Here grows the cure of all, this fruit divine,

Fair to the eye, inviting to the taste,

Of virtue to make wise. What hinders, then,

To reach, and feed at once both body and mind?"

So saying, her rash hand, in evil hour,

Forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she ate!

Earth felt the wound, and Nature, from her seat,

Sighing through all her works, gave sign of woe,

That all was lost.