BOOK NINTH
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��This Garden, still to tend plant, herb, and
flower, Our pleasant task enjoined; but, till more
hands
Aid us, the work under our labour grows, Luxurious by restraint: what we by day Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind, One night or two with wanton growth de- rides, 211 Tending to wild. Thou, therefore, now
advise, Or hear what to my mind first thoughts
present. Let us divide our labours thou where
choice Leads thee, or where most needs, whether
to wind
The woodbine round this arbour, or direct The clasping ivy where to climb; while I In yonder spring of roses intermixed With myrtle find what to redress till noon. For, while so near each other thus all day Our task we choose, what wonder if so near 221
Looks intervene and smiles, or objects new Casual discourse draw on, which intermits Our day's work, brought to little, though
begun
Early, and the hour of supper comes un- earned ! "
To whom mild answer Adam thus re- turned:
" Sole Eve, associate sole, to me beyond Compare above all living creatures dear ! Well hast thou motioned, well thy thoughts
imployed
How we might best fulfil the work which
here 230
God hath assigned us, nor of me shalt pass
Unpraised; for nothing lovelier can be
found
In woman than to study household good, And good works in her husband to pro- mote.
Yet not so strictly hath our Lord imposed Labour as to debar us when we need Refreshment, whether food, or talk be- tween,
Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse Of looks and smiles ; for smiles from reason
flow
To brute denied, and are of love the food Love, not the lowest end of human life. 24 r For not to irksome toil, but to delight, He made us, and delight to reason joined.
��These paths and bowers doubt not but our
joint hands Will keep from wilderness with ease, as
wide As we need walk, till younger hands ere
long
Assist us. But, if much converse perhaps Thee satiate, to short absence I could yield; For solitude sometimes is best society, 249 And short retirement urges sweet return. But other doubt possesses me, lest harm Befall thee, severed from me; for thou
know'st
What hath been warned us what mali- cious foe,
Envying our happiness, and of his own Despairing, seeks to work us woe and
shame By sly assault, and somewhere nigh at
hand Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to
find
His wish and best advantage, us asunder, Hopeless to circumvent us joined, where
each
To other speedy aid might lend at need. 260 Whether his first design be to withdraw Our fealty from God, or to disturb Conjugal love than which perhaps no
bliss
Enjoyed by us excites his envy more Or this, or worse, leave not the faithful
side That gave thee being, still shades thee and
protects.
The wife, where danger or dishonour lurks, Safest and seemliest by her husband stays, Who guards her, or with her the worst en- dures."
To whom the virgin majesty of Eve, 270 As one who loves, and some unkindness
meets,
With sweet austere composure thus re- plied: " Offspring of Heaven and Earth, and all
Earth's lord !
That such an Enemy we have, who seeks Our ruin, both by thee informed I learn, And from the parting Angel overheard, As in a shady nook I stood behind, Just then returned at shut of evening flow- ers.
But that thou shouldst my firmness there- fore doubt To God or thee, because we have a foe 280
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