Cities of men, or head-strong multitudes.
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
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 reignis,
And oft by force, which to a gen'rous mind
So reigning can be no sincere delight.
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,
And for thy reason why they should be sought,
To gain a Scepter, oftest better miss'd
The End of the Second Book.
O spake the Son of God, and Satan stood
A while as mute confounded what to say,
What to reply, confuted and convinc'd
Of his weak arguing, and fallacious drift ;
At length collecting all his Serpent wiles,
With soothing words renew'd, him thus accosts.
I fee thou know'st what is of use to know,
What best to say canst say, to do canst do ;
Thy actions to thy words accord, thy words
To thy large heart give utterance due, thy heart
Contains of good, wise, just, the perfect shape.
Should Kings and Nations from thy mouth consult,
Thy
Thy Counsel would be as the Oracle
Urim and Thummim, those oraculous
gems
On Aaron's breast: or tongue of Seers old
Infallible; or wert thou sought to deeds
That might require th’array of war, thy skill
Of conduct would be such, that all the world
Could not sustain thy Prowess, or subfift
In battel, though against thy few in arms.
These God-like Virtues wherefore dost thou hide?
Affecting private life, or more obscure
In savage Wilderness, wherefore deprive
All Earth her wonder at thy acts, thy self
The fame and glory, glory the reward
That sole excites to high attempts, the flame
Of moft erected Spirits, most temper'd pure
Ætherial, who all pleasures else despise,
All treasures and all gain esteem as dross,
And dignities and pow'rs all but the highest?
Thy years are ripe, and over-ripe, the son
Of Macedonian Philip had e'er these
Won Asia and the Throne of Cyrus held
At his dispose, young Scipio had brought down
The Carthaginian pride, young Pompey quelld
The
The Pontic King, and in triumph had rode.
Yet years, and to ripe years judgment mature,
Quench not the thirst of glory, but augment.
Great Julius, whom now all the world admires;
The more he grew in years, the more inflam'd
With glory, wept that he had liv'd so long
Inglorious: But thou yet art not too late.
To whom our Saviour calmly thus reply'd.
Thou neither dost persuade me to seek wealth
For Empire's sake, nor Empire to affect
For glory's sake by all thy argument.
For what is glory but the blaze of fame,
The peoples praise, if always praise unmixt?
And what the people but a herd confus'd,
A miscellaneous rabble, who extol
[praises
Things vulgar, and well weigh’d, scarce worth the
They praise and they admire they know not what;
And know not whom, but as one leads the other ;
And what delight to be by such extollid,
To live upon
their
tongues and be their talk, Of whom to be despis'd were no small praise? His lot who dares be fingularly good. Th’intelligent among them and the wise
Are
Are few, and glory scarce of few is rais’d.
This is true glory and renown; when God
Looking on th’ Earth, with approbation marks
The just man, and divulges him through Heav'n
To all his Angels; who with true applause
Recount his praises ; thus he did to Job;
When to extend his fame, through Heav'n and Earth,
As thou tơ thy reproach may'st well remember,
He ask'd thee, halt thou seen my servant Job?
Famous he was in Heav'n, on Earth less known;
Where glory is false glory, attributed
To things not glorious, men not worthy of fame.
They err who count it glorious to subdue
By Conquest far and wide, to over-run
Large Countries, and in field great Battels win,
Great Cities by assault: what do thefe Worthies;
But rob and spoil, burn, flaughter, and enslave
Peaceable Nations; neighbouring, or remote,
Made Captive, yet deserving freedom more
Than those their Conquerors, who leave behind
Nothing but ruin wherefoe'er they rove,
And all the flourishing works of peace destroy,
Then swell with pride, and must be titled Gods,
E
Great
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