Milton's Paradise lost and Paradise regained, with notes by J. Edmondston

"Great cities by assault: what do these worthies,
"But rob, and spoil, burn, slaughter, and enslave
"Peaceable nations, neighbouring or remote,—
"Made captive, yet deserving freedom more
“Than those their conquerors, who leave behind
"Nothing but ruin1 wheresoe'er they rove,
"And all the flourishing works of peace destroy;
“Then swell with pride, and must be titled Gods,
"Great benefactors of mankind, deliverers,
"Worshipped with temple, priest, and sacrifice?3
"One is the son of Jove, of Mars the other;

"Till conqueror Death discover them scarce men,
"Rolling in brutish vices, and deformed,—
"Violent or shameful death their due reward.
"But if there be in glory aught of good,

"It may by means far different be attained, "Without ambition, war, or violence ;

By deeds of peace, by wisdom eminent, "By patience, temperance :-I mention still

"Him, whom thy wrongs, with saintly patience borne, "Made famous in a land and times obscure: "Who names not now with honour patient Job? "Poor Socrates,5 (who next more memorable?)

By what he taught, and suffered for so doing,

1 Who leave behind nothing but ruin.-Compare Joel ii. 3.

2 Must be titled gods, &c.-Thus the second Antiochus, king of Syria, was styled Theus, or the God; and a coin of Antiochus Epiphanes (the Illustrious) is mentioned as bearing the same title. Demetrius Poliorcetes, and his father Antigonus, received from the Athenians the titles of Benefactors, and Deliverers. The title of Deliverer was also given to the first Antiochus, and the first Ptolemy, king of Egypt. Two of the Ptolemies assumed the title of Benefactor.

3 Worshipped with temple, priest, and sacrifice?-As Caligula, emperor of Rome, who built a temple to himself, and appointed priests to officiate in his worship.

One is the son of Jove,-Alexander, who wished to be esteemed the son of Jupiter Ammon, see Paradise Lost, b. ix. 1. 508-9, note. Of Mars the other, Romulus, the founder of Rome.

5 Poor Socrates, &c.,-one of the most renowned of the heathen philosophers, who excelled all the rest in true wisdom and true fortitude. He was accused of despising the tutelary deities of the state, and condemned to die by poison.

"For truth's sake suffering death unjust,-lives now

Equal in fame to proudest conquerors. "Yet if for fame and glory aught be done, "Aught suffered; if young African1 for fame "His wasted country freed from Punic rage;

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"The deed becomes unpraised, the man at least,-
"And loses, though but verbal, his reward.
"Shall I seek glory then, as vain men seek,
"Oft not deserved?-I seek not mine, but his
"Who sent me ;2 and thereby witness whence I am."
To whom the Tempter murmuring thus replied:
"Think not so slight of glory; therein least
"Resembling thy great Father: he seeks glory,
"And for his glory all things made, all things
"Orders and governs; not content in Heaven,
"By all his angels glorified, requires

"Glory from men, from all men, good or bad,
"Wise or unwise, no difference, no exemption:
"Above all sacrifice or hallowed gift,

Glory he requires, and glory he receives, "Promiscuous from all nations, Jew or Greek, "Or barbarous, nor exception hath declared: "From us, his foes pronounced, glory he exacts." To whom our Saviour fervently replied:3 "And reason; since his Word all things produced, "Though chiefly-not for glory as prime end,"But to show forth his goodness, and impart "His good communicable to every soul "Freely; of whom what could he less expect "Than glory and benediction, that is, thanks?— "The slightest, easiest, readiest recompense

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1 Young African,-Scipio Africanus, mentioned before at 1. 34.

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2 I seek not mine, but his who sent me.-Compare John viii. 49, 50; vii.

3 To whom our Saviour fervently replied.-The art with which the introductory lines to our Saviour's frequent speeches indicate the sentiments they breathe is remarkable.

↑ The slightest, easiest, readiest recompense.-Compare Paradise Lost, b. iv. L. 46.

"From them who could return him nothing else;

"And, not returning that, would likeliest render
"Contempt instead, dishonour, obloquy—
"Hard recompense, unsuitable return

"For so much good, so much beneficence!

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"But why should man seek glory, who of his own
"Hath nothing, and to whom nothing belongs,
"But condemnation, ignominy, and shame?—
"Who, for so many benefits received,
"Turned recreant1 to God, ingrate and false,
"And so of all true good himself despoiled:
"Yet, sacrilegious, to himself would take
"That which to God alone of right belongs :
"Yet so much bounty is in God, such grace,
"That who advance his glory, not their own,
"Them he himself to glory will advance."

