Chapter 189 — On the seduction of Eve by the devil

The devil, who had already fallen into sin, saw that man was so equipped that he could arrive at everlasting happiness, from which the devil himself had been cast out. Yet, as he knew, man could still sin. So he sought to lead man astray from the straight path of justice, by attacking him on his weaker side: that is, he tempted the woman, in whom the good of wisdom was less vigorous. The more easily to induce her to break the command, he lyingly drove from her mind the fear of death, and promised her things that man naturally desires, namely, the overcoming of ignorance, saying: your eyes shall be opened; and the excellence of dignity: you shall be as gods; and the perfection of knowledge: knowing good and evil (Gen 3:5). On the part of his intellect man naturally shuns ignorance and desires knowledge; and on the part of his will, which is naturally free, he desires high station, so that he may be subject to no one, or at any rate to as few as possible.