Chapter 22 twenty one
He added not, and from her turn, but Eve
Not so repulst, with Tears that ceasd not flowing, [ 910 ]
And tresses all disordered, at his feet
Fell humble, and imbracing them, besaught
His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint.
Forsake me not thus, Adam, witness Heavn
What love sincere, and reverence in my heart [ 915 ]
I beare thee, and unweeting have offended,
Unhappily deceavd; thy suppliant
I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not,
Whereon I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid,
Thy counsel in this uttermost distress, [ 920 ]
My only strength and stay: forlorn of thee,
Whicher shall I betake me, where subsist?
While yet we live, scarse one short hour perhaps,
Between us two let there be peace, both joyning,
As joynd in injuries, one enmitie [ 925 ]
Against a Foe by doom express assign us,
That cruel Serpent: On me exercise not
Thy hated for this miserie befalln,
On me already lost, mee then thy self
More miserable; both have sind, but thou [ 930 ]
Against God only, I against God and thee,
And to the place of judgment will return,
There with my cries importe Heaven, that all
The sentence from thy head removed may light
On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe, [ 935 ]
Mee mee only just object of his ire.
She ended weeping, and her lowlie plight,
Immovable till peace obtained from fault
Acknowledged and deplord, in Adam wraught
Commiseration; soon his heart relented [ 940 ]
Towards her, his life so late and sole delight,
Now at his feet submissive in distress,
Creature so faire his reconciliation seeking,
His counsel whom she had displeasd, his aide;
As one disarmed, his anger all he lost, [ 945 ]
And thus with peaceful words upraised her soon.
Unwarie, and too desirous, as before,
So now of what thou knowst not, who desires
The punishment all on thy self; alas,
Beare thine own first, ill able to sustain [ 950 ]
His full wrauth whose thou feelst as yet least part,
And my displeasure bears so ill. If Prayers
Could alter high Decrees, I to that place
Would speed before thee, and be louder heard,
That on my head all might be visited, [ 955 ]
Thy frailtie and infirmer Sex forgivn,
To me committed and by me exposd.