Page images
PDF
EPUB

Fanatic Egypt, and her priests, to feek

Their wand'ring gods difguis'd in brutish forms,
Rather than human. Nor did Ifrael 'fcape

17

480

485

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,
Likening his Maker, to the grazed ox,
Jehovah; who, in one night, when he pafs'd
From Egypt marching, equall'd with one stroke
Both her firft-born and all her bleating gods.
Belial came last, than whom a spi'rit more lewd 490
Fell not from heaven, or more grofs to love
Vice for itself: to him no temple stood
Or altar fmok'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
With luft and violence the houfe of God?
In courts and palaces he also reigns,
And in luxurious cities, where the noise

[ocr errors]

Of ri'ot afcends above their loftiest towers,
And injury and outrage: and when night
Darkens the streets, then wander forth the fons
Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine.
Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night
In Gibeah, when the hofpitable door
Expos'd a matron to avoid worse rape.

495

500

505

Thefe were the prime in order and in might; The reft were long to tell, though far renown'd, Th' Ionian gods, of Javan's iffue held Gods, yet confefs'd later than Heav'n and Earth, Their boasted parents: Titan, Heav'n's firft-born, 510 With his enormous brood, and birthright seiz'd By younger Saturn; he from mightier Jove, His own and Rhea's fon, like measure found; So Jove ufurping reign'd: Thefe firft in Crete

And Ida known; thence on the fnowy top
Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle air,

Their highest heav'n; or 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' Hefperian fields,
And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmost ifles.

515

520

All these and more came flocking; but with looks
Down-caft and damp, yet fuch wherein appear'd
Obfcure fome glimpse of joy, to'have found their chief
Not in defpair, to have found themselves not loft 525
In lofs itfelf; which on his count'nance caft
Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride
Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore
Semblance of worth, not fubftance, gently rais'd
Their fainting courage, and difpell'd their fears. 530
Then ftrait commands that at the warlike found
Of trumpets loud and clarions be uprear'd

His mighty standard: that proud honour claim'd
Azazel as his right, a Cherub tall;

Who forthwith from the glittering ftaff unfurl'd 535
Th' imperial enfign, which, full high advanc'd,
Shone like a meteor ftreaming to the wind,
With gems and golden luftre rich imblaz'd,
Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while
Sonorous metal blowing martial founds:
At which the univerfal hoft up fent

A fhout, that tore Hell's concave, and beyond
Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night.
All in a moment through the gloom were feen
Ten thousand banners rife into the air
With orient colours waving: with them rofe
A foreft huge of fpears; and thronging helms
Appear'd, and ferried shields in thick array,
Of depth unmeafurable: anon they move

540

545

In perfect phalanx, to the Dorian mood

Of flutes, and foft recorders; fuch as rais'd
To height of nobleft temper heroes old

[ocr errors][merged small]

555

Arming to battle; and instead of rage,
Deliberate valour breath'd, firm and unmov'd
With dread of death to flight or foul retreat ;
Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage,
With folemn touches, troubled thoughts, and chafe
Anguish, and doubt, and fear, and forr'ow, and pain
From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they
Breathing united force, with fixed thought
Mov'd on in filence to foft pipes, that charm'd
Their painful fteps o'er the burnt foil and now
Advanc'd in view, they ftand, a horrid front

560

Of dreadful length and dazzling arms, in guife
Of warriors old with order'd spear and shield, 565.
Awaiting what command their mighty chief
Had to impofe. He through the armed files
Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverse
The whole battalion views, their order due,
Their vifages and ftature as of gods;

Their number laft he fums. And now his heart
Diftends with pride, and hard'ning in his ftrength
Glories: for never fince created man,
Met fuch embodied force, as nam'd with these
Could merit more than that small infrantry
Warr'd on by cranes; though all the giant brood
Of Phlegra with th' heroic race were join'd
That fought at Thebes and Ilium, on each fide
Mix'd with auxiliar gods; and what refounds-
In fable or romance of Uther's fon
Begirt with Britifh and Armoric knights;
And all who fince, baptiz'd or infidel,
Joufted in Afpramont, or Montalban,
Damafco, Marocco, or Trebifond;

570

575

588

[ocr errors]

Or whom Biferta fent from Afric shore,
When Charlemagne with all his peerage fell
By Fontarabbia. Thus far these beyond
Compare of mortal prowefs, yet obferv'd
Their dread commander: he, above the reft
In fhape and gefture proudly eminent,
Stood like a tow'r; his form had yet not loft
All her original brightnefs, nor appear'd
Lefs than archangel ruin'd, and th' excefs
Of glory' obfcur'd: as when the fun new rifen
Looks through the horizontal mifty air
Shorn of his beams; or from behind the moon,
In dim eclipfe, difaftrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs. Darken'd fo, yet fhone
Above them all th' archangel: but his face
Deep fears of thunder had entrench'd, and care
Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows
Of dauntless courage, and confiderate pride
Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but cast
Signs of remorfe and paflion to behold

The fellows of his crime, the followers rather,

(Far other once beheld in blifs), condemn'd

585

590

595

600

605

610

For ever now to have their lot in pain;
Millions of fpirits for his fault amerc'd
Of heav'n, and from eternal fplendours flung
For his revolt; yet faithful how they stood,
Their glory wither'd: as when heaven's fire
Hath feath'd the foreft-oaks, or mountain-pines,
With finged top their stately growth, tho' bare
Stands on the blafted heath. He now prepar'd 615
To speak; whereat their doubled ranks they bend
From wing to wing, and half inclose him round
With all his peers: attention held them mute.
Thrice he effay'd, and thrice, in spite of scorn,
Tears, fuch as angels weep, burft forth: At laft

620

Words interwove with fighs found out their way.
O myriads of immortal fpi'rits, O powers
Matchlefs, but with th' Almighty; and that strife
Was not inglorious, tho' th' event was dire,
As this place teftifies,, and this dire change,
Hateful to utter: but what power of mind,
Forefeeing or prefaging, from the depth
Of knowledge past or prefent, could have fear'd,
How fuch united force of gods, how fuch

As food like these, could ever know repulfe?
For who can yet believe, though after lofs,
That all these puiffant legions, whofe exile
Hath emptied heav'n, fhall fail to reafcend,
Self-rais'd, and repoffefs their native feat?
For me be witnefs all the hoft of heaven,
If counfels different, or danger fhunn'd
By me, have loft our hopes. But he who reigns
Monarch in heaven, till then as one fecure

Sat on his throne, upheld by old repute,

Confent or custom, and his regal state

625.

630

6353

640

Put forth at full, but ftill his ftrength conceal'd,
Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.
Henceforth his might we know, and know our own;
So as not either to provoke, or dread a

New war, provok'd; our better part remains, 645 3
To work in clofe defign, by fraud or guile,
What force effected not: that he no less

At length from us may find, who overcomes
By force, hath overcome but half his foe.

Space may produce new worlds; whereof fo rife 650
There went a fame in heaven, that he ere long
Intended to create, and therein plant

A generation, whom his choice regard
Should favour equal to the fons of heaven:
Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps
Our firft eruption, thither or elsewhere:

655

« PreviousContinue »