As the vine curls her tendrils-which implied Subjection, but required with gentle sway, And by her yielded, by him best received Yielded, with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then concealed; Then was not guilty shame. Dishonest shame Of Nature's works, honour dishonourable, Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure, And banished from man's life his happiest life, Simplicity and spotless innocence!
So passed they naked on, nor shunned the sight Of God or Angel; for they thought no ill: So hand in hand they passed, the loveliest pair That ever since in love's embraces met— Adam the goodliest man of men since born His sons; the fairest of her daughters Eve. Under a tuft of shade that on a green Stood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain-side, They sat them down; and, after no more toil Of their sweet gardening labour than sufficed To recommend cool Zephyr, and make ease More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite More grateful, to their supper-fruits they fell- Nectarine fruits, which the compliant boughs Yielded them, sidelong as they sat recline On the soft downy bank damasked with flowers. The savoury pulp they chew, and in the rind, Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream; Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems Fair couple linked in happy nuptial league, Alone as they. About them frisking played
All beasts of the earth, since wild, and of all chase In wood or wilderness, forest or den.
Sporting the lion ramped, and in his paw Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces, pards, Gambolled before them; the unwieldy elephant,
To make them mirth, used all his might, and wreathed His lithe proboscis; close the serpent sly,
Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine
His braided train, and of his fatal guile Gave proof unheeded. Others on the grass Couched, and, now filled with pasture, gazing sat, Or bedward ruminating; for the sun,
Declined, was hastening now with prone career To the Ocean Isles, and in the ascending scale Of Heaven the stars that usher evening rose: When Satan, still in gaze as first he stood, Scarce thus at length failed speech recovered sad:- O Hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold? Into our room of bliss thus high advanced Creatures of other mould-Earth-born perhaps, Not Spirits, yet to Heavenly Spirits bright Little inferior-whom my thoughts pursue With wonder, and could love; so lively shines In them divine resemblance, and such grace
The hand that formed them on their shape hath poured. Ah! gentle pair, ye little think how nigh
Your change approaches, when all these delights
Will vanish, and deliver ye to woe
More woe, the more your taste is now of joy: Happy, but for so happy ill secured
Long to continue, and this high seat, your Heaven, Ill fenced for Heaven to keep out such a foe As now is entered; yet no purposed foe Το you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, Though I unpitied. League with you I seek, And mutual amity, so strait, so close,
That I with you must dwell, or you with me, Henceforth. My dwelling, haply, may not please, Like this fair Paradise, your sense; yet such Accept your maker's work; he gave it me, Which I as freely give. Hell shall unfold, To entertain you two, her widest gates, And send forth all her kings; there will be room, Not like these narrow limits, to receive Your numerous offspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me, loath, to this revenge On you, who wrong me not, for him who wronged. And, should I at your harmless innocence Melt, as I do, yet public reason just- Honour and empire with revenge enlarged
By conquering this new World-compels me now To do what else, though damned, I should abhor." So spake the Fiend, and with necessity, The tyrant's plea, excused his devilish deeds. Then from his lofty stand on that high tree Down he alights among the sportful herd Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one, Now other, as their shape served best his end Nearer to view his prey, and, unespied, To mark what of their state he more might learn By word or action marked. About them round A lion now he stalks with fiery glare; Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play, Straight crouches close; then, rising, changes oft His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground, Whence rushing he might surest seize them both Griped in each paw: when Adam, first of men, To first of women, Eve, thus moving speech, Turned him all ear to hear new utterance flow:- "Sole partner and sole part of all these joys, Dearer thyself than all, needs must the Power That made us, and for us this ample World, Be infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite;
That raised us from the dust, and placed us here In all this happiness, who at his hand Have nothing merited, nor can perform
Aught whereof he hath need; he who requires From us no other service than to keep
This one, this easy charge of all the trees In Paradise that bear delicious fruit
So various, not to taste that only Tree
Of Knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life;
So near grows Death to Life, whate'er Death is- Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know'st God hath pronounced it Death to taste that Tree: The only sign of our obedience left
Among so many signs of power and rule Conferred upon us, and dominion given Over all other creatures that possess
Earth, Air, and Sea. Then let us not think hard
One easy prohibition, who enjoy
Free leave so large to all things else, and choice Unlimited of manifold delights;
But let us ever praise him, and extol
His bounty, following our delightful task,
Το prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers; Which, were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet." "O thou for whom And from whom I was formed flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my guide And head! what thou hast said is just and right. For we to him, indeed, all praises owe, And daily thanks-I chiefly, who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thyself canst nowhere find. That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awaked, and found myself reposed, Under a shade, on flowers, much wondering where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how. Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound Of waters issued from a cave, and spread Into a liquid plain; then stood unmoved, Pure as the expanse of Heaven. I thither went With unexperienced thought, and laid me down On the green bank, to look into the clear Smooth lake, that to me seemed another sky. As I bent down to look, just opposite A shape within the watery gleam appeared, Bending to look on me. I started back, It started back; but pleased I soon returned, Pleased it returned as soon with answering looks Of sympathy and love. There I had fixed Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire, Had not a voice thus warned me: 'What thou seest, What there thou seest, fair creature, is thyself; With thee it came and goes: but follow me, And I will bring thee where no shadow stays Thy coming, and thy soft embraces-he Whose image thou art; him thou shalt enjoy Inseparably thine; to him shalt bear Multitudes like thyself, and thence be called
To whom thus Eve replied:- :-
Mother of human race.' What could I do, But follow straight, invisibly thus led? Till I espied thee, fair, indeed, and tall, Under a platane; yet methought less fair, Less winning soft, less amiably mild,
Than that smooth watery image. Back I turned; Thou, following, cried'st aloud, 'Return, fair Eve; Whom fliest thou? Whom thou fliest, of him thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart, Substantial life, to have thee by my side Henceforth an individual solace dear: Part of my soul I seek thee, and thee claim My other half.' With that thy gentle hand Seized mine: I yielded, and from that time see How beauty is excelled by manly grace And wisdom, which alone is truly fair."
So spake our general mother, and, with eyes Of conjugal attraction unreproved, And meek surrender, half-embracing leaned On our first father; half her swelling breast Naked met his, under the flowing gold Of her loose tresses hid. He, in delight Both of her beauty and submissive charms, Smiled with superior love, as Jupiter
On Juno smiles when he impregns the clouds
That shed May flowers, and pressed her matron lip With kisses pure. Aside the Devil turned For envy; yet with jealous leer malign
Eyed them askance, and to himself thus plained:- "Sight hateful, sight tormenting! Thus these two, Imparadised in one another's arms,
The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill Of bliss on bliss; while I to Hell am thrust, Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire, Among our other torments not the least, Still unfulfilled, with pain of longing pines! Yet let me not forget what I have gained
From their own mouths. All is not theirs, it seems; One fatal tree there stands, of Knowledge called, Forbidden them to taste. Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless! Why should their Lord
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