Page:Redemption, a Poem.djvu/245

 REDEMPTION. 239

All who the Nazarene name, or contemn

Our smoking altars, and forsake our fanes;

Whilst we dire portents thunder through the sky,

Bid auguries, and omens, sinister,

Fearful calamities in wrath foreshow,

Clouds, lightnings, tempests, earthquakes, gloamy signs

Of hell's avenge, and anger of her gods.

So shall ye sweep this race from off the earth,

Nor leave a vestige of its raid behind;

So shall ye sit, secure as high, in pow'r,

And laugh at Heav'n's fitful efforts, vain."

The bick'ring flames grew ghastlier as he spake, And o'er the cope of intramundane skies, Cast livid hues of incandescent light, In baleful shades, grim, nubilous, around; Till seething winds, aloft, on fetid wings, O'er plains, soft, solid, lakes and seas of fire, Bore wale ful sighs and moans; and nature, sad, With mutt'ring sounds, gave signs of inward woe. Meanwhile, th' arch dragon, pleased with his chiefs, Nefandous who, still counsels nocent, turn'd Against whom, he so oft had tried in vain, And they not daft, applauded much their zeal; To them his new devices part reveal'd, And thus, with flatt'ring words, set phrase, began :

"Imperial princes, thrones, dominions, pow'rs, Worthy of heav'n, and high approved, gods; Not long, I deem, extruded from your seats, Ileav'n born, by force of merit there to reign, Who thus your prowess vaunt in featgyof arms, Well skill'd in such devices as, ere long, Must win successful conquest o'er the sky.

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