Hath eaten of the fruit; and is become,
Not dead, as we are threaten'd, but thenceforth 870
Endued with human voice and human sense;
Reas'ning to admiration: and with me
Persuasively hath so prevail'd, that I
Have also tasted, and have also found
Th' effects to correspond: op'ner mine eyes,
Dim erst; dilated spirits; ampler heart,
And growing up to godhead; which for thee
Chiefly I sought, without thee can despise.
For bliss, as thou hast part, to me is bliss;
Tedious, unshar'd with thee, and odious soon.
Thou therefore also taste, that equal lot
May join us, equal joy, as equal love;
Lest, thou not tasting, different degree
Disjoin us, and I then too late renounce
Deity for thee, when fate will not permit."
Thus Eve with count'nance blithe her story told;
But in her cheek distemper flushing glow'd.
On th' other side, Adam, soon as he heard
The fatal trespass done by Eve, amaz'd,
Astonied stood and blank, while horror chill
Ran through his veins, and all his joints relax'd;
From his slack hand the garland wreath'd for Eve
Down dropt, and all the faded roses shed:
Speechless he stood and pale; till thus at length
First to himself he inward silence broke :
"O fairest of creation, last and best
Of all God's works, creature in whom excell'd
Whatever can to sight or thought be form'd,
Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet!
How art thou lost! how on a sudden lost,
Defac'd, deflower'd, and now to death devote!
Rather, how hast thou yielded to transgress
The strict forbiddance? how to violate
The sacred fruit forbidd'n? Some cursed fraud
Of en'my hath beguil'd thee, yet unknown,
And me with thee hath ruin'd: for with thee
Certain my resolution is to die;
How can I live without thee? how forego
Thy sweet convérse, and love so dearly join'd,
To live again in these wild woods forlorn?
Should God create another Eve, and I
Another rib afford, yet loss of thee
Would never from my heart: no, no! I feel
The link of nature draw me: flesh of flesh,
Bone of my bone, thou art, and from thy state
Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe."
So having said, as one from sad dismay Recomforted, and, after thoughts disturb'd, Submitting to what seem'd remediless,
Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turn'd: 920 "Bold deed thou hast presum'd, advent'rous Eve, And peril great provok'd, who thus hast dar'd,
Had it been only coveting to eye
That sacred fruit, sacred to abstinence,
Much more to taste it under ban to touch.
But past who can recall, or done undo?
Not God omnipotent, nor fate; yet so
Perhaps thou shalt not die, perhaps the fact
Is not so heinous now, foretasted fruit,
Profan'd first by the serpent, by him first
Made common, and unhallow'd, ere our taste,
Nor yet on him found deadly; he yet lives,
Lives, as thou saidst, and gains to live, as man,
Higher degree of life: inducement strong
To us, as likely tasting to attain
Proportional ascent; which cannot be
But to be gods, or angels,-demi-gods.
Nor can I think that God, Creator wise,
Though threat'ning, will in earnest so destroy
Us his prime creatures, dignified so high,
Set over all his works; which in our fall,
For us created, needs with us must fail,
Dependent made; so God shall uncreate,—
Be frustrate,-do,-undo, and labour lose;
Not well conceiv'd of God, who, though his pow'r 945
Creation could repeat, yet would be loth
Us to abolish, lest the Adversary
Triumph, and say: Fickle their state whom God
Most favours; who can please him long? Me first
He ruin'd, now mankind; whom will he next?' 950
Matter of scorn, not to be giv'n the foe.
However, I with thee have fix'd my lot,
Certain to undergo like doom: if death
Consort with thee, death is to me as life;
So forcible within my heart I feel
The bond of nature draw me to my own;
My own in thee, for what thou art is mine;
Our state cannot be sever'd; we are one,-
One flesh: to lose thee were to lose myself."
So Adam; and thus Eve to him replied:
"O glorious trial of exceeding love,
Illustrious evidence, example high!
Engaging me to emulate; but, short
Of thy perfection, how shall I attain,
Adam? from whose dear side I boast me sprung, 965 And gladly of our union hear thee speak,
One heart, one soul in both; whereof good proof
This day affords, declaring thee resolv'd,
Rather than death, or aught than death more dread,
Shall separate us, link'd in love so dear,
To undergo with me one guilt, one crime
(If any be), of tasting this fair fruit;
Whose virtue (for of good still good proceeds,
Direct, or by occasion) hath presented
This happy trial of thy love, which else
So eminently never had been known?
Were it I thought death menac'd would ensue
This my attempt, I would sustain alone
The worst, and not persuade thee,—rather die
Deserted, than oblige thee with a fact
Pernicious to thy peace: chiefly assur'd
Remarkably so late of thy so true,
So faithful, love unequall'd: but I feel
Far otherwise th' event; not death, but life
Augmented, open'd eyes, new hopes, new joys, 985
Taste so divine, that what of sweet before
Hath touch'd my sense, flat seems to this, and harsh.
On my experience, Adam, freely taste,
And fear of death deliver to the winds."
So saying, she embrac'd him, and for joy
Tenderly wept; much won, that he his love
Had so ennobl'd, as of choice t' incur
Divine displeasure for her sake, or death.
In recompense (for such compliance bad
Such recompense best merits), from the bough 995
She gave him of that fair enticing fruit
With lib'ral hand: he scrupled not to eat,
Against his better knowledge; not deceiv'd,
But fondly overcome with female charm.
Earth trembl'd from her entrails, as again
In pangs; and nature gave a second groan;
Sky low'r'd, and, mutt'ring thunder, some sad drops
Wept at completing of the mortal sin
The rest of the book is occupied with the mutual recriminations of Adam and Eve, who quarrel with each other.
GOD sends his Son to judge the transgressors; who descends, and gives sentence accordingly.
Now was the sun in western cadence low
From noon, and gentle airs, due at their hour,
To fan the earth now wak'd, and usher in
The ev'ning cool; when he, from wrath more cool
Came-the mild Judge, and Intercessor both,- 96
To sentence man. The voice of God they heard
Now walking in the garden, by soft winds
Brought to their ears, while day declin'd: they heard,
And from his presence hid themselves among 100
The thickest trees, both man and wife; till God,
Approaching, thus to Adam call'd aloud:
"Where art thou, Adam, wont with joy to meet My coming seen far off? I miss thee here, Not pleas'd, thus entertain'd with solitude, Where obvious duty erewhile appear'd unsought; Or come I less conspicuous? or what change Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth!" He came, and with him Eve, more loth, though first T'offend; discount'nanc'd both, and discompos'd; Love was not in their looks, either to God, Or to each other; but apparent guilt, And shame, and perturbation, and despair; Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile.
Whence Adam, falt'ring long, thus answer'd brief: "I heard thee in the gard'n, and of thy voice 116 Afraid, being naked, hid myself." To whom
The gracious Judge without revile replied:
'My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd, But still rejoic'd; how is it now become
So dreadful to thee? That thou art naked, who
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