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So dreaded once, may now exasperate them,
I know not; lords are lordliest in their wine;
And the well-feasted priest then soonest fir'd
With zeal, if aught religion seem concern'd;
No less the people, on their holy-days,
Impetuous, insolent, unquenchable:
Happen what may, of me expect to hear
Nothing dishonourable, impure, unworthy
Our God, our law, my nation, or myself,
The last of me or no I cannot warrant.
Chor. Go, and the Holy One

Of Israel be thy guide

[name

To what may serve his glory best, and spread his
Great among the Heathen round;
Send thee the angel of thy birth, to stand
Fast by thy side, who from thy father's field
Rode up in flames after his message told
Of thy conception, and be now a shield
Of fire; that spirit, that first rush'd on thee
In the camp of Dan,

Be efficacious in thee now at need.
For never was from Heaven imparted
Measure of strength so great to mortal seed,
As in thy wondrous actions hath been seen.-
But wherefore comes old Manoah in such haste
With youthful steps? much livelier than ere
while

He seems; supposing here to find his son,
Or of him bringing to us some glad news?

[Enter] Manoah.

Man. Peace with you, brethren; my induce-
ment hither

Was not at present here to find my son,
By order of the lords now parted hence
To come and play before them at their feast.
I heard all as I came, the city rings,
And numbers thither flock: I had no will,
Lest I should see him forc'd to things unseemly.
But that, which mov'd my coming now, was
chiefly

To give ye part with me what hope I have
With good success to work his liberty.

Chor. That hope would much rejoice us to
partake

With thee; say, reverend sire, we thirst to hear.
Man. I have attempted one by one the lords
Either at home, or through the high street pass-
ing,

With supplication prone and father's tears,
To accept of ransom for my son their prisoner.
Some much averse I found and wonderous harsh,
Contemptuous, proud, set on revenge and spite;
That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his priests:
Others more moderate seeming, but their aim
Private reward, for which both God and state
They easily would set to sale: a third
More generous far and civil, who confess'd
They had enough reveng'd; having reduc'd
Their foe to misery beneath their fears,
The rest was magnanimity to remit,
If some convenient ransom were propos'd.
What noise or shout was that? it tore the sky.

Chor. Doubtless the people shouting to behold
Their once great dread, captive, and blind before

them,

Or at some proof of strength before them shown.
Man. His ransom, if my whole inheritance
May compass it, shall willingly be paid

And number'd down: much rather I shall choose
To live the poorest in my tribe, than richest,
And he in that calamitous prison left.
No, I am fix'd not to part hence without him.
For his redemption all my patrimony,
If need be, I am ready to forego

And quit: not wanting him, I shall want no-
thing.

Chor. Fathers are wont to lay up for their sons,
Thou for thy son art bent to lay out all;
Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age,
Thou in old age car'st how to nurse thy son,
Made older than thy age through eye-sight lost.

Man. It shall be my delight to tend his eyes,
And view him sitting in the house, ennobled
With all those high exploits by him achiev'd,
And on his shoulders waving down those locks
That of a nation arm'd the strength contain'd
And I persuade me, God had not permitted
His strength again to grow up with his hair,
Garrison'd round about him like a camp
Of faithful soldiery, were not his purpose
To use him further yet in some great service;
Not to sit idle with so great a gift
Useless, and thence ridiculous about him.
And since his strength with eye-sight was not
God will restore him eye-sight to his strength.

[lost,

[vain

Chor. Thy hopes are not ill founded, nor seem
Of his delivery, and the joy thereon
Conceiv'd, agreeable to a father's love,
In both which we, as next, participate.
Man. I know your friendly minds and-o
what noise!-

Mercy of Heaven, what hideous noise was that
Horribly loud, unlike the former shout.

Chor. Noise call you it, or universal groan,
As if the whole inhabitation perish'd! [noise,
Blood, death, and deathful deeds, are in that
Ruin, destruction at the utmost point.

Man. Of ruin indeed methought I heard the
noise:

Oh! it continues, they have slain my son.
Chor. Thy son is rather slaying them: that

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We unawares run into danger's mouth.
This evil on the Philistines is fall'n :
From whom could else a general cry be heard ;
The sufferers then will scarce molest us here;
From other hands we need not much to fear.
What if, his eye-sight (for to Israel's God
Nothing is hard) by miracle restor❜d,
He now be dealing dole among his foes,
And over heaps of slaughter'd walk his way ?
Man. That were a joy presumptuous to be
thought.

