220 The serpent’s spoil—“the world’s prince” vanquisht quite!
Grand trophy of the renegades: for sign
Whereof had Moses hung the snake, that all,
Who had by many serpents stricken been,
Might gaze upon the dragon’s self, and see
225 Him vanquisht and transfixt.
When, afterwards,
He reached the infernal region’s secret waves,
And, as a victor, by the light which aye
Attended Him, revealed His captive thrall,
And by His virtue thoroughly fulfilled
230 The Father’s bidding, He Himself re-took
The body which, spontaneous, He had left:
This was the cause of death: this same was made
Salvation’s path: a messenger of guile
The former was; the latter messenger
235 Of peace: a spouse her man did slay; a spouse
Did bear a lion: hurtful to her man
A virgin proved; a man from virgin born
Proved victor: for a type whereof, while sleep
His body wrapped, out of his side is ta’en
240 A woman, who is her lord’s rib; whom, he,
Awaking, called “flesh from his flesh, and bones
From his own bones;” with a presaging mind
Speaking. Faith wondrous! Paul deservedly,
(Most certain author!) teaches Christ to be
245 “The Second Adam from the heavens.” Truth,
Using her own examples, doth refulge;
Nor covets out of alien source to show
Her paces keen: this is a pauper’s work,
Needy of virtue of his own! Great Paul
250 These mysteries—taught to him—did teach; to wit,
Discerning that in Christ thy glory is,
O Church! from His side, hanging on high “tree,”
His lifeless body’s “blood and humour” flowed.
The blood the woman was; the waters were
255 The new gifts of the font: this is the Church,
True mother of a living people; flesh
New from Christ’s flesh, and from His bones a bone.
A spot there is called Golgotha,—of old
The fathers’ earlier tongue thus called its name,—
260 “The skull-pan of a head:” here is earth’s midst;
Here victory’s sign; here, have our elders taught,
There was a great head found; here the first man,
We have been taught, was buried; here the Christ