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Adam, mis-thought of her to thee so dear? »

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To whom with healing words Adam replied:

Daughter of God and man, immortal Eve!

For such thou art; from sin and blame entire;
Not diffident of thee do I dissuade

Thy absence from my sight, but to avoid

The attempt itself, intended by our foe.

For he who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses
The tempted with dishonour foul; suppos'd
Not incorruptible of faith, not proof

Against temptation: thou thyself with scorn
And anger would resent the offer'd wrong,
Though ineffectual found; misdeem not then,
If such affront I labour to avert

From thee alone, which on us both at once
The enemy, though bold, will hardly dare;
Or daring, first on me the attempt shall light.
Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn;
Subtle he needs must be, who could seduce
Angels; nor think superfluous others' aid.
I, from the influence of thy looks, receive
Access in every virtue; in thy sight

More wise, more watchful; stronger, if need were

Of outward strength; while shame, thou looking on,
Shame to be overcome or over-reach'd,

Would utmost vigour raise, and rais'd unite.
Why shouldst not thou like sense within thee feel
When I am present, and thy trial choose
With me, best witness of thy virtue tried? »

So spake domestic Adam in his care

And matrimonial love; but Eve, who thought
Less attributed to her faith sincere,

Non degno, Adam, di lei che si t'è cara?
Con dir molcente a lei rispose Adamo:
"Di Dio figliuola e d'uom, Eva immortale!
Che tal tu sei, da colpa e biasmo intégra:
Non sfidando di te stornai tua assenza
Da vista mia, má sì a schivar lo stesso
Assalto inteso dal nemico nostro.

Chi tenta, benchè invano, asperge almeno
Di vil macchia il tentato, e già lo stima
Di non sicura fede, nè valente

Contro il tentar; tu stessa tu con onta
Ed ira sdegneresti il porto oltraggio
Benchè riuscito vano. Or non t'offendo
Sc tanto insulto di cessar m' adopro
Da te sola, che sopra entrambi a un tempo
Benchè baldo il nemico ardisca appena;
Od osandol, su me pria i colpi vibri.
Nè tu spregiarne i doli e l'arti astute;
Certo sottil ben è chi spirti valse
Sedur; nè creder van l'altrui soccorso.
lo dall'influsso de' tuoi lumi prendo
Maggiore ogni virtude; in tua presenza
Più saggio e desto e prode son se esterno
Valor bisogni; chè onta, sul tuo viso,
Onta d'esser prostrato od ingannato
Cresceria possa estrema e somma e unita.
Come tu non provare in te tai sensi

In mia presenza, e oprar con me tue prove
Testimone miglior di tua virtude? »

Amante Adam si disse in cura sua E coniugale amor; ma Eva che pensa Non ben pregiata la sua fè sincera,

Thus her reply with accent sweet renew'd:
If this be our condition, thus to dwell
In narrow circuit straiten'd by a foe,
Subtle or violent, we not endued
Single with like defence, wherever met;
How are we happy, still in fear of harm?
But harm precedes not sin: only our foe,
Tempting, affronts us with his foul esteem
Of our integrity: his foul esteem

Sticks no dishonour on our front, but turns
Foul on himself: then wherefore shunn'd or fear'd
By us? who rather double honour gain

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From his surmise prov'd false; find peace within,
Favour from Heaven, our witness, from the event.
And what is faith, love, virtue, unassǝy'd
Alone, without exterior help sustain'd?
Let us not then suspect our happy state
Left so imperfect by the Maker wise,
As not secure to single or combin'd.
Frail is our happiness, if this be so,
And Eden were no Eden, thus expos'd.
To whom thus Adam fervently replied:
« O woman, best are things as the vill
Of God ordain'd them: his creating hand
Nothing imperfect or deficient left

Of all that he created, much less man,
Or aught that might his happy state secure,
Secure from outward force; within himself
The danger lies, yet lies within his power:
Against his will he can receive no harm.
But God left free the will; for what obeys
Reason, is free; and reason he made right;

Così rispose con soave accentő :

«Se nostra condizion tal è che in breve Cerchio abitar dobbiam per un nemico Scaltro o violento, nè non siam forniti Singoli a tal difesa, ovunque incontri, Sarem felici noi in timor perenne? La colpa al mal precede: il sol nemico Tentatore ne oltraggia col disprezzo Di nostra integrità: ma suo disprezzo Macchia non stampa in nostra fronte e torna Sozzo sovr' ello. A ehe evitarlo adunque O temere? Anzi trarremo doppio onore Da suoi pensier delusi, interna pace, Grazia dal cielo testimone al fatto. E che son fede, amor, virtù, se prova Soli non fan privi d'ogni altro aiuto? Non pensiam dunque che il felice stato Si manco desse a noi il Fattor sapiente Qual men sicuro a soli, o accompagnati. È frale il nostro ben, se questo è il fato, E Eden Eden non è in cotal periglio. A lei fervido Adam così rispose: « O donna, buone son le cose quali Le volle Dio ordinar: sua man fattrice Nulla imperfetto già lasciò o mancante Di quel ch'egli creò, e ben meno l'uomo O quanto valga il suo felice stato Francar da forza esterna; in lui medesmo Il rischio stà, ma è posto in suo potere: Contro sua voglia ei non può aver dannaggio. Ma Dio fè libero il voler; chi segue

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Ragione, è libero; e ragion fe' ei rctta,

But bid her well beware, ant still crect;
Lest, by some fair-appearing good surpris'd,
She dictate false, and mis-inform the will
To do what God expressly hath forbid.
Not then mistrust, but tender love, enjoins,
That I should mind thee oft; and mind thou me.
Firm we subsist, yet possible to swerve;
Since reason not impossibly may meet
Some specious object by the foe suborn'd,
And fall into deception unaware,

Not keeping scrictest watch, as she was varn'd.
Seek not temptation then, which to avoid
Were better, and most likely, if from me
Thou sever not; trial will come unsought.
Wouldst thou approve thy constancy? approve
First thy obedience: the other who can know,
Not seeing thee attempted, who attest?
But, if thou think, trial unsought may find
Us both securer, than thus warn'd thou seem'st
Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;
Go in thy native innocence, rely

On what thou hast of virtue; summon all!

For God towards thee hath done his part, do thine. So spake the patriach of mankind; but Eve

Persisted yet submiss, though last, replied:

:

"With thy permission then, and thus forewarn'd Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words Touch'd only; that our trial, when least sought, May find us both perhaps far less prepar'd, The willinger I go, nor much expect A foe so proud will first the weaker seek; So bent, the more shall shame him his repulse. »

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