Chapter 17 16
Adam was all in tears, and to his guide
Lamenting turn full sad; O what are these, [ 675 ]
Deaths Ministers, not Men, who thus deal Death
Inhumanly to men, and multiply
Ten thousand would have 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 body or mind.
Such were these Giants, men of high renown;
For in those days Might only shall be admired,
And Valor 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 only 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.