That faw not how degenerately I ferv'd.
MAN. I cannot praise thy marriage choices, Son, Rather approv'd them not; but thou didst plead Divine impulfion prompting how thou might'st Find fome occafion to infeft our foes.
I ftate not that; this I am fure, our foes Found foon occafion thereby to make thee Their captive, and their triumph; thou the fooner Temptation found'ft, or over-potent charms To violate the facred truft of filence Depofited within thee; which to have kept Tacit, was in thy power: true; and thou bear'ft Enough, and more, the burden of that fault; 431 Bitterly haft thou paid, and fill art paying That rigid fcore. A worfe thing yet remains, This day the Philifines a popular feaft Here celebrate in Gaza; and proclame Great pomp, and facrifice, and praises loud To Dagon, as their God who hath deliver'd Thee, Samfon, bound and blind into their hands, 'Them out of thine, who flew'st them many a flain. So Dagon fhall be magnify'd; and God, Befides whom is no God, compar'd with idols, Difglority'd, blafphem'd, and had in fearn By the idolatrous rout amidst their wine; Which to have come to pass by means of thee, Samfon, of all thy fufferings think the heaviest, Of all reproach the most with fhame that ever Could have befall'n thee and thy father's houfe. SAMS. Father, I do acknowledge and confefs That I this honor, I this pcmp have brought To Dagon, and advanc'd his praifes high Among the Heathen round; to God have brought Dihenor, obioquy, and op'd the mouths Of idolifts, and atheilts; have brought fcandal To Ifrael, diffidence of God, and doubt
Before the God of Abraham. He, be fure, 465 Will not connive, or linger, thus provok'd, But will arife and his great name affert : Dagon must stoop, and fhall ere long receive Such a difcomfit, a fhall quite defpoil him Of all thefe boafted trophies won on me, And with confufion blank His worshipers. MAN. With caufe this hope relieves thee, and these words
I as a prophecy receive; for God, Nothing more certain, will not long defer To vindicate the glory of his name
Against all competition, ner will long
Indure it doubtful whether God be Lord, Or Dagon. But for thee what shall be done? Thou muft not in the mean while here forgot Lie in this miferable loathfome plight Ngiccted I already have made way To fome Philiftiau lords, with whom to treat
About thy ranfome: well they may by this Have fatisfied their utmost of revenge
By pains and flaveries, worfe than death inflicted On thee, who now no more canft do them harm. SAMS. Spare that propofal, Father, fpare the trouble
Of that folicitation; let me here, As I deferve, pay on my punishment; And expiate, if poffible, my crime, Shameful garrulity. To have reveal'd Secrets of men, the fecrets of a friend, How heinous had the fact been, how deferving Contempt, and fcorn of all, to be excluded All friendship, and avoided as a blab, The mark of fool fet on his front!
But I God's counfel have not kept, his holy fecret Prefumptuously have publifh'd, impioudy, Weakly at least, and fhamefully: a fin That Gentiles in their parables condema To their abyfs and horrid pains contin'd. MAN. Be penitent and for thy fault contrite, But act not in thy own affliction, Son: Repent the fin; but if the punishment Thou canst avoid, felf-prefervation bids; Or th' execution leave to high disposal, And let another hand, not thine, exact Thy penal forfeit from thyfelf; perhaps God will relent, and quit thee all his debt; Who ever more approves and more accepts (Beft pleas'd with humble' and filial fubmiffion) Him who imploring mercy fues for life, Than who felf-rigorous choofes death as due; Which argues over-juft, and felf-difpleas'd For felf-offenfe, more than for God offended. 515 Reject not then what offer'd means; who knows But God hath fet before us, to return thee Home to thy country and his facred houfe, Where thou mayft bring thy offerings, to avert His further ire, with prayers and vows renew'd? SAMS. His pardon I implore; but as for life, To what end fhould I feek it? When in strength All mortals 1 excell'd, and great in hopes With youthful courage and magnanimous thoughts Of birth from Heav'n foretold and high exploits, Full of divine inftinct, after fome proof Of acts indeed heroic, far beyond The fons of Anak, famous now and biaz'd, Fearlefs of danger, like a petty God
I walk'd about admir'd of all and dreaded On hoftile ground, none daring my affront Then fwoll'n with pride into the inare I fell Offair fallacious looks, venereal trains, Soften'd with pleafure and voluptuous life; At length to lay my head and hallow'd pledge $35 Of all my ftrength in the lafcivious lap Of a deceitful concubine, who fhore me Like a tame wother, all my precious ficece, Then turn'd me out ridiculous, defpoil'd, Shav'n, and difarm'd among mine enemies.
