Their inward state of mind, calm region once 1130 With me, as I besought thee, when that strange then Remained still happy-not, as now, despoiled 1140 approve The faith they owe; when earnestly they seek Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail.' To whom, soon moved with touch of blame, thus Eve: 'What words have passed thy lips, Adam severe ? Imput'st thou that to my default, or will Of wandering, as thou call'st it, which who But might as ill have happened thou being by, Fraud in the Serpent, speaking as he spake ; 1150 Mutual reproaches 1160 Ingrate- Why he should mean me ill or seek to harm. more? I warned thee, I admonished thee, foretold 1170 That lay in wait; beyond this had been force, 1180 Lets her will rule: restraint she will not blames brook; And, left to herself, if evil thence ensue, She first his weak indulgence will accuse.' Adam THE END OF THE NINTH BOOK PARADISE LOST BOOK X THE ARGUMENT MAN's transgression known, the guardian Angels forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to approve their vigilance, and are approved; God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the transgressors; who descends, and gives sentence accordingly; then, in pity, clothes them both, and reascends. Sin and Death, sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan in this new World, and the sin by Man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in Hell, but to follow Satan, their sire, up to the place of Man : to make the way easier from Hell to this World to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made; then, preparing for Earth, they meet him, proud of his success, returning to Hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium i in full assembly relates, with boasting, his success against Man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed, with himself also, suddenly into Serpents, according to his doom given in Paradise; then, deluded with a show of the Forbidden Tree springing up before them, they, greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death: God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but, for the present, commands his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and Elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve; she persists, and at length appeases him: then, to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent The ways; which he approves not, but, conceiving better angelic hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, guards that her seed should be revenged on the Serpent, and bring exhorts her, with him, to seek peace of the offended news Deity by repentance and supplication. MEANWHILE the heinous and despiteful act Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart ΤΟ The high injunction not to taste that fruit, |