Why then was this forbid? Why but to awe,
Why but to keep ye low and ignorant,
His worshippers; he knows that in the day [ 705 ]
Ye Eate thereof, your Eyes that seem so cleere,
Yet are but dim, shall perfetly be then
Opnd and cleerd, and ye shall be as Gods,
Knowing both Good and Evil as they know.
That ye should be as Gods, since I as Man, [ 710 ]
Internal Man, is but proportio,
I of brute human, yee of human Gods.
So ye shall die perhaps, by putting off
Human, to put on Gods, death to be wisht,
Though threatnd, whio worse then this bring. [ 715 ]
And what are Gods that Man may not bee
As they, participating God-like food?
The Gods are first, and that advantage use
On our belief, that all from them proceeds;
I question it, for this fair Earth I see, [ 720 ]
Warmd by the Sun, produg every kind,
Them nothing: If they all things, who enclosd
Knowledge of Good and Evil in this Tree,
That whoso eats thereof, forthwith attains
Wisdom without their leave? and wherein lies [ 725 ]
Th offehat Man should thus attain to know?
What your knowledge hurt him, or this Tree
Impart against his will if all be his?
Or is it envie, and envie dwell
In Heavnly brests? these, these and many more [ 730 ]
Causes import your need of this fair Fruit.
Goddess humane, reach then, and freely taste.
He ended, and his words replete with guile
Into her heart too easie entrance won:
Fixt on the Fruit she gazd, which to behold [ 735 ]
Might tempt alone, and in her ears the sound
Yet rung of his perswasive words, impregnd
With Reason, to her seeming, and with Truth;
Mean while the hour of Noon drew on, and wakd
An eager appetite, raisd by the smell [ 740 ]
So savorie of that Fruit, which with desire,
Inable now grown to touch or taste,
Sollicited her longing eye; yet first
Pausing a while, thus to her self she musd.