From all her words and actions mix'd with love More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear, Approve the best, and follow what I approve. To love, thou blam'st 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 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 But I can now no more; the parting sun Be strong, live happy, and love! But, first of all, And all the Blest: Stand fast; to stand or fall So Saying, he arose; whom Adam thus So parted they; the Angel up to Heaven END OF THE EIGHTH BOOK. THE ARGUMENT. Satan, having compassed the Earth, with meditated guile returns, as a mist, by night into Paradise; 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, alledging the danger, lest that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt her found alone: Eve, loth 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 a while 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. PARADISE LOST. BOOK IX. NO MORE of talk where God or Angel guest Venial discourse unblam'd. I now must change And disobedience: on the part of Heaven Anger and just rebuke, and judgement given, |