Eve's second sin was a certain spiritual sloth, by which it came about that, on hearing the serpent's words, the divine command, by which she was forbidden the eating of that tree, at once began to be displeasing and wearisome to her. The third sin was lying: for she said that God had forbidden them the touching of the tree, whereas he had forbidden only the eating. The fourth was the sin of infidelity: for if anyone is doubtful in faith, he is unfaithful; and Eve was assuredly unfaithful, because she doubted the truth of the divine pronouncement, by which it had been said to Adam, 'If you eat of this tree you shall die the death'; whereas she said doubtingly, 'Lest perhaps we die'; and besides she preferred to believe the serpent rather than God. The fifth sin was pride: for besides that first one which we have recalled, again, on hearing that promise of the serpent, 'You shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil,' she was inflamed with desire of so excellent a power and knowledge; for she immoderately coveted an excellence of power such as God has, and a knowledge of all things without any manner or measure. The sixth sin was gluttony: for the higher part being corrupted by pride, the lower part was at once perverted and corrupted by most ardently desiring the fruit forbidden her — which Scripture signified not obscurely in those words, 'The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and beautiful to the eyes,' etc. The seventh sin was disobedience, namely by the violation of God's law, by which the eating of that tree is forbidden.²

And here was made the consummation of iniquity, on account of which both those first human beings and all their posterity were deprived of the heavenly gift of original justice, and were punished with innumerable evils and miseries. I said the sin of disobedience, because the eating of that tree, setting aside God's law, was naturally good, but morally indifferent, to good or to evil. It was therefore so greatly evil and harmful for this one reason only, that it was against the obedience of the divine command, by which...³

...it had been forbidden to human beings: not indeed for any other reason than that man's obedience might be tested and proved, as we disputed above in the third book. The eighth was the sin of scandal: for by her own example, and by her coaxing and importunate entreaties, she moved, enticed, and impelled Adam to the same sin. The ninth sin was the foolish and shameless excusing of the crime committed: for when the woman was rebuked by God, she did not confess the crime, did not accuse herself, nor in penitence grieve over the offense, groan, and ask for pardon; but transferred the blame for the error onto the serpent by whom she had been deceived.⁴

In this whole sequence and order, then, as is probable, were the crimes perpetrated by Eve at that time. I do not, however, wish it understood that the aforesaid sins were all distinct in reality: but either they were distinct sins, or different circumstances and disordered movements and affections of a mind tending toward one and the same sin. But someone may ask, how could Eve bring herself to believe that the serpent's words and promises could be true, when they were utterly absurd and incredible? To this it can be answered: that Eve at that time, as Augustine says in book 11 of On Genesis according to the Letter, chapter 42, was very simple and of small understanding, and was ignorant of many things which she afterward learned and came to know from Adam. Or it can be said that Eve was so blinded in intellect by the sin of pride that either she thought the serpent's words possible, or at least did not notice and consider whether they were possible or not; but with her whole mind and desire was intent upon his promises, which were very specious and seemed most greatly to be desired.⁵