Season 3 Podcast 223 Milton's Paradise Lost Bk IX Pt XXII "Temptation of Eve B"

“Temptation of Eve Pt B” In the preface to Book IX, Milton presents the following abstractEve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the tree of knowledge, forbidden: Eve still does not know that she is talking to Lucifer. She sees only the fantastic looking serpent with its stranger powers of speech and beautiful disguise.So talk’d the spirited sly Snake; and EveYet more amaz’d unwarie thus reply’d.Eve continues to refer to the fact that She and Adam will bear children who will help tend the garden. She does not comprehend the fact that to bear children, she must leave the garden of Eden. She has not figured out that Lucifer is talking about the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. She is still deceived. Serpent, thy overpraising leaves in doubtThe virtue of that Fruit, in thee first proved:But say, where grows the Tree, from hence how far?For many are the Trees of God that growIn Paradise, and various, yet unknownTo us, in such abundance lies our choice,As leaves a greater store of Fruit untoucht,Still hanging incorruptible, till menGrow up to their provision, and more handsHelp to disburden Nature of her Bearth.The subtle serpent gives no hint that he is taking her to the tree bearing the forbidden fruit. He is delighted with her naivete.To whom the wilie Adder, blithe and glad.Empress, the way is readie, and not long,Beyond a row of Myrtles, on a Flat,Fast by a Fountain, one small Thicket pastOf blowing Myrrh and Balme; if thou acceptMy conduct, I can bring thee thither soon.There is no hesitation with innocent Eve, but in fairness, she was not privy to all the warnings of Raphael to Adam. She only overheard part of the conversation.Lead then, said Eve. He leading swiftly rolledIn tangles, and make intricate seem strait,To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joyBright’ns his Crest, as when a wandering FireCompact of unctuous vapor, which the NightCondenses, and the cold environs round,Kindled through agitation to a Flame,Which oft, they say, some evil Spirit attends,Hovering and blazing with delusive Light,Misleads th’ amazed Night-wanderer from his wayTo Boggs and Mires, & oft through Pond or Poole,There swallowed up and lost, from succor far.So glister’d the dire Snake and into fraudLed Eve our credulous Mother, to the TreeOf prohibition, root of all our woe;Which when she saw, thus to her guide she spake.When Eve perceives that the snake has led her to the forbidden fruit, she speaks frankly, but she is still innocent. She talks to the serpent as if he had made some mistake and thus has wasted his time. But Eve is out of her depth. Milton refers to Eve as “unwarie” and “credulous.” He refers to Lucifer as “enemy of mankind,” “guileful Tempter,” “sly snake,” and “willie Adder.” Serpent, we might have spar’d our coming hither,Fruitless to me, though Fruit be here to excess,The credit of whose virtue rest with thee,Wondrous indeed, if cause of such effects.But of this Tree we may not taste nor touch;God so commanded, and left that CommandSole Daughter of his voice; the rest, we liveLaw to our selves, our Reason is our Law.