“That Fallacious Fruit”: Lapsarian Lovemaking in Paradise Lost

[Adam] forbore not glance or toy Of amorous intent, well understood Of Eve, whose Eye darted contagious fire. Her hand he seiz’d, and to a shady bank, Thick overhead with verdant roof imbowr’d He led her nothing loath; Flowers were the Couch, Pansies, andViolets, and Asphodel, And Hyacinth, earth’s freshest softest lap. There they thir fill of Love and Love’s disport Took largely, of their mutual guilt the Seal, The solace of thir sin, till dewy sleep Oppress’d them, wearied with thir amorous play. . . . the force of that fallacious Fruit . . . About their spirits had played. Paradise Lost 9.1034-48