The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (109 page)

987

      

Hath touched my sense, flat seems to this, and harsh.

988

      

On my experience, Adam, freely taste,

989

      

And fear of death deliver to the winds.

990

      

   
So saying, she embraced him, and for joy

991

      

Tenderly wept, much won
⁵⁰⁹³
that he his love

992

      

Had so ennobled, as of choice to incur

993

      

Divine displeasure for her sake, or death.

994

      

In recompence ( for such compliance bad,

995

      

Such recompence best merits) from the bough

996

      

She gave him of that fair enticing fruit

997

      

With liberal hand. He scrupled not to eat,

998

      

Against his better knowledge, not deceived,

999

      

But fondly
⁵⁰⁹⁴
overcome with female charm.

1000

      

Earth trembled from her entrails, as again

1001

      

In pangs, and Nature gave a second groan,

1002

      

Sky loured
⁵⁰⁹⁵
and, muttering thunder, some sad drops

1003

      

Wept at completing
⁵⁰⁹⁶
of the mortal sin

1004

      

Original
⁵⁰⁹⁷
—while Adam took no thought,

1005

      

Eating his fill, nor Eve to iterate
⁵⁰⁹⁸

1006

      

Her former trespass feared, the more to soothe

1007

      

Him with her loved society, that now,

1008

      

As with new wine intoxicated both,

1009

      

They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel

1010

      

Divinity within them breeding wings

1011

      

Wherewith to scorn the earth. But that false fruit

1012

      

Far other operation
⁵⁰⁹⁹
first displayed,

1013

      

Carnal desire inflaming. He on Eve

1014

      

Began to cast lascivious eyes, she him

1015

      

As wantonly repaid. In lust they burn,

1016

      

Till Adam thus ’gan Eve to dalliance
⁵¹⁰⁰
move:

1017

      

   
“Eve, now I see thou art exact
⁵¹⁰¹
of taste,

1018

      

And elegant,
⁵¹⁰²
of
⁵¹⁰³
sapience
⁵¹⁰⁴
no small part.

1019

      

Since to each meaning savor
⁵¹⁰⁵
we apply,

1020

      

And palate
⁵¹⁰⁶
call judicious,
⁵¹⁰⁷
I the praise

1021

      

Yield thee, so well this day thou hast purveyed.
⁵¹⁰⁸

1022

      

Much pleasure we have lost, while we abstained

1023

      

From this delightful fruit, nor known till now

1024

      

True relish,
⁵¹⁰⁹
tasting. If such pleasure be

1025

      

In things to us forbidden, it might be wished

1026

      

For this one tree had been forbidden ten.

1027

      

But come, so well refreshed, now let us play,

1028

      

As meet is, after such delicious fare,

1029

      

For never did thy beauty, since the day

1030

      

I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorned

1031

      

With all perfections, so inflame my sense

1032

      

With ardor to enjoy thee, fairer now

1033

      

Than ever—bounty
⁵¹¹⁰
of this virtuous
⁵¹¹¹
tree!

1034

      

   
So said he, and forbore not glance or toy
⁵¹¹²

1035

      

Of amorous intent, well understood

1036

      

Of Eve, whose eye darted contagious fire.

1037

      

Her hand he seized, and to a shady bank,

1038

      

Thick overhead with verdant roof embow’red,

1039

      

He led her, nothing loath. Flow’rs were the couch,

1040

      

Pansies, and violets, and asphodel,

1041

      

And hyacinth, earth’s freshest softest lap.
⁵¹¹³

1042

      

There they their fill of love and love’s disport
⁵¹¹⁴

1043

      

Took largely,
⁵¹¹⁵
of their mutual guilt the seal,

1044

      

The solace of their sin, till dewy
⁵¹¹⁶
sleep

1045

      

Oppressed
⁵¹¹⁷
them, wearied with their amorous play.

1046

      

Soon as the force of that fallacious
⁵¹¹⁸
fruit,

1047

      

That with exhilarating vapor bland
⁵¹¹⁹

1048

      

About their spirits had played, and inmost powers

1049

      

Made err, was now exhaled, and grosser sleep,

1050

      

Bred of unkindly
⁵¹²⁰
fumes, with conscious dreams

1051

      

Encumbered,
⁵¹²¹
now had left them, up they rose

1052

      

As from unrest
⁵¹²²
and, each the other viewing,

1053

      

Soon found their eyes how opened, and their minds

1054

      

How darkened. Innocence, that as a veil

1055

      

Had shadowed them from knowing ill, was gone,

1056

      

Just
⁵¹²³
confidence, and native righteousness,
⁵¹²⁴

1057

      

And honor, from
⁵¹²⁵
about them, naked left

1058

      

To guilty shame. He covered,
⁵¹²⁶
but his robe

1059

      

Uncovered more. So rose the Danite
⁵¹²⁷
strong,

1060

      

Herculean Samson, from the harlot-lap

1061

      

Of Philistean
⁵¹²⁸
Dalilah,
⁵¹²⁹
and waked

1062

      

Shorn of his strength. They destitute and bare

1063

      

Of all their virtue, silent, and in face

1064

      

Confounded,
⁵¹³⁰
long they sat, as stricken mute,

1065

      

Till Adam, though not less than Eve abashed,

1066

      

At length gave utterance to these words constrained:
⁵¹³¹

1067

      

   
“O Eve, in evil hour thou did’st give ear

1068

      

To that false worm, of whomsoever taught

1069

      

To counterfeit man’s voice, true in our fall,

1070

      

False in our promised rising, since our eyes

1071

      

Op’ned we find, indeed, and find we know

1072

      

Both good and evil—good lost, and evil got!

1073

      

Bad fruit of knowledge, if this be to know,

1074

      

Which leaves us naked thus, of honor void,

1075

      

Of innocence, of faith, of purity,