16

Adam was all in tears, and to his guide

Lamenting turnd full sad; O what are these, [ 675 ]

Deaths Ministers, not Men, who thus deal Death

Inhumanly to men, and multiply

Ten thousandfould the sin of him who slew

His Brother; for of whom such massacher

Make they but of thir Brethren, men of men? [ 680 ]

But who was that Just Man, whom had not Heavn

Rescud, had in his Righteousness bin lost?

To whom thus Michael. These are the product

Of those ill mated Marriages thou sawst:

Where good with bad were matcht, who of themselves [ 685 ]

Abhor to joyn; and by imprudence mixt,

Produce prodigious Births of bodie or mind.

Such were these Giants, men of high renown;

For in those dayes Might onely shall be admird,

And Valour and Heroic Vertu calld; [ 690 ]

To overcome in Battle, and subdue

Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite

Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch

Of human Glorie, and for Glorie done

Of triumph, to be styld great Conquerours, [ 695 ]

Patrons of Mankind, Gods, and Sons of Gods,

Destroyers rightlier calld and Plagues of men.

Thus Fame shall be atchievd, renown on Earth,

And what most merits fame in silence hid.

But hee the seventh from thee, whom thou beheldst [ 700 ]

The onely righteous in a World perverse,

And therefore hated, therefore so beset

With Foes for daring single to be just,

And utter odious Truth, that God would come

To judge them with his Saints: Him the most High [ 705 ]

Rapt in a balmie Cloud with winged Steeds

Did, as thou sawst, receave, to walk with God

High in Salvation and the Climes of bliss,

Exempt from Death; to shew thee what reward

Awaits the good, the rest what punishment? [ 710 ]

Which now direct thine eyes and soon behold.