Page:Redemption, a Poem.djvu/44

 38 REDEMPTION.

But politic, a moment, curbed his ire.

At length, demurely, Achzib rose, than whom,

Satan except, no spirit more fraudful

Fell from heaven; slow to wage open war,

But swift t' allure with sly, ignoble lies,

And fond deceits; his every act a sham.

He, of all hell, was by th' arch Falser most

Abhorr'd, although most like himself. This, none,

Better than Achzib, knew, who measured out

An equal score of hate, and with deceit

His oblique speech, vindictive, thus opponed :

" Princes and potentates of earth and hell, And I would add, our rebel province heav'n, But that our empire there nigh hopeless seems, Will not experience, which teaches all, Teach you? What but defeat have ye e'er gain'd By open war with our superior foes? Was heav'n retain'd by war? By war was earth, Or by deceit, secured t' our allegiance? And by deceit is it not now cornpelPd? I had supposed our policy was fix'd; But now 't appears we're summoned to arise And arm. What arms? Feminine arts 't would seem, Since our great chief essays a feiu'nine war. Nothing new, I trow, in th' annals of hell; But now of sad presage, if his swift flight, And groans, and scars renew'd, may aught portend. To summon our high powers to wield the sword And brandish hispid spears, in such a cause, Is sadly to mistake our foes, whom erst, We've mostly met, and conquer'd them, with toys; Eve with an apple, and her daughters, not

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