REDEMPTION. 27
This world, to re-supply the vacant seats
Our legions held above? How much of it
Owns his allegiance? 'Tis worth your laughter
A little strip bord'ring the middle sea !
And his possessions there, one while, reduced
To fifties in a cave; all else below
Orbicular, is mine. Nay, once to sev'n
Reduced; save whom, enraged, owning defeat,
He swept from off the earth the entire race,
To death consign'd; and thus secured to us
Our spoils, and filled, not his empty seats
In hear'n, but ours in hell, whilst we at ease,
Expatiate these verdant fields and plains,
Fit habitation for the gods, and well
Exchanged for sulph'rous fires; where too I reign
Earth's emperor supreme; nay, more, earth's god,
Worshipp'd with sacred rites, with sacrifice,
Altars, and hecatombs, temples and priests.
What can he more receive? What more can have?
This my revenge, to render vain his plans,
To rival his renown, undo his works,
And fierce defiance hurl unto his face.
But now it seems, some new emprise assails;
For never, since the cherubim expell'd
The first of human kind from Eden, have
Such frequent bands from upper, visited
This nether world. Some new device, I doubt,
Which calls for new display, in me, of skill
To try what I single, may dare 'gainst him
Triple. Whate'er it be, this shall he learn,
That hell full as exhaustless is, in guile
To meet, as Heav'n in pow'r t' assault or hold.
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