天涯在线书库《www.tianyabook.com》
《Paradise Lost Ⅸ》
THE ARGUMENT
Satan having past the Earth, with meditated guile returns as a mist by Night into Paradise, enters into the Serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the M go forth to thir labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each lab apart: Adam sents not, alledging the danger, lest that Enemy, of whom they were forewarnd, should attempt her found alone: Eve loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make tryal of her strength; Adam at last yields: The Serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other Creatures. Eve w to hear the Serpent speak, asks how he attaind to human speed suderstanding not till now; the Serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain Tree in the Gardeaind both to Speed Reason, till then void of both: Eve requires him t her to that Tree, and finds it to be the Tree of Knowledge forbidden: The Serpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat; she pleasd with the taste deliberates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at last brings him of the Fruit, relates erswaded her to eat thereof: Adam99lib. at first amazd, but perceiving her lost, resolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; aenuating the trespass, eats also of the Fruit: The Effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover thir nakedness; then fall to variand accusation of one another.
1
NO more of talk where Gel Guest
With Man, as with hffit of it self to raise
That name, unless aoo late, or cold
Climat, or Years damp my intended wing [ 45 ]
Deprest, and much they may, if all be mine,
Not Hers whs it? nightly to my Ear.
2
The Sun was sunk, and after him the Starr
Of Hesperus, whose Office is t
Twilight upon the Earth, short Arbiter [ 50 ]
Twixt Day and Night, and now from end to end
Nights Hemisphere had veild the Horizon ro?und:
When Satan who late fl..ed before the threats
Of Gabriel out of Eden, now improvd
Iated fraud and malice, bent [ 55 ]
On maruaugre what might hap
Of heavier on himself, fearless returnd.
By Night he fled, and at Midnight returnd.
From passing the Earth, cautious of day,
Since Uriel Regent of the Sun descrid [ 60 ]
His entrance, and forewarnd the Cherubim
That kept thir watch; thence full of anguish drivn,
The space of seven tinud Nights he rode
With darkness, thrice the Equinoctial .９９lib?Line
He circld, four times crossd the Carr of Night [ 65 ]
From Pole to Pole, traversing each Colure;
On the eighth returnd, and on the Coast averse
From entrance or Cherubic Watch, by stealth
Found unsuspected way. There lace,
Now not, though Sin, not Time, first wraught the ge, [ 70 ]
Where Tigris at the foot of Paradise
Into a Gulf shot under ground, till part
Rose up a Fountain by the Tree of Life;
In with the River sunk, and with it rose
Satan involvd in rising Mist, then sought [ 75 ]
Where to lie hid; Sea he had searcht and Land
From Eden over Pontus, and the Poole
M?otis, up beyond the River Ob;
Downward as farr Antartid ih
West from Oroo the O barrd [ 80 ]
At Darien, theo the Land where flowes
Ganges and Indus: thus the Orb he roamd
With narrow search; and with iion deep
siderd every Creature, which of all
Most opportune might serve his Wiles, and found [ 85 ]
The Serpent suttlest Beast of all the Field.
3
Him after loe, irresolute
Of thoughts revolvd, his final sentence chose
Fit Vessel, fittest Imp of fraud, in whom
To enter, and his dark suggestions hide [ 90 ]
From sharpest sight: for in the wilie Snake,
Whatever sleights none would suspiark,
As from his wit and native suttletie
Proceeding, whi other Beasts observd
Doubt might beget of Diabolic powr [ 95 ]
Active within beyond the sense of brute.
Thus he resolvd, but first from inward griefe
His bursting passion into plaints thus pourd:
O Earth, how like to Heavn, if not preferrd
More justly, Seat worthier of Gods, as built [ 100 ]
With sed thoughts, ref what was old!
For what God after better worse would build?
