By their rebellion, from the book of life. Nor had they yet, among the sons of Eve, [earth, Got them new names: till, wandering o'er the Through God's high sufferance, for the trial of By falsities and lies, the greatest part [man, Of mankind they corrupted, to forsake God their Creator, and the invisible 376 Glory of Him that made them; to transform Oft to the image of a brute, adorn'd With gay religions, full of pomp and gold, And devils to adore for Deities: Then were they known to men, by various names, And various idols, through the Heathen world. Say, Muse, their names then known, who first, who Roused from the slumber, on that fiery couch, [last, At their great Emperor's call, as next in worth, Came singly, where he stood on the bare strand, 380 While the promiscuous crowd stood yet aloof. The chief were those, who, from the pit of Hell, Roaming to seek their prey on earth, durst fix Their seats, long after next the seat of God, Their altars by his altar; (gods adored Among the nations round;) and durst abide Jehovah thundering out of Sion, throned Between the Cherubim: yea, often placed Within his sanctuary itself, their shrines, Abominations; and, with cursed things, 39 His holy rites and solemn feasts profaned; And with their darkness durst affront his light. First Moloch, horrid king, besmear'd with blood Of human sacrifice, and parents' tears; Though, for the noise of drums and timbrels loud, Their children's cries unheard, that pass'd through To his grim idol. Him the Ammonite [fire Worshipp'd in Rabba and her watery plain, In Argob and in Basan, to the stream Of utmost Arnon. Nor content with such 400 Audacious neighbourhood, the wisest heart Of Solomon he led, by fraud, to build His temple, right against the temple of God On that opprobrious hill; and made his grove The pleasant valley of Hinnom; Tophet thence And black Gehenna call'd, the type of Hell. Next Chemos, the obscene, dread of Moab's sons, From Aroer to Nebo, and the wild Of southmost Abarim; in Hesebon And Horonaim, Seon's realm, beyond 639-609 410 The flowery dale of Sibma, clad with vines, And works of love or enmity fulfil. To idols foul. Thammuz came next behind, Of alienated Judah. Next came one Who mourn'd in earnest, when the captive ark Maim'd his brute image, head and hands lopt off, 460 In his own temple, on the groundsil-edge, Where he fell flat, and shamed his worshippers : Dagon his name, sea-monster, upward man And downward fish: yet had his temple, high Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coast Of Palestine, in Gath and Ascalon, And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds. Him follow'd Rimmon, whose delightful seat Was fair Damascus, on the fertile banks Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams. 470 He also against the house of God was bold: A léper once he lost, and gain'd a king, Ahaz, his sottish conqueror, whom he drew God's altar to disparage, and displace For one of Syrian mode; whereon to burn His odious offerings, and adore the gods, Whom he had vanquish'd. After these appear'd A crew, who, under names of old renown, Osiris, Isis, Orus, and their train, With monstrous shapes and sorceries, abused 480 Fanatic Egypt and her priests, to seek Their wandering gods, disguised in brutish forms, Rather than human. Nor did Israel 'scape The infection, when their borrow'd gold composed The calf in Oreb; and the rebel king Doubled that sin in Béthel and in Dan, Likening his Maker to the grazed ox; Jehovah, who, in one night, when he pass'd From Egypt marching, equalled, with one stroke, Both her first-born, and all her bleating gods. 49 Belial came last, than whom a Spirit more lewd Fell not from Heaven, or more gross, to love Vice for itself; to him no temple stood, Or altar smoked; yet who more oft, than he, In temples and at altars, when the priest Turns atheist, as did Eli's sons, who fill'd With lust and violence the house of God? In courts and palaces he also reigns, And in luxurious cities, where the noise Of riot ascends, above their loftiest towers, 500 And injury and outrage: and when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine. Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night |