Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/313

 BOOK FOURTH

��271

��About the wine-press where sweet must is

poured, Beat off, returns as oft with humming

sound ;

Or surging waves against a solid rock, Though all to shivers dashed, the assault

renew, (Vain battery !) and in froth or bubbles

end 20

So Satan, whom repulse upon repulse Met ever, and to shameful silence brought, Yet gives not o'er, though desperate of

success,

And his vain importunity pursues. He brought our Saviour to the western side Of that high mountain, whence he might

behold Another plain, long, but in breadth not

wide, Washed by the southern sea, and on the

north To equal length backed with a ridge of

hills That screened the fruits of the earth and

seats of men 30

From cold Septentrion blasts; thence in the

midst

Divided by a river, off whose banks On each side an Imperial City stood, With towers and temples proudly elevate On seven small hills, with palaces adorned, Porches and theatres, baths, aqueducts, Statues and trophies, and triumphal arcs, Gardens and groves, presented to his eyes Above the highth of mountains interposed By what strange parallax, or optic skill 40 Of vision, multiplied through air, or glass Of telescope, were curious to enquire. And now the Tempter thus his silence

broke:

" The city which thou seest no other deem Than great and glorious Rome, Queen of

the Earth

So far renowned, and with the spoils en- riched

Of nations. There the Capitol thou seest, Above the rest lifting his stately head On the Tarpeian rock, her citadel Impregnable; and there Mount Palatine, 50 The imperial palace, compass huge, and

high

The structure, skill of noblest architects, With gilded battlements, conspicuous far, Turrets, and terraces, and glittering spires. Many a fair edifice besides, more like

��Houses of gods so well I have disposed My aerie microscope thou may'st behold, Outside and inside both, pillars and roofs Carved work, the hand of famed artificers In cedar, marble, ivory, or gold. 60

Thence to the gates cast round thine eye,

and see

What conflux issuing forth, or entering in: Praetors, proconsuls to their provinces Hasting, or on return, in robes of state ; Lictors and rods, the ensigns of their

power; Legions and cohorts, turms of horse and

wings;

Or embassies from regions far remote, In various habits, on the Appian road, Or on the vEmilian some from farthest

south, Syene, and where the shadow both way

falls, 70

Meroe, Nilotic isle, and, more to west, The realm of Bocchus to the Blackinoor sea; From the Asiau kings (and Parthian among

these),

From India and the Golden Chersoness, And utmost Indian isle Taprobane, Dusk faces with white silken turbants

wreathed ;

From Gallia, Gades, and the British west; Germans, and Scythians, and Sarmatians

north

Beyond Danubius to the Tauric pool. 79 All nations now to Rome obedience pay To Rome's great Emperor, whose wide do- main,

In ample territory, wealth and power, Civility of manners, arts and arms, And long renown, thou justly may'st prefer Before the Parthian. These two thrones

except, The rest are barbarous, and scarce worth

the sight,

Shared among petty kings too far removed; These having shewn thee, I have shewn

thee all The kingdoms of the world, and all their

glory. 89

This Emperor hath no son, and now is old, Old and lascivious, and from Rome retired To Caprese, an island small but strong On the Campanian shore, with purpose

there

His horrid lusts in private to enjoy; Committing to a wicked favourite All public cares, and yet of him suspicions;

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