Chor. Yet God hath wrought things as incre-
dible

For his people of old; what hinders now?

Man. He can, I know, but doubt to think he

will;

Yet hope would fain subscribe, and tempts belief,
A little stay will bring some notice hither.

Chor. Of good or bad so great, of bad the

sooner;

For evil news rides post, while good news bates.
And to our wish I see one hither speeding,
An Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe.

[Enter] Messenger.

Mess. O whither shall I run, or which way fly
The sight of this so horrid spectacle,
Which erst my eyes beheld, and yet behold?
For dire imagination still pursues me.
But providence or instinct of nature seems,
Or reason though disturb'd, and scarce consulted,
To have guided me aright, I know not how,
To thee first, reverend Manoah, and to these
My countrymen, whom here I knew remaining,
As at some distance from the place of horrour,
So in the sad event too much concern'd.
Man. The accident was loud, and here before

thee

With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not;
No preface needs, thou seest we long to know.
Mess. It would burst forth, but I recover
breath

And sense distract, to know well what I utter.
Man. Tell us the sum, the circumstance defer.
Mess. Gaza yet stands, but all her sons are
fall'n,

All in a moment overwhelm'd and fall'n.

Man. Sad, but thou know'st to Israelites not
The desolation of a hostile city. [saddest
Mess. Feed on that first; there may in grief
be surfeit.

Man. Relate by whom.
By Samson.

Mess.

Man.
That still lessens
The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy.

Mess. Ah! Manoah, I refrain too suddenly
To utter what will come at last too soon;
Lest evil tidings with too rude irruption
Hitting thy aged ear should pierce too deep.
Man. Suspense in news is torture, speak them

out.

Mess. Take then the worst in brief, Samson is

dead.

Man, The worst indeed, O all my hopes de

feated

To free him hence! but death, who sets all free,
Hath paid his ransom now and full discharge.
What windy joy this day had I conceiv'd
Hopeful of his delivery, which now proves
Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring
Nipt with the lagging rear of winter's frost!
Yet ere I give the reins to grief, say first,
How died he; death to life is crown or shame.
All by him fell, thou say'st; by whom fell he?
What glorious hand gave Samson his death's
wound?

-Mess. Unwounded of his enemies he fell.
Man. Wearied with slaughter then, or how?
explain.

Mess. By his own hands.
Man.
Self-violence? what cause
Brought him so soon at variance with himself
Among his foes?

Inevitable cause

Mess.
At once both to destroy, and be destroy'd;
The edifice, where all were met to see him,
Upon their heads and on bis own he pull'd.

Man. Q lastly over-strong against thyself!
A dreadful way thou took'st to thy revenge,

More than enough we know; but while things yet
Are in confusion, give us, if thou canst,
Eye-witness of what first or last was done,
Relation more particular and distinct.

Mess. Occasions drew me early to this city;
And, as the gates I enter'd with sun-rise,
The morning trumpets festival proclaim'd
Through each high street: little I had despatch'd,
When all abroad was rumour'd that this day
Samson should be brought forth, to show the
people

Proof of his mighty strength in feats and games;
I sorrow'd at his captive state, but minded
Not to be absent at that spectacle.
The building was a spacious theatre
Half-round, on two main pillars vaulted high,
With seats where all the lords, and each degree
Of sort, might sit in order to behold;
The other side was open, where the throng
On banks and scaffolds under sky might stand;
I among these aloof obscurely stood.
The feast and noon grew high, and sacrifice
Had fill'd their hearts with mirth, high cheer,
and wine,

