With food, whereof we wretched seldom taste."

Jesus, however, merely reproaches the tempter, rejoining, "Man shall
not live by bread alone, but from the words which proceed out of the
mouth of God," and explaining that he knows who Satan is and for what
purpose he has been sent hither. Unable to conceal his identity any
longer, the evil spirit admits he has come straight from hell, but
adds that God gave him power to test Job and to punish Ahab. He argues
that the Almighty, who fed the Israelites with manna and supplied
Elijah with miraculous food, does not intend to starve his only Son.
Then, expressing admiration for Jesus' intellect, Satan explains he is
not the foe of man, since through him he has gained everything, and
whom he prides himself upon having often helped by oracles and omen.
In spite of these arguments, Jesus refuses to listen to him, declares
his oracles have lost all power, and adds that he is sent to execute
his Father's will.

"God hath now sent his living oracle
Into the world to teach his final will,
And sends his Spirit of truth henceforth to dwell
In pious hearts, an inward oracle
To all truth requisite for men to know."

Thus baffled, Satan vanishes into "thin air diffused," and night
steals over the desert, where fowls seek their nests while the wild
beasts begin to roam in search of food.

_Book II._ John the Baptist and his disciples, made anxious by Jesus'
long absence, now begin to seek him as the prophets sought Elijah,
fearing lest he too may have been caught up into heaven. Hearing Simon