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02 - Paradise Lost - John Milton · Sacred Texts Archive

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Book eight, Part two. As when a ship by skillful steersmen wrought nigh
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river's mouth or foreland, where the wind veers oft as oft so steers and
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shifts her sail, so varied he and of his tortuous train, curled many
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a wanton wreath in sight of Eve to lure her eye. She busied,
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heard the sound of rustling leaves, but minded not, as used to such
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disport before her through the field from every beast, more duteous at her call
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than at circean call the herd disguised, he bolder, now uncalled before her
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stood, but as in gaze admiring oft, he bowed his turret crest and
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sleek enameled neck, fawning, and licked the ground whereon she trod. His
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gentle, dumb expression turned at length the eye of Eve to mark his play.
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He, glad of her attention, gained with serpent tongue organic or impulse
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of vocal air. His fraudulent temptation thus began wonder, not, Sovereign Mistress,
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if perhaps thou canst who art sole wonder much less arm thy looks the
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heaven of mildness with disdain, displeased that I approached thee thus and gaze insatiate.
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I thus single, nor have feared thy awful brow more awful, Thus
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retired fairest resemblance of thy maker, fair thee, all things living, Gaze
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on all things Thine by gift, and thy celestial beauty adore with ravishment beheld
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their best beheld where universally admired. But here in this enclosure wild these beasts
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among beholders, rude and shallow to discern half what in THEE is fair one
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man except who sees THEE. And what is one who shouldst be seen?
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A goddess among gods, adored and served by angels numberless. Thy daily train
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so glowsed the tempter and his proem tuned into the heart of Eve. His
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words made way, though at the voice much marveling at length not unamazed.
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She thus, in answer spake, what may this mean? Language of man
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pronounced by tongue of brute and human sense expressed the first, at least of
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these I thought denied to beasts, whom God on their creation day created mute
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to all articulate sound. The latter I demur, for in their looks much
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reason, and in their actions oft appears thee serpent, subtlest beast of all
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the field I knew, but not with human voice. Endued redouble then this
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miracle, and say, how canst thou speakable of mute? And how to
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me so friendly grown above the rest of brutal kind that daily are in sight?
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Say for such wonder claims attention do to whom the guileful tempter thus replied,
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Empress of this fair, resplendent eve. Easy to me it is to
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tell thee all what thou command'st and right thou shouldst be obeyed. I was
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at first as other beasts that grazed the trodden herb of abject thoughts and low
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as was my food, nor aught but food discerned or sex, and apprehended
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nothing high till on a day roving the field I chanced a goodly tree,
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far distant to behold, loaden with fruit of fairest colors, mixed ruddy in
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gold. I nearer drew to gaze, when from the boughs a savory odor
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blown grateful to appetite, more pleased my sense than smell of sweetest fennel,
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or the teats of eyewe, or goat dropping with milk at even unsucked of
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lamb or kid, that tend their play to satisfy the sharp desire I had
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of tasting those fair apples, I resolved not to defer hunger and thirst.
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At once powerful persuaders, quickened at the scent of that alluring fruit, urged
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me so keen about the mossy trunk. I wound me soon, for high
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from ground the branches would require thy utmost reach or atoms round the tree.
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All other beasts that saw with like desire, longing and envying, stood,
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but could not reach amid the tree now got where plenty hung, tempting so
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nigh to pluck and eat my fill. I spared not for such pleasure.
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Till that hour at feed or fountain. Never had I found sated at length
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ere long I might perceive strange alteration in me to degree of reason in my
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inward powers and speech wanted not long though to this shape retained, thenceforth to
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speculations high or deep. I turned my thoughts, and with capacious mind considered
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all things visible in heaven or earth or middle, all things fair and good,
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but all that fair and good in thy divine semblance, and in thy
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beauty's heavenly ray united, I beheld no fare to thine equivalent or second,
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which compelled me thus though importune perhaps to come and gaze and worship Thee of
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right, declared sovereign of creatures, Universal Dame. So talk the spirited sly
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snake, and Eve yet more amazed, unwary, thus replied serpent Thy overpraising
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leaves in doubt the virtue of that fruit in thee first proved. But say
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where grows the tree? From? Hence? How far? For many are
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the trees of God that grow in paradise, and various, yet unknown to
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us. In such abundance lies our choice as leaves, a greater store of
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fruit untouched, still hanging, incorruptible, till men grow up to their provision,
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and more hands help to disburden nature of her birth, to whom the
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wily adder blithe and glad empress. The way is ready and not long.