Terrestrial Heavn, danct round by other Heavns
That shine, yet bear thir bright officious Lamps,
Light above Light, for thee alone, as seems, [ 105 ]
In thee tring all thir precious beams
Of sacred influence: As God in Heavn
Is ter, yet extends to all, so thou
tring receavst from all those Orbs; in thee,
Not in themselves, all thir knowue appeers [ 110 ]
Productive in Herb, Plant, and nobler birth
Of Creatures animate with gradual life
Of Growth, Sense, Reason, all summd up in Man.
With what delight could I have walkt thee round,
If I could joy in aught, sweet interge [ 115 ]
Of Hill, and Vallie, Rivers, Woods and Plaines,
Now Land, now Sea, and Shores with Forrest d,
Rocks, Dens, and Caves; but I in none of these
Find place e; and the more I see
Pleasu.res about me, so much more I feel [ 120 ]
Torment within me, as from the hateful siege
Of traries; all good to me bees
Bane, and in Heavn much worse would be my state.
But her here seek I, no nor in Heavn
To dwell, unless by mais藏书网tring Heavns Supreame; [ 125 ]
Nor hope to be my self less miserable
By what I seek, but others to make such
As I, though thereby worse to me redound:
For onely iroying I find ease
To my relehoughts; and him destroyd, [ 130 ]
Or won to what may work his utter loss,
For whom all this was made, all this will soon
Follow, as to him linkt in weal or woe,
In wo then: that destru wide may range:
To mee shall be the glorie sole among [ 135 ]
The infernal Powers, in one day to have marrd
What he Almightie styld, six Nights and Days
tinud making, and who knows how long
Before had bin triving, though perhaps
Not lohen since I in one Night freed [ 140 ]
From servitude inglorious welnigh half
Th Angeliame, and thinner left the throng
Of his adorers: hee to be avengd,
And to repaire his hus impaird,
Whether such vertue spent of old now faild [ 145 ]
More Ao Create, if they at least
Are his Created, or to spite us more,
Determind to advao our room
A Creature formd of Earth, and him endow,
Exalted from so base inal, [ 150 ]
With Heavnly spoils, our spoils: What he decreed
He effected; Man he made, and for him built
Magnifit this World, ah his seat,
Him Lord pronouncd, and, O indignitie!
4
Subjected to his servigel wings, [ 155 ]
And flaming Mio watd tend
Thir earthy Charge: Of these the vigilance
I dread, and to elude, thus t in mist
Of midnight vaplide obscure, and prie
In every Bush and Brake, where hase [ 195 ]
To the Creator, and his Nostrils fill
With grateful Smell, fo藏书网rth came the human pair
And joind thir vocal Worship to the Quire
Of Creatures wanting voice, that done, partake
The season, prime for sweetest Sents and Aires: [ 200 ]
Then une how that day they best may ply
Thir growing work: for much thir work outgrew
The hands dispatch of two Gardning so wide.
And Eve first to her Husband thus began.
5
Adam, well may we labour still to dress [ 205 ]
This Garden, still to tend Plant, Herb and Flour,
Our pleasant task enjoynd, but till more hands
Aid us, the work under our labrows,
Luxurious by restraint; what we by day
Lop rown, or prune, or prop, or bind, [ 210 ]
One night or two with wanton growth derides
Tending to wilde. Thou therefore now advise
Or hear what to my minde first thoughts present,
Let us divide our labours, thou where choice
Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind [ 215 ]
The Woodbine round this Arbour, or direct
The clasping Ivie where to climb, while I
In yonder Spring of Roses intermixt
With Myrtle, find what to redress till Noon:
For while so near each other thus all day [ 220 ]
Our taske we choose, what wonder if so near
Looks intervene and smiles, or objeew
Casual discourse draw on, whitermits
Our dayes work brought to little, though begun
Early, and th hour of Supper es unearnd. [ 225 ]
To whom mild answer Adam thus returnd.
Sole Eve, Associate sole, to me beyond
pare above all living .?Creatures deare,
Well hast thou motiond, well thy thoughts imployd
How we might best fulfill the work which here [ 230 ]
God hath assignd us, nor of me shalt pass
Unpraisd: for nothing lovelier be found
In Woman, then to studie houshold good,
And good workes in her Husband to promote.
