then acquitted stand In sight of God? Him, after all disputes, Forced I absolve; all my evasions vain And reasonings, though through mazes, lead me still But to my own conviction: first and last On me, me only, as the source and spring Of all corruption, all the blame lights due; So might the wrath! Fond wish! couldst thou support That burden, heavier than the Earth to bear; Than all the World much heavier, though divided With that bad woman? Thus, what thou desir’st, And what thou fear’st, alike destroys all hope Of refuge, and concludes thee miserable Beyond all past example and future; To Satan only like, both crime and doom. O Conscience! into what abyss of fears And horrors hast thou driven me; out of which I find no way, from deep to deeper plunged!”
Thus Adam to himself lamented loud Through the still night, not now, as ere Man fell, Wholesome and cool and mild, but with black air Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom; Which to his evil conscience represented All things with double terror. On the ground Outstretched he lay, on the cold ground, and oft Cursed his creation; Death as oft accused Of tardy execution, since denounced The day of his offence. “Why comes not Death,” Said he, “with one thrice-acceptable stroke To end me? Shall Truth fail to keep her word, Justice divine not hasten to be just? But Death comes not at call; Justice divine Mends not her slowest pace for prayers or cries. O woods, O fountains, hillocks, dales, and bowers! With other echo late I taught your shades To answer, and resound far other song.”
Whom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld, Desolate where she sat, approaching nigh, Soft words to his fierce passion she assayed; But her with stern regard he thus repelled:
“Out of my sight, thou serpent! that name best Befits thee, with him leagued, thyself as false And hateful: nothing wants, but that thy shape, Like his, and colour serpentine, may show Thy inward fraud, to warn all creatures from thee Henceforth; lest that too heavenly form, pretended