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Behold a row of myrtles on a flat fast by a fountain, one small
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thicket past of blowing mrrh and balm. If thou accept my conduct, I
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can bring thee thither soon. Lead, then said Eve. He leading swiftly
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rolled in tangles and made intricate seem straight to mischief, swift hope elevates and
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joy brightens his crest. As when a wandering fire compact of unctuous vapor,
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which the night condenses and the cold environs round, kindled through agitation to a
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flame, which oft, they say, some evil spirit attends, hovering and
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blazing with delusive light, misleads the amazed night wanderer from his way to bogs
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and mires, and oft through pond or pool there swallowed up and lost from
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succor. Far so glistered the dire snake and into fraud led Eve, our
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credulous mother, to the tree of prohibition, root of all our woe,
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which, when she saw thus to her guide she spake, serpent, we
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might have spared our coming hither fruitless to me, though fruit be here to
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excess, the credit of whose virtue rest with thee wondrous. Indeed, if
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cause of such effects but of this tree, we may not taste nor touch.
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God so commanded and left that command sole daughter of his voice. The
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rest we live law to ourselves. Our reason is our law, to whom
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the tempter guilefully replied, Indeed, hath God then said that of the fruit
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of all these garden trees, ye shall not eat. Yet, lords declared
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of all in earth or air, to whom thus eve yet sinless of the
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fruit of each tree in the garden we may eat. But of the fruit
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of this fair tree amidst the garden, God hath said, ye shall not
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eat thereof, nor shall ye touch it, lest ye die. She scarce
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had said, though brief, when now more bold the tempter, but with
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show of zeal and love to man, and indignation at his wrong new part,
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art puts on, and as to passion moved fluctuates, disturbed, yet
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comely and in act raised as of some great matter, to begin, as
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when of old some orator renowned in Athens or free Rome, where eloquence flourished,
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since mute to some great cause addressed, stood in himself collected, while
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each part motion, each act, one audience ere the tongue, sometimes in
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height, began as no delay of preface, brooking through his zeal of right,
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so standing moving or to height, upgrown the tempter, all impassioned.
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Thus began o sacred, wise and wisdom giving plant, mother of science.
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Now I feel thy power within me, clear, not only to discern things
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in their causes, but to trace the ways of highest agents deemed. However,
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wise, queen of this universe, do not believe those rigid threats of
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death. Ye shall not die, How should ye by the fruit it gives
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you life to knowledge by the threatener. Look on me me, who have
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touched and tasted, yet both live and life more perfect have attained than fate
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meant me by venturing higher than my lot? Shall that be shut to man,
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which to the beast is open? Or will God incense his ire for
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such a petty trespass and not praise rather your dauntless virtue, whom the pain
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of death denounced. Whatever thing death be deterred, not from achieving what might
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lead to happier life, knowledge of good and evil? Of good, how
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just of evil? If what is evil be real? Why not known?
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Since easier shunned God therefore cannot hurt ye and be just? Not just?
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Not God not feared then, nor obeyed your fear itself of death removes the
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fear? Why then was this forbid? Why but to awe? Why but
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to keep ye low and ignorant His worshipers. He knows that in the day
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ye eat thereof your eyes that seem so clear, Yet are but dim shall
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perfectly be then opened and cleared, and ye shall be as gods, knowing
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both good and evil, as they know that ye should be as gods,
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Since I, as man internal man, is but proportioned meat, I of
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brute human, ye of human gods. So ye shall die, perhaps by
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putting off human, to put on God's death, to be wished, though
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threatened, which no worse than this can bring. And what are gods that
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man may not become? As they participating godlike food? The gods are first,
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and that advantage use on our belief that all from them proceeds. I
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question it, for this fair earth I see, warmed by the sun,
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producing every kind, them nothing, if they all things who enclosed no knowledge
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of good and evil? In this tree, that whoso eatch thereof forthwith attains
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wisdom without their leave? And wherein lies the offense that man should thus attain
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to know? What can your knowledge hurt him? Or this tree impart against
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his will? If all be his? Or is it envy? And can
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envy dwell in heavenly breasts? These these and many more causes import your need
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of this fair fruit, Goddess, humane reach then and freely taste. He
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ended, and his words replete with guile, into her heart too easy entrance.
