Page images
PDF
EPUB

Occafion which now fmiles. Behold alone.
The woman, opportune to all attempts ;
Her husband, for I view far round, not nigh,
Whofe higher intellectual more I fhun,
And ftrength, of courage haughty, and of limb
Heroic built, though of terreftrial mould;
Foe not informidable, exempt from wound;
I not; fo much hath hell debas'd, and pain
Infeebled me, to what I was in heaven.
She fair, divinely fair, fit love for gods,
Not terrible, though terrour be in love
And beauty, not approach'd by ftronger hate,
Hate ftronger, under fhow of love well feign'd,
The way which to her ruin now I tend.

So fpake the enemy' of mankind, inclos'd
In ferpent, inmate bad, and toward Eve
Addrefs'd his way, not with indented wave,
Prone on the ground, as fince, but on his rear,
Circular bafe of rifing folds, that tower'd
Fold above fold, a furging maze; his head
Crefted aloft, and carbuncle his eyes;
With burnifh'd neck of verdant gold, erect
Amidst his circling fpires, that on the grafs
Flotted redundant: pleafing was his fhape
And lovely never fince of ferpent kind
Lovelier; not thofe that in Illyria change'd
Hermione and Cadmus, or the god

:

In Epidaurus; nor to which transform'd
Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline was feen;

He with Olympias, this with her who bore

480

485

490

495

500

505

Scipio the height of Rome. With tract oblique 510
At first, as one who fought accefs, but fear'd

To interrupt, fide-long he works his way.
As when a fhip by fkilful fteerfman wrought
Nigh river's mouth or foreland, where the wind

Сс

Veers oft, as oft fo fteers, and fhifts her fail:
So varied he, and of his tortuous train
Curl'd many a wanton wreath in fight of Eve,
To lure her eye. She bufied heard the found
Of ruflling leaves; but minded not, as us'd
To fuch difport before her through the field,
From every beaft, more duteous at her call,
Than at Circean call the herd difguis'd.
He bolder now, uncall'd before her stood,
But as in gaze admiring: oft he bow'd
His turret creft, and fleek enamell'd neck,
Fawning, and lick'd the ground whereon the trod.
His gentle dumb expreflion turn'd at length
The eye of Eve to mark his play; he glad
Of her attention gain'd, with ferpent tongue
Organic, or impulfe of vocal air,

His fraudulent temptation thus began.

515

520

525

530

Wonder not, fov'reign mistress, if perhaps
Thou canft, who art fole wonder; much lefs arm
Thy looks, the heaven of mildness, with disdain,
Difpleas'd that I approach thee thus, and gaze 535
Infatiate; I thus fingle nor have fear'd

Thy awful brow, more awful thus retir'd.
Fairest resemblance of thy Maker fair,

Thee all things living gaze on, all things thine
By gift, and thy celeftial beauty' adore,
With ravishment beheld, there beft beheld
Where univerfally admir'd; but here
In this inclofure wild, thefe beafts among,
Beholders rude, and fhallow to difcern
Half what in thee is fair, one man except,

540

545

Who fees thee'? (and what is one?) who fhould'ft be

A goddess among gods, ador'd and ferv'd

[feen

By angels numberlefs, thy daily train.

So gloz'd the tempter, and his proem tun'd;

Into the heart of Eve his words made way,
Though at the voice much marvelling; at length,
Not unamaz'd, fhe thus in anfwer spake.

