And with my help thou may'ft; to me the Is giv'n, and by that right I give it thee. Aim therefore at no less than all the world, Aim at the high'eft, without the high'est 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 majestic show Of luxury, though call'd magnificence, More than of arms before, allure mine eye, Much less my mind; though thou should'ft add to tell Their fumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous feasts On citron tables or Atlantic stone,
(For I have also heard, perhaps have read) Their wines of Setia, Cales, and Falerne, Chios, and Crete, and how they quaff in gold, Crystal and myrrhine cups imbofs'd with gems And ftuds of pearl, to me should'ft tell who thirft 120 And hunger ftill: then embassies thou show'st From nations far and nigh; what honor that, But tedious waste of time to fit and hear So many hollow compliments and lies, Outlandish flatteries? then proceed'ft to talk 125 Of th' emperor, how easily subdued,
How gloriously; I fhall, thou fay'st, expel
A brutish monster: what if I withal
Expel a Devil who first made him fuch?
Let his tormenter confcience find him out;
For him I was not fent, nor yet to free That people victor once, now vile and base, Deservedly made vaffal, who once juft,
Frugal, and mild, and temp'rate, conquer'd well, But govern ill the nations under yoke, Peeling their provinces, exhausted all By luft and rapin; first ambitious grown Of triumph, that infulting vanity;
Then cruel, by their sports to blood inur'd Of fighting beafts, and men to beafts expos'd, 140 Luxurious by their wealth, and greedier still, And from the daily scene effeminate.
What wife and valiant man would seek to free These thus degenerate, by themselves inslav'd, Or could of inward flaves make outward free? 145 Know therefore when my season comes to fit On David's throne, it fhall be like a tree Spreading and overshadowing all the earth, Or as a stone that shall to pieces dash
All monarchies befides throughout the world, 150 And of my kingdom there fhall be no end: Means there fhall be to this, but what the means, Is not for thee to know, nor me to tell.
To whom the Tempter impudent reply'd. I fee all offers made by me how flight Thou valuest, because offer'd, and reject'st: Nothing will please the difficult and nice, Or nothing more than ftill to contradict:
On th' other fide know alfo thou, that I On what I offer fet as high esteem, Nor what I part with mean to give for nought; All these which in a moment thou behold'ft, The kingdoms of the world to thee I give; For giv'n to me, I give to whom I please, No trifle; yet with this reserve, not else, On this condition, if thou wilt fall down, And worship me as thy fuperior lord, Easily done, and hold them all of me; For what can less so great a gift deserve?
Whom thus our Saviouranfwer'd with difdain. 170
I never lik'd thy talk, thy offers less,
Now both abhor, since thou haft dar'd to utter Th' abominable terms, impious condition; But I indure the time, till which expir'd, Thou haft permission on me. It is written The first of all commandments, Thou shalt worship The Lord thy God, and only him fhalt ferve; And dar'ft thou to the Son of God propound To worship thee accurs'd, now more accurs'd For this attempt bolder than that on Eve, And more blafphemous? which expect to rue. The kingdoms of the world to thee were given, Permitted rather, and by thee ufurp'd; Other donation none thou canst produce:
If giv'n, by whom but by the King of kings, 185 God over all fupreme? if giv'n to thee,
By thee how fairly is the giver now
Repaid? But gratitude in thee is loft
Wert thou fo void of fear or fhame,
As offer them to me the Son of God,
To me my own, on such abhorred pact, That I fall down and worship thee as God? Get thee behind me; plain thou now appear'st That evil one, Satan for ever damn'd.
Towhom the Fiend with fear abash'd reply'd. 195 Be not fo fore offended, Son of God,
Though fons of God both Angels are and Men, If I to try whether in higher fort
Than these thou bear'ft that title, have propos'd What both from Men and Angels I receive, Tetrarchs of fire, air, flood, and on the earth Nations befides from all the quarter'd winds, God of this world invok'd and world beneath; Who then thou art,, whose coming is foretold To me fo fatal, me it most concerns. The trial hath indamag'd thee no way, Rather more honor left and more efteem; Me nought advantag'd, missing what I aim'd. Therefore let pass, as they are transitory, The kingdoms of this world; I shall no more Advise thee; gain them as thou canft, or not. And thou thyself seem'ft otherwise inclin'd Than to a worldly crown, addicted more To contemplation and profound dispute,
As by that early action may be judg'd, When flipping from thy mother's eye thou went'st Alone into the temple; there wast found Among the gravest Rabbies disputant
On points and questions fitting Mofes chair, Teaching not taught; the childhood shows the man, As morning shows the day. Be famous then 220 By wisdom; as thy empire must extend,
So let extend thy mind o'er all the world In knowledge, all things in it comprehend: All knowledge is not couch'd in Mofes Law, 225 The Pentateuch, or what the Prophets wrote; The Gentiles also know, and write, and teach To admiration, led by nature's light; And with the Gentiles much thou must converse, Ruling them by persuasion as thou mean'st; Without their learning how wilt thou with them, Or they with thee hold conversation meet? How wilt thou reason with them, how refute Their idolisms, traditions, paradoxes?
Error by his own arms is best evinc'd.
Look once more ere we leave this specular mount Weftward, much nearer by fouthwest, behold Where on the AEgean shore a city stands Built nobly, pure the air, and light the foil, Athens the eye of Greece, mother of arts And eloquence, native to famous wits Or hospitable, in her sweet recess, K 2
« PreviousContinue » |