When to their sports they turn'd. Immediately
Was Samson as a public servant brought,
In their state livery clad; before him pipes,
And timbrels, on each side went armed guards,
Both horse and foot, before him and behind
Archers, and slingers, cataphracts and spears.
At sight of him the people with a shout
Rifted the air, clamouring their God with praise,
Who had made their dreadful enemy their thrall.
He patient, but undaunted, where they led him,
Came to the place; and what was set before him,
Which without help of eye might be assay'd,
To heave, pull, draw, or break, he still perform'd
All with incredible, stupendous force;
None daring to appear antagonist.
At length for intermission sake they led him
Between the pillars; he his guide requested
(For so from such as nearer stood we heard)
As over-tir'd to let him lean a while
With both his arms on those two massy pillars,
That to the arched roof gave main support.
He, unsuspicious, led him; which when Samson
Felt in his arms, with head a while inclin❜d,
And eyes fast fix'd he stood, as one who pray'd,
Or some great matter in his mind revolv'd:
At last with head erect thus cried aloud,
"Hitherto, lords, what your commands impos'd
I have perform'd, as reason was, obeying,
Not without wonder or delight beheld:
Now of my own accord such other trial

I mean to show you of my strength, yet greater,
As with amaze shall strike all who behold."
This utter'd, straining all his nerves he bow'd,
As with the force of winds and waters pent,
When mountains tremble, those two massy pil
With horrible convulsion to and fro [lars
He tugg'd, he shook, till down they came and
drew

The whole roof after them, with burst of thunder
Upon the heads of all who sat beneath,
Lords, ladies, captains, counsellors, or priests,
Their choice nobility and flower, not only
Of this but each Philistian city round,
Met from all parts to solemnize this feast.
Samson, with these immix'd, inevitably

Pull'd down the same destruction on himself;
The vulgar only 'scap'd who stood without.

Chor. O dearly-bought revenge, yet glorious! Living or dying thou hast fulfill'd

The work for which thou wast foretold
To Israel, and now ly'st victorious
Among thy slain self-kill'd,

Not willingly, but tangled in the fold

Of dire necessity, whose law in death conjoin'd Thee with thy slaughter'd foes, in number more Than all thy life hath slain before.

1. Semichor. While their hearts were jocund
and sublime,

Drunk with idolatry, drunk with wine,
And fat regorg'd of bulls and goats,
Chanting their idol, and preferring
Before our living Dread who dwells
In Silo, his bright sanctuary:

Among them he a spirit of phrenzy sent,
Who hurt their minds,

And urg'd them on with mad desire
To call in haste for their destroyer;
They, only set on sport and play,
Unweetingly importun'd

Their own destruction to come speedy upon them.
So fond are mortal men,

Fall'n into wrath divine.

As their own ruin on themselves to invite,
Insensate left, or to sense reprobate,
And with blindness internal struck.

2. Semichor. But he, though blind of sight, Despis'd and thought extinguish'd quite, With inward eyes illuminated,

His fiery virtue rous'd

From under ashes into sudden flame,

And as an evening dragon came,

Assailant on the perched roosts

And nests in order rang'd

Of tame villatic fowl; but as an eagle

His cloudless thunder bolted on their heads.

So virtue, given for lost,

Depress'd, and overthrown, as seem'd,

Like that so'f-begotten bird

In the Arabian woods embost,

That no second knows nor third,

And lay ere while a holocaust,

From out her ashy womb now teem'd,

Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous most
When most unactive deem'd;

And, though her body die, her fame survives
A secular bird ages of lives.

Man. Come, come; no time for lamentation

now,

Nor much more cause; Samson hath quit himself
Like Samson, and heroicly hath finish'd
A life heroic, on his enemies

Fully reveng'd, hath left them years of mourning,
And lamentation to the sons of Caphtor
Through all Philistian bounds, to Israel
Honour hath left, and freedom, let but them
Find courage to lay hold on this occasion;
To himself and father's house eternal fame;
And, which is best and happiest yet, all this
With God not parted from him, as was fear'd,
But favouring and assisting to the end.
Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail
Or knock the breast; no weakness, no contempt,
Dispraise, or blame; nothing but well and fair,
And what may quiet us in a death so noble.

Let us go find the body where it lies
Soak'd in his enemies blood; and from the stream
With lavers pure, and cleansing herbs, wash off
The clotted gore. I, with what speed the while,
(Gaza is not in plight to say us nay,)

Will send for all my kindred, all my friends,
To fetch him hence, and solemnly attend
With silent obsequy, and funeral train,
Home to his father's house: there will I build him
A monument, and plant it round with shade
Of laurel ever green, and branching palm,
With all his trophies hung, and acts inroll'd
In copious legend, or sweet lyric song.
Thither shall all the valiant youth resort,
And from his memory inflame their breasts
To matchless valour, and adventures high:
The virgins also shall, on feastful days,
Visit his tomb with flowers; only bewailing
His lot unfortunate in nuptial choice,
From whence captivity and loss of eyes.

