Chapter 18 17

Why then was this forbid? Why but to awe, Why but to keep ye low and ignorant, His worshipers; he knows that in the day [ 705 ] Ye Eate therefore of, your Eyes that seem so cleere, Yet are but dim, shall perfetly be then Opnd and cleerd, and ye shall be as Gods, Knowing both Good and Evil as they know. That ye should be as Gods, since I as Man, [ 710 ] Internal Man, is but proportion meet, I of brute human, yee of human Gods. So ye shall die perhaps, by putting off Human, to put on Gods, death to be wished, Though threatnd, which no worse then this can bring. [715] And what are Gods that Man may not become

As they, participating God-like food? The Gods are first, and that advantage use On our belief, that all from them proceeds; I question it, for this fair Earth I see, [ 720 ] Warm up by the Sun, producing every kind, Them nothing: If they all things, who enclosed Knowledge of Good and Evil in this Tree, That whoso eats therefore, forthwith attains Wisdom without their leave? and where lies [ 725 ] Th offense, that Man should thus attain to know? What can your knowledge hurt him, or this Tree Impart against his will if all be his? Or is it envie, and can envie dwell In Heavnly brests? these, these and many more [ 730 ]

Causes import your need of this fair Fruit. Goddess humane, reach then, and freely taste. He ended, and his words replete with guile Into her heart too easy entrance won: Fixt on the Fruit she gazd, which to behold [ 735 ] Might tempt alone, and in her ears the sound Yet rung of his perswasive words, impregnd With Reason, to her seeming, and with Truth; Mean while the hour of Noon drew on, and wakd An eager appetite, raised by the smell [ 740 ] So savorie of that Fruit, which with desire, Inclinable now grown to touch or taste, Sollicited her longing eye; yet first Pausing a while, thus to her self she must.