Yet not so strictly hath our Lord imposd [ 235 ]
Labour, as to debarr us when we need
Refreshment, whether food, or talk between,
Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse
Of looks and smiles, for smiles from Reason flow,
To brute denid,.. and are of Love the food, [ 240 ]
Love not the lowest end of human life.
For not to irksom toile, but to delight
He made us, and delight to Reason joynd.
6
These paths & Bowers doubt not but our joynt藏书网 hands
Will keep from Wildert> with ease, as wide [ 245 ]
As we need walk, till younger hands ere long
Assist us: But if much verse perhaps
Thee satiate, to short absence I could yield.
For solitude somtimes is best societie,
And short retirement urges sweet returne. [ 250 ]
But other doubt possesses me, least harm
Befall thee severd from me; for thou knowst
What hath bin warnd us, what malicious Foe
Envying our happiness, and of his own
Despairing, seeks to work us woe and shame [ 255 ]
By sly assault; and somwhere nigh at hand
Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find
His wish a advantage, us asunder,
Hopeless to circumvent us joynd, where each
To other speedie aide might lend at need; [ 260 ]
Whether his first desigo withdraw
Our fealtie from God, or to disturb
jugal Love, then which perhaps no bliss
Enjoyd by us excites his envie more;
Or this, or worse, leave not the faithful side [ 265 ]
That gave thee being, still shades thee and protects.
The Wife, where danger or dishonour lurks,
Safest and seemliest by her Husband staies,
Who guards her, or with her the worst endures.
To whom the Virgin Majestie of Eve, [ 270 ]
As one who loves, and some unkindness meets,
With s>eet austeer posure thus replyd,
of Heavn ah, and all Earths Lord,
That su Enemie we have, who seeks
Our ruin, both by thee informd I learne, [ 275 ]
And from the parting Angel over-heard
As in a shadie nook I stood behind,
Just theurnd at shut of Evening Flours.
But that thou shouldst my firmherfore doubt
To God or thee, because we have a foe [ 280 ]
May tempt it, I expected not to hear.
7
His violehou fearst not, being such,
As wee, not.99ｌｉb?t> capable of death or paine,
either not receave, or repell.
His fraud is then thy fear, which plain inferrs [ 285 ]
Thy equal fear that my firm Faith and Love
by his fraud be shakn or seduct;
Thoughts, which how found they harbour in thy brest
Adam, misthought of her to thee so dear?
To whom with healing words Adam replyd. [ 290 ]
Daughter of God and Man, immortal Eve,
For such thou art, from sin and blame entire:
Not diffident of thee do I dissuade
Thy absence from my sight, but t藏书网o avoid
Th attempt itself, intended by our Foe. [ 295 ]
For hee who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses
The tempted with dishonour foul, supposd
Not incorruptible of Faith, not prooff
Against temptation: thou thy self with se
And anger wouldst resent the offerd wrong, [ 300 ]
Though iual found: misdeem not then,
If such affront I labour to avert
From thee alone, whi us both at once
The Ehough bold, will hardly dare,
Or daring, first oh assault shall light. [ 305 ]
Nor thou his malid false guile n;
Suttle he needs must be, who could seduce
Angels nor think superfl..t>uous others aid.
I from the influence of thy looks receave
Access in every Vertue, in thy sight [ 310 ]
More wise, more watchful, stronger, if need were
Of outward strength; while shame, thou looking on,
Shame to be overe or over-reacht
Would utmost vigor raise, and raisd unite.
Why shouldst not thou like sehin thee feel [ 315 ]
When I am present, and thy trial choose
With９9ｌiｂ? me, best witness of thy Vertue trid.
So spake domestick Adam in his care
And Matrimonial Love; but Eve, who thought
Less attributed to her Faith sincere, [ 320 ]
Thus her reply with at sweet renewd.
8
If this be our dition, thus to dwell
In narrow circuit straitnd by a Foe,
Suttle or violent, we not endud
Sih like defence, wherever met, [ 325 ]
How are ie, still in fear of harm?
