God may yet restore them to their liberty and to
their native land. These arguments silence even Satan, for such is
ever the result when "with truth falsehood contends."

_Book IV._ With all the persistency of his kind, Satan refuses to
acknowledge himself beaten, and, leading Christ to the western side of
the mountain, reveals to him all the splendor of Rome, exhibiting its
Capitol, Tarpeian Rock, triumphal arches, and the great roads along
which hosts are journeying to the Eternal City. After thus dazzling
him, Satan suggests that Christ oust Tiberius (who has no son) from
the imperial throne, and make himself master not only of David's
realm, but of the whole Roman Empire, establishing law and order where
vice now reigns.

Although Satan eagerly proffers his aid to accomplish all this, our
Lord rejoins such a position has no attraction for him, adding that,
as long as the Romans were frugal, mild, and temperate, they were
happy, but that, when they became avaricious and brutal, they
forfeited their happiness. He adds that he has not been sent to free
the Romans, but that, when his season comes to sit on David's throne,
his rule will spread over the whole world and will dwell there without
end.

"Know, therefore, when my season comes to sit
On David's throne, it shall be like a tree
Spreading and overshadowing all the earth,
Or as a stone that shall to pieces dash
All monarchies besides throughout the world,
And of my kingdom there shall be no end:
Means there shall be to this, but what the means
Is not for thee to know nor me to tell."

Pretending that Christ's reluctance is due to the fact that he shrinks
from the exertions necessary to obtain this boon Satan offers to
bestow it freely upon him, provided he will fall down and worship him.
Hearing this proposal, Christ rebukes the tempter, saying, "Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God and only him shalt serve," and reviling him
for his ingratitude. To pacify his interlocutor, Satan then proposes
to make him famous through wisdom, and exhibits Athens,--that
celebrated centre of ancient learning--offering to make him master of
all its schools of philosophy, oratory, and poetry, and thus afford
him ample intellectual gratification. But Jesus rejects this offer
also, after proving the vanity and insufficiency of heathen philosophy
and learning, and after demonstrating that many books are a weariness
to the flesh, and that none compare with those whi