Cuo. Defire of wine and all delicious drinks, Which many a famous warrior overturns, Thou couldst reprefs, nor did the dancing ruby Sparkling, out-pour'd, the flavor, or the smell, Or tafte that chears the heart of Gods and men, Allure thee from the cool cryftallin ftream. 546
SAMS. Whatever fountain or fre fh current flow'd Against the eastern ray, translucent, pure With touch ethereal of Heav'n's fiery rod, I drank, from the clear milky juice allaying 550 Thift, and refresh'd; nor envy'd them the grape Whole heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes. CHO. O maduels, to think ufe of ftrongeft wines And ftrongeft drinks our chief, fupport of health, When God with thefe forbidd'n made choice to rear His mighty champion, ftrong above compare, 556 Whofe drink was only from the liquid brook! SAMS. But what avail'd this temp'rance, not complete
Against another object more enticing? What beots it at one gate to make defense, And at another to let in the foc,
560 To black mortification.
Effeminately vanquifh'd? by which means, Nowblind,difhearten'd, fham'd, difhonor'd, quell'd, To what can I be useful, wherein ferve
My nation, and the work from Heav'n impos'd, But to fit idle on the houfhold hearth,
Nor breath of vernal air from inowy Alp.
A burd'nous drone; to vifitants a gaze, Or pity'd object, thefe redundant locks Robuftious to no purpose cluttering down,
Vain monument of ftrength; till length of years And fedentary numnefs craze my limbs To a contemptible old-age obfcure? Here rather let me drudge and earn my bread, Till vermin or the draff of fervile food Confume me, and oft-invoked death Hafter the welcome end of all my pains. MAN. Wilt thou then ferve the Philiftines with
Which was exprefly given thee to annoy them? Better at home lie bed-rid, not only idle, Inglorious, unemploy'd, with age out-worn. 580 But God, who caus'd a fountain at thy prayer From the dry ground to fpring, thy thirft t' allay After the brunt of battel, can as cafy Caufe light again within thy eyes to fpring, Wherewith to ferve him better than thou hast; And I perfuade me fo; why elfe this ftrength 586 Miraculous yet remaining in thofe locks? His might continues in thee not for nought, Nor fhall his wondrous gifts be fruftrate thus. SAMS. All otherwife to me my thoughts por- tend,
That thefe dark orbs no more fhall treat with light, Nor th' other light of life continue long, But yield to double darkness nigh at hand: So much I feel my genial fpirits droop, My hopes all flat, nature within me seems In all her functions weary of herfelf, My race of glory run, and race of fhame, And I fhall fhortly be with them that reft. MAN. Believe not thefe fuggeftions, which proceed
From anguifh of the mind and humers black, 600 That mingle with thy fancy. I however Muft not omit a father's timely care To profecute the means of thy deliverance By ranfome, or how elfe: mean while be calm, And healing words from thefe thy friends admit. SAMS. O that torment fhould not be confin'd To the body's wounds and fores,
And fenfe of Heav'n's defertion.
Promis'd by heav'nly meffage twice defcending. Under his fpecial eye
Abftemious I grew up and thriv'd amain;
He led me on to mightieft deeds Above the nerve of mortal arm
Against th' uncircumcis'd, our enemies : But now hath caft me off as never known, And to thofe cruel enemies, Whom by his appointment had provok'd, Left me all helplefs with th' irreparable lofs Of fight, referv'd alive to be repeated The fubject of their cruelty or scorn. Nor am in the lift of them that hope; Hopelefs are all my evils, all remedilefs; This one prayer yet remains, might I be heard, No leng petition, speedy death,
The clofe of all my miferies, and the balm.
