And follow'd thee ftill on this wafte wild;
Where by all beft conjectures I collect
Thou art to be my fatal enemy.
Good reason, then if I before-hand feek
To understand my adversary, who
And what he is; his wifdom, pow'r, intent;
By parl, or compofition, truce, or league
To win him, or win from him what I can.
And opportunity I here have had
To try thee, fift thee, and confefs have found thee Proof against all temptation, as a rock
Of adamant, and as a centre, firm,
To th' utmost of mere man both wife and good, 535 Not more; for honors, riches, kingdoms, glory Have been before contemn'd, and may again: Therefore to know what more thou art than man, Worth naming Son of God by voice from Heav'n, Another method I must now begin.
So fay'ing he caught him up, and without wing Of hippogrif bore through the air fublime Over the wilderness and o'er the plain; Till underneath them fair Jerufalem, The holy city lifted high her towers, And higher yet the glorious temple rear'd Her pile, far off appearing like a mount Of alabafter, topt with golden fpires : There on the highest pinnacle he fet
The Son of God, and added thus in fcorn.
There ftand, if thou wilt ftand; to stand upright
Will ask thee skill; I to thy Father's house
Have brought thee', and highest plac'd, highest is best,
Now show thy progeny; if not to stand,
Cast thyself down; fafely, if Son of God:
For it is written, He will give command
Concerning thee to his Angels, in their hands
They fhall up lift thee, left at any time
Thou chance to dash thy foot against a stone.
To whom thus Jefus; Also it is written, 560
Tempt not the Lord thy God: he said and flood:
But Satan fmitten with amazement fell.
As when earth's fon Antæus (to compare
Small things with greatest) in Irassa strove
With Jove's Alcides, and oft foil'd still rofe, 565
Receiving from his mother earth new ftrength,
Fresh from his fall, and fiercer grapple join'd,
Throttled at length in th' air, expir'd and fell;
So after many a foil the Tempter proud,
Renewing fresh assaults, amidst his pride
Fell whence he stood to fee his victor fall.
And as that Theban monster that propos'd
Her riddle', and him, who folv'd it not, devour'd, That once found out and solv'd, for grief and spite Caft herself headlong from th' Ifmenian steep; 575 So ftruck with dread and anguish fell the Fiend, And to his crew, that fat confulting, brought Joyless triumphals of his hop'd fuccefs,
Ruin, and desperation, and dismay,
Who durft so proudly tempt the Son of God. 580
So Satan fell; and strait a fiery globe
Of Angels on full fail of wing flew nigh,
Who on their plumy vans receiv'd him foft
From his uneasy station, and upbore
As on a floating couch through the blithe air, 585
Then in a flow'ry valley fet him down
On a green bank, and set before him spread
A table of celeftial food, divine,
Ambrofial fruits, fetch'd from the tree of life,
And from the fount of life ambrofial drink, 590
That soon refresh'd him wearied, and repair'd
What hunger, if ought hunger had impair'd,
Or thirft; and as he fed, angelic quires
Sung heav'nly anthems of his victory
Over temptation, and the Tempter proud.
True Image of the Father, whether thron'd In the bofom of bliss, and light of light Conceiving, or remote from Heav'n, infhrin'd In fleshly tabernacle, and human form, Wand'ring the wilderness, whatever place, 600 Habit, or flate, or motion, ftill expreffing The Son of God, with God-like force indued Against th' attempter of thy Father's throne, And thief of Paradise; him long of old
Thou didst debel, and down from Heaven caft 605 With all his army, now thou hast aveng'd
Supplanted Adam, and by vanquishing
Temptation, haft regain'd loft Paradise;
And fruftrated the conqueft fraudulent:
He never more henceforth will dare fet foot 610
In Paradise to tempt; his fnares are broke:
For though that feat of earthly bliss be fail'd,
A fairer Paradife is founded now
For Adam and his chosen fons, whom thou
A Saviour art come down to re-install
Where they shall dwell secure, when time shall be,
Of Tempter and temptation without fear.
But thou, infernal Serpent, fhalt not long
Rule in the clouds; like an autumnal star
Or lightning thou fhalt fall from Heav'n, trod down
Under his feet: for proof, ere this thou feel'st 621
Thy wound, yet not thy last and deadliest wound,
By this repulse receiv'd, and hold'st in Hell
No triumph; in all her gates Abaddon rues
Thy bold attempt; hereafter learn with awe 626
To dread the Son of God: he all unarm'd
Shall chace thee with the terror of his voice
From thy demoniac holds, poffession foul,
Thee and thy legions; yelling they fhall fly,
And beg to hide them in a herd of swine,
Left he command them down into the deep
Bound, and to torment fent before their time.
Hail Son of the most High, heir of both worlds,
Queller of Satan, on thy glorious work
Now enter and begin to fave mankind.
Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek Sung victor, and from heav'nly feaft refresh'd Brought on his way with joy; he unobferv'd Home to his mother's house private return'd.
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