As one intended first, not after made To whom the Angel with contracted brow: 555 560 565 570 Less exellent, as thou thyself perceivest. And to realities yield all her shows: 575 Made so adorn for thy delight the more, So awful, that with honour thou mayst love Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise. But if the sense of touch, whereby mankind Is propagated, seem such dear delight 580 Beyond all other; think the same vouchsafed To cattle and each beast; which would not be 585 Wherein true love consists not: Love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges; hath his seat 590 By which to heavenly love thou mayst ascend, To whom thus, half abash'd, Adam replied: 595 So much delights me, as those graceful acts, 600 605 More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear. 610 Approve the best, and follow what I approve. To love thou blamest me not; for Love, thou say'st, Leads up to Heaven, is both the way and guide: Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask : Love not the heavenly Spirits, and how their love 615 Express they? by looks only? or do they mix Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch? To whom the Angel, with a smile that glow'd Answer'd: Let it suffice thee that thou know'st 620 625 But I can now no more; the parting sun Be strong, live happy, and love! But, first of all, 630 His great command: take heed lest passion sway 635 Thy judgment to do aught, which else free will Would not admit: thine, and of all thy sons, I in thy persevering shall rejoice, And all the bless'd: Stand fast; to stand or fall 640 So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus So parted they; the Angel up to Heaven 645 650 PARADISE LOST. BOOK IX. Satan, having compassed the Earth, with meditated guile returns, as a mist, by night into Paradise; enters into the Serpent sleep ing. 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 unblamed. I now must change 5 Those notes to tragic; foul distrust, and breach And disobedience: on the part of Heaven, Now alienated, distance and distaste, Anger and just rebuke, and judgment given, 10 18 Of my celestial patroness, who deigns Thrice fugitive about Troy wall; or rage Her nightly visitation unimplored, 20 In battles feign'd; the better fortitude Impresses quaint, caparisons and steeds, 35 At joust and tournament; then marshal'd feast 40 That name, unless an age too late, or cold 45 Of Hesperus, whose office is to bring Twilight upon the earth, short arbiter 50 'Twixt day and night, and now from end to end Night's hemisphere had veil'd the horizon round. |