Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/314

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��PARADISE REGAINED

��Hated of all, and hating. With what ease, Endued with regal virtues as thou art, Appearing, and beginning noble deeds, Might'st thou expel this monster from his

throne, 100

Now made a sty, and, in his place ascend- ing*

A victor-people free from servile yoke ! And with my help thou may'st; to me the

power

Is given, and by that right I give it thee. Aim, therefore, at no less than all the

world; Aim at the highest; without the highest

attained,

Will be for thee no sitting, or not long, On David's throne, be prophesied what

will."

To whom the Son of God, unmoved, re- plied: " Nor doth this grandeur and majestic

shew no

Of luxury, though called magnificence, More than of arms before, allure mine

eye, Much less my mind; though thou should'st

add to tell Their sumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous

feasts

On citron tables or Atlantic stone (For I have also heard, perhaps have read), Their wines of Setia, Gales, and Falerue, Chios and Crete, and how they quaff in

gold, Crystal, and myrrhine cups, imbossed with

gems And studs of pearl to me should'st tell,

who thirst 120

And hunger still. Then embassies thou

shew'st From nations far and nigh ! What honour

that,

But tedious waste of time, to sit and hear So many hollow compliments and lies, Outlandish flatteries ? Then proceed'st to

talk

Of the Emperor, how easily subdued, How gloriously. I shall, thou say'st, expel A brutish monster: what if I withal Expel a Devil who first made him such ? Let his tormentor, Conscience, find him

out; 130

For him I was not sent, nor yet to free That people, victor once, now vile and base, Deservedly made vassal who, once just,

��Frugal, and mild, and temperate, conquered

well,

But govern ill the nations under yoke, Peeling their provinces, exhausted all By lust and rapine; first ambitious grown Of triumph, that insulting vanity ; Then cruel, by their sports to blood inured Of fighting beasts, and men to beasts ex- posed ; 140 Luxurious by their wealth, and greedier

still,

And from the daily Scene effeminate. What wise and valiant man would seek to

free

These, thus degenerate, by themselves en- slaved, Or could of inward slaves make outward

free? Know, therefore, when my season comes to

sit

On David's throne, it shall be like a tree Spreading and overshadowing all the earth, Or as a stone that shall to pieces dash All monarchies besides throughout the world; 150

And of my Kingdom there shall be no end. Means there shall be to this; but what the

means

Is not for thee to know, nor me to tell." To whom the Tempter, impudent, re- plied:

" I see all offers made by me how slight Thou valuest, because offered, and reject'st. Nothing will please the difficult and nice, Or nothing more than still to contradict. On the other side know also thou that I On what I offer set as high esteem, 160 Nor what I part with mean to give for

naught. All these, which in a moment thou be-

hold'st,

The kingdoms of the world, to thee I give (For, given to me, I give to whom I please), No trifle ; yet with this reserve, not else On this condition, if thou wilt fall down, And worship me as thy superior Lord (Easily done), and hold them all of me; For what can less so great a gift deserve ? " Whom thus our Saviour answered with disdain : 170

" I never liked thy talk, thy offers less; Now both abhor, since thou hast dared to

utter

The abominable terms, impious condition. But I endure the time, till which expired

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