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One fixed on the fruit she gazed, which to behold might tempt alone,
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and in her ears, the sound, yet wrung of his persuasive words,
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imprened with reason to her seeming and with truth. Meanwhile, the hour
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of noon drew on and waked an eager appetite, raised by the smell so
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savory of that fruit, which, with desire inclinable, now grown to touch
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or taste, solicited her longing eye. Yet first pausing awhile thus to herself,
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she mused, great are thy virtues, doubtless best of fruits, though
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kept from man, and worthy to be admired, whose taste too long forborn
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At first essay, gave elocution to the mute, and taught the tongue not
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made for speech, to speak thy praise, Thy praise. He also,
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who forbids thy use, conceals not from us, naming THEE the tree of
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knowledge, knowledge both of good and evil, forbids us then to taste.
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But his forbidding commends THEE more while it infers the good by THEE communicated,
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and our want for good unknown sure is not had or had, And yet
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unknown is as not had at all in plain? Then what forbids he but
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to know? Forbids us good, forbids us to be wise. Such prohibitions
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bind not, But if death bind us with after bads, what profits then
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are inward freedom? In the day we eat of this fair fruit, our
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doom is we shall die? How dies the serpent he hath eaten, and
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lives, and knows, and speaks, and reasons and discerns irrational till then
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for us alone was death invented or to us denied? This intellectual food for
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beasts, reserved for beasts. It seems yet that one beast, which first
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hath tasted, envies not, but brings with joy the good befallen him author
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unsuspect, friendly to man, far from deceit or guile. What fear I,
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then, rather, what know to fear? Under this ignorance of good
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and evil of God, or death, of law or penalty? Here grows
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the cure of all this fruit, divine, fair to the eye, inviting
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to the taste of virtue to make wise. What hinders then to reach and
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feed at once both body and mind? So saying her rash hand in evil
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hour, forth reaching to the fruit she plucked, she ate earth, felt
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the wound, and nature from her seat, sighing through all her works gave
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signs of woe that all was lost. Back to the thicket, slunk the
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guilty serpent, and well might for Eve intent now wholly on her taste,
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nought else regarded such delight till then, as seemed in fruit, she never
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tasted, whether true or fancied. So through expectation, high of knowledge,
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nor was Godhead from her thought. Greedily she engorged without restraint, and knew
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not eating death. Sat She ate at length and heightened, as with wine,
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jocned and boone. Thus to herself she pleasingly began O sovereign, virtuous,
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precious of all trees in paradise of operation, blessed to sapiens. Hitherto
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two obscured, infamed and thy fair fruit. Let hang as to no end
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created. But henceforth my early care, not without song each morning and due
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praise, shall tend thee and the fertile burden ease of thy full branches,
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offered free to all, till dieted by THEE. I grow mature in knowledge
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as the gods who all things know, though others envy what they cannot give.
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For had the gift been theirs, it had not here thus grown experience
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next to THEE, I owe best guide. Not following THEE, I had
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remained in ignorance. Thou openest Wisdom's way and givest access. Though secret,
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she retire, and I perhaps am secret. Heaven is high, high and
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remote to see from, thence distinct each thing on earth, and other care
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perhaps may have diverted from continual watch. Our great forbidder, safe with all
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his spies about him. But to act in what sort shall I appear?
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Shall I to him make known as yet my change, and give him to
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partake full happiness with me? Or rather not, but keep the odds of
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knowledge in my power without co partner, So to add what wants in female
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sex, the more to draw his love and render me more equal and perhaps
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a thing not undesirable, sometime superior for inferior who is free. This may
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be well, But what if God have seen and death ensue, Then I
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shall be no more, and Adam, wedded to another Eve, shall live
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with her, enjoying I extinct. A death to think confirmed, then I
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resolve, Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe, so dear I
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love him, that with him all deaths I could endure. Without him,
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live no life. So, saying from the tree her step, she turned,
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but first low reverenced as to the power that dwelt within, whose presence
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had infused into the plant's sciential sap derived from nectar drink of gods. Adam,
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the while waiting, desirous her return, had wove of choicest flowers a
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garland to adorn her tresses and her rural labor's crown. As reapers oft are
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wont their harvest. Queen great joy, he promised to his thoughts and knew
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solace in her return, so long delayed. Yet oft his heart, divine
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of something ill misgave him. He the faltering measure felt, and forth to
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meet her, went the way she took that morn, when first they parted
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by the tree of knowledge, he must pass there he her met scarce from
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the tree, returning in her hand a bow of fairest fruit that downy smiled,
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new gathered and ambrosial smell diffused to him. She hasted in her face.
