Legions and cohorts, turms of horfe and wings: Or emballes from regions far remote," Meroe Nilotic ile, and more to west, 70 The realm of Bocchus to the Black - moor fea; From th' Afian kings and Parthian among thefe, From India and the golden Cherfonese, 75 Dusk faces with white filken turbants wreath'd; In ample territory, wealth and power, Civility of manners, arts and arms, 80 And long renown, thou justly may'st prefer Before the Parthian; these two thrones ex cept, 85 The reft are barb'rous, and scarce worth the fight, Shar'd among petty kings too far remov'd; These having shown thee, I have shown thee all The kingdoms of the world, and all their glory. This emp'ror hat no fon, and now is old, go Old and lafcivious, and from Rome retir'd To Capreae, an iland small but strong On the Campanian fhore, with purpose there His horrid lufts in private to enjoy, Committing to a wicked favorite 95 All public cares, and yet of him fufpicious, Hated of all, and hating; with what ease, Indued with regal virtues as thou art, Appearing, and beginning noble deeds, Might'ft thou expell this monster from his Now made a ftye, and in his place afcending power Is giv'n, and by that right I give it thee. Will be for thee no fitting, or not long, Nor doth this grandeur and majestic show Much less my mind; though thou should'st add to tell Their fumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous feafts On citron tables or Atlantic ftone 115 (For I have also heard, perhaps have read) Their wines of Setia, Cales, and Falerne, Chios and Crete, and how they quaff in And ftuds of pearl, to me fhould'ft tell who And hunger ftill: then emballies thou showst 125 Of th' emperor, how easily fubdued, { But govern ill the nations under yoke, 135 Of fighting beafts, and men to beasts ex pos'd, 140 Luxurious by their wealth, and greedier still, And from the daily fcene effeminate. What wife and valiant man would seek to free These thus degenerate, by themselves inflav'd, Or could of inward flaves make outward free? 145. Know therefore, when my seafon' comes to fit On David's throne, it shall be like a tree Spreading and overshadowing all the earth, Or as a stone, that fhall to pieces dash; All monarchies befides throughout the world, 150, 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 fight 155 Thou valueft, because offer'd, and reject'ft: Nothing will pleafe the difficult and nice, Or nothing more than ftill to contradict: On th' other fide know also thou, that I 160 On what I offer fet as high efteem, difdain. I never lik'd thy talk, thy offers lefs, 1701 Now both abhor, fince thou haft dar'd to utter The Lord thy God, and only him fhalt ferve; 185 |