There ftand, if thou wilt ftand; to ftand upright Will afk thee skill; I to thy Father's houfe Have brought thee', and higheft plac'd, higheft is beft, Now show thy progeny; if not to ftand, Caft thyself down; fafely, if Son of God: For it is written, He will give command Concerning thee to his Angels, in their hands They shall up lift thee, left at any time Thou chance to dafh thy foot against a stone.
To whom thus Jefus; Alfo it is written, Tempt not the Lord thy God: he faid and flood: But Satan fmitten with amazement fell.
As when earth's fon Antæus (to compare
Small things with greateft) in Iraffa ftrove
With Jove's Alcides, and oft foil'd still rofe, 565
Receiving from his mother earth new ftrength,
Fresh from his fall, and fiercer grapple join'd,
Throttled at length in th' air, expir'd and fell;
So after many a foil the Tempter proud,
Renewing fresh affaults, amidst his pride
Fell whence he flood to fee his victor fall.
And as that Theban monfter that propos'd
Her riddle', and him, who folv'd it not, devour'd,
That once found out and folv'd, for grief and spite
Caft herfelf headlong from th' Ifmenian steep; 575
So ftruck with dread and anguifh fell the Fiend,
And to his crew, that fat confulting, brought
Joyless triumphals of his hop'd fuccefs,
Ruin, and desperation, and dismay,
Who durft so proudly tempt the Son of God. 580 So Satan fell; and ftrait a fiery globe
Of Angels on full fail of wing flew nigh,
Who on their plumy vans receiv'd him foft
From his uneasy station, and upbore
As on a floating couch through the blithe air, 585
Then in a flow'ry valley set him down
On a green bank, and set before him spread
A table of celeftial food, divine,
Ambrofial fruits, fetch'd from the tree of life,
And from the fount of life ambrofial drink,
That foon refresh'd him wearied, and repair'd
What hunger, if ought hunger had impair'd,
Or thirft; and as he fed, angelic quires
Sung heav'nly anthems of his victory
Over temptation, and the Tempter proud.
True Image of the Father, whether thron'd In the bofom of bliss, and light of light Conceiving, or remote from Heav'n, infhrin'd In fleshly tabernacle, and human form, Wand'ring the wilderness, whatever place, Habit, or flate, or motion, ftill expreffing The Son of God, with God-like force indued Against th' attempter of thy Father's throne, And thief of Paradise; him long of old Thou didst debel, and down from Heaven caft 605 With all his army, now thou hast aveng'd
Supplanted Adam, and by vanquishing
Temptation, haft regain'd loft Paradise;
And fruftrated the conqueft fraudulent:
He never more henceforth will dare fet foot 610
In Paradise to tempt; his fnares are broke:
For though that feat of earthly blifs be fail'd,
A fairer Paradife is founded now
For Adam and his chofen fons, whom thou
A Saviour art come down to re-install
Where they shall dwell fecure, when time shall be,
Of Tempter and temptation without fear.
But thou, infernal Serpent, fhalt not long
Rule in the clouds; like an autumnal ftar
Or lightning thou fhalt fall from Heav'n, trod down
Under his feet: for proof, ere this thou feel'ft 621
Thy wound, yet not thy laft and deadlieft wound,
By this repulfe receiv'd, and hold'st in Hell
No triumph; in all her gates Abaddon rues
Thy bold attempt; hereafter learn with awe 626
To dread the Son of God: he all unarm'd
Shall chace thee with the terror of his voice
From thy demoniac holds, poffeffion foul,
Thee and thy legions; yelling they shall fly,
And beg to hide them in a herd of fwine,
Left he command them down into the deep
Bound, and to torment fent before their time.
Hail Son of the moft High, heir of both worlds,
Queller of Satan, on thy glorious work
Now enter and begin to fave mankind. 635
Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek Sung victor, and from heav'nly feast refresh'd Brought on his way with joy; he unobferv'd Home to his mother's house private return'd.
Ariftot. Poet. Cap. 6.
Tragadia mimefis praxeos Spondaias, &c.
Tragoedia eft imitatio actionis feriæ, &c. per mifericordiam et metum perficiens talium affectuum luftrati
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