Then on it goes, and through the Sacred Land Its angry Forces did command, But God did place an Angel there, Its violence to withstand, And turn into another road the putrid Air. To _Tyre_ it came, and there did all devour, Though that by Seas might think it self secure: Nor staid, as the great Conquerors did, Till it had fill’d and stopt the tyde, Which did it from the shore divide, But past the waters, and did all possess, And quickly all was wilderness. Thence it did _Persia_ over-run, And all that Sacrifice unto the Sun; In every Limb a dreadful pain they felt, Tortur’d with secret coals did melt; The _Persians_ call’d upon their Sun in vain, Their God increas’d the pain. They lookt up to their God no more, But curse the beams they worshipped before, And hate the very fire which once they did adore. VI. Glutted with ruine of the East, She took her wings and down to _Athens_ past: Just Plague! which dost no parties take, But _Greece_ as well as _Persia_ sack, While in unnatural quarrels they (Like Frogs and Mice) each other slay, Thou in thy ravenous claws took’st both away. Thither it came and did destroy the Town, Whilest all its Ships and Souldiers lookt upon: And now the _Asian_ Plague did more Than all the _Asian_ Force could do before. Without the Walls the _Spartan_ Army sate, The _Spartan_ Army came too late; For now there was no farther work for fate. They saw the Citie open lay, An easie and a bloodless prey, They saw the rampires emptie stand, The Fleet, the Walls, the Forts Unman’d. No need of crueltie or slaughters now The Plague had finisht what they came to do: They might now unresisted enter there, Did they not the very Air, More than th’ _Athenians_ fear. The Air it self to them was wall, and bullwarks too. VII.