 | |
| |
| MEANWHILE the new-baptized, who yet remained |
| At Jordan with the Baptist, and had seen |
| Him whom they heard so late expressly called |
| Jesus Messiah, Son of God, declared, |
| 5 | And on that high authority had believed, |
| And with him talked, and with him lodged--I mean |
| Andrew and Simon, famous after known, |
| With others, though in Holy Writ not named-- |
| Now missing him, their joy so lately found, |
| 10 | So lately found and so abruptly gone, 10 |
| Began to doubt, and doubted many days, |
| And, as the days increased, increased their doubt. |
| Sometimes they thought he might be only shewn, |
| And for a time caught up to God, as once |
| 15 | Moses was in the Mount and missing long, |
| And the great Thisbite, who on fiery wheels |
| Rode up to Heaven, yet once again to come. |
| Therefore, as those young prophets then with care |
| Sought lost Eliah, so in each place these |
| 20 | Nigh to Bethabara--in Jericho 20 |
| The city of palms, AEnon, and Salem old, |
| Machaerus, and each town or city walled |
| On this side the broad lake Genezaret, |
| Or in Peraea--but returned in vain. |
| 25 | Then on the bank of Jordan, by a creek, |
| Where winds with reeds and osiers whispering play, |
| Plain fishermen (no greater men them call), |
| Close in a cottage low together got, |
| Their unexpected loss and plaints outbreathed:-- |
| 30 | "Alas, from what high hope to what relapse 30 |
| Unlooked for are we fallen! Our eyes beheld |
| Messiah certainly now come, so long |
| Expected of our fathers; we have heard |
| His words, his wisdom full of grace and truth. |
| 35 | 'Now, now, for sure, deliverance is at hand; |
| The kingdom shall to Israel be restored:' |
| Thus we rejoiced, but soon our joy is turned |
| Into perplexity and new amaze. |
| For whither is he gone? what accident |
| 40 | Hath rapt him from us? will he now retire 40 |
| After appearance, and again prolong |
| Our expectation? God of Israel, |
| Send thy Messiah forth; the time is come. |
| Behold the kings of the earth, how they oppress |
| 45 | Thy Chosen, to what highth their power unjust |
| They have exalted, and behind them cast |
| All fear of Thee; arise, and vindicate |
| Thy glory; free thy people from their yoke! |
| But let us wait; thus far He hath performed-- |
| 50 | Sent his Anointed, and to us revealed him 50 |
| By his great Prophet pointed at and shown |
| In public, and with him we have conversed. |
| Let us be glad of this, and all our fears |
| Lay on his providence; He will not fail, |
| 55 | Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recall-- |
| Mock us with his blest sight, then snatch him hence: |
| Soon we shall see our hope, our joy, return." |
| Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume |
| To find whom at the first they found unsought. |
| 60 | But to his mother Mary, when she saw 60 |
| Others returned from baptism, not her Son, |
| Nor left at Jordan tidings of him none, |
| Within her breast though calm, her breast though pure, |
| Motherly cares and fears got head, and raised |
| 65 | Some troubled thoughts, which she in sighs thus clad:-- |
| "Oh, what avails me now that honour high, |
| To have conceived of God, or that salute, |
| 'Hail, highly favoured, among women blest!' |
| While I to sorrows am no less advanced, |
| 70 | And fears as eminent above the lot 70 |
| Of other women, by the birth I bore: |
| In such a season born, when scarce a shed |
| Could be obtained to shelter him or me |
| From the bleak air? A stable was our warmth, |
| 75 | A manger his; yet soon enforced to fly |
| Thence into Egypt, till the murderous king |
| Were dead, who sought his life, and, missing, filled |
| With infant blood the streets of Bethlehem. |
| From Egypt home returned, in Nazareth |
| 80 | Hath been our dwelling many years; his life 80 |
| Private, unactive, calm, contemplative, |