Cuo. Many are the fayings of the wife In ancient and in modern books inroll'd, Extolling patience as the trueft fortitude: And to the bearing well of all calamities, All chances incident to man's frail life, Confolatories writ
With ftudy'dargument, and much perfuafion fough Lenient of grief and anxious thought:
But with th' afflicted in his pangs their found 660 Little prevails, or rather feems a tune
Harth, and of diffonant mood from his complaint; Unless he feel within
Some fource of confolation from above, Secret refreshings, that repair his ftrength, 665 And fainting fpirits uphold.
God of our fathers, what is man!
That thou tow'ards him with hand so various, Or might I fay contrarious,
Temper ft thy providence through his short course, Not ev'nly, as thou rul'ft
Th' angelic orders and inferior creatures mute, 2 [R]
SAMS. No, no, of my condition take no care; It fits not; thou and I long fince are twain: Nor think me fo unwary or accurs'd, To bring my feet again into the fnare Where once I have been caught; I know thy trains Though dearly to my coft, thy gins, and toils; Thy fair inchanted cup, and warbling charms No more on me have power, their force is null'd, So much of adder's wifdom I have learn'd To fence my ear against thy forceries.
If in my flower of youth and ftrength, when all
Thy husband, flight me, fell me, and forego me; How wouldst thou ufe me now, blind, and thereby Deceivable, in moft things as a child Helpless, thence eafily contemn'd, and fcorn'd, And laft neglected? How wouldft thou infult, When I must live uxorious to thy will In perfect thraldom, how again betray mc, Bearing my words and doings to the lords To glofs upon, and cenfuring, frown or fmile? This jail I count the houfe of liberty To thine, whofe doors my feet fhall never enter. DAL. Let me approach at leaft, and touch thy hand.
For peace, reap nothing but repulfe and hate?
Bid go with evil omen and the brand Of infamy upon my name denounc'd? To mix with thy concernments i defift Henceforth, nor too much difapprove my own. Fame if not double-fac'd is double-mouth'd, 971 And with contrary blaft proclames most deeds: On both his wings, one black, the other white, Bears greatest names in his wild aery flight. My name perhaps among the circumcis'd In Dan, in Judah, and the bordering tribes, To all pofterity may ftand de fam'd, With malediction mention'd, and the blot Of falfhood most unconjugal traduc'd.
But in my country where I most defire, In Ecron, Gaza, Afdod, and in Gath, I fhall be nam'd among the famouseit Of women, fung at folemn feftivals, Living and dead recorded, who, to fave Her country from a fierce deftroyer, chofe 985 Above the faith of wedlock-bands, my tomb With odors vifited and annual flowers; Not lofs renown'd than in mount Ephraim Jacl, who with inhofpitable guile
Smote Sifera fleeping through the temples nail'd. Nor fhall I count it hainous to enjoy The public marks of honor and reward, Conferr'd upon me, for the piety
Which to my country I was judg'd to' have shown. At this whoever envies or repines,
I leave him to his lot, and like my own. Cuo. She's gone, a manifeft ferpent by her fing Difcover'd in the end, till now conceal'd.
SAMS. So let her go, God fent her to debafe me, And aggravate my folly, who committed To fuch a viper his moft facred truft
Of fecrefy, my fafety, and my life. CHO. Yet beauty, though injurious, hath firange
(Which way foever men refer it)
Much like thy riddle, Samfon, in one day Or feven, though one fhould mufing fit. If any of thefe or all, the Timinian bride Had not fo foon preferr'd
Thy paranymph, worthlefs to thee compar'd, Ic1 Succeffor in thy bed,
Nor both fo loofly difally'd
Their nuptials, nor this laft fo treacherously Had fhorn the fatal harveft of thy head.
Is it for that fuch outward ornament Was lavish'd on their fex, that inward gifts Were left for hafte unfinish'd, judgment fcant, Capacity not rais'd to apprehend
In choice, but ofteft to affect the wrong? 100 Or was too much of felf-love mix'd,
Of conftancy no root infix'd,
That either they love nothing, or not long? Whate'er it be, to wifeft men and best Seeming at first all heav'nly under virgin vel, Soft, modeft, meek, demure,
Once join'd, the contrary the proves, a thorn Inteftin, far within defenfive arms
A cleaving mischief, in his way to virtue
Adverfe and turbulent, or by her charms 1040 Draws him awry inflav'd
With dotage, and his sense deprav'd
To folly' and fhameful deeds which ruin ends.
