Paradise Lost + Paradise Regained (2 Unabridged Classics + Original Illustrations by Gustave Doré). Джон Мильтон

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ the promiscuous croud 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

      Jehovah thundring out of Sion, thron’d

      Between the Cherubim; yea, often plac’d

      Within his Sanctuary it self their Shrines,

      Abominations; and with cursed things

      His holy Rites, and solemn Feasts profan’d,

      And with their darkness durst affront his light.

      First Moloch, horrid King besmear’d with blood

      Of human sacrifice, and parents tears,

      Though for the noyse of Drums and Timbrels loud

      Their childrens cries unheard, that past through fire

      To his grim Idol. Him the Ammonite

      Worshipt in Rabba and her watry Plain,

      In Argob and in Basan, to the stream

      Of utmost Arnon. Nor content with such

      Audacious neighbourhood, the wisest heart

      Of Solomon he led by fraud to build

      His Temple right against the Temple of God

      On that opprobrious Hill, and made his Grove

      The pleasant Vally of Hinnom, Tophet thence

      And black Gehenna call’d, the Type of Hell.

      Next hemos, th’ obscene dread of Moabs Sons,

      From Aroer to Nebo, and the wild

      Of Southmost Abarim; in Hesebon

      And Horonaim, Seons Realm, beyond

      The flowry Dale of Sibma clad with Vines,

      And Eleale to th’ Asphaltick Pool.

      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.

      Yet thence his lustful Orgies he enlarg’d

      Even to that Hill of scandal, by the Grove

      Of Moloch homicide, lust hard by hate;

      Till good Josiah drove them thence to Hell.

      With these came they, who from the bordring flood

      Of old Euphrates to the Brook that parts

      Egypt from Syrian ground, had general Names

      Of Baalim and Ashtaroth, those male,

      These Feminine. For Spirits when they please

      Can either Sex assume, or both; so soft

      And uncompounded is their Essence pure,

      Not ti’d or manacl’d with joynt or limb,

      Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones,

      Like cumbrous flesh; but in what shape they choose

      Dilated or condens’t, bright or obscure,

      Can execute their aerie purposes,

      And works of love or enmity fulfill.

      For those the Race of Israel oft forsook

      Their living strength, and unfrequented left

      His righteous Altar, bowing lowly down

      To bestial Gods; for which their heads as low

      Bow’d down in Battel, sunk before the Spear

      Of despicable foes. With these in troop

      Came Astoreth, whom the Phoenicians call’d

      Astarte, Queen of Heav’n, with crescent Horns;

      To whose bright Image nightly by the Moon

      Sidonian Virgins paid their Vows and Songs,

      In Sion also not unsung, where stood

      Her Temple on th’ offensive Mountain, built

      By that uxorious King, whose heart though large,

      Beguil’d by fair Idolatresses, fell

      To Idols foul. Thammuz came next behind,

      Whose annual wound in Lebanon allur’d

      The Syrian Damsels to lament his fate

      In amorous dittyes all a Summers day,

      While smooth Adonis from his native Rock

      Ran purple to the Sea, suppos’d with blood

      Of Thammuz yearly wounded: the Love-tale

      Infected Sions daughters with like heat,

      Whose wanton passions in the sacred Porch

      Ezekiel saw, when by the Vision led

      His eye survay’d the dark Idolatries

      Of alienated Judah. Next came one

      Who mourn’d in earnest, when the Captive Ark

      Maim’d his brute Image, head and hands lopt of

      In his own Temple, on the grunsel edge,

      Where he fell flat, and sham’d his Worshipers:

      Dagon his Name, Sea Monster, upward Man

      And downward Fish: yet had his Temple high

      Rear’d in Azotus, dreaded through the Coast

      Of Palestine, in Gath and Ascalon,

      And Accaron and Gaza’s frontier bounds.

      Him follow’d Rimmon, whose delightful Seat

      Was СКАЧАТЬ