| Little suspicious to any king. But now, |
| Full grown to man, acknowledged, as I hear, |
| By John the Baptist, and in public shewn, |
| 85 | Son owned from Heaven by his Father's voice, |
| I looked for some great change. To honour? no; |
| But trouble, as old Simeon plain foretold, |
| That to the fall and rising he should be |
| Of many in Israel, and to a sign |
| 90 | Spoken against--that through my very soul 90 |
| A sword shall pierce. This is my favoured lot, |
| My exaltation to afflictions high! |
| Afflicted I may be, it seems, and blest! |
| I will not argue that, nor will repine. |
| 95 | But where delays he now? Some great intent |
| Conceals him. When twelve years he scarce had seen, |
| I lost him, but so found as well I saw |
| He could not lose himself, but went about |
| His Father's business. What he meant I mused-- |
| 100 | Since understand; much more his absence now 100 |
| Thus long to some great purpose he obscures. |
| But I to wait with patience am inured; |
| My heart hath been a storehouse long of things |
| And sayings laid up, pretending strange events." |
| 105 | Thus Mary, pondering oft, and oft to mind |
| Recalling what remarkably had passed |
| Since first her Salutation heard, with thoughts |
| Meekly composed awaited the fulfilling: |
| The while her Son, tracing the desert wild, |
| 110 | Sole, but with holiest meditations fed, 110 |
| Into himself descended, and at once |
| All his great work to come before him set-- |
| How to begin, how to accomplish best |
| His end of being on Earth, and mission high. |
| 115 | For Satan, with sly preface to return, |
| Had left him vacant, and with speed was gone |
| Up to the middle region of thick air, |
| Where all his Potentates in council sate. |
| There, without sign of boast, or sign of joy, |
| 120 | Solicitous and blank, he thus began:-- 120 |
| "Princes, Heaven's ancient Sons, AEthereal Thrones-- |
| Daemonian Spirits now, from the element |
| Each of his reign allotted, rightlier called |
| Powers of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath |
| 125 | (So may we hold our place and these mild seats |
| Without new trouble!)--such an enemy |
| Is risen to invade us, who no less |
| Threatens than our expulsion down to Hell. |
| I, as I undertook, and with the vote |
| 130 | Consenting in full frequence was impowered, 130 |
| Have found him, viewed him, tasted him; but find |
| Far other labour to be undergone |
| Than when I dealt with Adam, first of men, |
| Though Adam by his wife's allurement fell, |
| 135 | However to this Man inferior far-- |
| If he be Man by mother's side, at least |
| With more than human gifts from Heaven adorned, |
| Perfections absolute, graces divine, |
| And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds. |
| 140 | Therefore I am returned, lest confidence 140 |
| Of my success with Eve in Paradise |
| Deceive ye to persuasion over-sure |
| Of like succeeding here. I summon all |
| Rather to be in readiness with hand |
| 145 | Or counsel to assist, lest I, who erst |
| Thought none my equal, now be overmatched." |
| So spake the old Serpent, doubting, and from all |
| With clamour was assured their utmost aid |
| At his command; when from amidst them rose |
| 150 | Belial, the dissolutest Spirit that fell, 150 |
| The sensualest, and, after Asmodai, |
| The fleshliest Incubus, and thus advised:-- |
| "Set women in his eye and in his walk, |
| Among daughters of men the fairest found. |
| 155 | Many are in each region passing fair |
| As the noon sky, more like to goddesses |
| Than mortal creatures, graceful and discreet, |
| Expert in amorous arts, enchanting tongues |
| Persuasive, virgin majesty with mild |
| 160 | And sweet allayed, yet terrible to approach, 160 |
| Skilled to retire, and in retiring draw |
| Hearts after them tangled in amorous nets. |
| Such object hath the power to soften and tame |
| Severest temper, smooth the rugged'st brow, |