But harm precedes not sin: onely our Foe
Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem
O９9lib?t>f our iie: his foul esteeme
Stio dishonor on our Front, but turns [ 330 ]
Foul on himself; then wherefore shund or feard
By us? who rather double haine
From his surmise provd false, find peace within,
Favour from Heavn, our witness from th event.
And what is Faith, Love, Vertue unassaid [ 335 ]
Alone, without exterior help sustaind?
Let us not then suspect our happie State
Left so imperfet by the Maker wise,
As not secure to single or bind.
Fraile is our happiness, if this be so, [ 340 ]
And Eden were no Eden thus exposd.
To whom thus Adam fervently replid.
O Woma are all things as the will
Of God ordaind them, his creating hand
Nothing imper９９ｌｉｂ?t>fet or defit left [ 345 ]
Of all that he Created, much less Man,
ht that might his happie State secure,
藏书网Secure from outward force; within himself
The danger lies, yet lies within his power:
Against his will he receave no harme. [ 350 ]
But God left free the Will, for what obeyes
Reason, is free, and Reason he made right
But bid her well beware, and still erect,
Least by some faire appeering good surprisd
She dicta藏书网te false, and misinforme the Will [ 355 ]
To do what God expresly hath forbid,
Not then mistrust, but tender love enjoynes,
That I should mind thee oft, and mind thou me.
9
Firm we subsist, yet possible to swerve,
Since Reason not impossibly may meet [ 360 ]
Some specious object by the Foe subornd,
And fall into deception unaware,
Not keeping strictest watch, as she was warnd.
Seek not temptation then, which to avoide
Were better, and most likelie if from mee [ 365 ]
Thou sever not: Trial will e unsought.
Wouldst thou approve thy stancie, approve
First thy obedieh other who know,
Not seeing thee attempted, who attest?
But if thou think, trial unsought may finde [ 370 ]
Us both securer then thus warnd thou seemst,
Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;
Go in thy native innoce, relie
On what thou hast of vertue, summon all,
Fod towards thee hath done his part, do thine. [ 375 ]
So spake the Patriarankinde, but Eve
Persisted, yet submiss, though last, replid.
With thy permission then, and thus forewarnd
Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words
Touchd onely, that our trial, whe sought, [ 380 ]
May finde us both藏书网 perhaps farr less prepard,
The willinger I goe, nor much expect
A Foe so proud will> first the weaker seek,
So bent, the more shall shame him his repulse.
Thus saying, from her Husbands hand her hand [ 385 ]
Soft she withdrew, and like a Wood-Nymph light
Oread or Dryad, or of Delias Traine,
Betook her to the Groves, but Delias self
In gate surpassd and Goddess-like deport,
Though not as shee with Bow and Quiver armd, [ 390 ]
But with such Gardning Tools as Art yet rude,
Guiltless of fire had formd, els brought.
To Pales, or Pomona, thus adornd,
Likeliest she seemd, Pomona when she fled
Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her Prime, [ 395 ]
Yet Virgin of Proserpina from Jove.
Her long with ardent look his Eye pursud
Delighted, but desiring more her stay.
10
Oft he to her his charge of quick returne
Repeated, shee to him as oft engagd [ 400 ]
To be returnd by Noon amid..he Bowre,
And all things i order to invite
Noontide repast, or Afternoons repose.
O much deceavd, much failing, hapless Eve,
Of thy presumd retur perverse! [ 405 ]
Thou never from that houre in Paradise
Foundst either sweet repast, or sound repose;
Such ambush hid among sweet Flours and Shades
Waited with hellish rancour immi
To intercept thy way, or send thee back [ 410 ]
Despoild of Innoce, of Faith, of Bliss.
For now, and since first break of dawhe Fiend,
Meer Serpent in appearance, forth was e,
And on his Quest, where likeliest he might finde
The owo of Mankinde, but in them [ 415 ]
The whole included Race, his purposd prey.
