And all th' idolatries of Heathen round, Besides their other worse than heath'nish

crimes; Nor in the land of their captivity

420 Humbled themselves, or penitent befought The God of their forefathers; but so dy'd Impenitent, and left a race behind Like to themselves, distinguishable scarce From Gentiles, but by circumcilon vain, 425 And God with idols in their worship join'd. Should I of these the liberty regard, Who freed, as tho their ancient patrimony, Unhumbled, unrepentant, unreform'd, Headlong would follow'; and to their Gods

perhaps

430 Of Bethel and of Dan? no, let them serve Their enemies, who serve idols with God. Yet he at length, time to himself best known, Remembring Abrahain, by some wondrous

call, May bring them back repentant and fin

cere,

435 And at their palling cleave th’ Allyrian 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 fathers

pass'd; To his due time and providence I leave them.440

So spake Israel's true king, and to the

Fiend Made answer meet, that made void all his

wiles. So fares it when with truth fallhood con

tends.

1

BOOK IV.

Perplex'd and troubled at his bad fuccess
The Tempter stood, nor had what to reply,
Discover'd in his fraud, thrown from his

hope
So oft, and the persuasive rhetoric
That fleek'd his tongue, and won so much
Eve,

5
So little here, nay loft; but Eve was Eve,
This far his over-match, who self-deceiv'd
Ånd rash, beforehand had no better weigh'd
The strength he was to cope with, or his

own: But as a man, who had been matchiless held 10 In cunning, over · reach'd where least he

thought, To salve his credit, and for very spite, Still will be tempting him who foils him still, Anp never cease, though to his shame the

more; Or as a swarm of flies in vintage time, 15 About the wine-press, where sweet must is

pour'd,

Beat off, retnrns as oft with humming sound;
Or surging waves against a solid rock,
Though all to shivers dafh'd, th' affault renew,
Vain battry, and in froth or bubbles end; 20
So Satan, whom repulse upon repulse
Met ever, and to shameful filence brought,
Yet gives not o'er though despirate of success,
And his vain importnnity pursues.
He brought our Saviour to the western

side Of that high mountain, whence he might

behold Another plain, long but in breadth not wide, Walh'd by the southern sea, and on the

north To equal length back'd with a ridge of

hills, That screen'd the fruits of th' earth and

seats of men

30 From cold Septentrion blasts, thence in the

midst Divided by a river, of whose banks On each side an imperial city stood, with tow'rs and temples proudly elevate On sev'n small hills, with palaces adorn’d, 35 Porches and theatres, baths, aqueducts, Statues and trophies, and triumphal arcs, Gardens and groves presented to his eyes, Above the highth of mountains interpos’d

By what strange parallax or opic skill 40
Of vision multiply'd through air, or glass
Of telescope, were curious to inquire:
And nou the tempter thus his filence broke.

The city which thou seest no other deem Than great and glorious Rome, queen of the earth

45 So far renown'd, and with the spoils

enrich'd Of nations; there the capitol thou seest Above the rest lifting his stately head On the Tarpeian rock, her citadel Impregnable, and there mount Palatine, 50 Th' imperial palace, compass huge, and high The structure, skill of noblest architects, With gilded battlements, conspicuous far, Turrets and terrases, and glitt'ring spires. Many a fair edifice besides, more like 55 Houses of Gods, (so well I have dispos'd My aery microfcope) thou may'st behold Outside and in fide both, pillars and roofs, Carv'd work, the hand of fam'd artificers In cedar, marble, ivory or gold. Thence to the gates 'cast round thine eye and fee,

60 What conflux illuing forth, or entring in, Pretors, proconsuls to their provinces Hasting, or on return, in robes of state Lictors and rods, the enligns of their pow'r, 65