| 165 | Enerve, and with voluptuous hope dissolve, |
| Draw out with credulous desire, and lead |
| At will the manliest, resolutest breast, |
| As the magnetic hardest iron draws. |
| Women, when nothing else, beguiled the heart |
| 170 | Of wisest Solomon, and made him build, 170 |
| And made him bow, to the gods of his wives." |
| To whom quick answer Satan thus returned:-- |
| "Belial, in much uneven scale thou weigh'st |
| All others by thyself. Because of old |
| 175 | Thou thyself doat'st on womankind, admiring |
| Their shape, their colour, and attractive grace, |
| None are, thou think'st, but taken with such toys. |
| Before the Flood, thou, with thy lusty crew, |
| False titled Sons of God, roaming the Earth, |
| 180 | Cast wanton eyes on the daughters of men, 180 |
| And coupled with them, and begot a race. |
| Have we not seen, or by relation heard, |
| In courts and regal chambers how thou lurk'st, |
| In wood or grove, by mossy fountain-side, |
| 185 | In valley or green meadow, to waylay |
| Some beauty rare, Calisto, Clymene, |
| Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa, |
| Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more |
| Too long--then lay'st thy scapes on names adored, |
| 190 | Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan, 190 |
| Satyr, or Faun, or Silvan? But these haunts |
| Delight not all. Among the sons of men |
| How many have with a smile made small account |
| Of beauty and her lures, easily scorned |
| 195 | All her assaults, on worthier things intent! |
| Remember that Pellean conqueror, |
| A youth, how all the beauties of the East |
| He slightly viewed, and slightly overpassed; |
| How he surnamed of Africa dismissed, |
| 200 | In his prime youth, the fair Iberian maid. 200 |
| For Solomon, he lived at ease, and, full |
| Of honour, wealth, high fare, aimed not beyond |
| Higher design than to enjoy his state; |
| Thence to the bait of women lay exposed. |
| 205 | But he whom we attempt is wiser far |
| Than Solomon, of more exalted mind, |
| Made and set wholly on the accomplishment |
| Of greatest things. What woman will you find, |
| Though of this age the wonder and the fame, |
| 210 | On whom his leisure will voutsafe an eye 210 |
| Of fond desire? Or should she, confident, |
| As sitting queen adored on Beauty's throne, |
| Descend with all her winning charms begirt |
| To enamour, as the zone of Venus once |
| 215 | Wrought that effect on Jove (so fables tell), |
| How would one look from his majestic brow, |
| Seated as on the top of Virtue's hill, |
| Discountenance her despised, and put to rout |
| All her array, her female pride deject, |
| 220 | Or turn to reverent awe! For Beauty stands 220 |
| In the admiration only of weak minds |
| Led captive; cease to admire, and all her plumes |
| Fall flat, and shrink into a trivial toy, |
| At every sudden slighting quite abashed. |
| 225 | Therefore with manlier objects we must try |
| His constancy--with such as have more shew |
| Of worth, of honour, glory, and popular praise |
| (Rocks whereon greatest men have oftest wrecked); |
| Or that which only seems to satisfy |
| 230 | Lawful desires of nature, not beyond. 230 |
| And now I know he hungers, where no food |
| Is to be found, in the wide Wilderness: |
| The rest commit to me; I shall let pass |
| No advantage, and his strength as oft assay." |
| 235 | He ceased, and heard their grant in loud acclaim; |
| Then forthwith to him takes a chosen band |
| Of Spirits likest to himself in guile, |
| To be at hand and at his beck appear, |
| If cause were to unfold some active scene |
| 240 | Of various persons, each to know his part; 240 |
| Then to the desert takes with these his flight, |
| Where still, from shade to shade, the Son of God, |
| After forty days' fasting, had remained, |
| Now hungering first, and to himself thus said:-- |
