The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (101 page)

263

Conjugal love, than which perhaps no bliss

264

Enjoyed by us excites his envy more.

265

Or
⁴⁸²⁰
this, or worse, leave not the faithful side

266

That gave thee being, still shades thee, and protects.

267

The wife, where danger or dishonor lurks,

268

Safest and seemliest
⁴⁸²¹
by her husband stays,

269

Who guards her, or with her the worst endures.

270

   
To whom the virgin
⁴⁸²²
majesty of Eve,

271

As one who loves, and some unkindness meets,

272

With sweet austere
⁴⁸²³
composure thus replied:

273

   
“Offspring of Heav’n and earth, and all earth’s lord!

274

That such an enemy we have, who seeks

275

Our ruin, both by thee informed I learn,

276

And from the parting Angel over-heard,

277

As in a shady nook I stood behind,

278

Just then returned at shut of evening flow’rs.

279

But that thou should’st my firmness
⁴⁸²⁴
therefore doubt

280

To God or thee, because we have a foe

281

May tempt it, I expected not to hear.

282

His violence thou fear’st not, being such

283

As we, not capable of death or pain,

284

Can either not receive, or can repel.

285

His fraud is then thy fear, which plain infers

286

Thy equal fear that my firm faith and love

287

Can by his fraud be shaken or seduced,

288

Thoughts which how found they harbor in thy breast,

289

Adam, mis-thought of her to thee so dear?

290

To whom with healing words Adam replied:

291

   
“Daughter of God and man, immortal Eve!

292

For such thou art, from sin and blame entire.
⁴⁸²⁵

293

Not diffident
⁴⁸²⁶
of thee do I dissuade

294

Thy absence from my sight, but to avoid

295

Th’ attempt itself, intended by our foe.

296

For he who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses
⁴⁸²⁷

297

The tempted with dishonor foul, supposed

298

Not incorruptible of faith, not proof

299

Against temptation. Thou thyself with scorn

300

And anger would’st resent the offered wrong,

301

Though ineffectual found. Misdeem not, then,

302

If such affront I labor to avert

303

From thee alone, which on us both at once

304

The enemy, though bold, will hardly dare,

305

Or daring, first on me th’ assault shall light.

306

Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn.
⁴⁸²⁸

307

Subtle he needs must be, who could seduce

308

Angels, nor think superfluous others’ aid.

309

I, from the influence of thy looks, receive

310

Access
⁴⁸²⁹
in every virtue, in thy sight

311

More wise, more watchful, stronger, if need were

312

Of outward strength, while shame, thou looking on,

313

Shame to be overcome or over-reached,
⁴⁸³⁰

314

Would utmost vigor raise, and raised unite.
⁴⁸³¹

315

Why should’st not thou like
⁴⁸³²
sense within thee feel

316

When I am present, and thy trial
⁴⁸³³
choose

317

With me, best witness of thy virtue tried?

318

   
So spoke domestic
⁴⁸³⁴
Adam in his care

319

And matrimonial love. But Eve, who thought

320

Less attributed
⁴⁸³⁵
to her faith sincere,

321

Thus her reply with accent sweet renewed:

322

   
“If this be our condition, thus to dwell

323

In narrow circuit, straitened
⁴⁸³⁶
by a foe,

324

Subtle or violent, we not endued

325

Single
⁴⁸³⁷
with like
⁴⁸³⁸
defence, wherever met,

326

How are we happy, still in fear of harm?

327

But harm precedes not sin. Only our foe

328

Tempting affronts
⁴⁸³⁹
us with his foul esteem
⁴⁸⁴⁰

329

Of our integrity. His foul esteem

330

Sticks no dishonor on our front,
⁴⁸⁴¹
but turns

331

Foul on himself. Then wherefore shunned or feared

332

By us? who rather double honor gain

333

From his surmise
⁴⁸⁴²
proved false, find peace within,

334

Favor from Heav’n, our witness, from th’ event.

335

And what is faith, love, virtue, unassayed

336

Alone, without exterior help sustained?

337

Let us not then suspect
⁴⁸⁴³
our happy state

338

Left so imperfect by the Maker wise

339

As not secure
⁴⁸⁴⁴
to
⁴⁸⁴⁵
single or combined.

340

Frail is our happiness, if this be so,

341

And Eden were no Eden, thus exposed.

342

To whom thus Adam fervently
⁴⁸⁴⁶
replied:

343

   
“O woman, best are all things as the will

344

Of God ordained them! His creating hand

345

Nothing imperfect or deficient left

346

Of all that He created, much less man,

347

Or aught that might his
⁴⁸⁴⁷
happy state secure,

348

Secure from outward force. Within himself

349

The danger lies, yet lies within his power.

350

Against his will he can receive no harm.

351

But God left free the will, for what obeys

352

Reason, is free; and reason He made right,

353

But bid her well beware, and still erect,
⁴⁸⁴⁸

354

Lest, by some fair-appearing good surprised,