Chor. All is best, though we oft doubt
What the unsearchable dispose
Of highest Wisdom brings about,
And ever best found in the close.
Oft he seems to hide his face,
But unexpectedly returns,

And to his faithful champion hath in place
Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns,
And all that band them to resist

His uncontrollable intent;

His servants he, with new acquist

Of true experience, from this great event
With peace and consolation hath dismist,
And calm of mind, all passion spent.

APPENDIX

ΤΟ

SAMSON AGONISTES,

CONTAINING PLANS OF OTHER SUBJECTS, IN-
TENDED FOR TRAGEDIES BY MILTON:
FROM HIS OWN MS, IN TRINITY COL-
LEGE, CAMBRIDGE.

SCRIPTURE SUBJECTS.'

OTHER TRAGEDIES.

i. The Flood. [See No. iii. below.]

ii. Abram in Egypt.

iii. The Deluge.

iv. Sodom.

v. Dinah, Vide Euseb. Præparat. Evangel. lib. ix. cap. xxii.

These numerous scripture subjects justify a remark made by Mr. Warton, that Milton early leaned towards religious subjects for plays, and wished to turn the drama into the scriptural channel he accordingly, in his Reason of Ch. Gov. against Prelacy, written in 1641, tempers his praise of Sophocles and Euripides with recommending Solomon's Song; and adds, that "the

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vi. Thamar Cuophorusa.
Where Juda is
found to have been the author of that
crime, which he condemned in Tamar :
Tamar excus'd in what she attempt-
ed.

vii. The golden Calfe, or The Massacre in
Horeb.

viii. The Quails. Num. xi.

ix.. The Murmurers. Num. xiv.

x. Corah, Dathan, &c. Num. xvi, xvii.
xi. Moabitides. Num. xxv. [See No. Iv.
below.]

xii. Achan. Joshue vii and viii. xiii., Josuah in Gibeon. Josh. x. xiv. Gideon Idoloclastes. Judg. vi, vii. xv. Gideon pursuing. Judg. viii. xvi. Abimelech the Usurper. Judg. ix. xvii. SAMSON MARRIING, or in Ramach Lechi. Judg. xv.

xviii. SAMSON PURSOPHORUS, or Hybristes, or Dagonalia. Judg. xvi.

xix. Comazontes, or The Benjaminites, or The Rioters. Judg. xix, xx, xxi.

xx. Theristria, a Pastoral, out of Ruth. xxi. Eliade, Hophni and Phinehas. I Sam.

i, ii, iii, iv. Beginning with the first overthrow of Israel by the Philistines; interlac't with Samuel's vision concerning Elie's family.

xxii. Jonathan rescued. I Sam. xiv. xxiii, Doeg slandering. I Sam. xxii.

xxiv. The sheep-shearers in Carmel, a Pastoral.

I Sam. xxv.

xv. Saul in Gilboa. I Sam. xxviii, xxxi. xxvi. David revolted. I Sam. from the xxvii chap. to the xxxi.

xxvii. David adulterous. II Sam. c. xi, xii. xxviii. Tamar, II Sam. xiii.

xxix. Achitophel. II Sam. xv, xvi, xvii, xviii. XXX. Adoniah. I Reg. ii.

xxxi. Solomon Gynææcocratumenus, or Idolo

margus, aut Thysiazusa. I Reg. xi. xxxii. Rehoboam. 1 Reg. xii. Wher is disputed of a politic religion. xxxiii. Abias Thersæus, IReg, xiv. The queen, after much dispute, as the last refuge, sent to the profet Ahias of Shilo; receavs the message. The Epitasis, in that shee, hearing the child shall die, as she comes home, refuses to return, thinking thereby to elude the oracle.

Apocalypse of Saint John is the majestic image of a high and stately tragedy, shutting up and intermingling her solemn scenes and acts with a seven-fold chorus of hallelujahs and harping symphonies." Prose-Works, edit, 1698, vol. i. 61. TODD.

2 So they are termed in Milton's MS. Those, which relate to Paradise Lost, have been given at the end of that poem. TODD.

