Bow'd down in battel, funk before the fpear
Of defpicable foes. With these in troop
Came Aftoreth, whom the Phœnicians call'd
Aftarte, Queen of Heav'n, with crefcent horns,
To whose bright image nightly by the moon
Sidonian virgins paid their vows and fongs,
In Sion alfo not unfung, where stood
Her temple on th' offenfive mountain, built
By that uxorious king, whose heart, though large,
Beguil'd by fair idolatresses, fell
To idols foul. Thammuz came next behind,
Whose annual wound in Lebanon allur'd
The Syrian damfels to lament his fate
In amorous ditties all a fummer's day,
While fmooth Adonis from his native rock
Ran purple to the fea, fuppos'd with blood
Of Thammuz yearly wounded: the love tale
Infected Sion's daughters with like heat,
Whose wanton paffions in the facred porch
Ezekiel faw, when by the vision led
His eye furvey'd the dark idolatries
Of alienated Judah. Next came one
Who mourn'd in earneft, when the captive ark
Maim'd his brute image, head and hands lopt off
In his own temple, on the grunsel edge,
Where he fell flat, and sham'd his worshippers:
Dagon his name, fea-monster, upward man
And downward fish: yet had his temple high
Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coaft
Of Palestine, in Gath and Afcalon,
And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds.
Him follow'd Rimmon, whose delightful feat
Was fair Damafcus, on the fertil banks
Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams.
He alfo' agalnft the houfe of God was bold:
A leper once he loft, and gain'd a king,
Ahaz his fottish conqu'ror, whom he drew
God's altar to difparage and difplace
For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn
His odious offerings, and adore the Gods
Whom he had vanquish'd, After these appear'd
A crew who under name of old renown,
Ofiris, Ifis, Orus, and their train,
With monstrous shapes and forceries abus'd
Fanatic Egypt and her priests, to feek
Their wand'ring Gods disguis'd in brutish forms
Rather than human. Nor did Ifrael 'scape
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 pass'd
From Egypt marching, equall'd with one stroke
Both her first-born and all her bleating Gods.
Belial came last, than whom a spirit more lewd 490
Fell not from Heaven, or more gross to love
Viçe for itself: to him no temple stood
Or altar smok'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 lust and violence the house of God?
In courts and palaces he also reigns
And in luxurious cities, where the noise
Of ri'ot afcends above their loftieft towers,
And injury and outrage: And when night
Darkens the ftreets, then wander forth the fons
Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.
Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night
In Gibeah, when the hofpitable door
Expos'd a matron to avoid worse rape
These were the prime in order and in might;
The reft were long to tell, though far renown'd,
Th'Ionian Gods, of Javan's issue held
Gods, yet confefs'd later than Heaven and Earth,
Their boafted parents: Titan Heav'n's first-born, 510
With his enormous brood, and birthright feis'd
By younger Saturn; he from mightier Jove
His own and Rhea's fon like meafure found;
So Jove ufurping reign'd: thefe first in Crete
And Ida known, thence on the snowy top
Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle air,
Their highest Heaven; 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 isles.
All thefe and more came flocking; but with looks
Downcaft 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 substance, gently rais'd
Their fainting courage, and difpell'd their fears. 530
Then strait command 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 glitt'ring staff unfurl'd 535
Th' imperial ensign, which full high advanc'd
Shone like a meteor streaming 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 universal host up fent
A shout that tore Hell's concave, and beyond
Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night.
All in a moment through the gloom wereseen
Ten thousand banners rise into the air
With orient colours waving; with them rose
A foreft huge of spears; and thronging helms
Appear'd, and ferried shields in thick array
Of depth immeafurable: anon they move
In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood
Of flutes and foft recorders; fuch as rais'd
To highth of nobleft temper heroes old
Arming to battel, and instead of rage
Deliberate valor breath'd, firm and unmov'd
With dread of death to flight or foul retreat;
Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and swage
With folemn touches troubled thoughts, and chafe
Anguish and doubt and fear and forrow and pain
From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they
Breathing united force with fixed thought
Mov'd on in filence to soft pipes that charm'd
Their painful steps o'er the burnt foil; and now
Advanc'd in view they stand, a horrid front
Of dreadful length and dazzling arms, in guise
Of warriors old with order'd spear and shield, 565
Awaiting what command their mighty chief
Had to impose: He through the armed files
Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverse
The whole battalion views, their order due,
Their visages and stature as of Gods.
Their number last he fums. And now his heart
Distends with pride, and hard'ning in his strength
Glories: for never fince created man,
Met such imbody'd force, as nam'd with these
Could merit more than that small infantry
Warr'd on by cranes; though all the giant brood
Of Plegra with th' heroic race were join'd
That fought at Thebes and Ilium, on each fide
Mix'd with auxiliar Gods; and what resounds G
In fable or romance of Uther's fon
Begirt with British and Armoric knights;
And all who fince, baptiz'd or infidel,
Jousted in Afpramont or Montalban,
Damafco, or Marrocco, or Trebifond,
Or whom Biferta fent from Afric shore,
When Charlemain with all his peerage fell
By Fontarabbia. Thus far these beyond
Compare of mortal prowess, yet obferv'd
Their dread commander: he above the reft
In shape and gesture proudly eminent
Stood like a tow'r; his form had yet not lost
All her original brightness, nor appear'd
Less than Arch-angel ruin'd, and th' excess
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 eclipse disastrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs. Darken'd fo, yet shone
Above them all th' Arch-Angel: but his face
Deep fcars of thunder had intrench'd, and care
Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows
Of dauntless courage, and confiderate pride
Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but caft
Signs of remorse and paffion to behold
The fellows of his crime, the followers rather
(Far other once beheld in bliss) condemn'd
For ever now to have their lot in pain.
Millions of Spirits for his fault amerc'd
Of Heav'n, and from eternal splendors flung
For his revolt, yet faithful how they stood,
Their glory wither'd: As when Heaven's fire
Hath scath'd the foreft oaks, or mountain pines,
With finged top their stately growth though bare
Stands on blafted heath. He now prepar'd
|