So saying, she embraced him, and for joy Tenderly wept, much won that he his love Had so ennobled, as of choice to incur Divine displeasure for her sake, or death. In recompense (for such compliance bad Such recompense best merits) from the bough She gave him of that fair enticing fruit With liberal hand; he scrupled not to eat Against his better knowledge, not deceived, But fondly overcome with female charm. Milton presents Adam as MORE culpable than Eve, in this crucial regard, that Adam, as St Paul says, was not deceived. I don't think I'd have been eager to see any daughter of mine married to Milton, who seems to have been a bear to get along with at home, but he saw, with Shakespeare and Chaucer, that the sin of those in a position of headship is far likelier to be abdication or neglect or timidity, than to be tyranny or cruelty. And THEN you get chaos; and it's often THEN that the weak leader, having rendered all other means impossible, has to resort to extraordinary punishments.