Doubt And Error

Dominus dixit: in quacumque die comederis ex eo morte morieris. Mulier dixit: Ne forte moriamur. Diabolus dixit: Nequaquam moriemini. Dominus affirmavit, mulier dubitavit diabolus negavit. Qui ergo dubitavit, ab affirmante recessit, et neganti appropinquavit. Si mulier non dubitasset, forte diabolus non negasset. Sed dedit audaciam, quae incohavit malitiam. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber I, Tit LXXXIX, De Dei, mulieris, et diaboli, de mortis incurrenda assertione Source: Migne PL 177.520a-b

The Lord said, 'On whatever day you shall eat of it, you shall die the death.' The woman said, 'Lest perhaps we shall die.' The devil said, 'You shall not die.' 1 The Lord asserted, the woman doubted, the devil denied. Therefore he who has doubted has withdraw from assertion and come near denial. If the woman had not doubted, perhaps the devil would not have denied. But he became bold when the woman began to err. Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 1, Chap 89, On God, the Woman, and the Devil, and the Assertion of Impending Death 1 Gen 2.17, 3.3-4