Where he fell flat, and fham'd his worshippers :
Dagon his name, fea-moniter, upward man
And downward fith: yet had his temple high
Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coaft
Of Palestine, in Gath and Afcalon,

And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds.
Him follow'd Rimmon, whofe delightful feat
Was fair Damafcus, on the fertil banks
Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid (treams.
He also against the houfe of God was bold:
A leper once he lost, and gain'd a king,
Ahaz his fottish conqu'ror, whom he drew
God's altar to difparage and displace

For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn
His odious offerings, and adore the Gods
Whom he had vanquifh'd. After these appear'd
A crew who under names of old renown,
Ofiris, Ifis, Orus, and their train,

With monstrous fhapes and forceries abus'd
Fanatic Egypt and her priests, to feek

Their wand'ring Gods difguis'd in brutish forms
Rather than human. Nor did Ifrael 'icape

Th' infection, when their borrow'd gold compos'd
The calf in Oreb; and the rebel king
Doubled that fin in Bethel and in Dan,
Likening his Maker to the grazed ox,
Jehovah, who in one night when he pafs'd
From Egypt marching, equall'd with one stroke
Both her first-born and all her bleating Gods.
Belial came laft, than whom a spirit more lewd
Fell not from heaven, or more grofs to love
Vice for itself to him no temple stood
Or altar fmok'd; yet who more oft than he
In temples and at altars, when the priest
Turns atheift, as did Eli's fons, who fill'd

With luft and violence the house of God ?
In courts and palaces he also reigns

And in luxurious cities, where the noise
Of riot afcends above their loftieft towers,
And injury and outrage: And when night
Darkens the streets, then wander forth the fons
Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine.
Witness the streets of Sodom, and that might
In Gibeah, when the hofpitable door
Expos'd a matron to avoid worse rape.

These were the prime in order and in might;
The reft were long to tell, though far renown'd,
Th' Ionian Gods, of Javan's iffue held

Gods, yet confess'd later than Heaven and Earth,
Their boafted parents: Titan Heav'n's firft-born,.
With his enormous brood, and birthright feis'd
By younger Saturn; he from mightier Jove
His own and Rhea's fon like measure found;
So Jove ufurping reign'd: thefe first in Crete
And Ida known, thence on the fnowy top
Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle air,
Their highest heaven; or on the Delphian cliff,
Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds

Of Doric land; or who with Saturn old

Fled over Adria to th' Hefperian fields,
And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmost isles.

All these and more came flocking; but with looks
Downcaft and damp, yet fuch wherein appear'd
Obfcure fome glimpse of joy, to have found their chief
Not in despair, to have found themselves not loft.
In lofs itfelf; which on his count'nance caft
Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride
Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore
Semblance of worth not substance, gently rais'd
Their fainting courage, and difpell'd their fears.

Then

Then ftrait commands that at the warlike found
Of trumpets loud and clarions be uprear'd
His mighty standard: that proud honour claim'd
Azazel as his right, a Cherub tall;

Who forthwith from the glitt'ring ftaff unfurl'd
Th' imperial enfign, which full high advanc'd
Shone like a meteor streaming to the wind,
With gems and golden luftre rich imblaz'd,
Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while
Sonorous metal blowing martial founds:
At which the univerfal host up fent

A fhout that tore hell's concave, and beyond
Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night.
All in a moment through the gloom were feen
Ten thousand banners rife into the air

With orient colours waving with them rofe
A foreft huge of fpears; and thronging helms
Appear'd, and ferried fhields in thick array.
Of depth immeasurable: anon they move
In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood
Of flutes and foft recorders; fuch as rais'd
To height of nobleft temper heroes old
Arming to battel, and inftead of rage
Deliberate valour breath'd, firm and unmov'd
With dread of death to flight or foul retreat;
Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and fwage

With folemn touches troubled thoughts, and chafe
Anguish, and doubt, and fear, and forrow, and pain,
From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they
Breathing united force with fixed thought
Mov'd on in filence to foft pipes, that charm'd
Their painful steps o'er the burnt foil; and now
Advanc'd in view they ftand, a horrid front
Of dreadful length and dazzling arms, in guise
Of warriors old with order'd fpear and fhield,

Awaiting

Awaiting what command their mighty chief
Had to impofe: He through the armed files
Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverse
The whole battalion views, their order due,
Their visages and ftature as of Gods,

'Their number last he sums. And now his heart Diftends with pride, and hard'ning in his ftrength Glories for never fince created man,

:

Met fuch imbody'd force, as nam'd with these
Could merit more than that small infantry
Warr'd on by cranes; though all the giant brood
Of Phlegra with th' heroic race were join'd
That fought at Thebes and Ilium, on each fide
Mix'd with auxiliar Gods; and what refounds
In fable, or romance of Uther's fon

Begirt with British and Armoric knights;
And all who fince, baptiz'd or infidel,
Joufted in Afpramont or Montalban,
Damafco, or Marocco, or Trebifond,
Or whom Biferta fent from Afric fhore,
When Charlemain with all his peerage fell
By Fontarabbia. Thus far thefe beyond
Compare of mortal prowefs, yet obferv'd
Their dread commander: he above the rest
In shape and gefture proudly eminent
Stood like a tow'r; his form had yet not loft
All her original brightnefs, nor appear'd
Less than Arch-angel ruin'd, and th' excefs
Of glory obfcur'd; as when the fun new rifen.
Looks through the horizontal mifty air
Shorn of his beams, or from behind the moon
In dim eclipfe difaftrous twilight sheds

On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs. Darken'd fo, yet fhone
Above them all th' Arch-angel: but his face

Deep

Deep fears of thunder had intrench'd, and care
Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows
Of dauntless courage, and confiderate pride
Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but cast
Signs of remorfe and paffion to behold.
The fellows of his crime, the followers rather
(Far other once beheld in blifs) condemn'd
For ever now to have their lot in pain,
Millions of fpirits for his fault amerc'd
Of heav'n, and from eternal fplendors flung
For his revolt, yet faithful how they stood,
Their glory wither'd: As when heaven's fire
Had fcath'd the forest oaks, or mountain pines,
With finged top their stately growth though bare
Stands on the blafted heath. He now prepar'd
To speak; whereat their doubled ranks they bend
From wing to wing, and half inclose him round
With all his peers: attention held them mute.
Thrice he affay'd, and thrice in spite of scorn
Tears, fuch as angels weep, burst forth at laft
Words interwove with fighs found out their way.
O myriads of immortal fpirits, O powers
Matchlefs, but with th' Almighty, and that ftrife
Was not inglorious, though th' event was dire,
As this place teftifies, and this dire change
Hateful to utter but what pow'r of mind
Foreseeing or presaging, from the depth
Of knowledge paft or prefent, could have fear'd,
How fuch united force of Gods, how fuch
As ftood like thefe, could ever know repulse?
For who can yet believe, though after loss,
That all these puiffant legions, whose exile
Hath emptied heav'n, fhall fail to re-afcend
Self-rais'd, and repoffefs their native feat?
For me be witness all the Hoft of heaven,