Book 9, Paradise Lost

Well, it's been done. Apple's been eaten. Lust has been introduced (but not sex - that arrives right after Adam & Eve are created). Then shame, anger, accusation, & blame on the part of Adam to Eve, & back again. And fig-leaf outfits. Can't forget those.

My favorite parts come from Adam, right before & after the fall: Lines 889-893

The fatal trespass done by Eve, amazed,
Astonied stood and blank, while horrour chill
Ran through his veins, and all his joints relaxed;
From his slack hand the garland wreathed for Eve
Down dropt, and all the faded roses shed:

I love that image. Just devastating sadness when he realizes what's happened.

Then Adam talks to himself about whether to eat or not (lines 900-916):

How art thou lost! how on a sudden lost,
Defaced, deflowered, and now to death devote!
Rather, how hast thou yielded to transgress
The strict forbiddance, how to violate
The sacred fruit forbidden! Some cursed fraud
Of enemy hath beguiled thee, yet unknown,
And me with thee hath ruined; for with thee
Certain my resolution is to die:
How can I live without thee! how forego
Thy sweet converse, and love so dearly joined,
To live again in these wild woods forlorn!
Should God create another Eve, and I
Another rib afford, yet loss of thee
Would never from my heart: no, no! I feel
The link of Nature draw me: flesh of flesh,
Bone of my bone thou art, and from thy state
Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe.

Awww.

PL was the first time I came across this idea: that Adam eats the apple not b/c he's dumb, but b/c he loves this woman so much that he's willing to forsake everything - even though he knows that God would make him another Eve.