Houfes of Gods (fo well I have difpos'd
My airy microfcope) thou may'ft behold
Outfide and infide both, pillars and roofs
Carv'd work, the hand of fam'd Artificers.
In cedar, marble, ivory or Gold.
Thence to the gates caft round thine eye, and fee
What conflux iffuing forth, or entring in,
Pretors, Proconfuls to their Provinces
Hafting or on return, in robes of ftate;
Lictors and rods the enfigns of their pow'r,
Legions and cohorts, turmes of hotfe and wings:
Or Embaflies from Regions far remote
In various habits on the Appian road,
Or on th' Emilian, fome from fartheft fouth,
Syene, and where the fhadow both way falis,
Meroe Nilotic lile, and more to weft,
The Realm of Bocchus to the Black-moor fea;
From th' Afian Kings and Parthian among thefe,
From india and the golden Cherfoness,
And utmost Indian Iland Taprobane,
Dusk faces with white filken turbants wreath'd:
From Gallia, Gades, and the Brittish west,
Germans and Scythians, and Sarmatians north
Beyond Danubius to the Tauric pool.
All Nations now to Rome obedience pay,
To Rome's great Emperor, whofe wide domain
In ample territory, wealth and pow'r,
Civility of manuers, arts, and arms,
And long renown thou jully may'st prefer
Before the Parthian; thefe two Thrones except, 85
The reft are barb'rous, and fearce worth the fight,
Shar'd among petty Kings too far remov'd;
Thefe having fhewn thee, I have fhewn thee all
The Kingdoms of the world, and all their glory.
This Emp'ror hath no Son, and now is old,
Old and lafcivious, and from Rome retir'd
To Caprea, an Island fmall but strong
On the Campanian fhore, with purpose there
His horrid lufts in private to enjoy;
Committing to a wicked Favourite
All publick cares, and yet of him fufpicious,
Hated of all, and hating; with what cafe
Indu'd with regal virtues as thou art,
Appearing and beginning noble deeds,
Mightft thou expel this Monster from his throne 100
Now made a flye, and in his place afcending
A victor; people free from fervile yoke?
And with my help thou may'ft; to me the pow'r
Is giv'n, and by that right I give it thee.
Aim therefore at no less than all the world,
Aim at the higheft, without the highest attain'd
Will be for thee no fitting, or not long
On David's throne, be prophecy'd what will.
To whom the Son of God unmov'd reply'd.
Nor doth this grandeur and majestick show
Of luxury, though call'd magnificence,
More than of Arms before, allure mine eye,
Much lefs my mind; though thou shouldít add to tell
Their fumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous feasts
On Cittron tables or Atlantic ftone,
(For I have alfo heard, perhaps have read)
Their wines of Setia, Cales, and Falerne,
Chios and Creet, and how they quaff in Gold,
Cryftal and Myrrhine cups imhos'd with Gems
And ftuds of Pearl, to me fhou'dft tell who thirst 120
And hunger ftill: then Embaffies thou fhew'ft
From Nations far and nigh; what honour that;
But tedious wafte of time to fit and hear
So many hollow compliments and lies,
Outlandish flatteries? then proceed'ft to talk
Of th' Emperor, how eafily fubdu'd,
How gloriously; I fhall, thou fay'ft, expel,
A brutish monfter: what if I withal
Expel a Devil who firft made him fuch?
Let his tormenter Confcience find him out,
For him I was not fent, nor yet to free
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