Page:Redemption, a Poem.djvu/55

 REDEMPTION. 49

Chief standard bearer mid Satanic hosts,

With Mulciber, chief engineer; Orthus

And Ephialtus, Aloides, who,

With the Titans huge, against high heav'n warr'd ;

To these Osiris join, whose goblin troops

Ransack'd the world for spoils satyrs and elves,

Wing'd serpents, dragons, phantasms, hideous shapes,

That range sequester'd vales, and most the streams

Of Ister haunt. All these and many more,

One-third of hell's dread chiefs, with their cohorts

Innumerous, clainor'd for war, alert

To scale the vault of heav'n, to inundate

The earth, and follow where their princes lead.

On th' other side with various motives bent, Th' incensed rabble strove. Beelzebub, The first against them stood ; the same, whose fane And oracle at Accaron, seduced Ochozias, there to inquire of him, As if no God in favor'd Israel reign'd. Belial, the furious tempest next embroil'd ; The vilest rebel he, which fell from heav'n, Rebellious e'en among the fallen crew, Amongst the devils devilish the most. He 'twas the Gabaanites misled to crimes Abhorr'd, made them the Levite's wife abuse, And Phinees and Ophni, Heli's sons, Debauch'd. Dagon, chief of Philistia's gods, In many' a contest brunted, newer wars Much fear'd to undertake, and, prompted thus, Oppugnant stood for peace. At Azotus Twice he fell prostrate 'fore the ark of God ; The second time both head and hands lopp'd off,

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