Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/308

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��PARADISE REGAINED

��He asked thee, ' Hast thou seen my servant

Job?' Famous he was in Heaven; on Earth less

known,

Where glory is false glory, attributed To things not glorious, men not worthy of fame. 70

They err who count it glorious to subdue By conquest far and wide, to overrun Large countries, and in field great battles

win, Great cities by assault. What do these

worthies

But rob and spoil, burn, slaughter, and en- slave

Peaceable nations, neighbouring or remote, Made captive, yet deserving freedom more Than those their conquerors, who leave be- hind

Nothing but ruin wheresoe'er they rove, And all the flourishing works of peace de- stroy; 80 Then swell with pride, and must be titled

Gods,

Great Benefactors of mankind, Deliverers, Worshipped with temple, priest, and sacri- fice ?

One is the son of Jove, of Mars the other; Till conqueror Death discover them scarce

men,

Rowling in brutish vices, and deformed, Violent or shameful death their due re- ward.

But, if there be in glory aught of good; It may by means far different be attained, Without ambition, war, or violence 90 By deeds of peace, by wisdom eminent, By patience, temperance. I mention still Him whom thy wrongs, with saintly pa- tience borne,

Made famous in a land and times obscure; Who names not now with honour patient

Job?

Poor Socrates, (who next more memora- ble ?)

By what he taught and suffered for so do- ing, For truth's sake suffering death unjust,

lives now

Equal in fame to proudest conquerors. Yet, if for fame and glory aught be done, 100 Aught suffered if young African for

fame

His wasted country freed from Punic rage

��The deed becomes unpraised, the man at

least,

And loses, though but verbal, his reward. Shall I seek glory, then, as vain men seek, Oft not deserved ? I seek not mine, but

His Who sent me, and thereby witness whence

I am." To whom the Tempter, murmuring, thus

replied:

" Think not so slight of glory, therein least Resembling thy great Father. He seeks glory, ' no

And for his glory all things made, all things Orders and governs; nor content in Hea- ven,

By all his Angels glorified, requires Glory from men, from all men, good or bad, Wise or unwise, no difference, no exemp- tion.

Above all sacrifice, or hallowed gift, Glory he requires, and glory he receives, Promiscuous from all nations, Jew, or

Greek,

Or Barbarous, nor exception hath de- clared;

From us, his foes pronounced, glory he ex- acts." 120 To whom our Saviour fervently replied: " And reason; since his Word all things

produced,

Though chiefly not for glory as prime end, But to shew forth his goodness, and impart His good communicable to every soul Freely ; of whom what could He less expect Than glory and benediction that is,

thanks

The slightest, easiest, readiest recompense From them who could return him nothing

else,

And, not returning that, would likeliest render 130

Contempt instead, dishonour, obloquy ? Hard recompense, unsuitable return For so much good, so much beneficence ! But why should man seek glory, who of his

own

Hath nothing, and to whom nothing be- longs

But condemnation, ignominy, and shame Who, for so many benefits received, Turned recreant to God, ingrate and false, And so of all true good himself despoiled; Yet, sacrilegious, to himself would take 140 That which to God alone of right belongs ?

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