BooK IX. PARADISE LOST. By fly affault : and fomewhere nigh at hand Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find His with, and belt advantage, us afunder ; Hopelefs to circumvent us join'd, where each To other fpeedy aid might lend at need : 260 Whether his firft detign be to withdraw Our fealty from God ; or to ditturb Conjugal love ; than which perhaps no blifs Enjoy'd by us excites his envy more ; Or this, or worfe, leave not the faithful fide 265 That gave thee being, 11111 thades thee and prote6ts. The wife, where danger, or eiflionor lurks, Weft and feemlieft by her hufbind flays, Who guards her, or with her the worft indures, To whom the virgin-majelty of Eve, 270 As one who loves, and tome unkindnefs meets, With fweet auftere compolure thus reply'd. Off-fpring of heav'n and earth, and all earth's Lord I That fuch an enemy we have, who leeks Our ruin, both by thee inforrn'd I learn, 275 And from the parting Angel over-heard ; As in a fhady nook I flood behind, jolt then return'd at (hut of ev'ning flow'rs. But that thou thoultitt my firmneis therefore doubt To God or Thee, becaufe we have a foe 283 May tempt it, I expected not to hear. His violence thou fear'ft not, being inch As we (not capable of death, or pain) Can either not receive, or can repel. His fraud is then thy fear ; which pain infers 285 Thy equal fear, that my firm faith, and love, Can by his fraud be thaken or feduc'd ; Thoughts, which how found theyharbor in thy breaft, Adam, mif-thought of her to thee fo dear ? To 235
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