第20章 19

Greedily she ingorgd without restraint, And knew not eating Death: Satiate at length, And hightnd as with Wine, jocond and boon, Thus to her self she pleasingly began. O Sovran, vertuous, precious of all Trees [ 795 ] In Paradise, of operation blest To Sapience, hitherto obscurd, infamd, And thy fair Fruit let hang, as to no end

Created; but henceforth my early care, Not without Song, each Morning, and due praise [ 800 ] Shall tend thee, and the fertil burden ease Of thy full branches offerd free to all; Till dieted by thee I grow mature In knowledge, as the Gods who all things know; Though others envie what they cannot give; [ 805 ]

For had the gift bin theirs, it had not here Thus grown. Experience, next to thee I owe, Best guide; not following thee, I had remaind In ignorance, thou opnst Wisdoms way, And givst access, though secret she retire. [ 810 ] And I perhaps am secret; Heavn is high, High and remote to see from thence distinct

Each thing on Earth; and other care perhaps May have diverted from continual watch Our great Forbidder, safe with all his Spies [ 815 ] About him. But to Adam in what sort Shall I appeer? shall I to him make known As yet my change, and give him to partake Full happiness with mee, or rather not,

But keep the odds of Knowledge in my power [ 820 ] Without Copartner? so to add what wants In Femal Sex, the more to draw his Love, And render me more equal, and perhaps, A thing not undesireable, somtime Superior: for inferior who is free? [ 825 ] This may be well: but what if God have seen

And Death ensue? then I shall be no more, And Adam wedded to another Eve, Shall live with her enjoying, I extinct; A death to think. Confirmd then I resolve, [ 830 ] Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe: So dear I love him, that with him all deaths I could endure, without him live no life.