Book ii. 60-117.

The Latin is as follows:

"Vidit ut iste novos homines in sede quieta Ducere felicem nullo discrimine vitam, Lege sub accepta Domino famularier orbis, Subjectisque frui placida inter gaudia rebus; Commovit subitum zeli scintilla vaporem, Excrevitque calens in sæva incendia livor. Vicinus tunc forte fuit, quo concidit alto, Lapsus, et innexam traxit per prona catervam. Hoc recolens, casumque premens in corde recentem, Plus doluit periisse sibi quod possidet alter. Tunc mixtus cum felle pudor sic pectore questus Explicat, et tali suspiria voce relaxat. Proh dolor, hoc nobis subitum consurgere plasma, Invisumque genus nostra crevisse ruina! Me celsum virtus habuit, nunc arce reje Pellor, et angelico limus succedit honori. Cœlum terra tenet, vili compage levata Regnat humus, nobisque perit translata potestas. Non tamen in totum periit; pars magna retentat Vim propriam, summaque cluit virtute nocendi, Nec differre juvat; jam nunc certamine blando Congrediar, dum prima salus, experta nec ullos Simplicitas ignara dolos, ad tela patebit. Et melius soli capientur fraude, priusquam Fecundam mittant æterna in sæcula prolem, Immortale nihil terra prodire sinendum est; Fons generis pereat, capitis dejectio victi Semen mortis erit; pariat discrimina lethi Vitæ principium; cuncti feriantur in uno; Non faciet vivum radix occisa cacumen. Hæc mihi dejecto tandem solatia restant. Si nequeo clausos iterum conscendere cœlos, His quoque claudentur," etc.

Thus Milton's Satan:

"O hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold! Into our room of bliss thus high advanced Creatures of other mould; earth-born perhaps, Not spirits, yet to heavenly spirits bright Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue With wonder, and could love, so lively shines In them divine resemblance, and such grace The hand that formed them on their shape hath poured. Ah gentle pair! ye little think how nigh Your change approaches, when all these delights Will vanish and deliver ye to woe! More woe the more you taste is now of joy; Happy, but for so happy ill secured Long to continue, and this high seat your heaven Ill fenced for heaven to keep out such a foe As now is entered; yet no purposed foe To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, Though I unpitied; league with you I seek, And mutual amity, so strait, so close, That I with you must dwell, or you with me Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please, Like this fair paradise, your sense; yet such Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me, Which I as freely give. Hell shall unfold, To entertain you two, her widest gates, And send forth all her kings; there will be room, Not like these narrow limits, to receive Your numerous offspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge On you, who wrong me not, for him who wronged. And should I at your harmless innocence Melt as I do, yet public reason just, Honor and empire with revenge enlarged, By conquering this new world, compel me now To do what else, though damned, I should abhor."

Milton's _Paradise Lost_, iv. 358-392.

More elevated, impassioned, and complex are the feelings of Milton's Satan, more eloquent his expression; yet the simple energy, the menacing concentration of the arch-fiend painted by St. Avitus, has a powerful effect.

The third book exhibits the despair of Adam and Eve after the fall; the coming of the divine Judge; his sentence, and their expulsion from paradise. Where Milton represents Adam as giving way to indignation against Eve, St. Avitus causes him to rage against the Creator himself.

"Adam thus saw himself condemned: his guilt By inquiry made manifest. Yet not In humble suppliance did he sue for mercy: Nor with deep penitence, and tears, and prayers, And self-accusing, shamed confession, plead For the remission of his punishment; Fallen, miserable, no pity he invoked. With lifted front, with anger flushed, his pride Broke forth in clamorous reproach. 'Twas then To bring my ruin that the woman was given To be my helpmeet! That which from thy hand, Creator! was received as best of blessings-- She--overcome herself--has conquered me With counsels sinister! prevailed with me To take the fruit she had already tasted; She is the source of evil; from her came The sin, beguiling me too credulous; And thou, Lord, thou didst teach me to believe her By giving her to be my own in marriage, With sweet ties joining us! Ah! if my life, Lonely at first, had so continued--happy! If I had never known this fatal union, The yoke of such companionship! These words Of Adam the divine Creator heard, And thus severely spoke to desolate Eve; Woman, why hast thou in thy fall drawn down Thy wretched spouse? Deceived, and then deceiving, Instead of standing in thy guilt alone, Why sought'st thou to dethrone the higher reason Of this thy husband? And the woman, full Of shame and sorrow, daring not to raise Her face with conscious blushes all suffused, Answered: The serpent did beguile me; he Persuaded me to taste the fruit forbidden."