Of that high mountain, whence he might behold
Another plain, long but in breadth not wide,
Wash'd by the southern sea, and on the north
To equal length back'd with a ridge of hills,
That fcreen'd the fruits of th' earth and feats of men 30
From cold Septentrion blafts, thence in the midft
Divided by a river, of whose banks
On each fide an imperial city stood,
With tow'rs and temples proudly elevate
On fev'n small hills, with palaces adorn'd,
Porches and theatres, baths, aqueducts,
Statues and trophies, and triumphal arcs,
Gardens and groves prefented to his eyes,
Above the highth of mountains interpos'd:
By what strange parallax or optic skill
Of vifion multiply'd through air, or glafs
Of telescope, were curious to inquire
And now the Tempter thus his filence broke.
The city which thou feeft no other deem
Than great and glorious Rome, queen of the earth
So far renown'd, and with the fpoils enrich'd
Of nations; there the capitol thou seest
Above the rest lifting his ftately head
On the Tarpeian rock, her citadel
Impregnable, and there mount Palatine,
Th' imperial palace, compafs huge, and high
The ftructure, skill of nobleft architects,
With gilded battlements, confpicuous far,
Turrets and terrafes, and glitt'ring fpires.
Many a fair edifice befides, more like
Houfes of Gods, (fo well I have difpos'd
My aery 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 state;
Lictors and rods, the enfigns of their pow'r,
Legions and cohorts, turms of horse and wings
Or embaffies from regions far remote
In various habits on the Appian road,
Or on th' Emilian, fome from farthest fouth,
Syene', and where the fhadow both way falls, 70
Meroe Nilotic ile, and more to weft,
The realm of Bocchus to the Black-moor fea;
From th' Asian kings and Parthian among these,
From India and the golden Cherfonefe,
And utmost Indian ile Taprobane,
Duik faces with white filken turbants wreath'd;
From Gallia, Gades, and the British weft,
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 power,
Civility of manners, arts and arms,
And long renown, thou juftly may`st prefer
Before the Parthian; these two thrones except, 85
The reft are barb'rous, and scarce worth the fight,
Shar'd among petty kings too far remov'd;
Thefe having fhown thee, I have shown thee all
The kingdoms of the world, and all their glory.
This emp ror hath no fon, and now is old,
Old and lafcivious, and from Rome retir'd
To Capreæ an iland small but strong
On the Campanian fhore, with purpose there
His horrid lufts in private to enjoy,
Committing to a wicked favorite
All public cares, and yet of him fufpicious,
Hated of all, and hating; with what case,
Indued with regal virtues as thou art,
Appearing, and beginning noble deeds,
Might'ft thou expel this monfter from his throne 100
Now made a ftye, and in his place afcending
A victor people free from fervile yoke?
And with my help thou may'ft; to me the power
Is giv'n, and by that right I give it thee.
Aim therefore at no lefs 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 majeftic fhow
Of luxury, though call'd magnificence,
More than of arms before, allure mine eye,
Much lefs my mind; though thou should't add to tell
Their fumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous feasts
On citron tables or Atlantic ftone,
(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't tell who thirst 120
And hunger ftill: then embaffles thou fhow'ft
From nations far and nigh; what honor that,
But tedious waste of time to fit and hear
So many hollow complements and lies,
Outlandish flatteries? then proceed'ft to talk
Of th' emperor, how eafily fubdued,
How gloriously; I shall, thou fay'st, expel
A brutifn 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
That people victor once, now vile and base,
Defervedly made vaffal, who once just,
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; firft ambitious grown
Of triumph, that infulting vanity;
Then cruel, by their sports to blood inur'd
Of fighting beafts, and men to beasts expos'd, 140
Luxurious by their wealth, and greedier still,
And from the daily fcene effeminate.
What wife and valiant man would feek to free
Thefe thus degenerate, by themfelves inflav'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 fhall to pieces dafh
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 also 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 referve, not else,
On this condition, if thou wilt fall down,
And worship me as thy fuperior lord,
Eafily done, and hold them all of me;
For what can less so great a gift deserve ?
Whom thus our Saviour anfwer'd with disdain. I never lik'd thy talk, thy offers lefs,
Now both abhor, fince thou hast dar'st to utter
Th' abominable terms, impious condition;
But I indure the time, till which expir'd,
Thou hast permission on me.
It is written
The first of all commandments, Thou fhalt 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
Long fince. Wert thou fo void of fear or fhame,
As offer them to me the Son of God,
To me my own, on fuch 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.
To whom the Fiend with fear abafh'd reply'd.
Be not fo fore offended, Son of God,
196
Though fons of God both Angels are and Men,
If I to try whether in higher fort
Than thefe thou bear'ft that title, have propos'd
What both from Men and Angels I receive,
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