In Bowre and Field he sought, where any tuft
Of Grove arden-Plot more pleasant lay,
Thir tendance or Plantation for delight,
By Fountain or by shadie Rivulet [ 420 ]
He sought them both, but wishd his hap might find
Eve separate, he wishd, but not with hope
Of what so seldom cd, when to his wish,
Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies,
Veild in a Cloud rance, where she stood, [ 425 ]
Half spid, so thick the Roses bushing round
About her glowd, oft stooping to support
Each Flour of slealk, whose head though gay
ation, Purple, Azure, or spect with Gold,
Hung drooping unsustaind, them she upstaies [ 430 ]
Gently with Mirtle band, mihe while,
Her self, though fairest unsuppo９9lｉｂ.ed Flour,
From her best prop so farr, and storm so nigh.
Neerer he drew, and many a walk traversd
Of stateliest Covert, Cedar, Pine, or Palme, [ 435 ]
Then voluble and bold, now hid, now seen
Among thick-wovn Arborets and Flours
Imborderd on each Bank, the hand of Eve:
Spot more delicious then those Gardens feignd
Or of revivd Adonis, or renownd [ 440 ]
Alous, host of old Laertes Son,
Or that, not Mystic, where the Sapient King
Held dalliah his fair Egyptian Spouse.
Much hee the Place admird, the Person more.
11
As one who long in populous City pent, [ 445 ]
Where Houses thid Sewers annoy the Aire,
Forth issuing on a Summers Morn to breathe
Among the pleasant Villages and Farmes
Adjoynd, from each thi ceaves delight,
The smell of Grain, or tedded Grass, or Kine, [ 450 ]
Or Dairie, each rural sight, each rural sound;
If ce with Nymphlike step fair Virgin pass,
leasing seemd, for her now pleases more,
She most, and in her look summs all Delight.
Such Pleasure took the Serpent to behold [ 455 ]
This Flourie Plat, the sweet recess of Eve
Thus earlie, thus alone; her Heavnly forme
Angelic, but more soft, and Feminine,
Her graceful Innoce, her every Aire
Of gesture or lest a overawd [ 460 ]
His Malice, and with rapine sweet bereavd
His fieress of the fiertent it brought:
That space the Evil one abstracted stood
From his own evil, and for the time remaind
Stupidly good, of enmitie disarmd, [ 465 ]
Of guile, of hate, of envie, of revenge;
But the hot Hell that alwayes in him burnes,
Though in mid Heavn, soon ended his delight,
And tortures him now more, the more he sees
Of pleasure not for him ordaind: then soon [ 470 ]
Fierce hate he recollects, and all his thoughts
Of mischief, gratulating, thus> excites.
Thoughts, whither have ye led me, with what sweet
pulsion thus transported tet
What hither brought us, hate, not love, nor hope [ 475 ]
Of Paradise for Hell, hope here to taste
Of pleasure, but all pleasure to destroy,
Save what .９９ｌｉｂ?is iroying, other joy
To me is lost. The me not let pass
Occasion whiiles, behold alone [ 480 ]
The Woman, opportuo all attempts,
Her Husband, for I view far round, not nigh,
Whose higher intellectual more I shun,
And strength, of ce hautie, and of limb
Heroic built, though of terrestrial mould, [ 485 ]
Foe not informidable, exempt from wound,
I not; so much hath Hell debasd, and paine
Infeebld me, to what I was９9lｉb? in Heavn.
12
Shee fair, divinely fair, fit Love fods,
Not terrible, though terrour be in Love [ 490 ]
Aie, not approacht by stronger hate,
Hate stronger, under shew of Love well feignd,
The way which to her ruin now I tend.
So spake the Enemie of Mankind, enclosd
In Serpent, Inmate bad, and toward Eve [ 495 ]
Addressd his way, not with ied wave,
Prone on the ground, as since, but on his reare,
Circular base of rising foulds, that tourd
Fould above fould a surging Maze, his Head
Crested aloft, and Carbuncle his Eyes; [ 500 ]
With burnisht Neck of verdant Gold, erect
Amidst his cirg Spi藏书网res, that on the grass
Floted redundant: pleasing was his shape,
And lovely, never since of Serpent kind
Lovelier, not those that in Illyria gd [ 505 ]
Hermione and Cadmus, or the God
In Epidaurus; nor to which transformd
Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline was seen,
Hee with Olympias, this with her who bore
Scipio the highth of Rome . With tract oblique [ 510 ]
At first, as one who sought access, b.. feard
To interrupt, side-long he works his way.
