BOOK NINTH
��207
��Hath touched my sense flat seems to this
and harsh.
On my experience, Adam, freely taste, And fear of death deliver to the winds." So saying, she embraced him, and for
joy 990
Tenderly wept, much won that he his love Had so ennobled as of choice to incur Divine displeasure for her sake, or death. In recompense (for such compliance bad Such recompense best merits), from the
bough
She gave him of that fair enticing Fruit With liberal hand. He scrupled not to eat, Against his better knowledge, not deceived, But fondly overcome with female charm. Earth trembled from her entrails, as
again 1000
In pangs, and Nature gave a second groan; Sky loured, and, muttering thunder, some
sad drops
Wept at completing of the mortal Sin Original; while Adam took no thought, Eating his fill, nor Eve to iterate Her former trespass feared, the more to
soothe
Him with her loved society; that now, As with new wine intoxicated both, They swim in mirth, and fancy that they
feel
Divinity within them breeding wings 1010 Wherewith to scorn the Earth. But that
false Fruit
Far other operation first displayed, Carnal desire inflaming. He on Eve Began to cast lascivious eyes; she him As wantonly repaid; in lust they burn, Till Adam thus 'gan Eve to dalliance
move :
" Eve, now I see thou art exact of taste And elegant of sapience no small part; Since to each meaning savour we apply, And palate call judicious. I the praise 1020 Yield thee; so well this day thou hast pur- veyed.
Much pleasure we have lost, while we ab- stained From this delightful Fruit, nor known till
now
True relish, tasting. If such pleasure be In things to us forbidden, it might be
wished
For this one Tree had been forbidden ten. But come; so well refreshed, now let us
��As meet is, after such delicious fare; For never did thy beauty, since the day I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorned 1030
With all perfections, so enflame my sense With ardour to enjoy thee, fairer now Than ever bounty of this virtuous Tree ! " So said he, and forbore not glance or toy Of amorous intent, well understood Of Eve, whose eye darted contagious fire. Her hand he seized, and to a shady bank, Thick overhead with verdant roof imbow-
ered, He led her, nothing loth; flowers were the
couch,
Pansies, and violets, and asphodel, 1040
And hyacinth Earth's freshest, softest
lap.
There they their fill of love and love's dis- port
Took largely, of their mutual guilt the seal, The solace of their sin, till dewy sleep Oppressed them, wearied with their amo- rous play.
Soon as the force of that fallacious Fruit, That with exhilarating vapour bland About their spirits had played, and inmost
powers Made err, was now exhaled, and grosser
sleep,
Bred of unkindly fumes, with conscious
dreams 1050
Incumbered, now had left them, up they
rose
As from unrest, and, each the other view- ing. Soon found their eyes how opened, and
their minds
How darkened. Innocence, that as a veil Had shadowed them from knowing ill, was
gone;
Just confidence, and native righteousness, And honour, from about them, naked left To guilty Shame: he covered, but his robe Uncovered more. So rose the Danite strong, Herculean Samson, from the harlot-lap 1060 Of Philistean Dalilah, and waked Shorn of his strength; they destitute and
bare
Of all their virtue. Silent, and in face Confounded, long they sat, as strucken mute ; Till Adam, though not less than Eve
abashed,
At length gave utterance to these words constrained:
�� �
