Chapter 14 13
Wonder not, sovran Mistress, if perhaps
Thou canst, who art sole Wonder, much less arm
Thy looks, the Heavn of mildness, with disdain,
Displeasd that I approach thee thus, and gaze [ 535 ]
Insatiate, I thus single, nor have fear
Thy awful brow, more awful thus retird.
Fairest resemblance of thy Maker faire,
Thee all things living gaze on, all things thin
By gift, and thy Celestial Beautie adore [ 540 ]
With ravishment beheld, there is best beheld
Where universally admired; but here
In this enclosure wild, these Beasts among,
Beholders rude, and shallow to discerne
Half what in thee is fair, one man except, [ 545 ]
Who sees thee? (and what is one?) who should be seen
A Goddess among Gods, adord and servd
By Angels numberless, thy daily Train.
So glozd the Tempter, and his Proem tund;
Into the Heart of Eve his words made way, [ 550 ]
Though at the voice much marveling; at length
Not unamazd she thus in answer spake.
What may this mean? Language of Man pronunciation
By Tongue of Brute, and human sense exprest?
The first at least of these I thought denid [ 555 ]
To Beasts, whom God on thir Creation-Day
Created mute to all articulat sound;
The latter I demurre, for in thir looks
Much reason, and in thir actions oft appeers.
Thee, Serpent, suttlest beast of all the field [ 560 ]
I knew, but not with human voice endud;
Redouble then this miracle, and say,
How camst thou speakable of mute, and how
To me so friendly grown above the rest
Of brutal kind, that daily are in sight? [ 565 ]
Say, for such wonder claims attention due.
To whom the guileful Tempter thus replied.
Empress of this fair World, resplendent Eve,
Easie to mee it is to tell thee all
What thou commandst and right thou shouldst be obeyed: [ 570 ]
I was at first as other Beasts that graze
The trodden Herb, of abject thoughts and low,
As was my food, nor aught but food discerned
Or Sex, and apprehended nothing high:
Till on a day roaving the field, I chanced [ 575 ]
A nicely Tree farr distant to behold
Loaded with fruit of fairest colors mixt,
Ruddie and Gold: I nearer drew to gaze;
When from the boughes a savorie odour blown,
Grateful to appetite, more pleasant my sense, [ 580 ]
Then smell of sweetest Fenel or the Teats
Of Ewe or Goat dropping with Milk at Eevn,
Unsuckt of Lamb or Kid, that tend thir play.