Those two; the third best absent is condemn'd, Convict by flight, and rebel to all law; Conviction to the serpent none belongs. 85 Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose Down he descended straight; the speed of gods 90 The ev'ning cool, when he from wrath more cool 95 Where art thou Adam, wont with joy to meet 86 collateral] Shakesp. All's Well that Ends Well, act i. scene i. In his bright radiance and collateral light, Steevens. 103 Where art thou] See A. Ramsæi Poem. Sacr. p. 35. Per nemus ingeminans, Adam! Adam! quæ loca, quæ te 105 My coming seen far off? I miss thee here, 111 To offend, discountenanc'd both, and discompos'd. 120 My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd, Terrarumque tenent sedes? Commercia nostra Metuende rector! per nemus sacrum sonos.' Tremuique totus.' 125 Myself the total crime, or to accuse Whose failing, while her faith to me remains, 130 Devolv'd: though should I hold my peace, yet thou This woman, whom thou mad'st to be my help, That from her hand I could suspect no ill, To whom the sov'reign Presence thus reply'd. Was she thy GOD, that her thou didst obey Before his voice? or was she made thy guide, Superior, or but equal, that to her Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place Wherein GOD set thee above her, made of thee, And for thee, whose perfection far excell❜d Hoc ego concepi. Nam quæ mihi lege jugali A. Rams. P. S., p. 37. 136 140 145 150 Hers in all real dignity? adorn'd 155 160 So having said, he thus to Eve in few: Say, woman, what is this which thou hast done? To whom sad Eve with shame nigh overwhelm'd, Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge Bold or loquacious, thus abash'd reply'd. The serpent me beguil'd, and I did eat. Which when the Lord God heard, without delay To judgment he proceeded on th' accus'd Serpent though brute, unable to transfer The guilt on him who made him instrument Of mischief, and polluted from the end Of his creation; justly then accurs'd, As vitiated in nature: more to know Concern'd not man, since he no further knew, 170 Nor alter'd his offence: yet God at last To Satan first in sin his doom apply'd, 165 155 thy part] A pure Latinism, the personæ dramatis. So Cic. pro Mur. c. 2. Has partes lenitatis et misericordiæ, quas me Natura ipsa docuit, semper ago libenter: illam vero gravitatis, severitatis personam non appetivi.' Richardson. 157 in few] So K. Hen. IV. P. ii. act i. s. 1. In few; his death, whose spirit lent a fire.' and Warner's Alb. Engl. 1608, p. 40. In few; the wars are full of woes.' Todd. Though in mysterious terms, judg'd as then best: And on the serpent thus his curse let fall. 176 Because thou hast done this, thou art accurs'd Above all cattle, each beast of the field; Upon thy belly groveling thou shalt go, And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life. Between thee and the woman I will put Enmity, and between thine and her seed; Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel. So spake this oracle, then verify'd When Jesus, son of Mary, second Eve, Saw Satan fall like lightning down from heaven, Whom he shall tread at last under our feet; On Adam last thus judgment he pronounc'd. Because thou hast hearken'd to the voice of thy wife, And eaten of the tree concerning which 180 185 190 195 I charg'd thee, saying: Thou shalt not eat thereof, Curs'd is the ground for thy sake, thou in sorrow |