and evil being equally well known to him, Adam reproaches his wife,
wailing that never more shall they behold the face of God and suggests
that they weave leaf-garments to hide their nakedness. So the first
couple steal into the thicket to fashion fig-leaf girdles, which they
bind about them, reviling each other for having forfeited their former
happy estate.

_Book X._ Meantime, Eve's fall has been duly reported in heaven by the
angelic guards, whom the Almighty reassures, saying he knew the Evil
Spirit would succeed and man would fall. Then the same voice decrees
that, as man has transgressed, his sentence shall be pronounced, and
that the one best fitted for such a task is the Son, man's mediator
Ready to do his Father's will in heaven as upon earth, the Son
departs, promising to temper justice with mercy, so that God's
goodness will be made manifest, and adding that the doom of the absent
Satan shall also be pronounced.

Escorted to the gates of heaven by the angelic host, the Redeemer
descends alone to earth, where he arrives in the garden in the cool of
the evening. At his summons Adam and Eve emerge from their
hiding-place, and, when Adam shamefacedly claims they hid because they
were naked, his maker demonstrates how his very words convict him of
guilt, and inquires whether they have eaten of the forbidden fruit.
Unable to deny his transgression, Adam states he is in a quandary, for
he must either accuse himself wrongfully or lay the guilt upon the
wife whom it is his duty to protect. When he adds that the woman gave
him the fruit whereof he did eat, the judge sternly demands whether
Adam was bound to obey his consort, reminding him that woman was made
subject to man and declaring that by yielding to Eve's persuasions he
incurred equal guilt. Then, turning to the woman, the judge demands
what she had done, and Eve, abashed, confesses the serpent beguiled
her until she ate. Having thus heard both culprits, the judge
pronounces sentence upon the serpent in veiled terms, for, as yet, man
is not to understand what is divinely planned. Then, having disposed
of the archenemy, he predicts Eve will bring forth her children in
suffering and will be subject to her husband's will, ere he informs
Adam that henceforth he will have to earn his bread by the sweat of
his brow, for the earth will no longer bear fruit for him without
labor. Having thus pronounced his judgment, the judge postpones the
penalty of death indefini