Page:Redemption, a Poem.djvu/33

 REDEMPTION. 27

This world, to re-supply the vacant seats

Our legions held above? How much of it

Owns his allegiance? 'Tis worth your laughter

A little strip bord'ring the middle sea !

And his possessions there, one while, reduced

To fifties in a cave; all else below

Orbicular, is mine. Nay, once to sev'n

Reduced; save whom, enraged, owning defeat,

He swept from off the earth the entire race,

To death consign'd; and thus secured to us

Our spoils, and filled, not his empty seats

In hear'n, but ours in hell, whilst we at ease,

Expatiate these verdant fields and plains,

Fit habitation for the gods, and well

Exchanged for sulph'rous fires; where too I reign

Earth's emperor supreme; nay, more, earth's god,

Worshipp'd with sacred rites, with sacrifice,

Altars, and hecatombs, temples and priests.

What can he more receive? What more can have?

This my revenge, to render vain his plans,

To rival his renown, undo his works,

And fierce defiance hurl unto his face.

But now it seems, some new emprise assails;

For never, since the cherubim expell'd

The first of human kind from Eden, have

Such frequent bands from upper, visited

This nether world. Some new device, I doubt,

Which calls for new display, in me, of skill

To try what I single, may dare 'gainst him

Triple. Whate'er it be, this shall he learn,

That hell full as exhaustless is, in guile

To meet, as Heav'n in pow'r t' assault or hold.

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