Paradise Regained Read online

Without means used, what it predicts revokes.

  But say thou wert possessed of David's throne

  By free consent of all, none opposite,

  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

  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 reinstall thee

  In David's royal seat, his true successor--

  Deliverance of thy brethren, those Ten Tribes

  Whose offspring in his territory yet serve

  In Habor, and among the Medes dispersed:

  The sons of Jacob, two of Joseph, lost

  Thus long from Israel, serving, as of old

  Their fathers in the land of Egypt served,

  This offer sets before thee to deliver. 380

  These if from servitude thou shalt restore

  To their inheritance, then, nor till then,

  Thou on the throne of David in full glory,

  From Egypt to Euphrates and beyond,

  Shalt reign, and Rome or Caesar not need fear."

  To whom our Saviour answered thus, unmoved:--

  "Much ostentation vain of fleshly arm

  And fragile arms, much instrument of war,

  Long in preparing, soon to nothing brought,

  Before mine eyes thou hast set, and in my ear 390

  Vented much policy, and projects deep

  Of enemies, of aids, battles, and leagues,

  Plausible to the world, to me worth naught.

  Means I must use, thou say'st; prediction else

  Will unpredict, and fail me of the throne!

  My time, I told thee (and that time for thee

  Were better farthest off), is not yet come.

  When that comes, think not thou to find me slack

  On my part aught endeavouring, or to need

  Thy politic maxims, or that cumbersome 400

  Luggage of war there shewn me--argument

  Of human weakness rather than of strength.

  My brethren, as thou call'st them, those Ten Tribes,

  I must deliver, if I mean to reign

  David's true heir, and his full sceptre sway

  To just extent over all Israel's sons!

  But whence to thee this zeal? Where was it then

  For Israel, or for David, or his throne,

  When thou stood'st up his tempter to the pride

  Of numbering Israel--which cost the lives 410

  of threescore and ten thousand Israelites

  By three days' pestilence? Such was thy zeal

  To Israel then, the same that now to me.

  As for those captive tribes, themselves were they

  Who wrought their own captivity, fell off

  From God to worship calves, the deities

  Of Egypt, Baal next and Ashtaroth,

  And all the idolatries of heathen round,

  Besides their other worse than heathenish crimes;

  Nor in the land of their captivity 420

  Humbled themselves, or penitent besought

  The God of their forefathers, but so died

  Impenitent, and left a race behind

  Like to themselves, distinguishable scarce

  From Gentiles, but by circumcision vain,

  And God with idols in their worship joined.

  Should I of these the liberty regard,

  Who, freed, as to their ancient patrimony,

  Unhumbled, unrepentant, unreformed,

  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,

  Remembering Abraham, by some wondrous call

  May bring them back, repentant and sincere,

  And at their passing cleave the Assyrian flood,

  While to their native land with joy they haste,

  As the Red Sea and Jordan once he cleft,

  When to the Promised Land their fathers passed.

  To his due time and providence I leave them." 440

  So spake Israel's true King, and to the Fiend

  Made answer meet, that made void all his wiles.

  So fares it when with truth falsehood contends.

  THE FOURTH BOOK

  Perplexed and troubled at his bad success

  The Tempter stood, nor had what to reply,

  Discovered in his fraud, thrown from his hope

  So oft, and the persuasive rhetoric

  That sleeked his tongue, and won so much on Eve,

  So little here, nay lost. But Eve was Eve;

  This far his over-match, who, self-deceived

  And rash, beforehand had no better weighed

  The strength he was to cope with, or his own.

  But--as a man who had been matchless held 10

  In cunning, over-reached where least he thought,

  To salve his credit, and for very spite,

  Still will be tempting him who foils him still,

  And never cease, though to his shame the more;

  Or as a swarm of flies in vintage-time,

  About the wine-press where sweet must is poured,

  Beat off, returns as oft with humming sound;

  Or surging waves against a solid rock,

  Though all to shivers dashed, the assault renew,

  (Vain battery!) and in froth or bubbles end-- 20

  So Satan, whom repulse upon repulse

  Met ever, and to shameful silence brought,

  Yet gives not o'er, though desperate of success,

  And his vain importunity pursues.

  He brought our Saviour to the western side

  Of that high mountain, whence he might behold

  Another plain, long, but in breadth not wide,

  Washed by the southern sea, and on the north

  To equal length backed with a ridge of hills

  That screened the fruits of the earth and seats of men 30

  From cold Septentrion blasts; thence in the midst

  Divided by a river, off whose banks

  On each side an Imperial City stood,

  With towers and temples proudly elevate

  On seven small hills, with palaces adorned,

  Porches and theatres, baths, aqueducts,

  Statues and trophies, and triumphal arcs,

  Gardens and groves, presented to his eyes

  Above the highth of mountains interposed--

  By what strange parallax, or optic skill 40

  Of vision, multiplied through air, or glass

  Of telescope, were curious to enquire.

