1066
At length gave utterance to these words constrained:5131
1067
“O Eve, in evil hour thou did’st give ear
1068
To that false worm, of whomsoever taught
1069
To counterfeit man’s voice, true in our fall,
1070
False in our promised rising, since our eyes
1071
Op’ned we find, indeed, and find we know
1072
Both good and evil—good lost, and evil got!
1073
Bad fruit of knowledge, if this be to know,
1074
Which leaves us naked thus, of honor void,
1075
Of innocence, of faith, of purity,
1076
Our wonted 5132 ornaments now soiled and stained,
1077
And in our faces evident the signs
1078
Of foul concupiscence, 5133 whence evil store, 5134
1079
Ev’n shame, the last 5135 of evils. Of the first
1080
Be sure then. How shall I behold the face
1081
Henceforth of God or Angel, erst with joy
1082
And rapture so oft beheld? Those Heav’nly shapes
1083
Will dazzle now this earthly with their blaze
1084
Insufferably bright. O! might I here
1085
In solitude live savage, in some glade
1086
Obscured,5136 where highest woods, impenetrable
1087
To star or sun-light, spread their umbrage5137 broad
1088
And brown as evening. Cover me, ye pines!
1089
Ye cedars, with innumerable boughs
1090
Hide me, where I may never see them5138 more!
1091
“But let us now, as in bad plight,5139 devise
1092
What best may for the present serve to hide
1093
The parts of each from other, that seem most
1094
To shame obnoxious,5140 and unseemliest 5141 seen.
1095
Some tree, whose broad smooth leaves together sewed,
1096
And girded on our loins, may cover round
1097
Those middle parts, that this newcomer, shame,
1098
There sit not, and reproach us as unclean.
1099
So counselled he, and both together went
1100
Into the thickest wood. There soon they chose
1101
The fig-tree—not that kind for fruit renowned,
1102
But such5142 as at this day, to Indians known,
1103
In Malabar5143 or Deccan5144 spreads her arms
1104
Branching so broad and long, that in the ground
1105
The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow
1106
About the mother tree, a pillared shade
1107
High over-arched, and echoing walks between.
1108
There oft the Indian herdsman, shunning heat,
1109
Shelters in cool, and tends his pasturing herds
1110
At loop-holes cut through thickest shade. Those leaves
1111
They gathered, broad as Amazonian targe5145
1112
And, with what skill they had, together sewed,
1113
To gird their waist—vain covering, if to hide
1114
Their guilt and dreaded shame! O how unlike
1115
To that first naked glory! Such of late
1116
Columbus found th’American, so girt5146
1117
With feathered cincture, 5147 naked else, and wild
1118
Among the trees on isles and woody shores.
1119
Thus fenced 5148 and, as they thought, their shame in part
1120
Covered, but not at rest or ease of mind,
1121
They sat them down to weep, nor only tears
1122
Rained at their eyes, but high winds worse within
1123
Began to rise, high passions, anger, hate,
1124
Mistrust, suspicion, discord, and shook sore
1125
Their inward state of mind, calm region once
1126
And full of peace, now tossed and turbulent,
1127
For understanding ruled not, and the will
1128
Heard not her 5149 lore, 5150 both5151 in subjection now
1129
To sensual appetite, who from beneath
1130
Usurping over sov’reign reason claimed
1131
Superior sway. 5152 From thus distempered 5153 breast,
1132
Adam, estranged 5154 in look and altered style, 5155
1133
Speech intermitted 5156 thus to Eve renewed:
1134
“Would thou had’st hearkened to my words, and stayed
1135
With me, as I besought 5157 thee, when that strange
1136
Desire of wand’ring, this unhappy morn,
1137
I know not whence possessed thee. We had then
1138
Remained still happy—not, as now, despoiled5158
1139
Of all our good, shamed, naked, miserable!
1140
Let none henceforth seek needless causet’ approve
1141
The faith they owe!5159 When earnestly they seek
1142
Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail.”
1143
To whom, soon5160 moved with touch of blame, thus Eve:
1144
“What words have passed thy lips, Adam severe!
1145
Imput’st thou that to my default, or will
1146
Of wand’ring, as thou call’st it, which who knows
1147
But might as ill have happened thou being by—
1148
Or to thyself perhaps? Had’st thou been there,
1149
Or here th’ attempt, thou could’st not have discerned
1150
Fraud in the serpent, speaking as he spoke.
1151
No ground of enmity between us known,
1152
Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm?
1153
Was I t’ have never parted from thy side?
1154
As good have grown there still, a lifeless rib.
1155
Being as I am, why did’st not thou, the head,
1156
Command me absolutely not to go,
1157
Going into such danger as thou said’st?
1158
Too facile5161 then, thou did’st not much gainsay—5162
1159
Nay, did’st permit, approve, and fair 5163 dismiss.5164
1160
Had’st thou been firm and fixed in thy dissent,
1161
Neither had I transgressed, nor thou with me.
1162
To whom, then first incensed, Adam replied:
1163
“Is this the love, is this the recompence
1164
Of mine to thee, ungrateful Eve! expressed
1165
Immutable, 5165 when thou wert lost, not I,
1166
Who might have lived,
and joyed 5166 immortal bliss,
1167
Yet willingly chose rather death with thee?
