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There Safa by Choafpes, amber ftream,

The drink of none but Kings; of later fame
Built by Emathian, or by Parthian hands,
The great Seleucia, Nicibis, and there
Artaxata, Teredon, Tefiphon,

Turning with eafie eye thou mayft behold. '
All these the Parthian, now fome Ages paft,
By great Arfaces led, who founded first
That Empire, under his dominion holds,
From the luxurious Kings of Antioch won.
And just in time thou com'ft to have a view
Of his great Pow'r; for now the Parthian King
In Ctesiphon hath gather'd all his Hoft
Against the Scythian, whose Incursions wild
Have wafted Sogdiana; to her aid

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He marches now in hafte; fee, though from far, His thousands, in what Martial equipage

They iffue forth, Steel Bows, and fhafts their arms 305
Of equal dread in flight, or in pursuit ;

All Horsemen, in which fight they moft excel;
See how in warlike Mufter they appear,
In Rhombs and wedges, and half-moons and wings.
He lookt and faw what numbers numberless 310
The City gates out pour'd, light armed Troops
In coats of Mail and Military pride;

In Mail their horfes clad, yet fleet and strong,
Prauncing their riders bore, the flow's and choice
Of many Provinces from bound to bound;
From Arachofia, from Gandaor Eaft,
And Margiana to the Hircanian cliffs

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Of Caucafus, and dark Iberian dales,

From Atropatia and the neighb'ring plains = Of Adiabene, Media, and the South

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Of Sufiana, to Balfara's hav'n.

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He saw them in their forms of battel rang'd,
How quick they wheel'd, and flying behind them shot
Sharp fleet of Arrowy show'r against the face
Of their purfuers, and overcame by flight;
The field all iron caft a gleaming brown,
Nor wanted clouds of foot, nor on each horn,
Curiaffiers all in fteel for ftanding fight;
Chariots or Elephants endorft with Tow'rs
Of Archers, nor of lab'ring Pioneers
A multitude with Spades and Axes arm'd
To lay hills plain, fell woods, or vallies fill,
Or where plain was raise hill, or overlay
With bridges rivers proud, as with a yoke;
Mules after these, Camels and Dromedaries,
And Waggons fraught with Utensils of war.
Such forces met not, nor fo wide a Camp,
When Agrican with all his Northern pow'rs
Befieg'd Albracca, as Romances tell ;

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The City of Gallaphrone, from thence to win 340
The fairest of her Sex Angelica

His daughter, fought by many Prowest Knights,
Both Paynim, and the Peers of Charlemane.

Such and fo numerous was their Chivalry;

At fight whereof the Fiend yet more prefum'd, 345
And to our Saviour thus his words renew'd.

That thou may'st know I seek not to engage
Thy virtue, and not ev'ry way secure

On no flight grounds thy fafety; hear, and mark
To what end I have brought thee hither and fhewn 350
All this fair fight; thy Kingdom though foretold
By Prophet or by Angel, unless thou
Endeavour, as thy Father David did,

Thou never shalt obrain; prediction ftill

In all things, and all men, fuppposes means, 355
Without means us'd, what it predicts revokes.
But fay thou wert poffefs'd of David's Throne
By free confent of all, none opposite,
Samaritan or Jew; how could'ft thou hope
Long to enjoy it quiet and fecure,

Between two fuch enclofing enemies

Roman and Parthian? therefore one of these

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Thou must make sure thy own, the Parthian first By my advice, as nearer and of late

Found able by invasion to annoy

Thy country, and captive lead away her Kings

Antigonus, and old Hyrcanus bound,

Maugre the Roman: it fhall be my task

To render thee the Parthian at difpofe;

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Chufe which thou wilt by conqueft or by league. 370
By him thou fhalt regain, without him not,
That which alone can truly reinstal thee
In David's royal Seat, his true Succeffor,
Deliv'rance of thy brethren, those ten Tribes
Whofe off-fpring in his Territory yet ferve
In Habor, and among the Medes difpers'd

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Ten

Ten Sons of Jacob, two of Joseph, lost
Thus long from Ifrael; ferving as of old
Their Fathers in the land of Egypt ferv'd,
This offer fets before thee to deliver.
These if from fervitude thou shalt reftore
To their inheritance, then, nor till then,
Thou on the Throne of David in full glory,
From Egypt to Euphrates, and beyond

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Shalt reign, and Rome or Cafar not need fear. 385
To whom our Saviour answer'd thús unmov'd.
Much oftentation vain of fleshly arm,

And fragile arms, much inftrument of war
Long in preparing, soon to nothing brought,
Before mine eyes thou haft fet; and in my ear 390
Vented much policy, and projects deep

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Of enemies, of aids, battels and leagues,
Plaufible to the World, to me worth naught.
Means I must use thou fay'ft, prediction else
Will unpredict and fail me of the Throne:
My time I told thee (and that time for thee
were better fartheft off) is not yet come;
When that comes think not thou to find me flack
On my part aught endeav'ring, or to need
Thy politick maxims, or that cumbersome
Luggage of War there shewn me, argument
Of human weakness rather than of strength.
My Brethren,as thou call'ft them; those ten Tribes
I must deliver, if I mean to reign

David's true heir, and his full Scepter sway
To juft extent over all Ifrael's Sons;

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But whence to thee this zeal, where was it then
For Ifrael, or for David, or his Throne,

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When thou stood'ft up his Tempter to the pride
Of numb'ring Ifrael, which cost the lives
Of threefcore and ten thousand Ifraelites
By three days feftilence: fuch was thy zeal
To Ifrael then, the fame that now to me.

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As for thofe captive Tribes, themselves were they
Who wrought their own captivity, fell off
From God to worship Calves, the Deities
Of Egypt, Baal next and Ashtaroth,
And all th' Idolatries of Heathen round,

Befides their other worse than heath'nifh crimes;
Nor in the land of their captivity

Humbled themfelves or penitent befought

The God of their Fore-fathers; but fo dy'd

Impenitent, and left a race behind

Like to themselves, diftinguishable scarce
From Gentiles, but by Circumcifion vain,
And God with Idols in their worship join' d.
Should I of these the liberty regard,

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Who freed, as to their ancient Patrimony,
Unhumbl'd, unrepentant, unreform'd,
Headlong wou'd follow; and to their Gods perhaps
Of Bethel and of Dan? no, let them serve
Their enemies, who ferve Idols with God.
Yet he at length, time to himself best known,
Remembring Abraham, by fome wond'rous call
May bring them back repentant and fincere, 440
And at their paffing cleave th' Affyrian flood,

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