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Excuse came prolog and apology to prompt, which with bland words at will
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she thus a dressed hast thou not wandered adam at my stay thee I have
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missed, and thought it long deprived thy presence, agony of love till now
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not felt, nor shall be twice, for nevermore mean I to try what
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rash untried. I sought the pain of absence from thy sight. But strange
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hath been the cause and wonderful to hear. This tree is not, as
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we are told, a tree of danger tasted, nor to evil unknown opening
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the way, but of divine effect to open eyes and make them gods who
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taste. And hath been tasted such the serpent, wise or not restrained as
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we or not obeying, hath eaten of the fruit, and is become not
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dead as we are threatened, but thenceforth endued with human voice and human sense,
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reasoning to admiration, and with me persuasively. Hath so prevailed that I
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have also tasted, and have also found the effects to correspond, opener mine
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eyes, dim erst dilated spirits, amp her heart, and growing up to
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Godhead, which for THEE chiefly I sought. Without THEE can despise for bliss,
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as thou hast part to me is bliss, tedious, unshared with THEE,
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and odious. Soon, Thou therefore also taste that equal lot may join
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us equal joy as equal love. Lest thou, not tasting different degree,
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disjoin us, and I, then, too late, renounce deity for thee
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when fate will not permit. Thus, Eve, with countenance blythe her story
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told, but in her cheek distemper flushing glowed on the other side. Adam,
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soon as he heard the fatal trespass done by Eve, amazed, a
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stonied, stood and blank, while horror chill ran through his veins, and
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all his joints relaxed from his slack hand. The garland wreathed for Eve down
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dropped, and all the faded roses shed. Speechless, he stood and pale,
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till thus at length, first to himself, he inward silence broke O
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fairest of creation, last and best of all God's works, creature, in
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whom excelled whatever can to sight or thought be formed wholly, divine, good,
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amiable or sweet. How art thou lost, How on a sudden lost
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defaced thee flowered and now to death devote Rather, how hast thou yielded to
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transgress the strict forbiddence. How to violate the sacred fruit forbidden? Some cursed
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fraud of enemy hath beguiled, THEE yet unknown, and me with THEE hath
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ruined. For with THEE certain, my resolution is to die. How can
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I live without THEE? How forego thy sweet converse and love so dearly joined?
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To live again in these wild woods? Forlorn? Should God create another
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Eve and I another rib afford? Yet loss of THEE would never from my
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heart, No, no, I feel the link of nature draw me flesh
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of flesh, bone of my bone. Thou art, and from thy state
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mine never shall be parted bliss or woe. So, having said, as
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one from sad dismay, recomforted and after thoughts disturbed, submitting to what seemed
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remediless. Thus, in calm mood his words to Eve, he turned bold
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deed. Thou hast presumed adventurous Eve, and peril great provoked. Who thus
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hath dared had it been only coveting to eye that sacred fruit, sacred to
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abstinence, much more to taste it under band to touch, but past who
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can recall or done undo, Not God, omnipotent, nor fate. Yet
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so perhaps thou shalt not die. Perhaps the fact is not so heinous.