As w藏书网hen a Ship by skilful Stearsman wrought
Nigh Rivers mouth or Foreland, where the Wind
Veres oft, as oft so steers, and shifts her Saile; [ 515 ]
So varied hee, and of his tortuous Traine
Curld many a wantoh in sight of Eve,
To lure her Eye; shee busied heard the sound
Of rusling Leaves, but minded not, as usd
To such disport before her through the Field, [ 520 ]
From every Beast, more duteous at her call,
Then at Cir call the Herd disguisd.
Hee boulder now, uncalld before her stood;
But as in gaze admiring: Oft he bowd
His turret Crest, and sleek enameld Neck, [ 525 ]
Fawning, and lickd the ground whereorod.
His gentle dumb expression turnd at length
The Eye of Eve to mark his play; he glad
Of her attention gaind, with Serpent Tongue
anic,９９ｌｉｂ? or impulse of vocal Air, [ 530 ]
His frauduleation thus began.
13
Wonder not, sovran Mistress, if perhaps
Thou st, who art sole Wonder, much less arm
Thy looks, the Heavn of mildness, with. disdain,
Displeasd that I approach thee thus, and gaze [ 535 ]
Insatiate, I thus single, nor have feard
Thy awful brow, more awful thus retird.
Fairest resemblance of thy Maker faire,
Thee all things living gaze on, all things thine
By gift, and thy Celestial Beautie adore [ 540 ]
With ravishment beheld, there best beheld
Where universally admird; but here
In this enclosure wild, these Beasts among,
Beholders rude, and shallow to dise
Half what in thee is fair, one man except, [ 545 ]
Who sees thee? (and what is one?) who shouldst be seen
A Goddess among Gods, adord and servd
By Angels numberless, thy daily Train.
So glozd the Tempter, and his Proem tund;
Into the Heart of Eve his words made way, [ 550 ]
Though at the voice much marveling; at length
Not unamazd she thus in answer spake.
What may this mean? Language of Man pronounct
By Tongue of Brute, and human sense exprest?
The first at lest of these I thought denid [ 555 ]
To Beasts, whom God on thir Creation-Day
Created mute to all articulat sound;
The latter I demurre, for in thir looks
Much reason, and in thir as oft appeers.
Thee, Serpent, suttlest beast of all the field [ 560 ]
I knew, but not with human voidud;
Redouble then this miracle, and say,
How camst thou speakable of mute, and how
To me so friendly grown above the rest
Of brutal kind, that daily are in sight? [ 565 ]
Say, for such wonder claims attention due.
To whom the guileful Tempter thus replyd.
Empress of this fair World, resple Eve,
Easie to mee it is to tell thee all
What thou andst and right thou shouldst be obeyd: [ 570 ]
I was at first as other Beasts that graze
The trodden Herb, of abject thoughts and low,
As was my food, nht but food disd
Or Sex, and apprehended nothin?g high:
Till on a day roaving the field, I cd [ 575 ]
A goodly Tree farr distant to behold
Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mixt,
Ruddie and Gold: I nearer drew to gaze;
When from the boughes a savorie odour blown,
Grateful to appetite, more pleasd my sense, [ 580 ]
Then smell of sweetest Fenel or the Teats
Of Ewe oat dropping with Milk at Eevn,
Unsuckt of Lamb or Kid, that tend thir play.
14
To satisfie the sharp desire I had
Of tasting those fair Apples, I resolvd [ 585 ]
Not to deferr; hunger and thirst at once,
Powerful perswaders, quid at the st
Of that alluring fruit, urgd me so keene.