1168
And am I now upbraided as the cause
1169
Of thy transgressing? Not enough severe,
1170
It seems, in thy restraint. What could I more?
1171
I warned thee, I admonished thee, foretold
1172
The danger, and the lurking enemy
1173
That lay in wait. Beyond this had been force,
1174
And force upon free will hath here no place.
1175
But confidence then bore thee on, secure5167
1176
Either to meet no danger, or to find
1177
Matter 5168 of glorious trial.5169 And perhaps
1178
I also erred, in overmuch admiring
1179
What seemed in thee so perfect that I thought
1180
No evil durst attempt thee. But I rue5170
1181
The error now, which is become my crime,
1182
And thou th’ accuser. Thus it shall befall5171
1183
Him who, to worth in women overtrusting,
1184
Lets her will 5172 rule. Restraint she will not brook
1185
And left t’ herself, if evil thence ensue, 5173
1186
She first his weak indulgence will accuse.
1187
Thus they in mutual accusation spent
1188
The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning,
1189
And of their vain contest 5174 appeared no end.
The End of the Ninth Book
BOOK X
THE ARGUMENT
Man’s transgression known, the Guardian Angels forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to approve5175 their vigilance, and are approved, God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the transgressors, who descends and gives sentence accordingly, then in pity clothes them both, and reascends.
Sin and Death sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan in this new world, and the sin by man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in Hell, but to follow Satan their sire up to the place of man. To make the way easier from Hell to this world, to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made. Then preparing for earth, they meet him, proud of his success, returning to Hell; their mutual gratulation.
Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full assembly relates with boasting his success against man. Instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed—with himself also—suddenly into serpents, according to his doom, given in Paradise. Then deluded with show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes.
The proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things, but for the present commands his Angels to make several alterations in the heavens and elements. Adam more and more perceiving his fallen condition heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve. She persists and at length appeases him, then to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed should be revenged on the serpent, and exhorts her with him to seek peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and supplication.
1
Meanwhile the heinous 5176 and despiteful5177 act
2
Of Satan, done in Paradise, and how
3
He, in the serpent, had perverted 5178 Eve,
4
Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit,
5
Was known in Heav’n, for what can ’scape the eye
6
Of God all-seeing, or deceive His heart
7
Omniscient? Who, in all things wise and just,
8
Hindered not Satan to attempt the mind
9
Of man, with strength entire5179 and free will armed,
10
Complete to have discovered and repulsed
11
Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend.
12
For still they 5180 knew and ought t’ have still5181 remembered
13
The high injunction not to taste that fruit,
14
Whoever tempted, which they not obeying,
15
Incurred (what could they less?) the penalty
16
And, manifold 5182 in sin, deserved to fall.
17
Up into Heav’n from Paradise in haste
18
The Angelic guards ascended, mute, and sad
19
For man, for of his state by this they knew,
20
Much wond’ring how the subtle fiend had stol’n
21
Entrance unseen. Soon as th’ unwelcome news
22
From earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeased
23
All were who heard. Dim sadness did not spare,
24
That time, celestial visages, yet mixed
25
With pity violated 5183 not their bliss.
26
About the new-arrived in multitudes
27
The ethereal people ran, to hear and know
28
How all befell.5184 They towards the Throne Supreme
29
Accountable, 5185 made haste to make appear5186
30
With righteous5187 plea their utmost vigilance,
31
And easily approved,5188 when the Most High
32
Eternal Father, from His secret cloud,
33
Amidst in thunder, uttered thus His voice:
34
“Assembled Angels, and ye Powers returned
35
From unsuccessful charge, 5189 be not dismayed,
36
Nor troubled at these tidings from the earth,
37
Which your sincerest5190 care could not prevent,
38
Foretold 5191 so lately 5192 what would come to pass,
39
When first this Tempter crossed the gulf from Hell.
40
I told ye then he should prevail, and speed 5193
41
On his bad errand. Man should 5194 be seduced
42
And flattered out of all, believing lies
43
Against his Maker, no decree of mine
44
Concurring to necessitate his fall
45
Or touch with lightest moment 5195 of impulse 5196
46
His free will, to her 5197 own inclining left
47
In ev’n scale. But fall’n he is. And now
48
What rests5198 but 5199 that the mortal5200 sentence pass5201
49
On his transgression, death denounced 5202 that day,
50
Which he presumes already vain and void
51
Because not yet inflicted, as he feared,
52
By some immediate stroke, but soon shall find
53
Forbearance 5203 no acquittance, 5204 ere day end.
54
Justice shall not return as bounty scorned.5205
55
But whom send I to judge them? Whom but thee,
56
Vice-gerent5206 Son? To thee
I have transferred
57
All judgment, whether in Heav’n, or earth, or Hell.
58
Easy it may be seen that I intend
59
Mercy colleague5207 with justice, sending thee
60
Man’s friend, his mediator, his designed 5208
61
Both ransom and redeemer voluntary,
The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Page 50
