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Have found him, view'd him, tasted him, but find
Far other labor to be undergone

Than when I dealt with Adam first of Men,

Though Adam by his wife's allurement fell,
However to this man inferior far,

If he be man by mother's fide at least,

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With more than human gifts from Heav'n adorn'd,
Perfections abfolute, graces divine,

And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds.
Therefore I am return'd, left confidence
Of my fuccefs with Eve in Paradise
Deceive ye to persuasion over-fure
Of like fucceeding here; I summon all
Rather to be in readiness, with hand
Or counsel to affift; left I who erst

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Thought none my equal, now be over-match'd.

So fpake th' old Serpent doubting, and from all

With clamor was affur'd their utmost aid

At his command; when from amidst them rofe
Belial, the diffoluteft Spi'rit that fell,

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The fenfualleft, and after Afmodai

The fleshlieft Incubus, and thus advis'd.

Set woman in his eye, and in his walk,
Among daughters of men the faireft found;
Many are in each region paffing fair
As the noon sky; more like to Goddesses
Than mortal creatures, graceful and discreet,
Expert in amorous arts, inchanting tongues

Persuasive, virgin majefty with mild

And sweet allay'd, yet terrible t'approach, 160 Skill'd to retire, and in retiring draw

Hearts after them tangled in amorous nets.

Such object hath the pow'r to soft'n and tame
Severest temper, smooth the rugged'st brow,
Enerve, and with voluptuous hope diffolve, 165
Draw out with credulous defire, and lead
At will the manlieft, resolutest breast,
As the magnetic hardest iron draws.

Women, when nothing else, beguil'd the heart
Of wisest Solomon, and made him build,
And made him bow to the Gods of his wives.
To whom quick answer Satan thus return'd.
Belial, in much uneven scale thou weigh'ft
All others by thyfelf; because of old

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Thou thyself doat'dst on womankind, admiring 175
Their shape, their color, and attractive grace,
None are, thou think'st, but taken with such toys.
Before the flood thou with thy lufty crew,
False titled fons of God, roaming the earth
Caft wanton eyes on the daughters of men,
And coupled with them, and begot a race.
Have we not seen, or by relation heard,
In courts and regal chambers how thou lurk’ft,
In wood or grove by moffy fountain fide,
In valley or green meadow, to way-lay
Some beauty rare, Califto, Clymene,
E

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Daphne,

Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,

Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more

Too long, then lay'st thy scapes on names ador'd,
Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan,

Satir, or Faun, or Sylvan? But these haunts
Delight not all; among the fons of men,

How many have with a fmile made fmall account Of beauty and her lures, eafily scorn'd

All her affaults, on worthier things intent?
Remember that Pellean conqueror,

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A youth, how all the beauties of the east

He flightly view'd, and flightly overpass'd;
How he firnam'd of Africa difmifs'd

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In his prime youth the fair Iberian maid.
For Solomon, he liv'd at ease, and full
Of honor, wealth, high fare, aim'd not beyond
Higher design than to enjoy his state;
Thence to the bait of women lay expos'd:
But he whom we attempt is wiser far
Than Solomon, of more exalted mind,
Made and fet wholly on th' accomplishment
Of greatest things; what woman will you find,
Though of this age the wonder and the fame,
On whom his leifure will vouchsafe an eye 210
Of fond defire? or fhould fhe confident,

As fitting queen ador'd on beauty's throne,
Descend with all her winning charms begirt
T'enamour, as the zone of Venus once

Wrought

Wrought that effect on Jove, fo fables tell; 215
How would one look from his majestic brow
Seated as on the top of virtue's hill,
Discount'nance her defpis'd, and put to rout
All her array; her female pride deject,

Or turn to reverent awe? for beauty ftands 220
In th' admiration only of weak minds

Led captive; cease to' admire, and all her plumes Fall flat and fhrink into a trivial toy,

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At every fudden flighting quite abafh'd:.
Therefore with manlier objects we muft try
His conftancy, with fuch as have more show
Of worth, of honor, glory', and popular praise;
Rocks whereon greatest men have ofteft wreck'd;
Or that which only feems to fatisfy
Lawful defires of nature, not beyond;

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And now I know he hungers where no food

Is to be found, in the wide wilderness;

The reft commit to me, I fhall let pafs

No' advantage, and his ftrength as oft affay.

He ceas'd, and heard their grant in loud acclame;

Then forthwith to him takes a chofen band

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Of Spirits likeft to himself in guile

To be at hand, and at his beck appear,

If cause were to unfold fome active scene

Of various perfons, each to know his part; Then to the defert takes with these his flight; Where ftill from fhade to fhade the Son of God

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After forty days fafting had remain'd,

Now hungring firft, and to himself thus faid.

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Where will this end? four times ten days I've pass'd Wand'ring this woody maze, and human food 246 Nor tafted, nor had appetite; that fast To virtue I impute not, or count part Of what I fuffer here; if nature need not, Or God support nature without repast Though needing, what praise is it to indure? But now I feel I hunger, which declares Nature hath need of what she asks; yet God Can fatisfy that need fome other way, Though hunger ftill remain: so it remain Without this body's wafting, I content me, And from the fting of famin fear no harm, Nor mind it, fed with better thoughts that feed Me hungring more to do my Father's will.

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It was the hour of night, when thus the Son 260 Commun'd in filent walk, then laid him down Under the hospitable covert nigh

Of trees thick interwoven; there he flept,
And dream'd, as appetite is wont to dream,
Of meats and drinks, nature's refreshment fweet; 265
Him thought, he by the brook of Cherith stood
And saw the ravens with their horny beaks
Food to Elijah bringing ev'n and morn, (brought:
Though ravenous, taught t'abstain from what they
He saw the prophet alfo how he fled

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