The latter I demur; for in their looks Much reason, and in their actions oft appears. How cam'st thou speakable of mute; and how 505 [obey'd What thou command'st; and right thou should'st be I was at first as other beasts that graze 571 The trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low, As was my food: nor aught but food discern'd, 575 When from the boughs a savoury odour blown, 580 Unsuck'd of lamb or kid, that tend their play. Of tasting those fair apples, I resolved 585 (Pow'rful persuaders) quicken'd at the scent Of that alluring fruit, urged me so keen. About the mossy trunk I wound me soon, For high from ground the branches would require 59€ Thy utmost reach or Adam's: Round the tree All other beasts that saw, with like desire Longing and envying stood, but could not reach. 595 I spared not; for such pleasure till that hour Of reason in my inward pow'rs, and speech 600 Wanted not long, though to this shape retain❜d. I turn'd my thoughts, and, with capacious mind, Or Earth, or Middle; all things fair and good: 605 Semblance, and in thy beauty's heav'nly ray Me thus, though importune perhaps, to come So talk'd the spirited sly Snake; and Eve, 610 615 The virtue of that fruit, in thee first proved. But say, where grows the tree? from hence how far? For many are the trees of God that grow In Paradise, and various, yet unknown To whom the wily adder, blithe and glad: Lead then, said Eve. He leading swiftly roll'd 612. Dame, formerly a term of great respect. 620 625 630 635 613. Warburton says, Milton has shewn more skill in the theology of this part of the poem than in any other. His answer to the objections against the Mosaic history are of his own invention. 634. The description of the serpent in this passage is remark. able for its fidelity and force. Hov'ring and blazing with delusive light, Misleads th' amazed night-wand'rer from his way To bogs and mires, and oft through pond or pool, 640 There swallow'd up and lost, from succour far. So glister'd the dire Snake, and into fraud Led Eve, our credulous mother, to the tree Of prohibition, root of all our woe! 645 650 Which when she saw, thus to her guide she spake : To whom the Tempter guilefully reply'd: 655 To whom thus Eve, yet sinless: Of the fruit 660 [bold 666 She scarce had said, though brief, when now more The Tempter, but with show of zeal and love To Man, and indignation at his wrong, New part puts on, and as to passion moved, Fluctuates disturb'd, yet comely, and in act Raised, as of some great matter to begin. As when of old some orator renown'd In Athens or free Rome, where eloquence Flourish'd, since mute, to some great cause address'd Stood in himself collected, while each part, 643. Fraud, hurt or damage. 670 644. The tree of prohibition, an Hebraism for the prohibited tree. 653. Another Hebraism; the expression signifies among the Jews, a voice from heaven,' or any mysterious revelation by signs or dreanis. 673. There is a similar Italian expression, in se raccolto. A new reading is proposed by Bentley, thus, Stood in himself collected whole, while each But the best commentators prefer the presenttext. Motion, each act won audience, ere the tongue, 675 680 685 690 O sacred, wise, and wisdom-giving Plant, Mother of science, now I feel thy pow'r Within me clear, not only to discern Things in their causes, but to trace the ways Of highest agents, deem'd however wise. Queen of this universe, do not believe Those rigid threats of death: ye shall not die. How should ye? by the fruit? It gives you life To knowledge; by the threat'ner? Look on me, Me who have touch'd and tasted, yet both live, And life more perfect have attain'd than fate Meant me, by venturing higher than my lot. Shall that be shut to Man, which to the Beast Is open? or will God incense his ire For such a petty trespass, and not praise Rather your dauntless virtue, whom the pain Of death denounced, whatever thing death be, 695 Deterr'd not from achieving what might lead To happier life, knowledge of good and evil! Of good, how just! of evil, if what is evil Be real, why not known, since easier shunn'd? God therefore cannot hurt ye and be just: Not just, not God; not fear'd then, nor obey'd: Your fear itself of death removes the fear. Why then was this forbid? Why but to awe, Why but to keep ye low and ignorant, His worshippers. He knows that in the day Ye eat thereof, your eyes that seem so clear, Yet are but dim, shall perfectly be then Open'd and clear'd, and ye shall be as Gods, Knowing both good and evil as they know. That ye shall be as Gods, since I as Man, Internal Man, is but proportion meet; I of brute human, ye of human Gods. So ye shall die perhaps, by putting off Human, to put on Gods; death to be wish'd, 705. Gen. iii. 5. 714. To put on Gods; to become divine instead of human. 700 705 710 Tho' threaten'd, which no worse than this can bring. The Gods are first, and that advantage use I question it; for this fair earth I see, That whoso eats thereof, forthwith attains 720 Wisdom without their leave? and wherein lies 725 Th' offence, that Man should thus attain to know? What can your knowledge hurt him, or this tree Impart against his will, if all be his? Or is it envy? And can envy dwell In heav'nly breasts? These, these and many more 730 He ended, and his words, replete with guile, So savoury of that fruit, which with desire, Pausing a while, thus to herself she mused: 735 749 Great are thy virtues, doubtless, best of fruits, 745 Though kept from man, and worthy to be admired, Whose taste, too long forborn, at first assay Gave elocution to the mute, and taught The tongue not made for speech to speak thy praise. Thy praise he also, who forbids thy use, 750 738. This is one of the few instances of bad taste really affecting the beauty of the narrative, to be found in the poem. The whole of Satan's speech had tended to inspire spiritual pride and a bold desire of knowledge; all the following reflections of Eve are in correspondence with the address of the tempter. The idea, therefore, here introduced of her sharpened appetite, and of the savoriness of the fruit, is in bad keeping with the general tone of the passage; and I am not a little surprised that any of Milton's commentators could have attempted to find a beauty in its introduction. |