390

And various idols through the Heathen world. 375

Say, Muse, their names then known, who first, who
Rous'd froin the slumber, on that fiery couch, [last,
At their great Emp'ror's call, as next in worth
Came singly where he stood on the bare strand,
While the promiscuous croud food yet aloof.

380
The chief were those who from the pit of hell,
Roaming to seek their prey on earth, durft fix
Their seats long after next the seat of God,
Their altars by his altar, gods ador'd
Among the nations round, and durft abide 385
Jehovah thund'ring out of Sion, thron'd
Between the Cherubim ; yea, often plac'd
Within his fan&uary itself their fhrines,
Abominations; and with cursed things
His holy rites and folemn feasts profan'd,
And with their darkness durft affront his light.
First Moloch, horrid king, besmear'd with blood
Of human sacrifice, and parents tears,
Though for the noise of drums and timbrels loud
Their childrens cries un heard, that pass’d thro' fire
To his grim idol. Him the Ammonite
Worshipp'd in Rabba and her wat'ry plain,
In Argob and in Bafan, to the stream
Of utmost Arnon. Nor content with such
Audacious neighbourhood, the wiselt heart 400
Of Solomon he led by fraud to build
His temple right against the temple' of God
On that opprobrious hill, and made his grove
The pleasant valley' of Hinnom, Tophet thence
And black Gehenna call'd, the type

of hell.

405
Next Chemos, th'obscene dread of Moab's fons,
From Aroar to Nebo, and the wild
Of southmost Abarim ; in Hefebon
And Horonaim, Seon's realm, beyond

The

396

.

410

The flow'ry dale of Sibma, clad with vines,
And Eleälé, to th' Asphaltic pool.
Peor his other name, when he entic'd
Ifrael in Sittim, on their march from Nile,
To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe.
Yet thence his lustful orgies he enlarg’d

415
Ev'n to that hill of scandal, by the grove
Of Moloch homicide ; lust hard by hate ;
Till good Josiah drove them thence to hell.
With these came they, who from the bord'ring flood
Of old Euphrates to the brook that parts 420
Egypt from Syrian ground, had general names
Of Baälim and Ashtaroth; those male,
These feminine. For spirits when they please
Can either sex assume, or both; so soft
and uncompounded is their essence pure; 425
Not tyd or manacled with joint or limb,
Nor founded on the brittle ftrength of bones,
Like cumbrous flesh; but in what shape they chufe
Dilated or condens'd, bright or obscure,
Can execute their aery 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 Aftoreth, whom the Phænicians call’d Aftarte, queen of heav'n, with crescent horns ; To whose bright image nightly by the moon Sidonian virgins paid their vows and songs; In Sion also not unsung, where stood Her temple on th' offenfive mountain, built By that uxorious king, whose heart, tho’large,

Beguil'd

430

440

Beguild by fair idolatresseś, fell

445 To idols foul. Thaminuz came next behind, Whole annual wound in Lebanon allur'd The Syrian damsels, to lament his fate In amorous ditties all a summer's day, While smooth Adonis from his native rock

450 Ran purple to the fea, suppos’d with blood Of Thammuz yearly wounded : the love tale Infected Sion's daughters with like heat, Whose wanton paflions in the sacred porch Ezekiel faw, when, by the vision led

455 His eye furvey'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 shain’d his worshippers : Dagon his name, fea-monster, upward man And downward' th: yet had his temple high Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coast Of Palestine, in Gath and Ascalon,

465 And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds. Him follow'd Rimmon, whose delightful feat Was fair Damascus, on the fertile banks Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams. He also against the houfe of God was bold:

47२ A leper once he loft, 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 offerings, and adore the gods 475 Whom he had vanquish'd. After these appear'd A crew, who, under names of old renown, Osiris, llis, Orus, and their train, With monstrous shapes and forceries abus'd

Fanatic

480

.

Fanatic Egypt, and her priekts, to seek
Their wand'ring gods disguis'd in brutish forms
Rather than human. Nor did Ifrael 'fcape
Th’infection, when their borrow'd gold compos'd
The calf in Oreb; and the rebel king
Doubled that fin in Bethel and in Dan, 455
Likening his Maker, to the grazed ox,
Jehovah; who, in one night, when he pass'd
From Egypt marching, equall'd with one stroke
Both her first-born and all her bleating gods.
Belia! came last, than whom a spi'rit more lewd 490
Fell not from heav'a, or more gross to love
Vice for itself: to him no temple stood
Or altar smok'd; yet who more oft than he
In temples and at altars, when the priest
Turns atheist, as did Eli's fons, who fill'd

495
Witla Just and violence the house of God?
In courts and palaces he also reigns,
And in luxurious cities, where the noise
Of ri'ot ascends above their loftieft towers,
And injury and outrage: and when night Śco
Darkens the streets, then wander forth the fon's
Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine.
Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night
In Gibeah, when the hospitable door
Expos'd a matron to avoid worse rape.

505 These were the prime in order and in might; The rest were long to tell, though far renown'd, Th'Ionian gods, of Javan's issue held Gods, yet confefs’d later than Heav'n and Earth, Their boasted parents: Titan, Heav'n's first-born, 510 With his ecormous brood, and birth-right seiz'd By younger Saturn; he from mightier Jove,

1 His own and Rhea's son, like measure found; So Jove usurping reign'd: These first in Crete

E

And

und Ida known; thence on the snowy top

575 Of cold Olympus rul’d the middle air, Their highelt heav'n ; cr 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,

520 And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmost ifles,

All these and more came flocking; but with looks Down-cast and damp, yet fuch wherein appear'd Obscure some glimpse of joy, to have found their chief Not in despair, to'have found themselves not lut 325 In lofs itfelf; which on his count'nance cast Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore Sen.blance of worth, not substance, gently rais'd Their fainting courage, and dispell’d their fears. 530 Then Irait commands that at the warlike found Of trumpets loud and clarioos be uprear'd His mighty Aandard : that proud honour claim'd Azazel as his right, a cherub tall ; Who forthwith from the glittering Aaff unfurl'd 535 Th’imperial ensign, which, full high advanc'd, Shone like a meteor streaming to the wind, With gems and golden Justre rich imblaz'd,

. Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds:

540 At which the universal hoft up fent A fhout, that core 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 rife into the air

545 With orient colours waving: with them rose A forest huge of spears; and thronging helms Appear'd, and ferried shields in thick array, Of depth unmeasurable: anon they move