I'm wondering where and when this association between the Serpent and Satan started. It's not in the Bible. (And according to the Gnostic texts, the Serpent was sent by the Mother Goddess to help restore the male/female harmony that Yahweh disavowed). Milton probably doesn't address this, but it's crucial to my own reading of the text, since I don't support that association and want to know at least what Milton's source is.