Then by main force pull'd up, and on his shoulders bore The gates of Azza, post, and massy bar, Up to the hill by Hebron, seat of giants old, No journey of a sabbath-day, and loaded so; Like whom the Gentiles feign to bear up Heaven. 150 Which shall I first bewail, Thy bondage, or lost sight, Prison within prison Inseparably dark? Thou art become (O worst imprisonment !) The dungeon of thyself; thy soul, 155 (Which men enjoying sight oft without cause com plain,) Imprison'd now indeed, In real darkness of the body dwells, Shut up from outward light T' incorporate with gloomy night; For inward light, alas! Puts forth no visual beam. O mirror of our fickle state, 160 Since man on earth, unparallel'd! 165 The rarer thy example stands, By how much from the top of wondrous glory, Strongest of mortal men, To lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fall'n. For him I reckon not in high estate 170. Whom long descent of birth, Or the sphere of fortune, raises; But thee whose strength, while virtue was her mate, Might have subdued the earth, Universally crown'd with highest praises. 175 Sams. I hear the sound of words; their sense the air Dissolves unjointed ere it reach my car. Chor. He speaks, let us draw nigh. Matchless in might, The glory late of Israel, now the grief; We come, thy friends and neighbours not unknown, From Eshtaol and Zora's fruitful vale, To visit or bewail thee; or, if better, 181 Counsel or consolation we may bring, Salve to thy sores; apt words have pow'r to swage The tumours of a troubled mind, And are as balm to fester'd wounds. 185 190 Sams. Your coming, Friends, revives me, for I learn Now of my own experience, not by talk, How counterfeit a coin they are who friends Bear in their superscription, (of the most I would be understood;) in prosp'rous days They swarm, but in adverse withdraw their head, Not to be found, though sought. Ye see, O Friends, How many evils have enclos'd me round: 200 Yet that which was the worst now least afflicts me, 195 205 210 Who hast of sorrow thy full load besides : Yet, truth to say, I oft have heard men wonder 216 Why thou shouldst wed Philistian women rather Sams. The first I saw at Timna, and she pleas'd 220 From intimate impúlse, and therefore urg'd 225 That specious monster, my accomplish'd snare. 230 And the same end; still watching to oppress Who, vanquish'd with a peal of words, (O weakness!) Gave up my fort of silence to a woman. 236 Chor. In seeking just occasion to provoke The Philistine, thy country's enemy, Thou never wast remiss, I bear thee witness: 240 Sams. That fault I take not on me, but transfer On Israel's governors, and heads of tribes, Who, seeing those great acts which God had done 245 The deeds themselves, though mute, spoke loud the doer: But they persisted deaf, and would not seem To count them things worth notice, till at length 250 Safe to the rock of Etham was retir'd; I willingly on some conditions came 255 Into their hands, and they as gladly yield me To the uncircumcis'd a welcome prey, 260 Bound with two cords; but cords to me were threads Touch'd with the flame: on their whole host I flew Their choicest youth; they only liv'd who fled. Whom God hath of his special favour rais'd 265 270 And how ingrateful Ephraim Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument, 285 290 Me easily indeed mine may neglect, But God's propos'd deliverance not so. Chor. Just are the ways of God, And justifiable to men; Unless there be who think not God at all: 295 If any be, they walk obscure; For of such doctrine never was there school, But the heart of the fool, And no man therein doctor but himself. Yet more there be, who doubt his ways not just, 300 As to his own edfets found contradicting, Then give the reins to wand'ring thought, As if they would confine th' Interminable, 305 And tie him to his own prescript, Who made our laws to bind us, not himself, 310 Whom so it pleases him by choice From national obstriction, without taint Of sin, or legal debt; For with his own laws he can best dispense. He would not else, who never wanted means, 315 Nor in respect of th' enemy just cause, To set his people free, Have prompted this heroic Nazarite, Against his vow of strictest purity, To seek in marriage that fallacious bride, 320 Down, reason, then; at least, vain reasonings, down; Though reason here aver, That moral verdict quits her of unclean: Unchaste was subsequent, her stain not his. But see here comes thy reverend sire With careful step, locks white as down, Forthwith how thou ought'st to receive him. Sams. Ay me, another inward grief, awak'd With mention of that name, renews th' assault. [Enter] Manoah. $25 330 Man. Brethren and men of Dan, for such ye seem, Though in this uncouth place; if old respect, As I suppose, tow'ards your once glory'd friend, My son, now captive, hither hath inform'd Your younger feet, while mine cast back with age Came lagging after; say if he be here. Chor. As signal now in low dejected state, As erst in high'est, behold him where he lies. 335 |