But first low reverence done,1 as to the Power 835 From nectar, drink of Gods. Adam the while, As reapers oft are wont their harvest queen. 840 Great joy he promised to his thoughts, and new Came prologue, and apology too prompt; 845 850 Which, with bland words at will, she thus addressed : 855 "Hast thou not wondered, Adam, at my stay? "Thee I have missed, and thought it long, deprived "Not felt-nor shall be twice; for never more "Mean I to try, what rash untried I sought, "The pain of absence from thy sight. But strange "Of danger tasted, nor to evil unknown 860 1 But first low reverence done,—this first sign of idolatry is well imagined as an immediate consequence of the fall. 2 Divine of something ill,-in the Latin sense of foreboding. 3 Yet oft his heart...misgave him; he the faltering measure felt;-his heart beat irregularly, as is usual under agitation of mind: he was conscious of this, and feeling uneasy, went forth to meet her. Came prologue,- as a prologue is delivered before the commencement of a play, so the expression of Eve's face prepared Adam for the speech that was to follow, and seemed to plead excuse before she spoke. 5 Cf danger tasted,-i. e. is not a tree of danger when tasted. "Opening the way; but of divine effect "To open eyes, and make them Gods who taste; 865 "And hath been tasted such: the serpent, wise, "Not dead, as we are threatened, but thenceforth "Endued with human voice, and human sense; 870 66 Reasoning to admiration! and with me "Persuasively hath so prevailed, that I "Have also tasted, and have also found "The effects to correspond-opener mine eyes, "Dim erst-dilated spirits-ampler heart"And growing up to godhead; which for thee 66 Chiefly I sought, without thee can despise. "For bliss, as thou hast part, to me is bliss ; "Tedious, unshared with thee, and odious soon. "Thou therefore also taste, that equal lot 66 May join us-equal joy, as equal love; "Lest, thou not tasting, different degree 875 880 885 Thus Eve, with countenance blithe, her story told; But in her cheek distemper flushing glowed.1 On the other side, Adam, soon as he heard Astonied stood and blank! while horror chill 890 895 "O fairest of creation! last and best "Of all God's works! creature in whom excelled "Whatever can, to sight or thought, be formed 1 But in her cheek distemper flushing glowed.—See line 793, where Eve is already described as if "heightened with wine." 2 These lines should be read slowly, and with several pauses, in order to give full effect to the picture of Adam's astonishment and horror. "Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet! "How art thou lost! how on a sudden lost, "How can I live without thee-how forego 900 905 66 Thy sweet convérse, and love so dearly joined,3 910 "Another rib afford, yet loss of thee "Would never from my heart:4 no, no! I feel "The link of nature draw me: flesh of flesh, "Bone of my bone, thou art; and from thy state "Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe!" 915 So having said, as one from sad dismay Recomforted, and, after thoughts disturbed, Submitting to what seemed remediless, Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turned:5 "Bold deed thou hast presumed, adventurous Eve! "And peril great provoked, who thus hast dared, "Had it been only coveting to eye 6 "That sacred fruit-sacred to abstinence; 920 1 Defaced, deflowered, and now to death devote!-a good example of alliteration; in which, however, Milton rarely indulges. 2 Thy sweet convérse, and love so dearly joined,—i. e. sweet convérse, and love of thee so dearly joined. 3 In these wild woods,—the very thought of separation from Eve casts a gloom on the glories of Paradise, and makes Adam speak of Eden as a wilderness. 4 Would never from my heart,—would never cease to burden my heart. 5 It has been observed, this line cannot be pronounced but as it ought,slowly-gravely. Had it been only coveting to eye, &c.-It was a great peril only to eye the fruit (even though only coveting it, or longing for it, without intending to go farther); much greater peril was it to dare. to taste it, since they were under a ban to touch it: ban,—strict prohibition, enforced by a curse in case of disobedience. "Much more to taste it, under ban to touch. 66 Proportional ascent; which cannot be "But to be Gods, or Angels-Demigods. 925 930 935 940 "Not well conceived of God, who, though his power 945 "Creation could repeat, yet would be loth "Us to abolish, lest the adversary "Triumph, and say, 'Fickle their state, whom God "Most favours! who can please him long? Me first "He ruined, now mankind; whom will he next?'- 950 "Matter of scorn, not to be given the foe. “ However, I with thee have fixed my lot, "Certain to undergo like doom: if death "Consort with thee, death is to me as life; "So forcible within my heart I feel "The bond of nature draw me to my own"My own in thee, for what thou art is mine; "Our state cannot be severed; we are one"One flesh; to lose thee were to lose myself." 955 1 Perhaps thou shalt not die;-Adam had just before condemned Eve, but wishing to find her innocent, his reasonings are warped by his inclinations. So Adam; and thus Eve to him replied: "O glorious trial of exceeding love, "Illustrious evidence, example high! "Engaging me to emulate; but, short 960 "Of thy perfection, how shall I attain, "Adam? from whose dear side I boast me sprung, "And gladly of our union hear thee speak, 965 "One heart, one soul in both; whereof good proof "This day affords, declaring thee resolved, "Rather than death, or aught than death more dread, "Shall separate us linked in love so dear, 970 "To undergo with me one guilt, one crime, "If any be, of tasting this fair fruit; "Whose virtue (for of good still good proceeds, "Direct, or by occasion) hath presented "This happy trial of thy love, which else 975 "So eminently never had been known. "Were it I thought death menaced would ensue "This my attempt, I would sustain alone "The worst, and not persuade thee-rather die 980 "So faithful, love unequalled: but I feel "Far otherwise the event; not death, but life “Augmented—opened eyes—new hopes—new joys— 985 "Taste so divine, that what of sweet before "Hath touched my sense, flat seems to this, and harsh. "On my experience, Adam, freely taste, "And fear of death deliver to the winds." So saying, she embraced him, and for joy Tenderly wept; much won, that he his love Had so ennobled, as of choice to incur Divine displeasure for her sake, or death. In recompense, (for such compliance bad 990 Such recompense best merits,) from the bough 995 1 Oblige thee with a fact pernicious,—bind thee, or render thee obnoxious to punishment,-by permitting thee to share my crime. |