CAIN. ACT I. SCENE I. The Land without Paradise.-Time, Sunrise. ADAM, EVE, CAIN, ABEL, ADAH, ZILLAH, offering a Sacrifice. ADAM. GOD, the Eternal! Infinite! All-Wise!- EVE. God! who didst name the day, and separate Morning from night, till then divided neverWho didst divide the wave from wave, and call Part of thy work the firmament—all hail ! ABEL. God! who didst call the elements into ADAH. God, the Eternal! Parent of all things! Who didst create these best and beauteous beings, To be beloved, more then all, save thee Let me love thee and them :-All hail! all hail! ZILLAH. Oh, God! who loving, making, blessing all, ADAM. Son Cain, my first-born, wherefore art thou silent? Why should I speak! CAIN. ADAM. To pray. But thou, my eldest-born, art silent still. CAIN. 'Tis better I should be so.. ADAM. Wherefore so? CAIN. I have nought to ask. ADAM. Nor aught to thank for? CAIN. No. Dost thou not live? ADAM. CAIN. Must I not die! EVE. Alas! The fruit of our forbidden tree begins To fall. ADAM. And we must gather it again. Oh, God! why didst thou plant the tree of know ledge? CAIN. And wherefore pluck'd ye not the tree of life? ADAM. Oh! my son, Blaspheme not: these are serpents' words. CAIN. Why not? The snake spoke truth: it was the tree of knowledge, It was the tree of life :-knowledge is good, |