Whom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld,
Desolate where she sate, approag nigh,
Soft words to his fierce passion she assayd: [ 865 ]
But her with stern regard he thus repelld.
Out of my sight, thou Serpent, that name best
Befits thee with him leagud, thy self as false
And hateful; nothing wants, but that thy shape,
Like his, and colour Serpentine may shew [ 870 ]
Thy inward fraud, to warn all Creatures from thee
Heh; least that too heavnly form, pretended
To hellish falshood, shem. But for thee
I had persisted happie, had not thy pride
And wandring vanitie, whe was safe, [ 875 ]
Rejected my forewarning, and disdaind
Not to be trusted, longing to be seen
Though by the Devil himself, him overweening
To over-reach, but with the Serpeing
Foold and beguild, by him thou, I by thee, [ 880 ]
To trust thee from my side, imagind wise,
stant, mature, proof against all assaults,
And uood not all was but a shew
Rather then solid vertu, all but a Rib
Crooked by nature, bent, as noears, [ 885 ]
More to the part sinister from me drawn,
Well if thrown out, as supernumerarie
To my just number found. O why did God,
Creator wise, that peopld highest Heavn
With Spirits Mase, create at last [ 890 ]
This ie oh, this fair defect
Of Nature, and not fill the World at once
With Men as Angels without Feminine,
Or find some other way to gee
Mankind? this mischief had not then befalln, [ 895 ]
And more that shall befall, innumerable
Disturbances oh through Femal snares,
And straight jun with this Sex: for either
He never shall find out fit Mate, but such
As some misfortune brings him, or mistake, [ 900 ]
Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain
Through her perversness, but shall see her gaind
By a farr worse, or if she love, withheld
By Parents, or his happiest choice too late
Shall meet, alreadie linkt and Wedlock-bound [ 905 ]
To a fell Adversarie, his hate or shame:
Whifinite calamitie shall cause
To Humane life, and houshold peace found.