With chaunt of tuneful birds resounding loud;
Thither he bent his way, determin'd there
To rest at noon, and enter'd soon the shade
High roof'd, and walks beneath, and alleys brown,
That open'd in the midst a woody scene;
Nature's own work it seem'd, nature taught art,
And to a superstitious eye the haunt
296
Of wood-gods and wood-nymphs; he view'd it
round,

300

When suddenly a man before him stood,
Not rustic as before, but seemlier clad,
As one in city, or court, or palace bred,
And with fair speech these words to him address'd.
With granted leave officious I return,

But much more wonder that the Son of God
In this wild solitude so long should bide
Of all things destitute, and well I know,
Not without hunger. Others of some note,
As story tells, have trod this wilderness;
The fugitive bond-woman with her son
Out-cast Nebaioth, yet found here relief
By a providing angel; all the race

305

310

Of Israel here had famish'd, had not God
Rain'd from heav'n manna; and that prophet bold
Native of Thebez wand'ring here was fed

296 haunt] Lucret. iv. 584.

"Hæc loca capripedes Satyros, Nymphasque tenere
Finitumei fingunt”—

Dunster.

309 here] In Milton's own edition, it is found he relief,' perhaps an unnoticed error of the press.

Todd.

Twice by a voice inviting him to eat.

Of thee these forty days none hath regard,
Forty and more deserted here indeed

315

[hence?

320

325

To whom thus Jesus. What conclud'st thou They all had need, I, as thou seest, have none. How hast thou hunger then? Satan replied. Tell me, if food were now before thee set, Would'st thou not eat? Thereafter as I like The giver, answer'd Jesus. Why should that Cause thy refusal? said the subtle fiend. Hast thou not right to all created things? Owe not all creatures by just right to thee Duty and service, nor to stay till bid, But tender all their power? nor mention I Meats by the law unclean, or offer'd first To idols, those young Daniel could refuse; Nor proffer'd by an enemy, though who Would scruple that, with want opprest? behold Nature asham'd, or, better to express, [vey'd Troubled that thou should'st hunger, hath purFrom all the elements her choicest store To treat thee as beseems, and as her Lord With honour, only deign to sit and eat.

330

365

He spake no dream, for, as his words had end, Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheld

In ample space under the broadest shade

326 nor] So in Milton's own edition; in most others, not 334 elements] Juv. Sat. xi. 14.

'Interea gustus elementa per omnia quærunt.' Dunster.

A table richly spread, in regal mode,
With dishes pil'd, and meats of noblest sort
And savour, beasts of chase, or fowl of game,
In pastry-built, or from the spit, or boil'd,
Gris-amber steam'd; all fish from sea or shore,
Freshet or purling brook, of shell or fin,
And exquisitest name, for which was drain'd
Pontus, and Lucrine bay, and Afric coast.
Alas how simple, to these cates compar'd,
Was that crude apple that diverted Eve!
And at a stately side-board by the wine
That fragrant smell diffus'd, in order stood

340

345

350

310 A table] Then dreamt he saw a table richly spread.' Whiting's Albino and Bellama, p. 105, (1637.) 540 in regal mode] Regales Epulæ.' Apulei Metam. Lib. v. p. 143. ed. Delph.

341 dishes pil'd] Milton's Prose Works, vol. iv. p. 312, (a brief History of Moscovia) Then followed a number more of strange, and rare dishes piled, boiled, roast, and baked, &c.

344 Gris-amber] Osborne's Memoirs of James I. vol. ii. p. 157, a whole pye, reckoned to my lord at ten pounds, being composed of amber-grece, magisterial of pearl, musk.’ 345 Freshet] Brown B. Past. b. ii. s. 3. (1616.) 'Now love the freshet, and then love the sea.' 347 Lucrine] Hor. Epod. ii. 49.

Non me Lucrina juverint conchylia,'

and Sat. ii. iv. 32,

Todd.

Dunster.

349 diverted] In the latter sense, 'turn aside,' so Drayton's Owle, 1604,

Holla! thou wandering infant of my braine,
Whither thus flingst thou; yet divert thy strayne;
Return we back,'

Todd.

Tall stripling youths rich clad, of fairer hue
Than Ganymed or Hylas; distant more
Under the trees now tripp'd, now solemn stood
Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades
With fruits and flowers from Amalthea's horn,
And ladies of the Hesperides, that seem'd
Fairer than feign'd of old, or fabled since
Of fairy damsels met in forest wide
By knights of Logres, or of Lyones,
Lancelot, or Pelleas, or Pellenore,

355

360

And all the while harmonious airs were heard
Of chiming strings or charming pipes, and winds
Of gentlest gale Arabian odours fann'd

From their soft wings, and Flora's earliest smells.
Such was the splendour, and the tempter now

His invitation earnestly renew'd.

370

What doubts the Son of God to sit and eat? These are not fruits forbidden; no interdict Defends the touching of these viands pure; Their taste no knowledge works at least of evil, But life preserves, destroys life's enemy, Hunger, with sweet restorative delight. All these are spirits of air, and woods, and springs, Thy gentle ministers, who come to pay Thee homage, and acknowledge thee their lord: What doubt'st thou Son of God? sit down and eat.

875

353 Ganymed] A train of sleek, smooth, beauteous youths

appear'd,

The Ganymedes and Hylasses.'

Mountford's Henry II. act iv. sc. 1.

To whom thus Jesus temperately replied. Said'st thou not that to all things I had right? And who withholds my pow'r that right to use? Shall I receive by gift what of my own,

When and where likes me best, I can command?
I can at will, doubt not, as soon as thou,
Command a table in this wilderness,

And call swift flights of angels ministrant, 385
Array'd in glory, on my cup to attend;
Why should'st thou then obtrude this diligence,
In vain, where no acceptance it can find ?
And with my hunger what hast thou to do?
Thy pompous delicacies I contemn,

300

And count thy specious gifts no gifts, but guiles.

To whom thus answer'd Satan malecontent.
That I have also power to give thou seest.
If of that power I bring thee voluntary

What I might have bestow'd on whom I pleas'd,
And rather opportunely in this place

Chose to impart to thy apparent need,

Why should'st thou not accept it? but I see
What I can do or offer is suspect;

365 flights] Hamlet, act v. sc. 6.

And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.'

Newton

385 ministrant] Cic. Tusc. Disp. 1. c. 26. Non ambrosia Deos, aut nectare, aut juventute pocula ministrante ;' and Ov. Met. x. 100.

Dunster.

301

no gifts] Sophocl. Ajax. 675,

Εχθρῶν ἄδωρα δῶρα κ' ουκ ονήσιμα.

Newton.