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Now foretasted fruit profaned first by the serpent, by him first made common and
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unhallowed ere our taste, nor yet on him found deadly, he yet lives,
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lives as thou saidst and gains to live as man. Higher degree of
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life inducements strong to us as likely tasting to attain proportional assent, which cannot
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be but to be God's or angels demigods. Nor can I think that God,
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Creator, wise though threatening, will in earnest so destroy us his prime
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creatures, dignified so high set over all his works, which in our fall
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for us created needs with us must fail, dependent made. So God shall
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uncreate, be frustrate, do undo and labor lose. Not well conceived of
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God, who, though his power creation could repeat, yet would beloathe us
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to abolish. Lest the adversary triumphant say fickle their state. Whom God most
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favors, who can please him long me first He ruin now mankind, whom
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will ennext matter of scorn, not to be given the foe. However,
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I, with THEE have fixed my lot, certain to undergo like doom if
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death consort with THEE. Death is to me as life, so forcible within
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my heart, I feel the bond of nature draw me to my own,
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my own in THEE. For what thou art is mine. Our state cannot
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be severed. We are one, one flesh to lose THEE were to lose
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myself. So Adam and thus Eve to him replied, O glorious trial of
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exceeding love, illustrious evidence, example high engaging me to emulate. But short
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of thy perfection, how shall I attain? Adam, from whose dear sight
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I boast me sprung and gladly of our union. Hear THEE speak one heart,
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one soul in both whereof good proof this day affords, declaring THEE resolved
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rather than death, or aught than death. More dread shall separate us LinkedIn
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love. So dear to undergo with me one guilt, one crime, if
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any be of tasting this fair fruit, whose virtue for of good still good
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proceeds direct or by occasion, hath presented this happy trial of thy love,
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which else so eminently never had been known. Were it I thought death menaced
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would ensue this my attempt, I would sustain alone the worst and not persuade
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thee rather die deserted than oblige THEE with a fact pernicious to thy. Peace
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chiefly assured, remarkably so late of thy, so true, so faithful love
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unequaled. But I feel far otherwise. The event not death, but life
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augmented, opened eyes, new hopes, new joys. Taste so divine that
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what of sweet before hath touched my sense flat seems to this and harsh on
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my experience, adam freely taste and fear of death delivered to the winds,
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so saying, she embraced him, and for joy ohey tenderly wept much one
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that he his love, had so ennobled as of choice to incur divine displeasure
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for her sake or death in recompense for such compliance bad such recompense best merits
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from the bow. She gave him of that fair, enticing fruit with liberal
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hand. He scrupled not to eat, against his better knowledge. Not deceived,
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but fondly overcome with female charm. Earth trembled from her entrails as again
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in pangs, and nature gave a second groan. Sky lowered, and muttering
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thunder, some sad drops wept at completing of the mortal sin original, while
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Adam took no thought eating his fill, nor Eve to iterate her former trespass,
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feared the more to soothe him with her loved society. That now,
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as with new wine, intoxicated, both they swim in mirth and fancy that
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they feeled divinity within them, breeding wings wherewith to scorn the earth. But
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that false fruit, if far other operation first displayed Colonel desire in flaming he
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on Eve began to cast lascivious eyes, she him as wantonly repaid in lust,
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they burn till Adam thus gan Eve to dalliance. Move Eve. Now
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I see thou art exactive taste and elegant of sapience no small part, since
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to each meaning savor we apply and pallate, called judicious I the praise yield
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thee so well this day thou hast purveyed much pleasure we have lost while we
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abstained from this delightful fruit, nor known till now true relish tasting. If
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such pleasure be in things to us forbidden, it might be wished. For
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this one tree had been forbidden ten, but come so well refreshed. Now
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let us play as meat is after such delicious fair For never did thy beauty,
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since the day I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorned with all
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perfections, so inflame my sense with ardor to enjoy thee fairer now than ever
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bounty of this virtuous tree, so said he, And forbore not glance or
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toy of amorous intent. Well understood of Eve, whose eye darted contagious fire.
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Her hand he seized, and to a shady bank, thick overhead,
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with verdant roof embowered, he led her nothing loathe flowers, with a couch,
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pansies and violets, and Asphodel and Hyacinth earth's freshest softest lap. There
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they their fill of love, and love's disport took largely of their mutual guilt,
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the seal the solace of their sin, till dewy sleep oppressed them,
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wearied with their amorous play. Soon as the force of that fallacious fruit,
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that, with exhilarating vapor bland about their spirits, had played and inmost powers
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made err was now exhaled, and grosser sleep, bred of unkindly fumes,
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with conscious dreams encumbered, now had left them up. They rose as from
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unrest, and each the other viewing. Soon found their eyes how opened,
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and their minds how darkened, innocence that as a veil had shadowed them from
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knowing, ill was gone just confidence and native righteousness and honor from about them,
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naked, left to guilty shame, he covered, but his robe uncovered.
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More so rose the Danite, strong, Herculean Samson from the harlot lap
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of Philistine Dolly law and waked, shorn of his strength, they destitute and
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bear of all their virtue, silent and in face confounded. Long they sat
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as struck in mute, till Adam, though not less than Eve, abashed,
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at length, gave utterance to these words. Constrained, O Eve,
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in evil hour, thou didst give ear to that false worm, of whomsoever
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taught to counterfeit Man's voice, true in our fall, false in our promised
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rising. Since our eyes eyes opened, we find, indeed, and find
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we know both good and evil, good lost and evil God bad fruit of
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knowledge, if this be to know, which leaves us naked thus of honor,
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void of innocence, of faith, of purity, our wonted ornaments now
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soiled and stained, and in our face is evident the signs of foul concupiscence,
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whence evil store even shame, the last of evils of the first be
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sure, then how shall I behold the face henceforth of God or angel erst
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with joy and rapture so oft beheld those heavenly shapes will dazzle now this earthly
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with their blaze insufferably bright. Oh, might I here in solitude live savage
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in some glade obscured, where highest woods, impenetrable to star or sunlight,
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spread their umbrage, broad and brown as evening cover me. Ye pines,
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ye cedars, with innumerable boughs, hide me where I may never see them
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more. But let us, now, as in bad plight, devise what
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best may for the present serve to hide the parts of each from other that
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seem most to shame obnoxious and unseemlest scene. Some tree, whose broad,
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smooth leaves, together sowed and girded on our loins, may cover round those
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middle parts that this newcomer shame. There sit not and reproach us as unclean.
