459). Such an encounter is the mainstay of Book 9 since both Eve and Adam are chastened by God and are forced to reason with Him in order to confess to their sin and accept the punishment required in order to 'multiply and replenish' the earth as they had been commanded. They knew the reason behind such a commandment, and they also knew that in the long run, what they had done, was what had to happen. According to Milton, both Adam and Eve had accepted that reasoning in Heaven before they were even placed on earth, and with that acceptance were blessed with the capability to reason over earthly circumstances that perhaps they would not have been...

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