“So pondering, and from his armed peers Forth-stepping opposite, half-way he met His daring foe, at this prevention more Incensed, and thus securely him defied:

“ ‘Proud, art thou met? Thy hope was to have reached The highth of thy aspiring unopposed, The throne of God unguarded, and his side Abandoned at the terror of thy power Or potent tongue. Fool! not to think how vain Against the Omnipotent to rise in arms; Who, out of smallest things, could without end Have raised incessant armies to defeat Thy folly; or with solitary hand, Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow, Unaided could have finished thee, and whelmed Thy legions under darkness! But thou seest All are not of thy train; there be who faith Prefer, and piety to God, though then To thee not visible when I alone Seemed in thy world erroneous to dissent From all: my sect thou seest; now learn too late How few sometimes may know, when thousands err.’