Brightens his crest. As when a wandering fire, Compact of unctuous vapour, which the night Condenses, 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 the amazed night-wanderer from his way To bogs and mires, and oft through pond or pool, There swallowed up and lost, from succour far: So glistered the dire Snake, and into fraud Led Eve, our credulous mother, to the Tree Of prohibition, root of all our woe; Which when she saw, thus to her guide she spake:
“Serpent, we might have spared 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 command Sole daughter of his voice; the rest, we live Law to ourselves; our reason is our law.”
To whom the Tempter guilefully replied: “Indeed? Hath God then said that of the