The Archangel Gabriel finds Satan and confronts him. That night Adam and Eve have innocent sex and fall asleep, and Satan turns into a toad whispering to Eve. Satan sees Adam and Eve, the first humans, and overhears them discussing God’s commandment forbidding them from eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Satan enters Paradise and its beauty causes him painful envy, but he resolves to bring evil out of God’s goodness. He pretends to be a cherub and sneaks past the angelic guard. Satan travels past Chaos and Night and finds Earth. God predicts that Satan will corrupt humans, and the Son offers to sacrifice himself for humanity’s sake. As he leaves Hell he meets his children, Sin and Death, who follow him and build a bridge from Hell to Earth. Satan offers to cross the abyss and find Earth alone. Beelzebub suggests they corrupt God’s new creation, Earth, and Satan agrees. The devils construct Pandaemonium, a meeting place, and discuss how they will continue their revolt against God. Milton invokes a Heavenly Muse to help him describe the “Fall of Man.” The action begins with Satan and his devils in Hell after they have been defeated by God’s army.
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