O in questa umil postura date il giuro Di servi al vincitor? che or or mironne Con armi sparte e insegne, mentre i presti Dalle porte del ciel scendean cacciando Udiro e vergognar; rizzarsi in piedi L'ali agitar sotto la volta inferna Dentro a fiamme di sù di giù e d'intorno; Sul duro zolfo e tutto empier quel campo; Non mai versò da' suoi ghiacciati fianchi L'istro o il reno a varcar, quando i suoi figli Came like a deluge on the south, and spread Forthwith from every squadron and each band And Powers that erst in Heaven sat on thrones; By their rebellion, from the books of life. Got them new names, till, wandering o'er the earth, Of mankind they corrupted to forsake Glory of him that made them, to transform Then were they known to men by various names, Say, Muse, their names then known, who first, who last, Rous'd from the slumber, on that fiery couch, At their great emperor's call, as next in worth Came singly where he stood on the bare strand, 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 ador'd Among the nations round; and durst abide. Barbari trasser qual diluvio all' austro Perchè rubei dai libri della vita. . Nè ancor avean tra i figli d'Eva avuto Dì, musa, i nomi noti allor, chi primo, Chi ultimo sorse da quell' igneo letto Del suo gran duce al suon, chi a lui secondo Primi eran quei che dal più cupo abisso Jehovah thundering out of Sion, thron'd His holy rites and solemn feasts profan'd, First, Moloch, horrid king, besmear'd with blood Of human sacrifice, and parents' tears; Though for the noise of drums and timbrels loud Worshipt in Rabba and her watery plain, His temple right against the temple of God, For Aroar to Nebo, and the wild Of southmost Abarim, in Hesebon And Horonaim, Seon's realm, beyond The flowery dale of Sibma clad with vines, Peor his other name, when he entic'd Israel in Sittim, on their march from Nile, To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe. Jeova su Sion tonante e in trono Fra Cherubin sì, spesso nel medesmo Suo santuario alzar lor simolacri Di Salomon con frode a alzargli un tempio Presso è Chemos terror osceno ai figli Di Moab, da Aroȧr al Nebo e ai lidi Deserti d'Abarim più australe, in Esebon, In Oronai, regno di Seon, oltre La bella val di Sibma lieta in vigne, |