Lucifer, many his clear questions,[39]
went amongst the animals,
amongst the herds outside Paradise
until he found the serpent.
"Is it not useless (i.e. unworthy of you) thy being outside?"
said the Devil to the serpent;
"with thy dexterous cunning,
with thy cleverness, with thy subtlety?
"Great was the danger and the wickedness
that Adam should have been ordained over thee;
the downfall[40] of him, the youngest of created things,
and his destruction, would be no crime to us.
"Since thou art more renowned in warfare,
first of the twain thou wast created,
thou art more cunning, more agreeable in every way (?)
do not submit to the younger!
"Take my advice without shrinking,[41]
let us make an alliance and friendship;
listen to my clear reasoning:
do not go forth to Adam.
"Give me a place in thy body,
with my own laws, with my own intellect,
so that we both may go from the plain
unexpectedly[42] to Eve.
"Let us together urge upon her
the fruit of the forbidden tree,
that she afterwards may clearly
press the food upon Adam.
"Provided that they go together
beyond the commandment of his Lord,
God will not love them here,
they will leave Paradise in evil plight."[43]
"What reward is there for me above every great one?"
said the serpent to the devil;
"on my welcoming thee into my fair body,
without evil, as my fellow-inhabitant?
"For guiding thee on that road
to destroy Eve and Adam,
for going with thee truly to the attack
whatever act thou mayest undertake?"[44]