Chapter 6 5
To whom sad Eve with shame night overwhelmed,
Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge [ 160 ]
Bold or loquacious, thus abasht replied.
The Serpent me beguild and I did eat.
Which when the Lord God heard, without delay
To Judgment he proceeded on th accusd
Serpent though brute, unable to transferre [ 165 ]
The Guilt on him who made him instrument
Of mischief, and polluted from the end
Of his Creation; just then accurst,
As vitiated in Nature: more to know
Concernd not Man (since he no further knew) [ 170 ]
Nor altered his offense; yet God at last
To Satan first in sin his doom applyd
Though in mysterious terms, judged as then best:
And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall.
Because thou hast done this, thou art accurst [ 175 ]
Above all Cattle, each Beast of the Field;
Upon thy Belly groveling thou shalt goe,
And dust shalt eat all the days of thy Life.
Between Thee and the Woman I will put
Enmitie, and between thine and her Seed; [ 180 ]
Her Seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel.
So spake this Oracle, then verifid
When Jesus son of Mary second Eve,
Saw Satan fall like Lightning down from Heavn,
Prince of the Aire; then rising from his Grave [ 185 ]
Spoiled Principalities and Powers, triumphant
In open shew, and with ascention bright
Captivity led captive through the Aire,
The Realm it self of Satan long usurpt,
Whom he shall tread at last under our feet; [ 190 ]
Eevn hee who now foretold his fatal bruise,
And to the Woman thus his Sentence turn.
Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply
By thy Conception; Children thou shalt bring
In sorrow forth, and to thy Husbands will [ 195 ]
Thine shall submit, hee over thee shall rule.
On Adam last thus judgment he pronounced.