On his whole life, not fway'd
By female ufurpation, or difmay'd. but had we best retire, I fee a storm?
SAMS. Fair days have oft contracted wind and rain.
CHO. But this another kind of tempeft brings. SAMS. Be lefs abftrufe, my riddling days are paft. CHO. Look now for no inchanting voice, nor fear The bait of houied words; a rougher tongue Draws hitherward, I know him by his ftride, The giant Harapha of Gath, his look Haughty as is his pile high-built and prond. Comes he in peace? what wind hath blown him hither
I lefs conjecture than when firft I faw The fumptueus Dalila floting this way: His habit carries peace, his brow defiance.
I lofe, prevented by thy eyes put out. SAME. Boaft not of what thou wouldst have done, but do
1104 What then thou wouldft, thon feeft it in thy hand. HAR. To combat with a blind man I difdain, And thou haft need much washing to be touch'd. SAMS. Such ufage as your honorable lords Afford me' affaffinated and betray'd, Who durft not with their whole united powers In fight withstand me fingle and unarm'd, Nor in the houfe with chamber ambushes Clofe-banded durft attack me, no not fleeping Till they had hir'd a woman with their gold Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent me. Therefore without feign'd fhifts let be aflign'd Some narrow place inclos'd, where fight may give thee,
Or rather flight, no great advantage on me; Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet And brigandine of brafs, thy broad habergeon, Vant-brafs and greves, and gauntlet, add thy fpear, A weaver's beam, and seven-times-folded fhield, I only with an oaken ftaff will meet thee, And raife fuch outcries on thy clatter'd iron, Which long fhall not withhold me from thy head, That in a little time while breath remains thee, Thou oft fhalt with thyfelf at Gath to boast Again in fafety what thou wouldst have done To Samfon, but fhalt never fee Gath more. HAR. Thou durft not thus difparage glorious
Which greatest heroes have in battle worn, Their ornament and fafety, had not spells And black inchantments, fome magician's art, Arm'd thee or charm'd thee ftrong, which thou from Heaven
Feign'dft at thy birth was giv'n thee in thy hair, Where strength can leaft abide, though all thy
hairs 1136 Were briftles rang'd like those that ridge the back Of chaf'd wild boars, or ruffled porcupines.
SAMS. I know no fpells, ufe no forbidden arts; My truft is in the living God, who gave me 1140 At my nativity this ftrength, diffus'd
No lefs through all my finews, joints, and bones, Than thine, while I preferv'd thefe locks unfhorn, The pledge of my unviolated vow.
For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy God, 1145 Go to his temple, invocate his aid With folemneft devotion, spread before him How highly it concerns his glory now To fruftrate and diffolve thefe magic spells, Which I to be the power of Ifrael's God Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test, Offering to combat thee his champion bold, With th' utmost of his Godhead feconded: Then thou shalt fee, or rather to thy forrow 1154 Soon feel, whofe God is ftrongcft, thine or mine. HAR. Prefume not on thy God, whate'er he be, Thee he regards not, owns not, hath cut off Quite from his people, and deliver'd up Into thy enemies' hand, permitted them To put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd fend thee 1166
Into the common prifon, there to grind Among the flaves and alles thy comrades,
HAR. With thee, a man condemn'd, a flave inroll'd,
Due by the law to capital punishment? To fight with thee no man of arms will deign. SAMS. Cam't thou for this, vain boaiter, to furvey me,
To défcant on my ftrength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer, part not hence fo flight inform'd; But take good heed my hand survey not thee.
HAR. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd 1231 Hear thefe difhonore, and not render death? SAMS No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand
Fear I incurable; bring up thy van,
My heels are fetter'd, but my fift is free.
With no finall profit daily to my owners. But come what will, my deadlieft foe will prove My fpeedieft friend, by death to rid me hence, The worst that he can give, to me the best. Yet fo it may fall out, becaufe their end Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.
Cro. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving To the fpirits of juft men long opprefs'd! When God into the hands of their deliverer 1170 Puts invincible might
To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppreffor, The brute and boisterous force of violent men Hardy and induftrious to fupport
Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue
The righteous and all fuch as honor truth; He all their ammunition
With plain heroic magnitude of mind
And celeftial vigor arm'd,
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