Longing and envying ftood, but could not reach. Amid the tree now got, where plenty hung Tempting fo nigh, to pluck and eat my fill
I fpar'd not, for fuch pleasure till that hour At feed or fountain never had I found. Sated at length, ere long I might perceive Strange alteration in me, to degree Of reason in my inward pow'rs, and speech Wanted not long, though to this shape retain'd. Thenceforth to fpeculations high or deep
I turn'd my thoughts, and with capacious mind Confider'd all things vifible in Heaven,
Or Earth, or Middle, all things fair and good; 605 But all that fair and good în thy divine
Semblance, and in thy beauty's heav'nly ray United I beheld; no fair to thine
Equivalent or fecond, which compell'd
Me thus, though importune perhaps, to come And gaze, and worship thee of right declar'd Sovran of creatures, univerfal Dame.
So talk'd the spirited fly Snake; and Eve Yet more amaz'd unwary thus reply'd. Serpent, thy overpraifing leaves in doubt The virtue of that fruit, in thee first proy'd : But fay, where grows the tree, from hence how far? For many are the trees of God that grow In Paradise, and various, yet unknown To us, in fuch abundance lies our choice, As leaves a greater store of fruit untouch'd, Still hanging incorruptible, till men
Grow up to their provision, and more hands Help to disburden Nature of her birth.
To whom the wily Adder, blithe and glad. Empress, the way is ready, and not long, Beyond a row of myrtles, on a flat, Fast by a fountain, one small thicket past Of blowing myrrh and balm; if thou accept My conduct, I can bring thee thither foon.
Lead then, faid Eve. He leading swiftly roll'd In tangles, and made intricate seem strait, To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joy Brightens his creft; as when a wand'ring fire, Compact of unctuous vapor, which the night Condenfes, and the cold environs round, Kindled through agitation to a flame,
Which oft, they fay, fome evil Spirit attends, Hovering and blazing with delufive light,
Misleads th' amaz'd night-wand'rer from his way 640 To bogs and mires, and oft through pond or pool, There swallow'd up and loft, from fuccour far. So glifter'd the dire Snake, and into fraud
Led Eve our credulous mother, to the tree Of prohibition, root of all our woe;
Which when she faw, thus to her guide she spake. Serpent, we might have fpar'd our coming hither, Fruitless to me, though fruit be here to' excefs, The credit of whofe virtue reft with thee, Wondrous indeed, if caufe of fuch effects. But of this tree we may not tafte nor touch ; God fo commanded, and left that command
Sole daughter of his voice; the rest, we live Law to ourselves, our reafon is our law.
To whom the Tempter guilefully reply'd. Indeed hath God then faid that of the fruit Of all these garden trees ye fhall not eat, Yet Lords declar'd of all in earth or air?
To whom thus Eve yet finless. Of each tree in the garden we may eat, But of the fruit of this fair tree amidst The garden, God hath faid, Ye shall not eat Thereof, nor fhall ye touch it, left ye die.
She fcarce had faid, though brief, when now more
The Tempter, but with fhow of zeal and love
To Man, and indignation at his wrong,
New part puts on, and as to passion mov'd, Fluctuates disturb'd, yet comely and in act Rais'd, as of fome great matter to begin. As when of old fome orator renown'd In Athens or free Rome, where eloquence Florish'd, fince mute, to fome great cause addrefs'd Stood in himself collected, while each part, Motion, each act won audience ere the tongue, Sometimes in highth began, as no delay Of preface brooking through his zeal of right: So standing, moving, or to highth up grown, The Tempter all impaffion'd thus began.
O facred, wife, and wifdom-giving Plant, Mother of science, now I feel thy power Within me clear, not only to discern Things in their causes, but to trace the ways
Of highest agents, deem'd however wife. Queen of this univerfe, do not believe
Those rigid threats of death; ye shall not die: How should you? by the fruit? it gives you life To knowledge; by the threatner? 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 vent'ring higher than my lot. Shall that be shut to Man, which to the Beast Is open? or will God incenfe his ire For fuch a petty trespass, and not praise Rather your dauntless virtue, whom the pain Of death denounc'd, whatever thing death be, Deterr'd not from achieving what might lead To happier life, knowledge of good and evil; Of good, how juft? of evil, if what is evil Be real, why not known, fince easier fhunn'd? God therefore cannot hurt you, and be juft; Not juft, 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 you low and ignorant, His worshippers; he knows that in the day Ye eat thereof, your eyes that seem so clear, Yet are but dim, fhall perfectly be then Open'd and clear'd, and ye fhall be as Gods, Knowing both good and evil as they know. That ye fhall be as Gods, fince 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, Though threaten'd, which no worse than this can bring. And what are Gods that Man may not become As they, participating God-like food?
The Gods are first, and that advantage use On our belief, that all from them proceeds; I question it, for this fair earth I fee, Warm'd by the fun, producing every kind, Them nothing: if they all things, who inclos'd Knowledge of good and evil in this tree, That whofo eats thereof, forthwith attains Wifdom without their leave? and wherein lies
Th' offenfe, that Man fhould 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 Causes import your need of this fair fruit. Goddess humane, reach then, and freely taste.
He ended, and his words replete with guile Into her heart too easy entrance won : Fix'd on the fruit fhe gaz'd, which to behold Might tempt alone, and in her ears the found Yet rung of his perfuafive words, impregn'd With reafon, to her feeming, and with truth; Mean while the hour of noon drew on, and wak'd An eager appetite, rais'd by the fmell
So favory of that fruit, which with defire,
Inclinable now grown to touch or taste,
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