Cœleftes acies, atque in certamine cœlum,
quæ Quantus in æthereis tollit fe Lucifer armis!
Atque ipfo graditur vix Michaele minor! Quantis, & quàm funeftis concurritur iris, Dum ferus hic ftellas protegit, ille rapit! Dum vulfos montes, ceu tela reciproca, torquent; Et non mortali defuper igne pluunt; Stat dubius cui fe parti concedat Olympus ; Et metuit pugnæ non fupereffe fuæ. At fimul in cœlis MESSIÆ infignia fulgent, Et currus animes, armaque digna DEO; Horrendúmque rotæ ftrident, & fæva rotarum Erumpunt torvis fulgura luminibus;
Et flammæ vibrant, & vera tonitrua rauco Admiftis flammis infonuere polo:
Excidit attonitis mens omnis, & impetus omnis, Et caffis dextris irrita tela cadunt.
Ad pœnas fugiunt, & (ceu foret Orcus asylum!) Infernis certant condere fe tenebris.
Cedite Romani Scriptores, cedite Graii,
quos Fama recens, vel celebravit anus: Hæc quicunque leget, tantùm ceciniffe putabit
Mæonidem Ranas, Virgilium Culices.
GUILIELMO BENSON Armigero,
Sereniffimo Mag. Britann. Regi
Erudito, Candido, Munifico;
Interpretationem,
Sub Ipfius Aufpiciis fufceptam
RIMAM Hominis Noxam, vetitâque ex Arbore fœtus Avulsos, morsu quæ degustata nefando
Humanæ genti mortem & genus omne malorum Intulit, & miferos Edeni fedibus egit,
Donec Progenies Humano ab femine Major Reftituat lapfos, lætifque reponat in arvis, Diva canas: Tu, fecreto quæ vertice quondam Orebi, Sina-ve jugis, præcordia fancto
Paftori afflabas, quem lecta ab origine Proles Audiit ingentis primordia dicere mundi, Emerfafque Chao terras cœlumque profundum. Seu tibi fit Sion cordi magis, & Siloa fons Celfa DEI tacito lambens Oracula rivo,
Ritè tuam pofcentis opem præfentior audi Inde preces, non vulgari qui carminis alâ Aonium fpernit montem, impavidoque volatu Ardua molitur, nulli fermone foluto
Dicta priùs, nulli veterum celebrata camœnæ. Tuque adeò, qui, templorum penetralibus altis Pofthabitis, purum pectus fanctofque receffus Cafti animi colis; O fari da, SPIRITUS alme, Scis etenim & memorare potes; Tu semina mundi Prima fovens, alifque, 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; legefque DEI venerandaque jura Defendens, pandam dictis quàm numine justo Torquet res Hominum, atque æquis moderatur habenis. Fare age, namque patent fuperas tibi cuncta per oras Perque altos Erebi tractus, quæ Caufa 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 Profe or Rhime. And chiefly Thou, O SPIRIT, that doft prefer Before all temples th' upright heart and pure, Inftruct me, for Thou know'ft: Thou from the first Waft prefent, and with mighty wings outfpread
Dove-like fat'ft brooding on the vast Abyss, And mad'ft it pregnant: What in Me is dark, Illumine; what is low, raife and support; That to the height of this great Argument I may affert Eternal Providence, And juftifie the ways of GOD to Men.
Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep Tract of Hell; fay first what Cause
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