two Milton and Augustine used the Genesis narrative as a scriptural source for their writings. The book of Genesis states that two conditions are prerequisite for the occurrence of transgression (i.e., the Fall): a command by God, whose pronouncement is supreme; and an intentional and conscious infringement of that command. Augustine quotes Genesis: "thus, when God spoke about the forbidden food to t
Wisdom without their leave? and wherein lies
he man whom he had placed in the garden, he said 'On whatever twenty-four hour period you eat of it you will surely die'--[spiritual death]." He explains that, in the " noncompliance to God's instructions, the first human beings were deprived of God's Favor" (Augustine XIII 15). Augustine spells out these contingencies by saying "they [Adam and Eve] had violated God's command by an palpable transgression" (Augustine XIV 18). Milton, too, clearly uses these two conditions in his epic. " hark back what I warn thee, shun to taste, / And shun the bitter answer" (Milton VII.326-327) knowing this "forth reaching to the Fruit, she [Eve] pluck'd, she eat" (Milton IX.781-782). Both St.
Augustine and Milton partition in on these two key conditions surrounding and jumper lead to the fall as means of supporting their explications.
Pride is not confined to the human free will but to the free will of the spirits that God created as well--spirits that have a less perfect spiritual substance than the substance of God their creator. The first to commit this sin is Satan, the "arrogant angel . . . wishful because of that congratulate of his" (Augustine XIV 11). Satan refused to be subject to his creator, or possibly to the awesome goodness of the creation, and thus "with the proud patronage of a tyrant he chose to rejoice over his subjects rather than to be a subject himself" (Augustine XI 11-13). Milton's Satan corresponds only to Augustine's portrayal. Satan revolts "with envy . . . could not bear / Through pride that sight [of God], and thought himself impair'd" (Milton V 662-65). He attempts to maintain that he exists "on his own," having not been created by God: "self-begot, self rais'd / by our [Satan's] quick'ning power" (VI 859-861). Milton sarcastically continues to call Satan a " bang-up Sultan waving to direct / thir course" (I 348-49) and a " unmatchable chief" (II 486). The resemblance can also be seen when Satan proclaims his power "while I abroad / Through
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