The motion suggested by RECOILS connects the image of a cannon recoiling upon itself when fired, and the momentary distraction of Satan by his own evil and the implications of it.

The word RECOILS brings to mind the coils of a snake, which is the form that Satan chooses to assume in his temptation of Eve. According to Milton's description of what a snake would look like at the time of Adam and Eve, it would be upright, sitting atop its own coils, and moving in a circular motion. The snake that Satan inhabits is referred to as having a golden neck and gems for eyes. In this way, Milton shows how the snake was attractive to Eve, and a fitting host for Satan

Lisa Stanton loyaltotheroyal@hotmail.com