Like night, and darkened all the land of Roused from the slumber on that fiery Nile: couch, Came like a deluge on the South, and Between the Cherubim; yea, often placed And downward fish; yet had his temple high Like cumbrous flesh; but, in what shape Reared in Azotus, dreaded through the coast Of Palestine, in Gath and Ascalon, 465 And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds. Him followed Rimmon, whose delightful seat Was fair Damascus, on the fertile banks Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams. He also against the house of God was bold: A leper once he lost, and gained a king, 471 Ahaz, his sottish conqueror, whom he drew God's altar to disparage and displace For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn A crew who, under names of old renown, Fanatic Egypt and her priests, to seek 480 forms Rather than human. Nor did Israel scape By that uxorious king whose heart, though The infection, when their borrowed gold Foreseeing or presaging, from the depth. Of knowledge past or present, could have feared How such united force of gods, how such As stood like these, could ever know repulse? 630 For who can yet believe, though after loss, That all these puissant legions, whose exile Hath emptied Heaven, shall fail to reascend, Self-raised, and repossess their native seat? For me, be witness all the host of Heaven, If counsels different, or danger shunned 636 By me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns Monarch in Heaven, till then as one secure Sat on his throne, upheld by old repute, Consent or custom, and his regal state 640 Put forth at full, but still his strength concealed; Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall. Henceforth his might we know, and know A numerous brigad hastened: as when bands 675 Of pioneers, with spade and pickaxe armed, Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field, Or cast a rampart. Mammon led them |