Paradise Lost, by John Milton, first published in 1667

VOCABULARY

Th' infernal Serpent; he it was whose guile,
Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived
The mother of mankind,

the situation as Adam understand is that the will cannot be forced; if you don't want to do something nobody can force you to do. and your will is free, and it can be persuaded one way or another by your reason, and he puts it to E ve that reason might be sometimes misled, and she is very confident that that isn't the case, so he says, ok do that, but do only if you think you can resist temptation, if you have the ability to make your reason hold your will erect.

guile
noun \ˈgī(-ə)l\
Simple Definition of guile
: the use of clever and usually dishonest methods to achieve something

Him the Almighty Power
Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky,
With hideous ruin and combustion, down
To bottomless perdition, there to dwell
In adamantine chains and penal fire,

hurl

verb, \ˈhər(-ə)l\
: to throw (something) with force
: to say or shout (something, such as an insult) in a loud and forceful way

Mixed with obdurate pride and steadfast hate.
obdurate (obstinado)
adjective ob·du·rate \ˈäb-də-rət, -dyə-; äb-ˈdu̇r-ət, əb-, -ˈdyu̇r-\
: refusing to do what other people want : not willing to change your opinion or the way you do something

round he throws his baleful eyes
baleful
adjective bale·ful \-fəl\
: threatening harm or evil
: harmful or deadly

At once, as far as Angels ken, he views
The dismal situation waste and wild.

ken
verb, \ˈken\
kenned kenning
transitive verb
1: archaic : see
2; chiefly dialect : recognize
3: chiefly Scottish : know

That glory never shall his wrath or might
Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace
With suppliant knee, and deify his power

deify
verb, de·i·fy \ˈdē-ə-ˌfī, ˈdā-\
: to treat (someone or something) like a god or goddess

That were an ignominy and shame beneath
This downfall; since, by fate, the strength of Gods,
And this empyreal sybstance, cannot fail;
ignominy
noun, ig·no·mi·ny \ˈig-nə-ˌmi-nē, -mə-nē also ig-ˈnä-mə-nē\
: a situation or event that causes you to feel ashamed or embarrassed

empyreal
adjective em·py·re·al \ˌem-ˌpī-ˈrē-əl, -pə-; em-ˈpir-ē-əl, -ˈpī-rē-\
1: of or relating to the empyrean : celestial
2: sublime

So spake th' apostate Angel, though in pain,
Vaunting aloud, but racked with deep despair;

vaunt

verb \ˈvȯnt, ˈvänt\
intransitive verb
: to make a vain display of one's own worth or attainments : brag
transitive verb
: to call attention to pridefully and often boastfully

Too well I see and rue the dire event
rue
noun \ˈrü\
: regret, sorrow

That we may so suffice his vengeful ire,
Or do him mightier service as his thralls

ire
noun \ˈī(-ə)r\
: intense anger

thrall

noun \ˈthrȯl\
a : a servant slave : bondman; also : serf

b : a person in moral or mental servitude

Whereto with speedy words th' Arch-Fiend replied:—
"Fallen Cherub, to be weak is miserable,
Doing or suffering: but of this be sure—
To do aught good never will be our task,
But ever to do ill our sole delight,
As being the contrary to his high will
Whom we resist. If then his providence
Out of our evil seek to bring forth good,
Our labour must be to pervert that end,

aught

pronoun \ˈȯt, ˈät\
1: anything
2: all, everything <for aught I care> <for aught we know>

Let us not slip th' occasion, whether scorn
Or satiate fury yield it from our Foe.
Seest thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild,
The seat of desolation, void of light,

Thither let us tend
From off the tossing of these fiery waves;

thither

adverb thith·er \ˈthi-thər also ˈthi-\
: to that place

Consult how we may henceforth most offend
Our enemy, our own loss how repair,
henceforth
adverb hence·forth \ˈhen(t)s-ˌfȯrth, hen(t)s-ˈ\
: from this time forward : starting now

Titanian or Earth-born, that warred on Jove,
Briareos or Typhon, whom the den
By ancient Tarsus held, or that sea-beast
Leviathan, which God of all his works

Chained on the burning lake; nor ever thence (therefore, therefrom)
Had risen, or heaved his head, but that the will
And high permission of all-ruling Heaven

Here we may reigh secure; and, in my choice,
To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.

So Satan spake; and him Beelzebub
Thus answered:—"Leader of those armies bright
Which, but th' Omnipotent, none could have foiled!
If once they hear that voice, their liveliest pledge
Of hope in fears and dangers—
foil
verb \ˈfȯi(-ə)l\
transitive verb
obsolete : trample
a : to prevent from attaining an end : defeat <always able to foil her enemies>

b : to bring to naught : thwart <foiled the plot>

they will soon resume
New courage and revive, though now they lie
Grovelling and prostrate on yon lake of fire,
As we erewhile, astounded and amazed;
grovel
verb, grov·el \ˈgrä-vəl, ˈgrə-\
: to kneel, lie, or crawl on the ground
: to treat someone with too much respect or fear in a way that shows weakness in order to be forgiven or to gain approval or favor

erewhile

adverb ere·while \er-ˈ(h)wī(-ə)l\
archaic
: a while before : formerly

Smote on him sore besides, vaulted with fire.
Nathless he so endured, till on the beach

natheless
adverb nathe·less \ˈnāth-ləs\
archaic
: nevertheless, notwithstanding

High over-arched embower; or scattered sedge
Afloat, when with fierce winds Orion armed
Hath vexed the Red-Sea coast, whose waves o'erthrew
Busiris and his Memphian chivalry,
While with perfidious hatred they pursued
The sojourners of Goshen, who beheld
From the safe shore their floating carcases
And broken chariot-wheels. So thick bestrown,
Abject and lost, lay these, covering the flood,
Under amazement of their hideous change.

Cherub and Seraph rolling in the flood
With scattered arms and ensigns, till anon
His swift pursuers from Heaven-gates discern
Th' advantage

anon
adverb \ə-ˈnän\
: in a short time

They heard, and were abashed, and up they sprung
Upon the wing, as when men wont to watch
On duty, sleeping found by whom they dread,
Rouse and bestir themselves ere well awake.
Nor did they not perceive the evil plight
abash
verb \ə-ˈbash\
transitive verb
: to destroy the self-possession or self-confidence of : disconcert
bestir
verb be·stir \bi-ˈstər, bē-\
transitive verb
: to rouse to action : get going
ere
preposition \ˈer\
:before <ere nightfall>
plight
verb \ˈplīt\
Transitive verb
: to put or give in pledge : engage <plight his troth>

To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe

wanton

adjective wan·ton \ˈwȯn-tən, ˈwän-\

a : lewd, bawdy

b : causing sexual excitement : lustful, sensual

By that uxorious King, whose heart though large,
Beguil'd by fair Idolatresses, fell
uxorious
adjective ux·o·ri·ous \ˌək-ˈsȯr-ē-əs, ˌəg-ˈzȯr-\
: excessively fond of or submissive to a wife

Lucifer: pride
Mammon: greed
Asmodeus: lust
Leviathan: envy
Beelzebub: gluttony
Satan: wrath
Belphegor: sloth