About the mossie Trunk I wound me soon,
Fh from ground the branches would require [ 590 ]
Thy utmost reach or Adams: Round the Tree
All other Beasts that saw, with like desire
Longing and envying stood, but could not reach.
Amid the Tree now got, where plenty hung
Tempting so nigh, to plud eat my fill [ 595 ]
I spard not, for such pleasure till that hour
At Feed or Fountain never had I found.
Sated at length, ere long I might perceave
Straeration io degree
Of Reason in my inowers, and Speech [ 600 ]
Wanted not long, though to this shape retaind.
Theh to Speculations high or deep
I turnd my thoughts, and with capaind
>.onsiderd all things visible in Heavn,
Or Earth, or Middle, all things fair and good; [ 605 ]
But all that fair and good in thy Divine
Semblance, and in thy Beauties heavnly Ray
United I beheld; no Fair to thi藏书网ne
Equivalent or sed, whipeld
Mee thus, though importune perhaps, to e [ 610 ]
And gaze, and worship thee ht declard
Sovran of Creatures, universal Dame.
So talkd the spirited sly Snake; and Eve
Yet more amazd unwarie thus replyd.
Serpent, thy overpraising leaves in doubt [ 615 ]
The vertue of that Fruit, in thee first provd:
But say, where grows the Tree, from hence how far?
For many are the Trees of God that grow
In Paradise, and various, yet unk?9９lib.nown
To us, in such abundance lies our choice, [ 620 ]
As leaves a greater store of Fruit untoucht,
Still hanging incorruptible, till men
Grow up to thir provision, and more hands
Help to disburden Nature of her Bearth.
To whom the wilie Adder, blithe and glad. [ 625 ]
15
Empress, the way is readie, and not long,
Beyond a row of Myrtles, on a Flat,
Fast by a Fountain, one small Thicket past
Of blowing Myrrh and Balme; if thou accept
My duct, I bring thee thither soon. [ 630 ]
Lead then, said Eve. Hee leading swiftly rowld
In tangles, and made intricate seem strait,
To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joy
Brightns his Crest, as when a wandring Fire
pact of unctuous vapor, which the Night [ 藏书网635 ]
denses, and the cold invirons round,
Kindld through agitation to a Flame,
Which oft, they say, some> evil Spirit attends
H and blazing with delusive Light,
Misleads th amazd Night-wanderer fr.om his way [ 640 ]
To Boggs and Mires, and oft through Pond or Poole,
There swallowd up and lost, from succour farr.
So glisterd the dire Snake, and into fraud
Led Eve our credulous Mother, to the Tree
Of prohibit>藏书网ion, root of all our woe; [ 645 ]
Which when she saw, thus tuide she spake.
Serpent, we might have spard our ing hither,
Fruitless to mee,? though Fruit be here to excess,
The credit of whose vertue rest with thee,
Wondrous indeed, if cause of such effects. [ 650 ]
But of this Tree we may not taste nor touch;
God so anded, ahat and
Sole Daughter of his voice; the rest, we live
Law to our selves, our Reason is our Law.
To whom the Tempter guilefully replid. [ 655 ]
Indeed? hath God then said that of the Fruit
Of all these Garden Trees ye shall e,
Yet Lords declard of all ih or Aire?
To whom thus Eve yet sinless. Of the Fruit
Of each Tree in the Garden we may eate, [ 660 ]
But of the Fruit of this fair Tree amidst
The Garden, God hath said, Ye shall e
Thereof, nor shall ye touch it, least ye die.
16
She scarse had said, though brief, when now more bold
The Tempter, but with shew of Zeale and Love [ 665 ]
To Man, and indignation at his wrong,
Neuts on, 9９ｌｉｂ?
Eve he turnd. [ 920 ]
Bold deed thou hast presumd, adventrous Eve
And peril great provokt, who thus hath dard
Had it been onely coveting to Eye
That sacred Fruit, sacred to abstinence,
Much more to taste it under bao touch. [ 925 ]
But past who recall, or don undoe?