550

What may this mean? language of man pronounce'd By tongue of brute, and human fenfe exprefs'd? The firft at least of these I thought deny'd To beasts, whom God on their creation-day Created mute to all articulate found :

555

The latter I demur; for in their looks

Much reas'on, and in their actions, oft appears.
Thee, ferpent, fubtleft beaft of all the field

560

I knew, but not with human voice endu'd;
Redouble then this miracle, and fay,

How cam'ft thou fpeakable of mute, and how
To me fo friendly grown above the rest
Of brutal kind that daily are in fight:
Say, for fuch wonder claims attention due?
To whom the guileful tempter thus reply'd.
Empress of this fair world, refplendent Eve,
Eafy it is to me to tell thee all

565

[obey'd

What thou command'ft, and right thou fhouldft be'

I was at first as other beaft that graze

571

The trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low,

As was my food; nor aught but food difcern'd

Or fex, and apprehended nothing high:

Till on a day roving the field, I chance'd

575

A goodly tree far diftant to behold,

Loaden with fruit of faireft colours mix'd,

Ruddy and gold: I nearer drew to gaze;

When from the boughs a favoury odour blown,
Grateful to appetite, more pleas'd my fenfe

580

Than fmell of sweetest fennel, or the teats
Of ewe or goat dropping with milk at ev'n,
Unfuck'd of lamb or kid, that tend their play.
To fatisfy the fharp defire I had

Of tafting thofe fair apples, I refolv'd
Not to defer; hunger and thirst at once,
Pow'rful perfuaders, quicken'd at the fcent
Of that alluring fruit, urge'd me so keen.
About the moffy trunk I wound me foon ;

5.85

595

For high from ground the branches would require 590
Thy utmost reach, or Adam's: round the tree
All other beasts that faw, with like defire
Longing and envying ftood, but could not reach.
Amid the tree now got, where plenty hung
Tempting fo nigh, to pluck and eat my fill
I fpar'd not; for fuch pleasure till that hour
At feed or fountain never had I found.
Şated at length, ere long I might perceive
Strange alteration in me, to degree
Of reafon in my inward powers, and speech
Wanted not long, though to this fhape retain❜d.
Thenceforth to fpeculations high or deep

600

I turn'd my thoughts; and, with capacious mind,
Confider'd all things vifible in heaven,

Or earth, or middle, all things fair and good ;
But all that fair and good in thy divine
Semblance, and in thy beauty's heavenly ray,
United I beheld; no fair to thine

Equivalent or fecond, which compell'd

Me thus, though importune perhaps, to come
And gaze, and worthip thee, of right declar'd
Sov'reign of creatures, univerfal dame.

So talk'd the fpirited fly fnake; and Eve,
Yet more amaz'd, unwary thus reply'd.
Serpent, thy overpraifing leaves in doubt
The virtue of that fruit, in thee first prov'd.

605

610

615

But fay, where grows the tree, from hence how far?

For many are the trees of God that grow

In Paradife, and various, yet unknown.

To us; in fuch abundance lies our choice,
As leaves a greater store of fruit untouch'd,
Still hanging incorruptible, till men
Grow up to their provifion, and more hands
Help to difburden Nature of her birth.

To whom the wily adder, blithe and glad.
Empress, the way is ready, and not long;
Beyond a row of myrtles, on a flat,
Faft by a fountain, one small thicket past
Of blowing myrrh and balm; if thou accept

My conduct, I can bring thee thither foon.

620

625

630

Lead then, faid Eve. He leading fwiftly roll'd.

In tangles, and made intricate feem strait,

To mischief fwift. Hope elevates, and joy Brightens his creft; as when a wand'ring fire, Compact of unctuous vapour, which the night 635 Condenfes, and the cold environs round,

Kindled through agitation to a flame,

Which oft, they fay, fome evil spirit attends,
Hovering, and blazing with delufive light,

Mifleads th' amaz'd night-wand'rer from his way, 640
To bogs and mires, and oft through pond or pool,
There fwallow'd up and loft, from fuccour far.
So glifter'd the dire fnake, and into fraud
Led Eve, our credulous mother, to the tree
Of prohibition, root of all our woe :

645

650

Which when the faw, thus to her guide fhe fpake.
Serpent, we might have fpar'd our coming hither,
Fruitless to me, though fruit be here to' excefs;
The credit of whofe virtue reft with thee,
Wond'rous indeed, if cause of fuch effects.
But of this tree we may not taste nor touch;
God fo commanded, and left that command
Sole daughter of his voice; the rest, we live
Law to ourselves, our reafon is our law.

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »