Cœleftes acies, atque in certamine cœlum,
Et quæ cœleftes pugna deceret agros!
Quantus in æthereis tollit se Lucifer armis!
Atque ipso graditur vix Michaele minor!
Quantis, & quàm funestis concurritur iris,
Dum ferus hic stellas protegit, ille rapit!
Dum vulfos montes, ceu tela reciproca, torquent;
Et non mortali defuper igne pluunt;
Stat dubius cui se parti concedat Olympus ;
Et metuit pugnæ non superesse suæ.
At fimul in cælis MESSIE infignia fulgent,
Et currus animes, armaque digna DEO;
Horrendumque rotæ strident, & fæva rotarum
Erumpunt torvis fulgura luminibus;
Et flammæ vibrant, & vera tonitrua rauco
Admistis flammis insonuere polo:
Excidit attonitis mens omnis, & impetus omnis,
Et cassis dextris irrita tela cadunt.
Ad pœnas fugiunt, & (ceu foret Orcus asylum!)
Infernis certant condere se tenebris.
Cedite Romani Scriptores, cedite Graii,
Et quos Fama recens, vel celebravit anus : Hæc quicunque leget, tantùm cecinisse putabit Maonidem Ranas, Virgilium Culices.
SAM. BARROW, M. D.
Spectatissimo Viro,
GUILIELMO BENSON Armigero,
Sereniffimo Mag. Britann. Regi
A Rationibus Publicis;
Erudito, Candido, Munifico;
Interpretationem,
Sub Ipfius Aufpiciis fufceptam
Summâ cum Observantiâ,
RIMAM Hominis Noxam, vetitaque ex Arbore fœtus
Avulfos, morsu quæ degustata nefando
Humanæ genti mortem & genus omne malorum
Intulit, & miferos Edeni fedibus egit,
Donec Progenies Humano ab semine Major
Restituat lapsos, lætisque reponat in arvis,
Diva canas: Tu, secreto quæ vertice quondam
Orebi, Sina-ve jugis, præcordia sancto
Pastori afflabas, quem lecta ab origine Proles
Audiit ingentis primordia dicere mundi,
Emersasque Chao terras cœlumque profundum.
Seu tibi fit Sion cordi magis, & Siloæ fons
Celsa DEI tacito lambens Oracula rivo,
Ritè tuam pofcentis opem præfentior audi
Inde preces, non vulgari qui carminis alâ
Aonium spernit montem, impavidoque volatu
Ardua molitur, nulli fermone soluto
Dicta priùs, nulli veterum celebrata camœnæ.
Tuque adeò, qui, templorum penetralibus altis
Posthabitis, purum pectus sanctosque recessus
Casti animi colis; O fari da, SPIRITUS alme,
Scis etenim & memorare potes; Tu semina mundi
Prima fovens, alisque, parentis more columbæ,
Expanfis fuper incumbens, immane Profundum
Vi fœcundabas genitali: Tu mihi lustra
Corda bonus; lucem cæco, invalidoque vigorem.
Suffice, ut ingenti non impar Argumento
Confurgam; legesque DEI venerandaque jura
Defendens, pandam dictis quàm numine justo
Torquet res Hominum, atque æquis moderatur habenis.
Fare age, namque patent superas tibi cuncta per oras
Perque altos Erebi tractus, quæ Causa Parentes
Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous Song,
That with no middle flight intends to foar
Above th' Aonian Mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime.
And chiefly Thou, O SPIRIT, that doft prefer
Before all temples th' upright heart and pure,
Instruct me, for Thou know'st: Thou from the first
Waft prefent, and with mighty wings outspread
Dove-like sat'st brooding on the vast Abyss,
And mad'st it pregnant: What in Me is dark,
Illumine; what is low, raise and support;
That to the height of this great Argument
I may affert Eternal Providence,
And juftifie the ways of GOD to Men.
Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view,
Nor the deep Tract of Hell; say first what Cause
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