Serpent
Also known as: Adder / Snake / worm · Family: animal · Role: serpent possessed by Satan · First appears: Book 9
In Book 9, Satan chooses the Serpent as “Fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud” and enters its sleeping body at Eden, possessing its mind with intelligence. Speaking through the Serpent, he deceives Eve, who eats the forbidden fruit.
In Book 10, God curses the Serpent. In Book 12, the Son is to seize “The Serpent, prince of air” and drag it in chains through its realm.
Relationship record
Life events
- Satan chooses the Serpent as the vessel for his fraud against mankind.(Book9)
- With: Satan
- “and found The Serpent subtlest beast of all the field. Him after long debate, irresolute Of thoughts revolved, his final sentence chose Fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud”
- Satan enters the sleeping Serpent and possesses its mind with intelligence.(Book9 · 📍 Eden)
- With: Satan
- “in at his mouth The Devil entered; and his brutal sense, In heart or head, possessing, soon inspired With act intelligential;”
- Eve eats the forbidden fruit after accepting the Serpent’s deception.(Book9 · 📍 Paradise)
- With: Eve
- “So saying, her rash hand in evil hour Forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she eat!”
Book 9
- with Satan (Satan possesses and incarnates himself in the Serpent.) “The Devil entered; and his brutal sense, In heart or head, possessing, soon inspired With act intelligential”
- tempted: Eve “So glistered the dire Snake, and into fraud Led Eve, our credulous mother, to the tree”
- creator: God “Thee, Serpent, subtlest beast of all the field I knew, but not with human voice endued; Redouble then this miracle, and say, How camest thou speakable of mute, and how To me so friendly grown above the rest Of brutal kind, that daily are in sight? Say, for such wonder claims attention due. To whom the guileful Tempter thus replied. Empress of this fair world, resplendent Eve! Easy to me it is to tell thee all What thou commandest; and right thou shouldst be obeyed: I was at first as other beasts that graze The trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low, As was my food; nor aught but food discerned Or sex, and apprehended nothing high: Till, on a day roving the field, I chanced A goodly tree far distant to behold Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mixed, Ruddy and gold: I nearer drew to gaze; When from the boughs a savoury odour blown, Grateful to appetite, more pleased my sense Than smell of sweetest fennel, or the teats Of ewe or goat dropping with milk at even, Unsucked of lamb or kid, that tend their play. To satisfy the sharp desire I had Of tasting those fair apples, I resolved Not to defer; hunger and thirst at once, Powerful persuaders, quickened at the scent Of that alluring fruit, urged me so keen. About the mossy trunk I wound me soon; For, high from ground, the branches would require Thy utmost reach or Adam’s: Round the tree All other beasts that saw, with like desire Longing and envying stood, but could not reach. Amid the tree now got, where plenty hung Tempting so nigh, to pluck and eat my fill I spared not; for, such pleasure till that hour, At feed or fountain, never had I found. Sated at length, ere long I might perceive Strange alteration in me, to degree Of reason in my inward powers; and speech Wanted not long; though to this shape retained.”
Book 10
- with God (God curses and judges the Serpent.) “And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall.”
Book 12
- with Son (interaction) “Then to the Heaven of Heavens he shall ascend / With victory, triumphing through the air / Over his foes and thine; there shall surprise / The Serpent, prince of air, and drag in chains / Through all his realm”
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Extracted from the original text of Paradise Lost. Made with Rho MD.