| 245 | "Where will this end? Four times ten days I have passed |
| Wandering this woody maze, and human food |
| Nor tasted, nor had appetite. That fast |
| To virtue I impute not, or count part |
| Of what I suffer here. If nature need not, |
| 250 | Or God support nature without repast, 250 |
| Though needing, what praise is it to endure? |
| But now I feel I hunger; which declares |
| Nature hath need of what she asks. Yet God |
| Can satisfy that need some other way, |
| 255 | Though hunger still remain. So it remain |
| Without this body's wasting, I content me, |
| And from the sting of famine fear no harm; |
| Nor mind it, fed with better thoughts, that feed |
| Me hungering more to do my Father's will." |
| 260 | It was the hour of night, when thus the Son 260 |
| Communed in silent walk, then laid him down |
| Under the hospitable covert nigh |
| Of trees thick interwoven. There he slept, |
| And dreamed, as appetite is wont to dream, |
| 265 | Of meats and drinks, nature's refreshment sweet. |
| Him thought he by the brook of Cherith stood, |
| And saw the ravens with their horny beaks |
| Food to Elijah bringing even and morn-- |
| Though ravenous, taught to abstain from what they brought; |
| 270 | He saw the Prophet also, how he fled 270 |
| Into the desert, and how there he slept |
| Under a juniper--then how, awaked, |
| He found his supper on the coals prepared, |
| And by the Angel was bid rise and eat, |
| 275 | And eat the second time after repose, |
| The strength whereof sufficed him forty days: |
| Sometimes that with Elijah he partook, |
| Or as a guest with Daniel at his pulse. |
| Thus wore out night; and now the harald Lark |
| 280 | Left his ground-nest, high towering to descry 280 |
| The Morn's approach, and greet her with his song. |
| As lightly from his grassy couch up rose |
| Our Saviour, and found all was but a dream; |
| Fasting he went to sleep, and fasting waked. |
| 285 | Up to a hill anon his steps he reared, |
| From whose high top to ken the prospect round, |
| If cottage were in view, sheep-cote, or herd; |
| But cottage, herd, or sheep-cote, none he saw-- |
| Only in a bottom saw a pleasant grove, |
| 290 | With chaunt of tuneful birds resounding loud. 290 |
| Thither he bent his way, determined there |
| To rest at noon, and entered soon the shade |
| High-roofed, and walks beneath, and alleys brown, |
| That opened in the midst a woody scene; |
| 295 | Nature's own work it seemed (Nature taught Art), |
| And, to a superstitious eye, the haunt |
| Of wood-gods and wood-nymphs. He viewed it round; |
| When suddenly a man before him stood, |
| Not rustic as before, but seemlier clad, |
| 300 | As one in city or court or palace bred, 300 |
| And with fair speech these words to him addressed:-- |
| "With granted leave officious I return, |
| But much more wonder that the Son of God |
| In this wild solitude so long should bide, |
| 305 | Of all things destitute, and, well I know, |
| Not without hunger. Others of some note, |
| As story tells, have trod this wilderness: |
| The fugitive Bond-woman, with her son, |
| Outcast Nebaioth, yet found here relief |
| 310 | By a providing Angel; all the race 310 |
| Of Israel here had famished, had not God |
| Rained from heaven manna; and that Prophet bold, |
| Native of Thebez, wandering here, was fed |
| Twice by a voice inviting him to eat. |
| 315 | Of thee those forty days none hath regard, |
| Forty and more deserted here indeed." |
| To whom thus Jesus:--"What conclud'st thou hence? |
| They all had need; I, as thou seest, have none." |
| "How hast thou hunger then?" Satan replied. |
| 320 | "Tell me, if food were now before thee set, 320 |
| Wouldst thou not eat?" "Thereafter as I like |
| the giver," answered Jesus. "Why should that |
| Cause thy refusal?" said the subtle Fiend. |
| "Hast thou not right to all created things? |
| 325 | Owe not all creatures, by just right, to thee |
