Sosaying,fromtheTreeherstepsheturnd,

    ButfirstlowReveren,astothepower[835]

    Thatdweltwithin,whosepresencehadinfusd

    Intotheplantstialsap,derivd

    Fromar,drinkofGods.Adamthewhile

    Waitingdesirousherreturn,hadwove

    OfchoicestFlarlandtoadorne[840]

    HerTresses,andherrurallabours,

    AsReapersoftarewontthirHarvestQueen.

    Greatjoyhepromisdtohisthoughts,andnew

    Solaherreturn,solongdelayd;

    Yetofthisheart,divineofsomthingill,[845]

    Misgavehim;heethefaultringmeasurefelt;

    Andforthtomeetherwent,thewayshetook

    ThatMornwhenfirsttheyparted;bytheTree

    OfKnowledgehemustpass,therehehermet,

    ScarsefromtheTreereturning;inherhand[850]

    Aboughoffairestfruitthatdowniesmild,

    herd,andambrosialsmelldiffusd.

    Tohimshehasted,inherfaceexcuse

    CamePrologue,andApologietoprompt,

    Whichwithblandwordsatwillshethusaddrest.[855]

    Hastthounotwonderd,Adam,atmystay?

    TheeIhavemisst,andthoughtitlong,deprivd

    Thypresence,agonieoflovetillnow

    ,norshallbetwice,fornevermore

    MeanItotrie,whatrashuntridIsought,[860]

    Thepainofabsenthysight.Butstrange

    Hathbinthecause,andwonderfultoheare:

    ThisTreeisnotaswearetold,aTree

    Ofdaasted,nortoevilunknown

    Opningtheway,butofDivineeffect[865]

    ToopenEyes,andmakethemGodswhotaste;

    Andhathbintastedsuch:theSerpentwise,

    Orraindaswee,ornotobeying,

    Hatheatnofthefruit,andisbe