On the Tarpeian Rock, her Cittadel
Impregnable, and there Mount Palatine
Th' Imperial Palace, compafs huge, and high
The Structure, skill of noblest Architects,
With gilded battlements, confpicuous far,
Turrets and Terrafes, and glitt'ring Spires.
Many a fair Edifice befides, more like
Houses of Gods (fo well I have difpos'd
My Airy Microscope) thou may'st behold
Outfide and infide both, pillars and roofs
Carv'd work, the hand of fam'd Artificers
In Cedar, Marble, Ivory or Gold.
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 enfigus of their pow'r,
Legions and Cohorts, turmes of horse and wings: Or Embaffies from Regions far remote
In various habits on the Appian road,
Or on th' Emilian, fome from fartheft South, syene, and where the fhadow both way falls, 70 Merae Nilotic Ifle, and more to Weft,
The Realm of Bocchus to the Black-moor Sea;
From th' Afian Kings and Parthian among these, From India and the golden Cherfonefs,
And utmost Indian Isle Taprobane,
Dusk faces with white filken Turbants wreath'd:
From Gallia, Gades, and the Brittish Weft,
Germans and Scythians, and Sarmatians North
Though all to fhivers dash'd, th' affault renew,
Vain batt'sy, and in froth or bubbles end;
So Satan, whom repulfe upon repulfe
Met ever; and to fhameful 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 Southern Sea, and on the North
To equal length back'd with a ridge of hills
That fcreen'd the fruits of th' earth and feats of men
From cold Septentrion blasts, thence in the midst 31
Divided by a river, of whofe banks
On each fide an Imperial City stood,
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 ftrange Parallax or Optick skill
Of vifion multiply'd through Air, or Glafs
Of Telescope, were curious to enquire:
And now the Tempter thus his filence broke.
The City which thou feeft no other deem
Than great and glorious Rome, Queen of the Earth
So far renown'd, and with the spoils enricht
Of Nations; there the Capitol thou feest
Above the reft lifting his ftately head
To whom the Son of God unmov'd reply'd.
Nor doth this grandeur and majestick show
Of luxury, though call'd magnificence,
More than of Arms before, allure mine eye,
Much less my mind; though thou shouldft add to tell
Their fumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous feafts
On Cittron tables or Atlantic stone,
(For I have alfo heard, perhaps have read)
Their wines of Setia, Cales, and Falerne,
Chios and Creet, and how they quaff in Gold,
Crystal and Myrrhine cups imbos'd with Gems
And ftuds of Pearl, to me fhou'dft tell who thirft 120
And hunger ftill: then Embaffies thou fhew'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
Of th' Emperor, how eafily fubdu❜d,
How gloriously; I fhall, thou fay'ft, expel,
A brutish monfter: what if I withal
Expel a Devil who firft made him fuch?
Let his tormenter Confcience find him out,
For him I was not fent, nor yet to free 1
That People victor once, now vile and base,
Defervedly made vassal, who once just,
Frugal, and mild, and temp'rate, conquer'd well,
But govern ill the Nations under yoke,
Peeling their Provinces, exhausted all
But luft and rapine; first ambitious grown
Of triumph, that infulting vanity;.....
Then cruel, by their sports to blood enur'd
Of fighting beafts, and men to beafts expos'd, 140.
Luxurious by their wealth, and greedier ftill,
And from the daily Scene effeminate.
What wife and valiant Man would seek to free
These thus degen'rate, by themselves enflav'd,
Or could of inward slaves make outward free? 145'
Know therefore when my season comes to fit
On David's Throne, it fhall be like a tree,
Spreading and overshad'wing all the Earth,
Or as a ftone that shall to pieces dash
All Monarchies befides throughout the World, Iso
And of my Kingdom there fhall be no end:
Means there fhall be to this, but what the means,
Is not for thee to know, nor me to tell.
To whom the Tempter impudent reply'd:
I fee all offers made by me how flight
Thou valu❜ft, because offer'd, and reject❜ft:
Nothing will please the difficult and nice,
Or nothing more than ftill to contradict:
On th' other fide know alfo thou, that I
On what I offer fet as high esteem,
Nor what I part with mean to give for naught;
All these which in a moment thou behold'st,
The Kingdoms of the World to thee I give ;
For giv'n to me, I give to whom I please.
No trifle; yet with this reserve, not else,
On this condition, if thou wilt fall down,
And worship me as thy fuperior Lord,
Eafily done, and hold them all of me;
For what can lefs fo great a gift deserve?
Whom thus our Saviour answer'd with difdain:
I never lik'd thy talk, thy offers lefs,
Now both abhor, fince thou haft dar'd to utter
Th' abominable terms, impious condition;
But I endure the time, till which expir'd,
Thou haft permission on me. It is written
The firft of all Commandments, Thou shalt worship
The Lord thy God, and only him fhalt ferve;
And dar'ft thou to the Son of God propound
To worship thee accurft, now more accurft
For this attempt, bolder than that on Eve,
And more blasphemous? which expect to rue.
The Kingdoms of the World to thee were giv'n,
Permitted rather, and by thee usurp'd,
Other donation none thou canft produce:
If giv'n, by whom but by the King of Kings, 185
God over all Supreme? if giv'n to thee,
By thee how fairly is the Giver now
Repaid? But gratitude in thee is loft
Long fince. Wert thou fo void of fear or shame,
As offer them to me the Son of God,
To me my own, on fuch abhorred pact,
That I fall down and worship thee as God?
Get thee behind me; plain thou now appear'st
That Evil one, Satan for ever dama'd.
To whom the Fiend with fear abafht reply'd. 195 Be not fo fore offended, Son of God;
Though Sons of God both Angels are and Men, If I to try whether in higher fort
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