| Duty and service, nor to stay till bid, |
| But tender all their power? Nor mention I |
| Meats by the law unclean, or offered first |
| To idols--those young Daniel could refuse; |
| 330 | Nor proffered by an enemy--though who 330 |
| Would scruple that, with want oppressed? Behold, |
| Nature ashamed, or, better to express, |
| Troubled, that thou shouldst hunger, hath purveyed |
| From all the elements her choicest store, |
| 335 | To treat thee as beseems, and as her Lord |
| With honour. Only deign to sit and eat." |
| He spake no dream; for, as his words had end, |
| Our Saviour, lifting up his eyes, beheld, |
| In ample space under the broadest shade, |
| 340 | A table richly spread in regal mode, 340 |
| With dishes piled and meats of noblest sort |
| And savour--beasts of chase, or fowl of game, |
| In pastry built, or from the spit, or boiled, |
| Grisamber-steamed; all fish, from sea or shore, |
| 345 | Freshet or purling brook, of shell or fin, |
| And exquisitest name, for which was drained |
| Pontus, and Lucrine bay, and Afric coast. |
| Alas! how simple, to these cates compared, |
| Was that crude Apple that diverted Eve! |
| 350 | And at a stately sideboard, by the wine, 350 |
| That fragrant smell diffused, in order stood |
| Tall stripling youths rich-clad, of fairer hue |
| Than Ganymed or Hylas; distant more, |
| Under the trees now tripped, now solemn stood, |
| 355 | Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades |
| With fruits and flowers from Amalthea's horn, |
| And ladies of the Hesperides, that seemed |
| Fairer than feigned of old, or fabled since |
| Of faery damsels met in forest wide |
| 360 | By knights of Logres, or of Lyones, 360 |
| Lancelot, or Pelleas, or Pellenore. |
| And all the while harmonious airs were heard |
| Of chiming strings or charming pipes; and winds |
| Of gentlest gale Arabian odours fanned |
| 365 | From their soft wings, and Flora's earliest smells. |
| Such was the splendour; and the Tempter now |
| His invitation earnestly renewed:-- |
| "What doubts the Son of God to sit and eat? |
| These are not fruits forbidden; no interdict |
| 370 | Defends the touching of these viands pure; 370 |
| Their taste no knowledge works, at least of evil, |
| But life preserves, destroys life's enemy, |
| Hunger, with sweet restorative delight. |
| All these are Spirits of air, and woods, and springs, |
| 375 | Thy gentle ministers, who come to pay |
| Thee homage, and acknowledge thee their Lord. |
| What doubt'st thou, Son of God? Sit down and eat." |
| To whom thus Jesus temperately replied:-- |
| "Said'st thou not that to all things I had right? |
| 380 | And who withholds my power that right to use? 380 |
| Shall I receive by gift what of my own, |
| When and where likes me best, I can command? |
| I can at will, doubt not, as soon as thou, |
| Command a table in this wilderness, |
| 385 | And call swift flights of Angels ministrant, |
| Arrayed in glory, on my cup to attend: |
| Why shouldst thou, then, obtrude this diligence |
| In vain, where no acceptance it can find? |
| And with my hunger what hast thou to do? |
| 390 | Thy pompous delicacies I contemn, 390 |
| And count thy specious gifts no gifts, but guiles." |
| To whom thus answered Satan, male-content:-- |
| "That I have also power to give thou seest; |
| If of that power I bring thee voluntary |
| 395 | What I might have bestowed on whom I pleased, |
| And rather opportunely in this place |
| Chose to impart to thy apparent need, |
| Why shouldst thou not accept it? But I see |
| What I can do or offer is suspect. |
| 400 | Of these things others quickly will dispose, 400 |
| Whose pains have earned the far-fet spoil." With that |
| Both table and provision vanished quite, |
| With sound of harpies' wings and talons heard; |
| Only the importune Tempter still remained, |
| 405 | And with these words his temptation pursued:-- |