So spake the Son of God: and here again
Satan had not to answer, but stood struck
With guilt of his own sin; for he himself,
Insatiable of glory, had lost all :
Yet of another plea bethought him soon.

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"Of glory, as thou wilt," said he, "so deem; "Worth or not worth the seeking, let it pass. "But to a kingdom thou art born-ordained "To sit upon thy father David's throne,

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By mother's side thy father; though thy right "Be now in powerful hands, that will not part

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Easily from possession won with arms:

"Judea now and all the Promised Land,

"Reduced a province under Roman yoke,

Obeys Tiberius; nor is always ruled

"With temperate sway:3 oft have they violated

1 Recreant," apostate, denying the faith."

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2 Them he himself to glory will advance.-Compare 1 Samuel ii. 30. 3 Nor is always ruled with temperate sway:-Pontius Pilate, Roman procurator of Judea at this time, is noted in history as a most corrupt and flagitious governor. His tyrannical conduct excited an insurrection at Jerusalem, and commotions in Samaria, which were not put down without loss of life. Oft have they violated the temple,-as Pompey, who with

"The temple, oft the law, with foul affronts,

"Abominations rather, as did once

"Antiochus: and thinkst thou to regain

Thy right, by sitting still, or thus retiring? "So did not Maccabéus: he indeed "Retired into the desert, but with arms; "And o'er a mighty king so oft prevailed,

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"That by strong hand his family obtained,

“Though priests, the crown, and David's throne usurped,

"With Modin and her suburbs once content.

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"If kingdom move thee not,2 let move thee zeal
"And duty; zeal and duty are not slow,
"But on Occasion's forelock3 watchful wait:
"They themselves rather are occasion best ;-
"Zeal of thy Father's house, duty to free
"Thy country from her Heathen servitude.
"So shalt thou best fulfil, best verify

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"The prophets old, who sung thy endless reign ;---

"The happier reign, the sooner it begins:

"Reign then; what canst thou better do the while?" 180

To whom our Saviour answer thus returned:

"All things are best fulfilled in their due time;

" And "Time there is for all things,'5 Truth hath said. "If of my reign Prophetic Writ hath told, "That it shall never end; so, when begin,

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several of his officers entered not only into the holy place, but the holy of holies, which the high-priest only was permitted to do. The temple had formerly been profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes, see 2 Maccab. chap. v.

1 Maccabéus,-Judas Maccabéus, son of Mattathias, a priest who dwelt at Modin, in the tribe of Dan. He succeeded his father, as leader of the people, during the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes; gave numberless proofs of his valour, and of his zeal for God's law, and at last fell nobly in battle while opposing the Syrian army under Bacchides.

2 If kingdom move thee not,-a kingdom, the article omitted as in Latin. Let move thee zeal,- a Latin arrangement of the words.

3 Occasion's forelock,—Occasion, Opportunity, or Time, was personified as a goddess with a profusion of hair on the forehead, but bald behind; hence the common proverb, "Take time by the forelock."

4 Zeal of thy Father's house,-Compare Psalm lxix. 9; and John ii. 17. 5 Time there is for all things,-Eccles. iii. 1. Things adverse,-the Latin phrase for "adversity."

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"The Father in his purpose hath decreed ;—
"He, in whose hand all times and seasons roll.
"What if he hath decreed that I shall first
"Be tried in humble state, and things adverse,
"By tribulations, injuries, insults,

"Contempts, and scorns, and snares, and violence,—

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Suffering, abstaining, quietly expecting,

"Without distrust or doubt, that he may know

"What I can suffer, how obey? Who best
"Can suffer, best can do; best reign, who first
"Well hath obeyed;1-just trial, ere I merit
"My exaltation without change or end.
"But what concerns it thee when I begin
"My everlasting kingdom? Why art thou
"Solicitous? What moves thy inquisition?
"Knowst thou not that my rising is thy fall,
"And my promotion will be thy destruction?"

To whom the Tempter, inly racked, replied:
"Let that come when it comes; all hope is lost
"Of my reception into grace: what worse?
"For where no hope is left, is left no fear:2
"If there be worse, the expectation more,
"Of worse, torments me than the feeling can.
"I would be at the worst: worst is my port,
"My harbour, and my ultimate repose-
"The end I would attain-my final good!
"My error was my error, and my crime