JAM pius extrema veniens Iacobus ab arcto,
Teucrigenas populos, lateque patentia regna
Albionum tenuit; jamque inviolabile fœdus
Sceptra Caledoniis conjunxerat Anglica Scotis:
Pacificusque novo, felix divesque, sedebat
In solio, occultique doli securus et hostis:
Cum ferus ignifluo regnans Acheronte tyrannus,
Eumenidum pater, æthereo vagus exul Olympo,
Forte per immensum terrarum erraverat orbem,
Dinumerans sceleris socios, vernasque fideles,
Participes regni post funera mosta futuros:
Hic tempestates medio ciet aëre diras,
Illic unanimes odium struit inter amicos,
Armat et invictas in mutua viscera gentes;
Regnaque olivifera vertit florentia
pace :
Et quoscunque videt puræ virtutis amantes,
Hos cupit adjicere imperio, fraudumque magister
Tentat inaccessum sceleri corrumpere pectus;
Insidiasque locat tacitas, cassesque latentes
Tendit, ut incautos rapiat; ceu Caspia tigris
Insequitur trepidam deserta per avia prædam
Nocte sub illuni, et somno nictantibus astris:

i I have formerly remarked, that this little poem, as containing a council, conspiracy, and expedition of Satan, may be considered as an early and promising prolusion of Milton's genius to the "Paradise Lost."-T. WARTON.

Talibus infestat populos Summanus et urbes,
Cinctus cæruleæ fumanti turbine flammæ.
Jamque fluentisonis albentia rupibus arva
Apparent, et terra deo dilecta marino,
Cui nomen dederat quondam Neptunia proles;
Amphitryoniaden qui non dubitavit atrocem,
Equore tranato, furiali poscere bello,
Ante expugnatæ crudelia sæcula Troja.

At simul hanc, opibusque et festa pace beatam,
Aspicit, et pingues donis Cerealibus agros,
Quodque magis doluit, venerantem numina veri
Sancta Dei populum, tandem suspiria rupit
Tartareos ignes et luridem olentia sulphur;
Qualia Trinacria trux ab Jove clausus in Etna
Efflat tabifico monstrosus ab ore Tiphoeus.
Ignescunt oculi, stridetque adamantinus ordo
Dentis, ut armorum fragor, ictaque cuspide cuspis.
Atque,-"Pererrato solum hoc lacrymabile mundo
Inveni," dixit; "gens hæc mihi sola rebellis,
Contemtrixque jugi, nostraque potentior arte.
Illa tamen, mea si quicquam tentamina possunt,
Non feret hoc impune diu, non ibit inulta."
Hactenus; et piceis liquido natat aëre pennis:
Qua volat, adversi præcursant agmine venti,
Densantur nubes, et crebra tonitrua fulgent.

Jamque pruinosas velox superaverat Alpes,,
Et tenet Ausoniæ fines; a parte sinistra
Nimbifer Apenninus erat, priscique Sabini,
Dextra veneficiis infamis Hetruria, necnon
Te furtiva, Tibris, Thetidi videt oscula dantem;
Hinc Mavortigenæ consistit in arce Quirini.
Reddiderant dubiam jam sera crepuscula lucem,
Cum circumgreditur totam Tricoronifer urbem,
Panificosque deos portat, scapulisque virorum
Evehitur; præcunt submisso poplite reges,
Et mendicantum series longissima fratrum ;'
Cereaque in manibus gestant funalia cæci,
Cimmeriis nati in tenebris, vitamque trahentes:
Templa dein multis subeunt lucentia tædis,

k

(Vesper erat sacer iste Petro) fremitusque canentum
Sæpe tholos implet vacuos, et inane locorum.

Qualiter exululat Bromius, Bromiique caterva,

Orgia cantantes in Echionio Aracyntho,

j Summanus.

"Summanus" is an obsolete and uncommon name for Pluto, or the god of ghosts and night, "summus Manium," which Milton most probably had from Ovid, "Fast." vi. 731.-T. WArton.

k Cum circumgreditur, &c.

He describes the procession of the pope to St. Peter's church at Rome, on the eve of St. Peter's day.-T. WArton.

1 The orders of mendicant friars.-T. WARTON.

80

Dum tremit attonitus vitreis Asopus in undis,
Et procul ipse cava responsat rupe Citharon.

