Another method I must now begin,
So faying he caught him up, and without wing Of Hippogrif bore through the Air fublime
Over the Wilderness and o'er the Plain,
Till underneath them fair Jerufalem,
The holy City lifted high her Tow'rs,'
And higher yet the glorious Temple rear'd
Her pile, far off appearing like a Mount
Of Alabaster, top'd with Golden Spires:
There on the highest Pinnacle he set
The Son of God; and added thus in fcorn:
There ftand, if thou wilt ftand; to ftand upright. Will ask thee skill; I to thy Father's house
Have brought thee, and highest plac'd, highest is best,
Now fhew thy Progeny, if not to stand,
Cast thy felf down; fafely if Son of God;
For it is written, He will give command
Concerning thee to his Angels, in their hands
They fhall up lift thee, left at any time
Thou chance to dash thy foot against a stone.
To whom thus Jefus: Alfo it is written,
Tempt not the Lord thy God; he said and stood.
But Satan fmitten with amazement fell
is when Earth's Son Antaus (to compare
Small things with greatest) in Irassa strove
With Jove's Alcides, and oft foil'd still rofe,
Receiving from his mother Earth new strength,
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 stood to fee his Victor fall.
And as that Theban Monster that propos'd
Her riddle, and him, who folv'd it not, devour'd,
That once found out and folv'd, for grief and spight
Caft her felf headlong from th' Ifmenian steep,
So ftrook with dread and anguish fell the Fiend,
And to his crew, that fat confulting, brought
Joyless Triumphals of his hop'd fuccefs,
Ruin, and defperation, and difmay,
Who durft so proudly tempt the Son of God.
So Satan fell, and strait a fiery Globe
Of Angels on full fail of wing flew nigh,
Who on their plumy Vans receiv'd him soft
From his uneafie ftation, and upbore
As on a floating couch through the blithe Air,
Then in a flow'ry valley fet him down
On a green bank, and fet before him fpred
A table of Celestial Food, Divine,
Ambrofial fruits, fetcht from the Tree of Life,
And from the fount of Life Ambrofial drink,
That soon refresh'd him weary'd, and repair'd
What hunger, if aught hunger had impair'd,
Or thirst, 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 blifs, and light of light
Conceiving, or remote from Heav'n, enshrin'd
In fleshly Tabernacle, and human form,
Wand'ring the Wilderness, whatever place,
Habite, or ftate, or motion, ftill expreffing
The Son of God, with God-like force indu'd
Against th' Attempter of thy Father's Throne,
And Thief of Paradife; him long of old
Thou did't debel, and down from Heav'n caft
With all his Army, now thou haft aveng'd
Supplanted Adam, and by vanquishing
Temptation, hath regain'd loft Paradife;
And frustrated the conquest fraudulent :
He never more henceforth will dare fet foot
In Paradife 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 Sons, whom thou
A Saviour art come down to re-instal
Where they shall dwell fecure, when time shall be
Of Tempter and Temptation without fear.
But thou, Infernal Serpent, shalt not long
Rule in the Clouds, like an Autumnal Star
Or Lightning thou fhalt fall from Heav'n trod down
Under his feet: for proof, e'er this thou feel'st
Thy wound, yet not thy last and deadliest 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 aw
To dread the Son of God: he all unarm'd
Shall chase 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 Swine,
Left he command them down into the deep
Bound, and to torment sent before their time.
Hail Son of the most High, heir of both Worlds Queller of Satan, on thy glorious work
Now enter, and begin to fave mankind.
Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek Sung Victor, and from Heav'nly Feast refresht Brought on his way with joy; he unobferv'd Home to his Mother's house private return'd,
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