In reason, and is judicious, is the scale 595 600 From all her words and actions mixt with love And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd Union of mind, or in us both one soul; 605 More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear. 610 Approve the best, and follow what I approve. To love thou blam'st me not, for Love thou say'st Love not the Heav'nly spirits, and how their love 615 To whom the angel with a smile that glow'd Celestial rosy red, Love's proper hue, Answer'd. 'Let it suffice thee that thou know'st 620 625 As flesh to mix with flesh or soul with soul. But I can now no more; the parting sun 630 Beyond the Earth's Green Cape and Verdant Isles Be strong, live happy, and love, but first of all His great command; take heed lest passion sway 635 Thy judgment to do aught, which else free will And all the blest: stand fast; to stand or fall 640 Free in thine own arbitrement it lies. So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus 645 Thy condescension, and shall be honour'd ever 650 So parted they; the angel up to Heav'n From the thick shade, and Adam to his bower. BOOK IX. THE ARGUMENT. Satan having compassed the earth, with meditated guile returns as a mist, by night into Paradise, and enters into the serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart. Adam consents not, alleging the danger, lest that Enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt her found alone. Eve loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial 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 wondering to hear the Serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech and such understanding not till now: the Serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden he attained both to speech and reason, till then void of both. Eve requires him to bring 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 pleased with the taste, deliberates awhile whether to impart thereof to Adam or not; at last brings him of the fruit, relates what persuaded her to eat thereof. Adam, at first amazed, but perceiving her lost, resolves through vehemence of love to perish with her, and, extenuating the trespass, eats also of the fruit. The effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance and accusation of one another. No more of talk where God or angel guest Venial discourse unblam'd: I now must change 5 These notes to tragic; foul distrust, and breach And disobedience: on the part of Heav'n Anger and just rebuke, and judgment giv'n, Of my celestial patroness, who deigns And dictates to me slumb'ring, or inspires In battles feign'd; the better fortitude Not that which justly gives heroic name 35 40 That name, unless an age too late, or cold Twixt day and night; and now from end to end In meditated fraud and malice, bent 45 50 55 On Man's destruction, maugre what might hap From compassing the Earth; cautious of day, 60 His entrance, and forewarn'd the cherubim That kept their watch; thence full of anguish driv'n, The space of seven continu'd nights he rode 65 He circl'd, four times cross'd the car of night Now not, (though Sin, not Time, first wrought the change,) 70 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 involved in rising mist; then sought 75 Where to lie hid: sea he had searcht and land From Eden over Pontus, and the pool Mæotis, up beyond the river Ob; At Darien, thence to the land where flows 80 |