His igitur tandem solenni more peractis,
Nox senis amplexus Erebi taciturna reliquit,
Præcipitesque impellit equos stimulante flagello,
Captum oculis Typhlonta, Melanchætemque ferocem,
Atque Acherontæo prognatam patre Siopen
Torpidam, et hirsutis horrentem Phrica capillis.
Interea regum domitor, Phlegetontius hæres,
Ingreditur thalamos, neque enim secretus adulter
Producit steriles molli sine pellice noctes;
At vix compositos somnus claudebat ocellos,
Cum niger umbrarum dominus, rectorque silentum,
Prædatorque hominum, falsa sub imagine tectus
Astitit; assumtis micuerunt tempora canis;
Barba sinus promissa tegit; cineracea longo
Syrmate verrit humum vestis, pendetque cucullus
Vertice de raso; et, ne quicquam desit ad artes,
Cannabeo lumbos constrinxit fune salaces,
Tarda fenestratis figens vestigia calceis.
Talis, uti fama est, vasta Franciscus eremoTM
Tetra vagabatur solus per lustra ferarum,
Silvestrique tulit genti pia verba salutis.

Impius, atque lupos domuit, Libycosque leones.
Subdolus at tali Serpens velatus amictu,
Solvit in has fallax ora execrantia voces:-
"Dormis, nate? Etiamne tuos sopor opprimit artus?
Immemor, O, fidei, pecorumque oblite tuorum!

Dum cathedram, venerande, tuam, diademaque triplex,
Ridet Hyperboreo gens barbara nata sub axe;
Dumque pharetrati spernunt tua jura Britanni:

Surge, age; surge, piger, Latius quem Cæsar adorat,
Cui reserata patet convexi janua cœli,

Turgentes animos, et fastus frange procaces;
Sacrilegique sciant, tua quid maledictio possit,
Et quid Apostolicæ possit custodia clavis;

Et memor Hesperia disjectam ulciscere classem,

Cannabeo lumbus constrinxit fune salaces,

Tarda fenestratis figens vestigia calceis.

Talis, uti fama est, vasta Franciscus eremo, &c.

Francis Xavier, called "the Apostle of the Indians," whom he was sent to convert, about the year 1542, by Ignatius Loyola: he encountered a variety of perils in the Eastern deserts, which he traversed in a short black gown of canvas or sackcloth. At Goa the people observing that his shoes were patched or worn out, offered him new: but such was his mortification, that he could not be persuaded "ut veteres calceos permutaret novis," &c. Here we have Milton's "calcei fenestrati." Among his many pretended miracles, it is one, that during this extraordinary progress, he preached to the lions and other beasts of the wilderness. But an unknown correspondent has thrown new light on the whole of the context. "The passage has properly nothing to do with the Jesuit S. Francis Xavier. The 'fenestrati calcei' are the sandals, or soles, tied on the foot by straps, or thongs of leather, crossed, or lattice-wise, which are usually worn by the Franciscan friars."-T. WARTON.

Mersaque Iberorum lato vexilla profundo,
Sanctorumque cruci tot corpora fixa probrosæ,
Thermodoontea nupar regnante puella."
At tu si tenero mavis torpescere lecto,
Crescentesque negas hosti contundere vires;
Tyrrhenum implebit numeroso milite pontum,
Signaque Aventino ponet fulgentia colle:
Relliquias veterum franget, flammisque cremabit;
Sacraque calcabit pedibus tua colla profanis,
Cujus gaudebant soleis dare basia reges.
Nec tamen hunc bellis et aperto Marte lacesses;
Irritus ille labor: tu callidus utere fraude:
Quælibet hæreticis disponere retia fas est.
Jamque ad consilium extremis rex magnus ab oris
Patricios vocat, et procerum de stirpe creatos,
Grandævosque patres, trabea canisque verendos;
Hos tu membratim poteris conspergere in auras,
Atque dare in cineres, nitrati pulvaris igne
Edibus injecto, qua convenere, sub imis.
Protinus ipse igitur, quoscunque habet Anglia fidos,
Propositi, factique, mone: quisquamne tuorum
Audebit summi non jussa facessere Papæ ?

