And regal mysteries; that thou may'st know How best their opposition to withstand." With that (such power was given him then) he took The Son of God up to a mountain high. 250 It was a mountain at whose verdant feet A spacious plain, outstretch't in circuit wide, Lay pleasant; from his side two rivers flow'd, 255 Th' one winding, th' other straight, and left between With herds the pastures throng'd, with flocks the hills; 260 Huge cities and high towr'd, that well might seem The seats of mightiest monarchs; and so large The prospect was, that here and there was room "Well have we speeded, and o'er hill and dale, His city, there thou seest, and Bactra there; 265 270 275 280 285 290 295 And just in time thou com'st to have a view 300 He marches now in haste: see, though from far, His thousands, in what martial equipage They issue forth,-steel bows and shafts their arms,— 305 Of equal dread in flight or in pursuit ; All horsemen, in which fight they most excel: See how in warlike muster they appear, In rhombs, and wedges, and half-moons, and wings." He look't, and saw what numbers numberless 310 The city gates outpour'd, light-arm'd troops In coats of mail and military pride; In mail their horses clad, yet fleet and strong, Prancing their riders bore, the flower and choice Of many provinces from bound to bound; 315 And Margiana to the Hyrcanian cliffs From Atropatia and the neighbouring plains Of Adiabene, Media, and the south 320 Of Susiana, to Balsara's hav'n. He saw them in their forms of battle rang'd, How quick they wheel'd, and, flying, behind them shot Sharp sleet of arrowy showers against the face 325 Of their pursuers, and overcame by flight;- 330 335 The city of Gallaphrone, from whence to win 340 His daughter, sought by many prowest knights, Both Paynim and the peers of Charlemane. Such and so numerous was their chivalry: At sight whereof the Fiend yet more presum'd, 345 "That thou mayst know I seek not to engage Thy virtue, and not every way secure, On no slight grounds, thy safety; hear and mark All this fair sight:—Thy kingdom, though foretold 350 355 Samaritan or Jew; how couldst thou hope Long to enjoy it, quiet and secure, 360 Between two such enclosing enemies, Roman and Parthian? Therefore one of these Thou must make sure thy own;-the Parthian first By my advice, as nearer, and of late Found able by invasion to annoy 365 Thy country, and captive lead away her kings, Antigonus and old Hyrcanus, bound, Maugre the Roman: it shall be my task To render thee the Parthian at dispose; Choose which thou wilt,-by conquest or by league. 370 By him thou shalt regain, without him not, That which alone can truly re-install thee Shalt reign, and Rome or Cæsar not need fear." To whom our Saviour answer'd thus, unmov'd : 375 380 385 390 395 My time, I told thee, (and that time for thee My brethren, as thou call'st them, those ten tribes, David's true heir, and his full sceptre sway To just extent over all Israel's sons!" Where was it then For Israel, or for David, or his throne, 400 405 410 To Israel then; the same that now to me! Unhumbl'd, unrepentant, unreform'd, Headlong would follow; and to their Gods, perhaps, 430 Of Bethel and of Dan?-No; let them serve Their enemies, who serve idols with God. Yet he at length,-time to himself best known,- So spake Israel's true King, and to the Fiend 435 440 PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK IV. THE ARGUMENT.-Satan, persisting in the temptation of our Lord, shows him Imperial Rome in its greatest splendour, as a power which he probably would prefer before that of the Parthians; and tells him that he might with ease expel Tiberius, restore the Romans to their liberty, and make himself master not only of the Roman Empire, but, by so doing, of the whole world, and inclusively of the throne of David. Our Lord, in reply, expresses his contempt of grandeur and worldly power; notices the luxury, vanity, and profligacy of the Romans, declaring how little they merited to be restored to that liberty which they had lost by their misconduct; and briefly refers to the greatness of his own future kingdom. Satan, now desperate, to enhance the value of his proffered gifts, professes that the only terms on which he will bestow them are our Saviour's falling down and worshipping him. Our Lord expresses a firm but temperate indignation at such a proposition, and rebukes the Tempter by the title of "Satan for ever damn'd." Satan, abashed, attempts to justify himself: he then assumes a new ground of temptation; and, proposing to Jesus the intellectual gratifications of wisdom and knowledge, points out to him the celebrated seat of ancient learning, Athens, and her schools; accompanying the view with a highly finished panegyric on the Grecian musicians, poets, orators, and philosophers. Jesus replies, by showing the vanity of their boasted philosophy; and prefers to the music, poetry, eloquence, and didactic policy of the Greeks, those of the inspired Hebrew writers. Satan, irritated at the failure of all his attempts, upbraids the indiscretion of our Saviour in rejecting his offers; and having, in ridicule of his expected kingdom, foretold our Lord's future sufferings, carries him back into the wilderness, and leaves him there. Night comes on: Satan raises a violent tempest, and attempts further, but in vain, to alarm Jesus with frightful dreams and threatening spectres. A calm and beautiful morning succeeds to the horrors of the night. Satan again presents himself, and, noticing the storm of the preceding night as pointed chiefly at our Lord, once more insults him with an account of the sufferings which he was certainly to undergo. This only draws from our Lord a brief rebuke. Satan, now at the height of his desperation, confesses that he had frequently watched Jesus from his birth, in order to discover if he was the true Messiah; and, collecting from what passed at the river Jordan that he most probably was so, he had from that time more assiduously followed him, in hopes of gaining some advantage over him, which would prove him to be not the Divine Person destined to be his "fatal enemy." In this he acknowledges that he has hitherto completely failed; but still determines to make one more trial of him. Accordingly, he conveys him to the Temple at Jerusalem; and, placing him on a pointed eminence, requires him to prove his divinity either by standing there, or casting himself down with safety. Our Lord reproves the Tempter, and at the same time manifests his own divinity by standing on the dangerous point. Satan, amazed and terrified, instantly falls; and repairs to his infernal compeers to relate his bad success. Angels meanwhile convey our Lord to a beautiful valley, minister to him a repast of celestial food, and celebrate his victory in a triumphant hymn. PERPLEX'D and troubl'd at his bad success |