An amazing passage from John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667), Book XI.386-411:

“City of old or modern fame, the seat

Of mightiest empire, from the destined walls

Of Cambalu, seat of Cathayan Khan,

And Samarkand by Oxus, Temir’s throne,

To Paquin of Sinaean kings, and thence

To Agra and Lahore of Great Mogul

Down to the golden Chersonese, or where

The Persian in Ecbatan sat, or since

In Hispahan, or where the Russian Czar

In Moscow, or the Sultan in Bizance,

Turkestan-born; nor could his eye not ken

Th’Empire of Negus to his utmost port

Ercoco and the less maritime kings

Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Melind,

And Sofala thought Ophir, to the realm

Of Congo, and Angola farthest south;

Or thence from Niger flood to Atlas mount

The kingdoms of Almansor, Fez and Sus,

Morocco and Algiers, and Tremisen;

On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway

The world: in spirit perhaps he also saw

Rich Mexico the seat of Motezume,

And Cusco in Peru, the richer seat

Of Atabalipa, and yet unspoiled

Guiana, whose great city Geryon’s sons

Call El Dorado…”