and their glory. His eye might there command wherever stood City of old or modern fame, the seat Of mightiest empire, from the destined walls Of Cambalu, seat of Cathaian Can, And Samarchand by Oxus, Temir’s throne, To Paquin of Sinaean kings, and thence To Agra and Lahor of Great Mogul, Down to the golden Chersonese, or where The Persian in Ecbatan sat, or since In Hispahan, or where the Russian Ksar In Mosco, or the Sultan in Bizance, Turchestan-born; nor could his eye not ken The empire of Negus to his utmost port Ercoco, and the less maritime kings, Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Melind, And Sofala, thought Ophir, to the realm Of Congo, and Angola farthest south; Or thence from Niger flood to Atlas mount, The kingdoms of Almansor, Fez and Sus, Marocco, and Algiers, and Tremisen; On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway The world. In spirit perhaps he also saw Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume, And Cusco in Peru, the richer seat Of Atabalipa, and yet unspoiled Guiana, whose great city Geryon’s sons Call El Dorado. But to nobler sights Michael from Adam’s eyes the film removed Which that false fruit that promised clearer sight Had bred; then purged with euphrasy and rue The visual nerve, for he had much to see, And from the well of life three drops instilled. So deep the power of these ingredients pierced, Even to the inmost seat of mental sight, That Adam, now enforced to close his eyes, Sunk down, and all his spirits became entranced; But him the gentle Angel by the hand Soon raised, and his attention thus recalled:
“Adam, now ope thine eyes, and first behold The effects which thy original crime hath wrought In some to spring from thee, who never touched The excepted tree, nor with the Snake conspired, Nor sinned thy sin, yet from that sin derive Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds.”
His eyes he opened, and beheld a field, Part arable and tilth, whereon were sheaves New-reaped, the other part sheep-walks and folds; I’ the midst an altar as the landmark stood, Rustic, of grassy sord. Thither