From heaven God ruled
all the living things
that they should come out of every district without
fierceness *
till they arrived before (the gate of) Paradise.
Then they would return right-hand-wise
without seed of pride or any murmuring, each of them to its very pure abode after taking leave of Adam.
The very fierce, double-headed beast,
was subtle and watchful, with (his) twenty hosts,
how under heaven he shall find a way
to bring about the destruction of Adam.
Lucifer, many his clear questions, 2
went amongst the animals, amongst the herds outside Paradise until he found the serpent.
" Is it not useless (i.e. unworthy of you) thy being
outside ? "
said the Devil to the serpent ; " with thy dexterous cunning, with thy cleverness, with thy subtlety ?
" Great was the danger and the wickedness
that Adam should have been ordained over thee ; the downfall 3 of him, the youngest of created things, and his destruction, would be no crime to us.
1 Lit. "without attack."
2 This seems to be a cheville ; lit. " number of clear questions."
3 Lit. " his consuming."
24 THE SALTAIR NA RANN
" Since thou art more renowned in warfare,
first of the twain thou wast created,
thou art more cunning, more agreeable in every way (?)
do not submit to the younger !
" Take my advice without shrinking, 1
let us make an alliance and friendship ; listen to my clear reasoning : do not go forth to Adam.
" Give me a place in thy body, with my own laws, with my own intellect, so that we both may go from the plain unexpectedly 2 to Eve.
" Let us together urge upon her
the fruit of the forbidden tree, that she afterwards may clearly press the food upon Adam.
" Provided that they go together
beyond the commandment of his Lord, God will not love them here, they will leave Paradise in evil plight." 3
" What reward is there for me above every great one ? "
said the serpent to the devil ;
" on my welcoming thee into my fair body,
without evil, as my fellow-inhabitant ?
1 Lit. " without grief" or " sorrow." 2 Lit. " under attack." 3 Lit. " without bloom " ?
FALL AND EXPULSION FROM PARADISE 25
" For guiding thee on that road
to destroy Eve and Adam,
for going with thee truly to the attack
whatever act thou mayest undertake ? " *
(LUCIFER rtylies)
" What greater reward shall I give to thee
according to the measure of our great crime
(than that) our union in our habits, in our wrath, shall be for ever spoken of ? "
When he found a place for the betrayal
in the likeness of the serpent's shape, slowly he went tarrying 2 directly to the gate of Paradise.
The serpent called outside,
" dost thou hear me, O wife of Adam ?
come and converse with me, O Eve of the fair form,
beyond 3 every other."
" I have no time to talk with anyone," said Eve to the serpent ; " I am going out to feed the senseless animals."
"If you are the Eve whose fame was heard
with honour in Paradise, wife of Adam, beautiful, wide-minded, in her I desire 4 my full satisfaction." 5
1 Lit. " rise to." 8 Or " steadily."
3 Or perhaps " apart from " every other.
4 Or " I beseech." 5 Or " need."
26 THE SALTAIR NA RANN
(EvE speaks)
" Whenever Adam is not here,
I am guardian of Paradise,
without weariness, O smooth, pale creature,
I attend to the needs of the animals."
(The SERPENT speaks)
" How long does Adam go from thee, on which side does he make his fair circuit, when at any time he is not here feeding the herds in Paradise ? "
" He leaves it to me, bright jewel ;
I feed the animals,
while he goes with pure unmeasured renown
to adore the Lord."
" I desire to ask a thing of thee,"
said the slender, very affable serpent,
" because bright and dear is thy clear reasoning,
Eve, O bride of Adam ! "
" Whatever it be that you contemplate saying, it will not vex me, O noble creature ; certainly there will be no obscurity here,
1 will narrate it to thee truthfully."
FALL AND EXPULSION FROM PARADISE 27
" Tell me, O glorious Eve, since it chances that we are discoursing together, in your judgment, is the life in Paradise, with your lordship here, pleasant ? "
(EvE replies)
" Until we go faultless in our turn, (or " ranks ")
in our bodies to heaven,
we do not ask here greater lordship
than what there is of good in Paradise.