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So counseled he and both together went into the thickest wood. There Soon
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they chose the fig tree, not that kind for fruit renowned, but such
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as at this day to Indians, known in Malabar or Decan, spreads her
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arms, branching so broad and long that in the ground the bended twigs take
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root, and daughters grow about the mother tree. A pillared shade, high
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overarched and echoing walks between thereof the Indian herdsman, shunning heat, shelters in
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cool and tends his pasturing herds at loop holes cut through the thickest shade.
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Those leaves they gathered broad as Amazonian charge, and with what skill they had
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together sowed to gird their waste, vain covering if to hide their guilt and
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dreaded shame, Oh hawanlike to that first naked glory such of late Columbus found
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the Americans so girt with feathered cincture, naked else and wild among the trees
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on isles and woody shores. Thus fenced, and as they thought their shame
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in part covered, but not at rest or ease of mind, they sat
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them down to weep. Nor only tears reigned at their eyes, but high
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winds worse within began to rise. High passions, anger, hate, mistrust,
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suspicion, discord, and shook sore their inward state of mind. Calm
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region, once and full of peace, now tossed and turbulent, for understanding
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ruled not, and the will heard not her lore, both in subjection now
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to sensual appetite, who from beneath usurping over sovereign reason, claimed superior sway
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from thus distempered breast Adam, estranged in look and altered style speech intermitted Thus
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to Eve renewed, would thou hadst tarkened my words and stayed with me as
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I besought thee, when that strange desire of wandering, this unhappy morn I
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know not, whence possess thee? We had then remained still happy, Not
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as now despoiled of all our good, shamed, naked, miserable. Let
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none henceforth seek needless cause to approve the faith they owe. When earnestly they
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seek such proof conclude they then begin to fail, to whom soon moved with
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touch of blame. Thus, Eve, what words have passed thy lips?
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Adam severe imputes thou that to my default or will of wandering, as thou
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call'st it, which who knows, but might as ill have happened thou being
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by or to thyself, Perhaps hadst thou been there or hear the attempt.
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Thou couldst not have discerned fraud in the serpent, speaking as he spake,
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no ground of enmity between us, known why he should mean me ill or
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seek to harm? Was I to have never parted from thy side? As
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good have grown there still a lifeless rib? Being as I am? Why
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didst not thou the head command me absolutely not to go going into such danger?
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As thou saidst too facile? Then thou didst not much gainsay, nay
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didst permit, approve and fair dismiss? Hadst thou been firm and fixed in
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thy descent? Neither had I transgressed, nor thou with me, to whom
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then first incensed, Adam replied, Is this the love? Is this the
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recompense of mind to thee? In grateful eve expressed immutable when thou wert lost?
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Not I, who might have lived and enjoyed immortal bliss, yet willingly
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chose rather death with THEE? And am I now upbraided as the cause of
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thy transgressing not enough severe? It seems in thy restraint? What could I
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more? I warned THEE? I admonish THEE foretold the danger and the lurking
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enemy that lay in wait. Beyond this had been force, and force upon
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free will hath here no place but confidence. Then bore THEE on secure,
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either to meet the danger or to find matter of glorious trial. And perhaps
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I also erred in over much admiring what seemed in THEE so perfect, that
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I thought no evil durst attempt THEE. But I rue that error now which
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is become my crime, and thou the accuser. Thus it shall befall him
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who to worth in women, overtrusting lets her will rule, restraint, she
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will not brook, and left to herself. If evil, thence ensue she
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first, his weak indulgence will accuse. Thus they, in mutual accusation,
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spent the fruitless hours, but neither self condemning, and of their vain contest
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appeared no end. End of Book eight, Part two