of nations; there the capitol thou feest

Above the reft lifting his ftately head

On the Tarpeian rock, her citadel
Impregnable, and there mount Palatine,
Th' imperial palace, compass huge, and high
The ftructure, fkill of nobleft architects,
With gilded battlements, confpicuous far
Turrets and terrases, and glitt'ring spires.
Many a fair edifice befides, more like
Houfes of God, (fo well I have dispos'd -
My airy micrcfcope) thou may'st behold
Outfide and infide both, pillars and roofs,

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Carv'd work, the hand of fam'd artificers

In cedar, marble, ivory or gold.

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Thence to the gates caft round thine eye, and fee

What conflux iffuing forth, or entring in,

Pretors, proconfuls to their provinces

Hafting, or on return, in robes of state;

Lictors and rods, the enfigns of their power,
Legions and cohorts, turms of horse and wings:
Or embaffies from regions far remote
In various habits on the Appian road

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Or on th' Emilian, fome from farthest fouth,
Syene', and where the fhadow both way falls,
Meroe Nilotic ifle, and more to weft,

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The realm of Bocchus to the Black-moor fea;
From th' Afian Kings and Parthian among these,
From India and the golden Cherfonefe,
And utmoft Indian ifle Taprobane,

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Dufk faces with white filken turbants wreath'd;
From Gallia, Gades, and the British weft,

Germans and Scythians, and Sarmatians north
Beyond Danubias to the Tauric pool.

All nations now to Rome obedience pay,

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To Rome's great emperor, whose wide domain
In ample territory, wealth and power,

Civility of manners, arts and arms,

And long renown, thou juftly may'ft prefer
Before the Parthian; these two thrones except,

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The rest are barb'rous, and fcarce worth the fight,
Shar'd among petty kings too far remov❜d;
Thefe having fhown thee, I have shown thee all
The kingdoms of the world, and all their glory.
This emp'ror hath no fon, and now is old,
Old and lascivious, and from Rome retir'd
To Capreæ an ifland fmall but strong
Ꭰ

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On the Campanian fhore, with purpose there
His horrid lufts in private to enjoy,
Committing to a wicked favorite

All public cares, and yet of him fufpicious,
Hated of all, and hating; with what ease,
Indued with regal virtues as thou art,
Appearing, and beginning noble deeds,
Might' thou expel this monster from his throne
Now made a ftye, and in his place ascending
A victor people free from servile yoke?
And with my help thou may'ft; to me the power
Is giv'n, and by that right I give it thee.
Aim therefore at no less than all the world,
Aim at the high'ft, without the high'st attain'd
Will be for thee no fitting, or not long,
On David's throne, be prophecy'd what will.

To whom the Son of God unmov'd reply'd.
Nor doth this grandeur and majestic show
Of luxury, though call'd magnificence,
More than of arms before, allure mine eye,

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Much less my mind; though thou should'st add to tell Their fumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous feasts

On citron tables or Atlantic stone,

(For I have also hear'd, perhaps have read)
Their wines of Setia, Cales, and Falerne,
Chios, and Crete, and how they quaff in gold,
Crystal and myrrhine cups imbofs with gems
And ftuds of pearl, to me should'st tell who thirst
And hunger ftill: then embaffies thou show'ft
From nations far and nigh; what honour that,
But tedious wafte of time to fit and hear
So many hollow compliments and lies,
Outlandish flatteries? then proceed'ft to talk

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