On fev'n small Hills, with Palaces adorn'd,
Porches and Theatrés, Baths, Aqueducts,
Statues and Trophies, and Triumphal Arcś,
Gardens and Groves presented to his eyes,
Above the heighth of Mountains interpos’d.
By what strange Parallax or Optick skill
Of vision multiply'd through Air, or Glass
Of Telescope, were curious to enquire:
And now the Tempter thus his silence broke.
The City which thou feest no other deem
Than great and glorious Rome, Queen of the Earth
So far renown'd, and with the spoils enricht
Of Nations; there the Capitol thou seest
Above the rest lifting his stately head
On the Tarpeian rock, her Cittadel
Imprégnable, and there Mount Palatine
Th’Imperial Palace, compass huge, and high
The Structure, skill of noblest Architects,
With gilded battlements, conspicuous far,
Turrets and Terrases, and glitering Spires.
Many a fair Edifice besides, more like
Houses of Gods (so well I have dispos’d
My Aery Microfcope) thou may'st behold
+
Outside
Outside and inside both, pillars and roofs
Cary'd work, the hand of fam'd Artificers
In Cedar, Marble, Ivory or Gold.
Thence to the Gates cast round thine eye, and sec
What conflux issuing forth, or entring in,
Pretors, Proconsuls to their Provinces
Hasting or on return, in robes of State;
Lictors and rods the ensigns of their pow'r,
Legions and Cohorts, turmes of horse and wings:
Or Embassies from Regions far remote
In yarious habits on the Appian road,
Or on th’Emilian, fome from farthest South,
Syene, and where the shadow both way falls,
Meroe Nilotic Isle, and more to West,
The Realm of Bocchus to the Black-moor Sea;
From th’ Asian Kings and Parthian among these,
From India and the golden Cherfonefs,
And utmost Indian IŅe Taprobane,
Dusk faces with wbite filken Turbants wreath'd:
From Gallia, Gades, and the British West,
Germans and Scythians, and Sarmatians North
Beyond Danubius to the Tauric Pool.
All Nations now to Rome obedience pay,
Το
To Rome's great Emperor, whose wide domain
In ample Territory, wealth and pow'r,
Civility of manners, Arts, and Arms,
And long Renown thou justly may'st prefer
Before the Parthian; these two Thrones except,
The rest are barb'rous, and scarce worth the fight,
Shar'd among petty Kings too far remov'd;
These having shewn thee, I have sewn thee all
The Kingdoms of the World, and all their glory.
This Emp'ror hath no Son, and now is old,
Old and lascivious, and from Rome retir'd
To Caprea 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 publick cares, and yet of him suspicious,
Hated of all, and hating; with what ease
Indu'd with Regal Virtues as thou art,
Appearing and beginning noble deeds,
Might'st thou expel this monster from his Throne
Now made a stye, and in his place ascending
A victor, people free from fervile yoke?
And with my help thou may:st; to me the pow'r
Is giv'n, and by that right I give it thee.
Aim therefore at no less than all the world,
Aim at the highest, without the highest attain'd
Will be for thee no sitting, or not long
On David's Throne, be prophesy'd what will.
To whom the Son of God unmov'd reply’d.
Nor doth this grandeur and majestick show
Of luxury, though callid magnificence,
More than of Arms before, 'allure, mine
eye,
Much less my mind; though thou should'ft'add to tell
Their sumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous feasts
On Cittron tables or Atlantic stone,
(For I have also heard, perhaps have read)
Their wines of Setia, Cales, and Falerne,
Chios and Creet, and how they quaff in Gold,
Crystal and Myrrhine cups imboss'd with Gems
And studs of Pearl, to me should'st tell who thirst
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 th’Emperor, how easily subdu'd,
Ноу»
How gloriously; I shall, thou say'lt, expel
A brutih monster: what if I withal
Expel a Devil who first made him such?
Let his tormenter Conscience find him out,
For him I was not sent, nor yet to free
That People victor once, now vile and base,
Deservedly made vallal, who once just,
Frugal, and mild, and temp’rate, conquer'd well,
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 enur'd
Of fighting beasts, and men to beasts expos'd,
Luxurious by their wealth, and greedier still,
And from the daily Scene effeminate.
What wife and valiant Man would seek to free
These thus degen’rate, by themselves enslavid,
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 overshad’wing all the Earth,
Or as a Stone that shall to pieces dalh
All
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