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Will dazzle now this earthly with their blaze,
Insufferably bright! O might I here

In solitude live savage, in some glade

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Obscured, where highest woods impenetrable

To star or sun-light, spread their umbrage broad,

And brown as ev'ning! Cover me, ye Pines;

Ye Cedars, with innumerable boughs
Hide me, where I may never see them more.
But let us now, as in bad plight, devise
What best may for the present serve to hide
The parts of each from other, that seem most
To shame obnoxious, and unseemliest seen;

Shame,

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Some tree, whose broad smooth leaves together sew'd, 1095
And girded on our loins, may cover round
Those middle parts, that this new comer,
There sit not, and reproach us as unclean.
So counsel'd he; and both together went
Into the thickest wood; there soon they chose
The fig-tree; not that kind for fruit renown'd,
But such as at this day, to Indians known
In Malabar or Deccan, spreads her arms
Branching so broad and long, that in the ground
The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow
About the mother-tree, a pillar'd shade

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High over-arch'd, and echoing walks between:
There oft the Indian herdsman, shunning heat,
Shelters in cool, and tends his pasturing herds

At loop-holes cut through thickest shade. Those leaves
They gather'd, broad as Amazonian targe,
And with what skill they had together sew'd,
To gird their waist. Vain covering, if to hide
Their guilt and dreaded shame! O how unlike
To that first naked glory! Such of late
Columbus found th’American, so girt

With feather'd cincture, naked else and wild
Among the trees on isles and woody shores.

Thus fenced, and as they thought, their shame in part

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Cover'd, but not at rest or ease of mind,
They sat them down to weep; nor only tears
Rain'd at their eyes, but high winds worse within
Began to rise, high passions, anger, hate,
Mistrust, suspicion, discord, and shook sore
Their inward state of mind: calm region once
And full of peace, now tost and turbulent;
For understanding ruled not, and the will
Heard not her lore, both in subjection now
To sensual appetite, who from beneath

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Usurping over sov'reign reason, claim'd

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Superior sway. From thus distemper'd breast,

Adam, estranged in look and alter'd style,

Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd:

Would thou hadst hearken'd to my words, and stay'd

With me, as I besought thee, when that strange
Desire of wand'ring this unhappy morn,

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I know not whence, possess'd thee; we had then
Remain'd still happy, not, as now, despoil'd
Of all our good, shamed, naked, miserable.

Let none henceforth seek needless cause to approve

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The faith they owe: when earnestly they seek

Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail.

To whom, soon moved with touch of blame, thus Eve:

What words have pass'd thy lips, Adam, severe!

Imput'st thou that to my default, or will

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Of wand'ring, as thou call'st it, which who knows
But might as ill have happen'd thou being by,

Or to thyself perhaps? Hadst thou been there,

Or here th' attempt, thou couldst not have discern'd

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Fraud in the Serpent, speaking as he spake;
No ground of enmity between us known,
Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm.
Was I to have ne'er parted from thy side?
As good have grown there still, a lifeless rib!
Being as I am, why didst not thou, the head,
Command me absolutely not to go,

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Going into such danger as thou saidst?
Too facile then thou didst not much gainsay,
Nay, didst permit, approve, and fair dismiss.
Hadst thou been firm and fix'd in thy dissent,
Neither had I transgress'd, nor thou with me.

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To whom then, first incensed, Adam reply'd
Is this the love, is this the recompense
Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, express'd
Immutable when thou wert lost, not I,

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Who might have lived and joy'd immortal bliss,
Yet willingly chose rather death with thee?
And am I now upbraided as the cause
Of thy transgressing? not enough severe,

It seems, in thy restraint. What could I more?

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I warn'd thee, I admonish'd thee, foretold
The danger, and the lurking enemy

That lay in wait. Beyond this had been force;
And force upon free-will hath here no place.
But confidence then bore thee on, secure
Either to meet no danger, or to find

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Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps

I also err'd in overmuch admiring

What seem'd in thee so perfect, that I thought
No evil durst attempt thee; but I rue

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That error now, which is become my crime,

And thou th' accuser. Thus it shall befall

Him who, to worth in women overtrusting,

Lets her will rule. Restraint she will not brook;
And left to herself, if evil thence ensue,
She first his weak indulgence will accuse.
Thus they in mutual accusation spent

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The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning:
And of their vain contest appear'd no end.

BOOK X.

THE ARGUMENT.

Man's transgression known, the guardian Angels forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to approve their vigilance, and are approved, Goà declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the transgressors, who descends and gives sentence accordingly; then in pity clothes them both, and re-ascends. Sin and Death, sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan in this new world, and the sin by Man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in Hell, but to follow Satan their sire up to the place of Man. To make the way easier from Hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made; then, preparing for Earth, they meet him, proud of his success, returning to Hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full assembly relates with boasting his success against Man: instead of applause, is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed with himself also suddenly into serpents, according to his doom given in Paradise; then deluded with a show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death: God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but for the present commands his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve; she persists, and at length appeases him: then, to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not; but, conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her Seed should be revenged on the Serpent; and exhorts her with him to seek peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and supplication.

MEANWHILE the hainous and despiteful act

Of Satan done in Paradise, and how

He in the serpent had perverted Eve,
Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit,

Was known in Heav'n: for what can 'scape the eye
Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart
Omniscient! who in all things wise and just,

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Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the mind

Of Man, with strength entire, and free-will arm'd,
Complete to have discover'd and repulsed
Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend.

For still they knew, and ought to have still remember'd
The high injunction not to taste that fruit
Whoever tempted: which they not obeying,
Incurr'd (what could they less?) the penalty,
And manifold in sin, deserved to fall.
Up into Heav'n from Paradise in haste
Th' Angelic guards ascended, mute and sad
For Man; for of his state by this they knew,
Much wond'ring how the subtle fiend had stolen
Entrance unseen. Soon as th' unwelcome news
From Earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeased
All were who heard: dim sadness did not spare
That time celestial visages; yet, mix'd
With pity, violated not their bliss.
About the new-arrived, in multitudes
Th' ethereal people ran, to hear and know
How all befell: they tow'rds the throne supreme,
Accountable, made haste to make appear
With righteous plea their utmost vigilance,
And easily approved; when the Most High
Eternal Father, from his secret cloud,
Amidst in thunder, utter'd thus his voice:
Assembled Angels, and ye Pow'rs return'd
From unsuccessful charge, be not dismay'd
Nor troubled at these tidings from the earth,
Which your sincerest care could not prevent,
Foretold so lately what would come to pass,
When first this tempter cross'd the gulf from Hell.
I told ye then he should prevail and speed

On his bad errand; Man should be seduced
And flatter'd out of all, believing lies
Against his Maker; no decree of mine
Concurring to necessitate his fall,

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