  And now the Tempter thus his silence broke:--

  "The city which thou seest no other deem

  Than great and glorious Rome, Queen of the Earth

  So far renowned, and with the spoils enriched

  Of nations. There the Capitol thou seest,

  Above the rest lifting his stately head

  On the Tarpeian rock, her citadel

  Impregnable; and there Mount Palatine, 50

  The imperial palace, compass huge, and high

  The structure, skill of noblest architects,

  With
gilded battlements, conspicuous far,

  Turrets, and terraces, and glittering spires.

  Many a fair edifice besides, more like

  Houses of gods--so well I have disposed

  My aerie microscope--thou may'st behold,

  Outside and inside both, pillars and roofs

  Carved work, the hand of famed artificers

  In cedar, marble, ivory, or gold. 60

  Thence to the gates cast round thine eye, and see

  What conflux issuing forth, or entering in:

  Praetors, proconsuls to their provinces

  Hasting, or on return, in robes of state;

  Lictors and rods, the ensigns of their power;

  Legions and cohorts, turms of horse and wings;

  Or embassies from regions far remote,

  In various habits, on the Appian road,

  Or on the AEmilian--some from farthest south,

  Syene, and where the shadow both way falls, 70

  Meroe, Nilotic isle, and, more to west,

  The realm of Bocchus to the Blackmoor sea;

  From the Asian kings (and Parthian among these),

  From India and the Golden Chersoness,

  And utmost Indian isle Taprobane,

  Dusk faces with white silken turbants wreathed;

  From Gallia, Gades, and the British west;

  Germans, and Scythians, and Sarmatians north

  Beyond Danubius to the Tauric pool.

  All nations now to Rome obedience pay-- 80

  To Rome's great Emperor, whose wide domain,

  In ample territory, wealth and power,

  Civility of manners, arts and arms,

  And long renown, thou justly may'st prefer

  Before the Parthian. These two thrones except,

  The rest are barbarous, and scarce worth the sight,

  Shared among petty kings too far removed;

  These having shewn thee, I have shewn thee all

  The kingdoms of the world, and all their glory.

  This Emperor hath no son, and now is old, 90

  Old and lascivious, and from Rome retired

  To Capreae, an island small but strong

  On the Campanian shore, with purpose there

  His horrid lusts in private to enjoy;

  Committing to a wicked favourite

  All public cares, and yet of him suspicious;

  Hated of all, and hating. With what ease,

  Endued with regal virtues as thou art,

  Appearing, and beginning noble deeds,

  Might'st thou expel this monster from his throne, 100

  Now made a sty, and, in his place ascending,

  A victor-people free from servile yoke!

  And with my help thou may'st; to me the power

  Is given, and by that right I give it thee.

  Aim, therefore, at no less than all the world;

  Aim at the highest; without the highest attained,

  Will be for thee no sitting, or not long,

  On David's throne, be prophesied what will."

  To whom the Son of God, unmoved, replied:--

  "Nor doth this grandeur and majestic shew 110

  Of luxury, though called magnificence,

  More than of arms before, allure mine eye,

  Much less my mind; though thou should'st add to tell

  Their sumptuous 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, imbossed with gems

  And studs of pearl--to me should'st tell, who thirst 120

  And hunger still. Then embassies thou shew'st

  From nations far and nigh! What honour that,

  But tedious waste of time, to sit and hear

  So many hollow compliments and lies,

  Outlandish flatteries? Then proceed'st to talk

  Of the Emperor, how easily subdued,

  How gloriously. I shall, thou say'st, expel

  A brutish monster: what if I withal

  Expel a Devil who first made him such?

  Let his tormentor, Conscience, find him out; 130

  For him I was not sent, nor yet to free

  That people, victor once, now vile and base,

  Deservedly made vassal--who, once just,

  Frugal, and mild, and temperate, conquered well,

  But govern ill the nations under yoke,

  Peeling their provinces, exhausted all

  By lust and rapine; first ambitious grown

  Of triumph, that insulting vanity;

  Then cruel, by their sports to blood inured

  Of fighting beasts, and men to beasts exposed; 140

  Luxurious by their wealth, and greedier still,

  And from the daily Scene effeminate.

  What wise and valiant man would seek to free

  These, thus degenerate, by themselves enslaved,

  Or could of inward slaves make outward free?

  Know, therefore, when my season comes to sit

  On David's throne, it shall be like a tree

  Spreading and overshadowing all the earth,

  Or as a stone that shall to pieces dash

  All monarchies besides throughout the world; 150

  And of my Kingdom there shall be no end.

  Means there shall be to this; but what the means

  Is not for thee to know, nor me to tell."

  To whom the Tempter, impudent, replied:--

  "I see all offers made by me how slight

  Thou valuest, because offered, and reject'st.

  Nothing will please the difficult and nice,

  Or nothing more than still to contradict.

  On the other side know also thou that I

  On what I offer set as high esteem, 160

  Nor what I part with mean to give for naught,

  All these, which in a moment thou behold'st,

  The kingdoms of the world, to thee I give

  (For, given 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 superior Lord

  (Easily done), and hold them all of me;

  For what can less so great a gift deserve?"