Not God Omnipotent, nor Fate, yet so
Perhaps thou shalt not Die, perhaps the Fact
Is not so hainous now, foretasted Fruit,
Profand first by the Serpent, by him first [ 930 ]
Made on and unhallowd ere our taste;
Nor yet on him found deadly, he yet lives,
Lives, as thou saidst, and gaio live as Man
Higher degree of Life, i strong
To us, as likely tasting to attaine [ 935 ]
Proportional ast, which ot be
But to be Gods, els Demi-gods.
Nor I think that God, Creator wise,
Though threatning, will in ear so destroy
Us his prime Creatures, dignifid so high, [ 940 ]
Set over all his Works, whi our Fall,
For us created, needs with us must faile,
Depe made; so God shall ue,
Be frustrate, do, undo, and labour loose,
Not well ceavd of God, who though his Power [ 945 ]
Creation could repeate, yet would be loath
Us to abolish, least the Adversary
Triumph and say; Fickle their State whom God
Most Favors, who please him long; Mee first
He ruind, now Mankind; whom will he ? [ 950 ]
Matter of se, not to be given the Foe,
However I with thee have fixt my Lot,
Certain to undergoe like doom, if Death
sort with thee, Death is to mee as Life;
So forcible within my heart I feel [ 955 ]
The Bond of> Nature draw me to my owne,
My own in thee, for what thou art is mine;
Our State ot be severd, we are one,
One Flesh; to loose thee were to loose my self.
23
So Adam, and thus Eve to him replid. [ 960 ]
O glorious trial of exceeding Love,
Illustrious evidence, example high!
Ingagio emulate, but short
Of thy perfe, how shall I attaine,
Adam, from whose deare side I boast me sprung, [ 965 ]
And gladly of our Union heare thee speak,
O, one Soul in both; whereof good prooff
This day affords, declaring thee resolvd,
Rather theh ht theh more dread
Shall separate us, linkt in Love so deare, [ 970 ]
To undergoe with mee one Guilt, one Crime,
If any be, of tasting this fair Fruit,
Whose vertue, for of good still good proceeds,
Direct, or by occasion hath presented
This happie trial of thy Love, which else [ 975 ]
So emin?9９ｌiｂ?ly never had bin known.
Were it I thought Death menact would ensue
This my attempt, I would sustain alone
The worst, and not perswade thee, rather die
Deserted, then oblige thee with a fact [ 980 ]
Pernicious to thy Peace, chiefly assurd
Remarkably so late of thy so true,
So faithful Love unequald; but I feel
Farr otherwise th event, not Death, but Life
Augmented, opnd Eyes, new Hopes, new Joyes, [ 985 ]
Taste so Divihat what of sweet before
Hath toucht my sense, flat seems to this, and harsh.
On my experience, Adam, freely taste,
And fear of Death deliver to the Windes.
So saying, she embracd him, and for joy [ 990 ]
Tenderly wept, much won that he his Love
Had so enobld, as of choice to incurr
Divine displeasure for her sake, or Death.
In rec..ompence (for supliance bad
Such repence b. merits) from the bough [ 995 ]
She gave him of that fair entig Fruit
With liberal hand: he scrupld not to eat
Against his better knowledge, not deceavd,
But fondly overe with Femal charm.
24
Earth trembld from her entrails, as again [ 1000 ]
In pangs, and Nature gave a sed groan,
Skie lowrd, and muttering Thunder, som sad drops
Wept at pleating of the mortal Sin
inal; while Adam took no thought,
Eating his fill, o iterate [ 1005 ]
Her former trespass feard, the more to soothe
Him with her lovd societie, that now
As with new Wioxicated both
They swim in mirth, and fahat they feel
Divihin them breeding wings [ 1010 ]
Wherewith to se the Earth: but that false Fruit
Farr other operation first displaid,
al desire enflaming, hee on Eve
Began to cast lascivious Eyes, she him
As wantonly repaid; in Lust they burne: [ 1015 ]
Till Adam thus gao dalliance move,
Eve, now I see thou art exact of taste,