Into this wilderness, to what intent
I learn not yet, perhaps I need not know ; For what concerns my knowledge God reveals.
So spake our Morning Star, then in his rise, And looking round on every side beheld A pathless desert, dusk with horrid shades; The way he came not having mark'd, return Was difficult, by human steps untrod; And he still on was led, but with such thoughts Accompanied of things past and to come Lodg'd in his breast, as well might recommend Such solitude before choicest society. Full forty days he pass'd, whether on hill Sometimes, anon in shady vale, each night Under the covert of some ancient oak, Or cedar, to defend him from the dew, Or harbour'd in one cave, is not reveal'd; Nor tasted human food, nor hunger felt Till those days ended, hunger'd then at last Among wild beasts: they at his sight grew mild, Nor sleeping him nor waking harm'd, his walk The fiery serpent fled, and noxious worm, The lion and fierce tiger glar'd aloof.
But now an aged man in rural weeds,
Following as seem'd, the quest of some stray ewe, Or wither'd sticks to gather, which might serve 316 Against a winter's day when winds blow keen, To warm him wet return'd from field at eve, He saw approach, who first with curious eye Perus'd him, then with words thus utter'd spake :
Sir, what ill chance hath brought thee to this So far from path or road of men, who pass [place In troop or caravan ? for single none
Durst ever, who return'd, and dropt not here 324 His carcass, pin'd with hunger and with drouth. I ask the rather, and the more admire,
For that to me thou seem'st the Man whom late Our new baptizing Prophet at the ford
Of Jordan honor'd so, and call'd thee Son
Of God; I saw and heard, for we sometimes 330 Who dwell this wild, constrain'd by want, come To town or village nigh (nighest is far)
[forth Where ought we hear, and curious are to hear, What happens new; Fame also finds us out. To whom the Son of God. Who brought me hither, Will bring me hence; no other guide I seek. 336 By miracle he may, reply'd the swain,
What other way I see not, for we here Live on tough roots and stubs, to thirst inur'd More than the camel, and to drink go far, Men to much misery and hardship born; But if thou be the Son of God, command That out of these hard stones be made thee bread, So shalt thou save thyself and us relieve With food, whereof we wretched seldom taste. 345
He ended, and the Son of God reply'd:
Think'st thou such force in bread? Is it not written (For I discern thee other than thou seem'st) Man lives not by bread only, but each word Proceeding from the mouth of God, who fed
Our fathers here with manna? in the mount Moses was forty days, nor ate nor drank; And forty days Elijah without food
Wander'd this barren waste; the same I now : Why dost thou then suggest to me distrust, 355 Knowing who I am, as I know who thou art?
Whom thus answer'd th' Arch-fiénd now undis'Tis true, I am that Spirit unfortunate, [guis'd: Who leagu'd with millions more in rash revolt Kept not my happy station, but was driven With them from bliss to the bottomless deep, Yet to that hideous place not so confin'd By rigor unconniving, but that oft Leaving my dolorous prison I enjoy
Large liberty to round this globe of earth
Or range in th' air, nor from the Heaven of Heav'ns
Hath he excluded my resort sometimes.
I came among the sons of God, when he Gave up into my hands Uzzean Job
To prove him, and illustrate his high worth; 370 And when to all his angels he propos'd
To draw the proud king Ahab into fraud That he might fall in Ramoth, they demurring, I undertook that office, and the tongues
Of all his flattering prophets glibb'd with lies 375 To his destruction, as I had in charge, For what he bids I do : though I have lost Much lustre of my native brightness, lost To be belov'd of God, I have not lost To love, at least contemplate and admire
What I see excellent in good, or fair, Or virtuous, I should so have lost all sense. What can be then less in me than desire To see thee and approach thee, whom I know Declar'd the Son of God, to hear attent Thy wisdom, and behold thy Godlike deeds? Men generally think me much a foe
To all mankind: why should I? they to me Never did wrong or violence; by them
I lost not what I lost, rather by them
I gain'd what I have gain'd, and with them dwell Copartner in these regions of the world, If not disposer; lend them oft my aid, Oft my advice by presages and signs, And answers, oracles, portents and dreams, Whereby they may direct their future life. Envy they say excites me, thus to gain Companions of my misery and woe.
At first it may be; but long since with woe Nearer acquainted, now I feel by proof, That fellowship in pain divides not smart, Nor lightens ought each man's peculiar load. Small consolation then, were man adjoin'd: This wounds me most (what can it less ?) that man, Man fall'n, shall be restor'd, I never more.
405 To whom our Saviour sternly thus reply'd : Deservedly thou griev'st, compos'd of lies From the beginning, and in lies wilt end; Who boast'st release from Hell, and leave to come Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns: thou com'st indeed,
As a poor miserable captive thrall Comes to the place where he before had sat Among the prime in splendor, now depos'd, Ejected, emptied, gaz'd, unpitied, shunn'd, A spectacle of ruin or of scorn
To all the host of Heav'n: the happy place Imparts to thee no happiness, no joy, Rather inflames thy torment, representing Lost bliss, to thee no more communicable, So never more in Hell than when in Heav'n. But thou art serviceable to Heav'n's King. Wilt thou impute to' obedience what thy fear Extorts, or pleasure to do ill excites ?
What but thy malice mov'd thee to misdeem Of righteous Job, then cruelly to' afflict him 425 With all inflictions? but his patience won. The other service was thy chosen task, To be a liar in four hundred mouths; For lying is thy sustenance, thy food. Yet thou pretend'st to truth; all oracles By thee are giv'n, and what confess'd more true Among the nations? that hath been thy craft, By mixing somewhat true to vent more lies. But what have been thy answers, what but dark, Ambiguous, and with double sense deluding, 435 Which they who ask'd have seldom understood, And not well understood as good not known? Whoever by consulting at thy shrine Return'd the wiser, or the more instruct To fly or follow what concern'd him most,
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