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BOOK II. PARADISE REGAINED. 31
He ceas'd, and heard their grant in loud acclaim;
Then forthwith to him takes a chofen band
Of fpirits likeft to himfelf in guile,
To be at hand, and at his beck appear,
If caufe were to unfold fome active fcene
Of various perfons, each to know his part;
Then to the defert takes with thefe his flight;
Where ftill from fhade to fhade the Son of God
After forty days fafting had remain'd,
Now hung'ring firft, and to himfelf thus faid.
" Where will this end? four times ten days I've pafs'd
Wand'ring this woody maze, and human food
Nor tailed, nor had appetite; that fall
To virtue I impute not, or count part
Of what I fuffer here; if nature need not,
Or God fupport nature without repaft
Though needing, what praife
But now I feel I hunger, which declares
is it to endure?
Nature hath need of what fhe afks; yet God
Can fatisfy that need fome other way,
ftill remain: fo it remain
Though hunger
Without this body's wafting, I content me,
And from the fting of famine fear no harm,
Nor mind it, fed with better thoughts that feed
Me hung'ring more to do my Father's will."
It was the hour of night, when thus the Son
Commun'd in filent walk, then laid him down
Under the hofpitable covert nigh
Of trees thick interwoven; there he flept,
And dream'd, as appetite is wont to dream,
Of meats and drinks, nature's refrefhment fweet.