Floted redundant: pleafing was his shape And lovely; never fince of serpent kind Lovelier, not those that in Illyria chang'd Hermione and Cadmus, or the God In Epidaurus; nor to which transform'd Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline was seen, He with Olympias, this with her who bore Scipio the highth of Rome. With tract oblique 510 At first, as one who fought accefs, but fear'd To interrupt, fide-long he works his way. As when a fhip by skilful steersman wrought Nigh river's mouth or foreland, where the wind Veers oft, as oft fo fteers, and fhifts her fail : 515 So varied he, and of his tortuous train
Curl'd many a wanton wreath in fight of Eve, To lure her eye; fhe bufied heard the found Of ruling leaves, but minded not, as us'd To fuch difport before her through the field, From every beast, more duteous at her call, Than at Circean call the herd disguis'd. He bolder now, uncall'd before her stood, But as in gaze admiring: oft he bow'd
His turret creft, and fleek enamel'd neck,
Fawning, and lick'd the ground whereon fhe trod.
His gentle dumb expreffion turn'd at length The eye of Eve to mark his play; he glad Of her attention gain'd, with serpent tongue Organic, or impulse of vocal air,
His fraudulent temptation thus began.
Wonder not, fovran Mistress, if perhaps
Thou canft, who art fole wonder; much less arm Thy looks, the Heav'n of mildness, with disdain, Difpleas'd that I approach thee thus, and gaze Infatiate, I thus fingle, nor have fear'd
Thy awful brow, more awful thus retir'd.
Fairest resemblance of thy Maker fair,
Thee all things living gaze on, all things thine
By gift, and thy celestial beauty' adore
With ravishment beheld, there best beheld
Where univerfally admir'd; but here In this inclofure wild, thefe beafts among, Beholders rude, and fhallow to discern Half what in thee is fair, one man except, Who fees thee'? (and what is one?) who shouldft be feen A Goddess among Gods, ador'd and ferv'd By Angels numberlefs, thy daily train.
So gloz'd the Tempter, and his proem Into the heart of Eve his words made way, Though at the voice much marveling; at length Not unamaz'd fhe thus in anfwer spake. What may this mean? language of man pronounc'd By tongue of brute, and human fenfe exprefs'd? The first at least of these I thought deny'd
To beafts, whom God on their creation-day Created mute to all articulate found;
The latter I demur, for in their looks
Much reas'on, and in their actions oft appears. Thee, Serpent, subtlest beast of all the field I knew, but not with human voice indued; Redouble then this miracle, and say,
How cam'ft thou speakable of mute, and how To me fo friendly grown above the reft
Of brutal kind, that daily are in fight: Say, for fuch wonder clames attention due. To whom the guileful Tempter thus reply'd. Emprefs of this fair world, refplendent Eve, Eafy to me it is to tell thee all
[obey'd: What thou command'st, and right thou fhouldft be' I was at firft as other beafts that
The trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low,
As was my food; nor ought but food difcern'd Or fex, and apprehended nothing high: Till on a day roving the field, I chanc'd
A goodly tree far diftant to behold
Loaden with fruit of faireft colors mix'd, Ruddy and gold: I nearer drew to gaze;
When from the boughs a favory odor blown, Grateful to appetite, more pleas'd my sense Than smell of sweetest fenel, or the teats Of ewe or goat dropping with milk at even,
Unfuck'd of lamb or kid, that tend their play.
To fatisfy the fharp defire I had
Of tafting thofe fair apples, I refolv'd Not to defer; hunger and thirst at once, Pow'rful perfuaders, quicken'd at the fcent Of that alluring fruit, urg'd me so keen. About the moffy trunk I wound me foon,
For high from ground the branches would require 590 Thy utmost reach or Adam's: Round the tree
All other beafts that faw, with like defire
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 spar'd not, for such 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 reafon 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; But all that fair and good in 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 overpraising leaves in doubt The virtue of that fruit, in thee first prov'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 fwiftly roll'd
In tangles, and made intricate feem ftrait, To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joy
Brightens his creft; as when a wand'ring fire,
Compact of unctuous vapor, which the night Condenses, and the cold environs round, Kindled through agitation to a flame,
Which oft, they fay, fome evil Spi'rit 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 the faw, thus to her guide she spake. Serpent, we might have spar'd our coming hither, Fruitless to me, though fruit be here to' excess, The credit of whose virtue reft with thee, Wondrous indeed, if cause of such effects. But of this tree we may not tafte nor touch ; God fo commanded, and left that command
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