  Whom thus our Saviour answered with disdain:-- 170

  "I never liked thy talk, thy offers less;

  Now both abhor, since thou hast dared to utter

  The abominable terms, impious condition.

  But I endure the time, till which expired

  Thou hast permission on me. It is written,

  The first of all commandments, 'Thou shalt worship

  The Lord thy God, and only Him shalt serve.'

  And dar'st thou to the Son of God propound

  To worship thee, accursed? now more accursed

  For this attempt, bolder than that on Eve, 180

  And more blasphemous; which expect to rue.

  The kingdoms of the world to thee were given!

  Permitted rather, and by thee usurped;

  Other donation none thou canst produce.

  If given, by whom but by the King of kings,

  God over all supreme? If given to thee,

  By thee how fairly is the Giver now

  Repaid! But gratitude in thee is lost

  Long since. Wert thou so void of fear or shame

  As offer them to me, the Son of God-- 190

  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

&nb
sp; That Evil One, Satan for ever damned."

  To whom the Fiend, with fear abashed, replied:--

  "Be not so sore offended, Son of God--

  Though Sons of God both Angels are and Men--

  If I, to try whether in higher sort

  Than these thou bear'st that title, have proposed

  What both from Men and Angels I receive, 200

  Tetrarchs of Fire, Air, Flood, and on the Earth

  Nations besides from all the quartered winds--

  God of this World invoked, and World beneath.

  Who then thou art, whose coming is foretold

  To me most fatal, me it most concerns.

  The trial hath indamaged thee no way,

  Rather more honour left and more esteem;

  Me naught advantaged, missing what I aimed.

  Therefore let pass, as they are transitory,

  The kingdoms of this world; I shall no more 210

  Advise thee; gain them as thou canst, or not.

  And thou thyself seem'st otherwise inclined

  Than to a worldly crown, addicted more

  To contemplation and profound dispute;

  As by that early action may be judged,

  When, slipping 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 Moses' chair,

  Teaching, not taught. The childhood shews the man, 220

  As morning shews the day. Be famous, then,

  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 couched in Moses' law,

  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. 230

  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 evinced.

  Look once more, ere we leave this specular mount,

  Westward, much nearer by south-west; behold

  Where on the AEgean shore a city stands,

  Built nobly, pure the air and light the soil--

  Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts 240

  And Eloquence, native to famous wits

  Or hospitable, in her sweet recess,

  City or suburban, studious walks and shades.

  See there the olive-grove of Academe,

  Plato's retirement, where the Attic bird

  Trills her thick-warbled notes the summer long;

  There, flowery hill, Hymettus, with the sound

  Of bees' industrious murmur, oft invites

  To studious musing; there Ilissus rowls

  His whispering stream. Within the walls then view 250

  The schools of ancient sages--his who bred

  Great Alexander to subdue the world,

  Lyceum there; and painted Stoa next.

  There thou shalt hear and learn the secret power

  Of harmony, in tones and numbers hit

  By voice or hand, and various-measured verse,

  AEolian charms and Dorian lyric odes,

  And his who gave them breath, but higher sung,

  Blind Melesigenes, thence Homer called,

  Whose poem Phoebus challenged for his own. 260

  Thence what the lofty grave Tragedians taught

  In chorus or iambic, teachers best

  Of moral prudence, with delight received

  In brief sententious precepts, while they treat

  Of fate, and chance, and change in human life,

  High actions and high passions best describing.

  Thence to the famous Orators repair,

  Those ancient whose resistless eloquence

  Wielded at will that fierce democraty,

  Shook the Arsenal, and fulmined over Greece 270

  To Macedon and Artaxerxes' throne.

  To sage Philosophy next lend thine ear,

  From heaven descended to the low-roofed house

  Of Socrates--see there his tenement--

  Whom, well inspired, the Oracle pronounced

  Wisest of men; from whose mouth issued forth

  Mellifluous streams, that watered all the schools

  Of Academics old and new, with those

  Surnamed Peripatetics, and the sect

  Epicurean, and the Stoic severe. 280

  These here revolve, or, as thou likest, at home,

  Till time mature thee to a kingdom's weight;

  These rules will render thee a king complete

  Within thyself, much more with empire joined."

  To whom our Saviour sagely thus replied:--

  "Think not but that I know these things; or, think

  I know them not, not therefore am I short

  Of knowing what I ought. He who receives

  Light from above, from the Fountain of Light,

  No other doctrine needs, though granted true; 290

  But these are false, or little else but dreams,

  Conjectures, fancies, built on nothing firm.

  The first and wisest of them all professed

  To know this only, that he nothing knew;

  The next to fabling fell and smooth conceits;

  A third sort doubted all things, though plain sense;

  Others in virtue placed felicity,

  But virtue joined with riches and long life;

  In corporal pleasure he, and careless ease;

  The Stoic last in philosophic pride, 300

  By him called virtue, and his virtuous man,

  Wise, perfect in himself, and all possessing,

  Equal to God, oft shames not to prefer,

  As fearing God nor man, contemning all