Attractive, human, rational, love still; In loving thou dost well, in passion not, Wherein true love consists not; love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges, hath his seat 590 By which to heavenly love thou may'st ascend; To whom thus half-abash'd, Adam replied: "Neither her outside form'd so fair, nor ought In procreation common to all kinds, Though higher of the genial bed by far From all her words and actions, mix'd with love 595 600 And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd 605 More grateful than harmonious sound to th' ear. To whom the angel, with a smile that glow'd Celestial rosy red, love's proper hue, 610 Answer'd: "Let it suffice thee that thou know'st Us happy, and without love no happiness. 616 621 625 But I can now no more; the parting sun Be strong, live happy, and love; but first of all, 630 His great command; take heed lest passion sway The weal or wo in thee is plac'd; beware! And all the bless'd: stand fast; to stand or fall 640 So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus Thy condescension, and shall be honour'd ever Be good and friendly still, and oft return." So parted they; the angel up to heaven From the thick shade, and Adam to his bower. 645 650 END OF BOOK EIGHTH. PARADISE LOST. BOOK IX. THE ARGUMENT. Satan having compassed the earth, with meditated guile returns as a mist by night into Paradise, and enters into the serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart. Adam consents not, alleging the danger, lest that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempl her found alone. Eve, loth to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial of her strength: Adam at last yields. The serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve, wondering to hear the serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech and such understanding not till now; the Serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden he attained both to speech and reason, till then void of both. Eve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the tree of knowledge forbidden. The Serpent, now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat: she, pleased with the taste, deliberates awhile whether to impart thereof to Adam or not; at last brings him of the fruit, relates what persuaded her to eat thereof. Adam, at first amazea, but perceiving her lost, resolves, through vehemence of love, to perish with her; and, extenuating the trespass, eats also of the fruit. The effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance and accusation of one another. No more of talk, where God or angel guest Venial discourse unblam'd: I now must change 5 And disobedience; on the part of heaven, And dictates to me slumb'ring, or inspires Easy my unpremeditated verse: Since first this subject for heroic song Pleas'd me, long choosing, and beginning late; Not sedulous by nature to indite 10 15 20 23 Wars, hitherto the only argument Heroic deem'd, chief mast'ry to dissect With long and tedious havoc, fabled knights 30 In battles feign'd; the better fortitude That name, unless an age too late, or cold 35 Depress'd, and much they may, if all be mine, The sun was sunk, and after him the star Twixt day and night; and now from end to end 50 55 60 On man's destruction, maugre what might hap change, Where Tigris at the foot of Paradise 65 70 Rose up a fountain by the tree of life: In with the river sunk, and with it rose Satan involv'd in rising mist, then sought 75 Where to lie hid; sea he had search'd, and land Mæotis, up beyond the river Ob;' Downward as far antarctic; and in length West from Orontes to the ocean barr'd 80 With narrow search, and with inspection deep Consider'd every creature which of all Most opportune might serve his wiles, and found 85 The serpent subtlest beast of all the field. Him, after long debate, irresolute Of thoughts revolv'd, his final sentence chose |