Sin

Also known as: Portress of Hell-gate / snaky Sorceress · Family: Hell · Role: personified sin · First appears: Book 2

In Book II, Sin says she sprang from Satan’s head, and that he became enamoured of her and fathered Death with her. Satan calls her “Dear daughter,” while she describes Death as “my son and foe.” At Hell-gate, she takes the fatal key and opens the gates, granting Satan passage into the Abyss; God is the one who commands her to keep the key and forbids her to unlock them.

In Book X, Sin and Death build a bridge from Hell across Chaos to the newly created world. They enter Paradise, where Sin is present in body and Death follows close behind; they begin consuming creation, with humanity intended as Death’s ultimate prey. Satan sends them as his substitutes and commands them to make humanity their thrall and kill them. Discord, daughter of Sin, is also named.

In Book XII, the Son is said to bruise Satan’s head and defeat Sin and Death, his two main arms.

Relationship record

Life events

• Sin unlocks and opens Hell’s gates, granting Satan passage into the Abyss.(Book2 · 📍 Hell-gate)
  • “Thus saying, from her side the fatal key, Sad instrument of all our woe, she took; And, towards the gate rolling her bestial train, Forthwith the huge portcullis high up-drew”
• Sin and Death build a bridge from Hell across Chaos to the newly created world.(Book10 · 📍 Hell)
  • With: Death
  • “And with Asphaltick slime, broad as the gate, Deep to the roots of Hell the gathered beach They fastened, and the mole immense wrought on Over the foaming deep high-arched, a bridge Of length prodigious, joining to the wall Immoveable of this now fenceless world, Forfeit to Death”
• Sin and Death enter Paradise and begin consuming creation, intending humanity as Death’s ultimate prey.(Book10 · 📍 Paradise)
  • With: Death
  • “Mean while in Paradise the hellish pair Too soon arrived; Sin, there in power before, Once actual; now in body, and to dwell Habitual habitant; behind her Death, Close following pace for pace”

Book 2

• commander: God “The key of this infernal Pit, by due And by command of Heaven’s all-powerful King, I keep, by him forbidden to unlock These adamantine gates”
• creator: Satan “Then shining heavenly fair, a goddess armed, Out of thy head I sprung.”
• courtship with Satan “Thee chiefly, who, full oft Thyself in me thy perfect image viewing, Becam’st enamoured; and such joy thou took’st With me in secret that my womb conceived A growing burden.”
• parent: Satan “Dear daughter—since thou claim’st me for thy sire, And my fair son here show’st me, the dear pledge Of dalliance had with thee in Heaven”
• child: Death “Before mine eyes in opposition sits Grim Death, my son and foe”
• enemies with Death “Before mine eyes in opposition sits Grim Death, my son and foe”
• admirer: Satan “Thyself in me thy perfect image viewing, Becam’st enamoured”
• creature: Death “At last this odious offspring whom thou seest, Thine own begotten, breaking violent way, Tore through my entrails, that, with fear and pain Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew Transformed”

Book 9

• with Death (Death is described as Sin’s shadow.) “Sin and her shadow Death, and Misery Death’s harbinger”
• with Death (interaction) “Sin and her shadow Death, and Misery”

Book 10

• parent: Satan “Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both;”
• child: Death “To whom the incestuous mother thus replied.”
• sender: Satan “My substitutes I send ye, and create Plenipotent on earth, of matchless might”
• with Death (Sin describes their inseparable connection.) “Thou, my shade Inseparable, must with me along; For Death from Sin no power can separate.”
• subordinate: Death “Thou therefore on these herbs, and fruits, and flowers, / Feed first; on each beast next, and fish, and fowl”
• child: Discord “But Discord first, / Daughter of Sin”
• commander: Satan “Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill.”

Book 12

• with Son (interaction) “This act / Shall bruise the head of Satan, crush his strength, / Defeating Sin and Death, his two main arms;”

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Extracted from the original text of Paradise Lost. Made with Rho MD.