| "By hunger, that each other creature tames, |
| Thou art not to be harmed, therefore not moved; |
| Thy temperance, invincible besides, |
| For no allurement yields to appetite; |
| 410 | And all thy heart is set on high designs, 410 |
| High actions. But wherewith to be achieved? |
| Great acts require great means of enterprise; |
| Thou art unknown, unfriended, low of birth, |
| A carpenter thy father known, thyself |
| 415 | Bred up in poverty and straits at home, |
| Lost in a desert here and hunger-bit. |
| Which way, or from what hope, dost thou aspire |
| To greatness? whence authority deriv'st? |
| What followers, what retinue canst thou gain, |
| 420 | Or at thy heels the dizzy multitude, 420 |
| Longer than thou canst feed them on thy cost? |
| Money brings honour, friends, conquest, and realms. |
| What raised Antipater the Edomite, |
| And his son Herod placed on Juda's throne, |
| 425 | Thy throne, but gold, that got him puissant friends? |
| Therefore, if at great things thou wouldst arrive, |
| Get riches first, get wealth, and treasure heap-- |
| Not difficult, if thou hearken to me. |
| Riches are mine, fortune is in my hand; |
| 430 | They whom I favour thrive in wealth amain, 430 |
| While virtue, valour, wisdom, sit in want." |
| To whom thus Jesus patiently replied:-- |
| "Yet wealth without these three is impotent |
| To gain dominion, or to keep it gained-- |
| 435 | Witness those ancient empires of the earth, |
| In highth of all their flowing wealth dissolved; |
| But men endued with these have oft attained, |
| In lowest poverty, to highest deeds-- |
| Gideon, and Jephtha, and the shepherd lad |
| 440 | Whose offspring on the throne of Juda sate 440 |
| So many ages, and shall yet regain |
| That seat, and reign in Israel without end. |
| Among the Heathen (for throughout the world |
| To me is not unknown what hath been done |
| 445 | Worthy of memorial) canst thou not remember |
| Quintius, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus? |
| For I esteem those names of men so poor, |
| Who could do mighty things, and could contemn |
| Riches, though offered from the hand of kings. |
| 450 | And what in me seems wanting but that I 450 |
| May also in this poverty as soon |
| Accomplish what they did, perhaps and more? |
| Extol not riches, then, the toil of fools, |
| The wise man's cumbrance, if not snare; more apt |
| 455 | To slacken virtue and abate her edge |
| Than prompt her to do aught may merit praise. |
| What if with like aversion I reject |
| Riches and realms! Yet not for that a crown, |
| Golden in shew, is but a wreath of thorns, |
| 460 | Brings dangers, troubles, cares, and sleepless nights, 460 |
| To him who wears the regal diadem, |
| When on his shoulders each man's burden lies; |
| For therein stands the office of a king, |
| His honour, virtue, merit, and chief praise, |
| 465 | That for the public all this weight he bears. |
| Yet he who reigns within himself, and rules |
| Passions, desires, and fears, is more a king-- |
| Which every wise and virtuous man attains; |
| And who attains not, ill aspires to rule |
| 470 | Cities of men, or headstrong multitudes, 470 |
| Subject himself to anarchy within, |
| Or lawless passions in him, which he serves. |
| But to guide nations in the way of truth |
| By saving doctrine, and from error lead |
| 475 | To know, and, knowing, worship God aright, |
| Is yet more kingly. This attracts the soul, |
| Governs the inner man, the nobler part; |
| That other o'er the body only reigns, |
| And oft by force--which to a generous mind |
| 480 | So reigning can be no sincere delight. 480 |
| Besides, to give a kingdom hath been thought |
| Greater and nobler done, and to lay down |
| Far more magnanimous, than to assume. |
| Riches are needless, then, both for themselves, |
| 485 | And for thy reason why they should be sought-- |
| To gain a sceptre, oftest better missed." |
