BOOK IX

Satan , having compassed the oarth , with meditated guile returns , as ^ mist, by night into paradise; enters into the serpent sleeping. .Adam and Eve in tlie morning go furtli to tlieir labours , which Eve proposes to divide in several places , each labouring apart : .\dam consents not, alleging the danger, lest that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt her found alone. live, loth to be thought not circumspect or firm enough , urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial of In-r strength ; Adam at last yields. The serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve, wondering to hear the serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech, and such understanding, not till now; the serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden he attained both to speech and reason, till then void of both. Eve requires him to bring her to that tree , and finds it to be the tree of knowledje forbidden. The serpent.