and the subtle serpent persuaded him to do. His theft recalls the Greek myth of the Titan Prometheus who stole fire from heaven as a gift for mankind, whom he himself had created, and suffered fearful punishment at the hands of Almighty Zeus.
12
THE FALL OF MAN
(
a
) God permitted Adam and Eve, his wife, to eat fruit from every tree in Eden except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which it would be death to taste or even touch. The Serpent who was there subtly asked Eve: ‘Has God not forbidden you to eat any fruit whatsoever?’ She answered: ‘No, but he warned us on pain of death to abstain from a certain tree in the middle of this garden.’ The Serpent cried: ‘Then God has deceived you! Its fruit does not cause death, but only confers wisdom: He is keeping you in ignorance.’ Thus Eve was persuaded to taste the fruit, and made Adam do likewise. 130
(
b
) When they had eaten, Adam and Eve looked at each other and, suddenly understanding that they were naked, plucked fig-leaves and sewed them into aprons. They heard God walking through the garden at dusk, and hid among the trees. God called: ‘Adam!’, and again: ‘Adam, where are you?’ Adam looked out from his hiding-place and said: ‘I heard Your approach, Lord, and hid my nakedness for shame.’ God asked: ‘Who told you of nakedness? Have you then eaten fruit of the forbidden tree?’ Adam answered: ‘Eve gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.’ God turned to Eve: ‘Alas, woman, what have you done?’ She sighed, saying: ‘The Serpent tricked me.’ God cursed the Serpent: ‘You shall lose your legs, and writhe upon your belly for ever, eating dust! I set a lasting enmity between you and woman. Her children will stamp on your children’s heads until their heels are bruised.’ 131
Then He cursed Eve: ‘I will multiply your labour and sorrow; you shall bear children in pain; you shall yearn for your husband, and be ruled by him!’
(
c
) His next curse fell upon Adam: ‘Because you have listened to Eve rather than to Me, I curse the soil that you must now till all the days of your life, eating bread in the sweat of your brow, struggling to uproot thorns and thistles. And at length death shall return your body to the dust from which I formed it!’ 132
(
d
) Since aprons of fig-leaves were too fragile for such hard labour,God mercifully made Adam and Eve garments of skin. But He said to Himself: ‘This man has become like a god in his knowledge of good and evil! What if he were to pluck the fruit hanging on the Tree of Life, and live eternally?’ With that, He drove Adam out of Eden, posting at its East Gate certain cherubim called ‘the Flame of Whirling Swords’, to bar his way. 133
(
e
) The Serpent had rudely thrust Eve against the Tree of Knowledge, saying: ‘You have not died after touching this tree; neither will you die after eating its fruit!’ He also said: ‘All former beings are ruled by the latest beings. You and Adam, created last of all, rule the world; eat therefore and be wise, lest God send new beings to usurp your rule!’ As Eve’s shoulders touched the tree, she saw Death approaching. ‘Now I must die,’ she groaned, ‘and God will give Adam a new wife! Let me persuade him to eat as I do, so that if we must both die, we shall die together; but if not, we shall live together.’ She plucked a fruit and ate, then tearfully pleaded with Adam until he agreed to share it. 134
(
f
) Eve later persuaded all beasts and birds to taste the fruit—or all except the prudent phoenix, which has remained immortal ever since. 135
(
g
) Adam wondered at Eve’s nakedness: because her glorious outer skin, a sheet of light smooth as a finger-nail, had fallen away. 136 Yet though the beauty of her inner body, shining like a white pearl, entranced him, he fought for three hours against the temptation to eat and become as she was; holding the fruit in his hand meanwhile. At last he said: ‘Eve, I would rather die than
12
THE FALL OF MAN
(
a
) God permitted Adam and Eve, his wife, to eat fruit from every tree in Eden except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which it would be death to taste or even touch. The Serpent who was there subtly asked Eve: ‘Has God not forbidden you to eat any fruit whatsoever?’ She answered: ‘No, but he warned us on pain of death to abstain from a certain tree in the middle of this garden.’ The Serpent cried: ‘Then God has deceived you! Its fruit does not cause death, but only confers wisdom: He is keeping you in ignorance.’ Thus Eve was persuaded to taste the fruit, and made Adam do likewise. 130
(
b
) When they had eaten, Adam and Eve looked at each other and, suddenly understanding that they were naked, plucked fig-leaves and sewed them into aprons. They heard God walking through the garden at dusk, and hid among the trees. God called: ‘Adam!’, and again: ‘Adam, where are you?’ Adam looked out from his hiding-place and said: ‘I heard Your approach, Lord, and hid my nakedness for shame.’ God asked: ‘Who told you of nakedness? Have you then eaten fruit of the forbidden tree?’ Adam answered: ‘Eve gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.’ God turned to Eve: ‘Alas, woman, what have you done?’ She sighed, saying: ‘The Serpent tricked me.’ God cursed the Serpent: ‘You shall lose your legs, and writhe upon your belly for ever, eating dust! I set a lasting enmity between you and woman. Her children will stamp on your children’s heads until their heels are bruised.’ 131
Then He cursed Eve: ‘I will multiply your labour and sorrow; you shall bear children in pain; you shall yearn for your husband, and be ruled by him!’
(
c
) His next curse fell upon Adam: ‘Because you have listened to Eve rather than to Me, I curse the soil that you must now till all the days of your life, eating bread in the sweat of your brow, struggling to uproot thorns and thistles. And at length death shall return your body to the dust from which I formed it!’ 132
(
d
) Since aprons of fig-leaves were too fragile for such hard labour,God mercifully made Adam and Eve garments of skin. But He said to Himself: ‘This man has become like a god in his knowledge of good and evil! What if he were to pluck the fruit hanging on the Tree of Life, and live eternally?’ With that, He drove Adam out of Eden, posting at its East Gate certain cherubim called ‘the Flame of Whirling Swords’, to bar his way. 133
(
e
) The Serpent had rudely thrust Eve against the Tree of Knowledge, saying: ‘You have not died after touching this tree; neither will you die after eating its fruit!’ He also said: ‘All former beings are ruled by the latest beings. You and Adam, created last of all, rule the world; eat therefore and be wise, lest God send new beings to usurp your rule!’ As Eve’s shoulders touched the tree, she saw Death approaching. ‘Now I must die,’ she groaned, ‘and God will give Adam a new wife! Let me persuade him to eat as I do, so that if we must both die, we shall die together; but if not, we shall live together.’ She plucked a fruit and ate, then tearfully pleaded with Adam until he agreed to share it. 134
(
f
) Eve later persuaded all beasts and birds to taste the fruit—or all except the prudent phoenix, which has remained immortal ever since. 135
(
g
) Adam wondered at Eve’s nakedness: because her glorious outer skin, a sheet of light smooth as a finger-nail, had fallen away. 136 Yet though the beauty of her inner body, shining like a white pearl, entranced him, he fought for three hours against the temptation to eat and become as she was; holding the fruit in his hand meanwhile. At last he said: ‘Eve, I would rather die than
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