Perculsosque metu subito, casuque stupentes,
Invadat vel Gallus atrox, vel sævus Iberus
Sæcula sic illic tandem Mariana redibunt,"
Tuque in belligeros iterum dominaberis Anglos.
Et, nequid timeas, divos divasque secundas
Accipe, quotque tuis celebrantur numina fastis."
Dixit; et, adscitos ponens malefidos amictus,
Fugit ad infandam, regnum illætabile, Lethen.

Jam rosea Eoas pandens Tithonia portas
Vestit inauratas redeunti lumine terras;
Moestaque, adhuc nigri deplorans funera nati,
Irrigat ambrosiis montana cacumina guttis:
Cum somnos pepulit stellata janitor aulæ,
Nocturnos visus et somnia grata revolvens.
Est locus æterna septus caligine noctis,
Vasta ruinosi quondam fundamina tecti,
Nunc torvi spelunca Phoni, Prodotæque bilinguis,
Effura quos uno perperit Discordia partu.
Hic inter cæmenta jacent, præruptaque saxa,
Ossa inhumata virum, et trajecta cadavera ferro;
Hic Dolus intortis semper sedet ater ocellis,
Jurgiaque, et stimulis armata Calumnia fauces,
Et Furor, atque viæ moriendi mille videntur,
Et Timor, exsanguisque locum circumvolat Horror;

n Thermodoontëa nuper regnante puella.

The Amazon, queen Elizabeth. She is admirably characterized: "Audetque viris concurrere virgo." Ovid has "Thermodontiacus," Metam. ix. 189; and see ibid. xii 611.-T. WARTON.

• The times of queen Mary, when Popery was restored.-T. Warton.

Perpetuoque leves per muta silentia Manes
Exululant, tellus et sanguine conscia stagnat.
Ipsi etiam pavidi latitant penetralibus antri

Et Phonos, et Prodotes; nulloque sequente per antrum,
Antrum horrens, scopulosum, atrum feralibus umbris,
Diffugiunt sontes, et retro lumina vortunt:

P

Hos pugiles Romæ per sæcula longa fideles
Evocat antistes Babylonius, atque ita fatur:-
"Finibus occiduis circumfusum incolit æquor
Gens exosa mihi: prudens Natura negavit
Indignam penitus nostro conjungere mundo:
Illuc, sic jubeo, celeri contendite gressu,
Tartareoque leves difflentur pulvere in auras
Et rex et pariter satrapæ, scelerata propago:
Et, quotquot fidei caluere cupidine veræ,
Consilii socios adhibete, operisque ministros."
Finierat; rigidi cupide paruere gemelli.

Interea longo flectens curvamine cœlos
Despicit ætherea Dominus qui fulgurat arce,
Vanaque perversæ ridet conamina turbæ ;
Atque sui causam populi volet ipse tueri.

Esse ferunt spatium, qua distat ab Aside terra
Fertilis Europe, et spectat Mareotidas undas
Hic turris posita est Titanidos ardua Famæ;
Ærea, lata, sonans, rutilis vicinior astris
Quam superimpositum vel Athos vel Pelion Ossæ.
Mille fores aditusque patent, totidemque fenestræ,
Amplaque per tenues translucent atria muros :
Excitat hic varios plebs agglomerata susurros;
Qualiter instrepitant circum mulctralia bombis
Agmina muscarum, aut texto per ovilia junco,
Dum Canis æstivum cœli petit ardua culmen.
Ipsa quidem summa sedet ultrix matris in arce;
Auribus innumeris cinctum caput eminet olli,
Queis sonitum exiguum trahit, atque levissima captat
Murmura, ab extremis patuli confinibus orbis.

Nec tot, Aristoride, servator inique juvencæ

Isidos, immiti volvebas lumina vultu,
Lumina non unquam tacito nutantia somno,
Lumina subjectas late spectantia terras.

p Diffugiunt.

150

155

160

165

170

175

180

185

There is great poetry and strength of imagination in supposing that Murder and Treason often fly as alarmed from the inmost recesses of their own horrid cavern, looking back, and thinking themselves pursued.-T. WArton.

q Evocat antistes Babylonius, &c.

The pope, the "whore of Babylon."-T. WARTON.

P Mareotidas undas.

Mareotis is a large lake in Egypt, connected by many small channels with the Nile. -T. WARTON.

• Titanidos.

Ovid has "Titanida Circen," Met. xiv. 376. Fame is the sister of Cacus and Enceladus, two of the Titans, "En." iv. 179.-T. WARTON.