The former part is spent in bringing the sick prince forth as it were desirous to shift his chamber and couch, as dying men use; his father telling him what sacrifize he had sent for his health to Bethel and Dan; his fearlessnesse of death, and putting his father in mind to set [send] to Ahiah. The Chorus of the Elders of Israel bemoning his virtues bereft them, and at another time wondring why Jeroboam, being bad himself, should so grieve for his son that was good, &c.

xxxiv. Imbres, or The Showers. I Reg. xviii, xix.

xxxv. Naboth unvpartéμevoç. I Reg. xxi. xxxvi. Ahab. I Reg. xxii. Beginning at the

synod of fals profets: ending with relation of Ahab's death: his bodie brought. Zedechiah slain by Ahab's friends for his seducing. (See Lavater, II Chron. xviii.)

xxxvii. Elias in the mount. II Reg. i. 'Opußáτng. Or, better, Elias Polemistes.

xxxviii. Elisaus Hudrochóos. II Reg. iii. Hudrophantes. Aquator.

xxxix. Elisaus Adorodocétas.

xl. Elisaus Minutes, sive in Dothaimis. II
Reg. vi.

xli. Samaria Liberala. II Reg. vii.
xlii. Achabæi Cunoboromeni. II Reg. ix.

The Scene, Jesrael. Beginning, from
the watchman's discovery of Jehu, till
he go out. In the mean while, message
of things passing brought to Jesebel,
&c. Lastly, the 70 heads of Ahab's
sons brought in, and message brought of
Ahaziah's brethren slain on the way.
Chap, x.
xliii. Jehu Belicola. II Reg. x.
xliv. Athaliah. II Reg. xi.
xlv. Amaziah Doryalotus. II Reg. xiv. II
Chron. xxv.

xlvi. Hezechias modiognμecos. II Reg. xviii,
xix. Hesechia beseiged. The wicked hy-
pocrisy of Shebna, (spoken of in the xi.
or thereabout of Isaiah,) and the com-
mendation of Eliakim, will afford póguas
Aéys, together with a faction that sought
help from Egypt.

xlvii. Josiah Alalomenos. II Reg. xxiii.
xlviii. Zedechia VEOTEgi. II Reg. But the
story is larger in Jeremiah.

xlix. Salymay Halosis. Which may begin
from a message brought to the city, of
the judgement upon Zedechiah and his
children in Ribla: and so seconded
with the burning and destruction of city
and temple by Nebuzaradan; lamented
by Jeremiah.

1. Asa, or Ethiopes. II Chron. xiv. with
the deposing his mother, and burning
her idol.

li. The three children. Dan. iii.'

lii. Abram from Morea, or Isaac redeem-
The oiconomie may be thus. The
fift or sixt day after Abraham's depar-
ture. Eleazar (Abram's steward) first
alone, and then with the Chorus, dis

course of Abraham's strange voiage, thire mistresse sorrow and perplexity, accompanied with frightfull dreams; and tell the manner of his rising by night, taking his servants and his son with him. Next may come forth Sarah herself. After the Chorus, or Ismael, or Agar. Next some shepheard or companie of merchants, passing through the mount in the time that Abram was in the mid-work, relate to Sarah what they saw. Hence lamen

tations, fears, wonders. The matter in the mean while divulg'd, Aner, or Eschol, or Mamre, Abram's confederats, come to the house of Abram to be more certaine, or to bring news; in the mean while discoursing, as the world would, of such an action, divers ways; bewayling the fate of so noble a man faln from his reputation, either through divin justice or superstition, or covering to doe some notable act through zeal. At length a servant, sent from Abram, relates the truth; and last he himselfe comes in with a great traine of Melchizedec's, whose shepheards, beeing secretlye witnesses of all passages, had related to their master, and he conducted his friend Abraham home with joy.

iii. Baptistes. The Scene, the Court.

Beginning, From the morning of Hero'ds birth-day.

* In the margin of the MS. Or els the queen

Herod, by some counsel

er persuaded on his birthmay plot, under day to release John Bappræ.enseof begging for his li- tist, purposes it, causes berty, to seek him to be sent for to court

to draw him in

to a snare by from prison. The queen his freedom of hears of it, takes occaspeech.

sion to passe wher he is, on purpose, that, under prætense of reconsiling to him, or seeking to draw a kind retractation from him of the censure on the marriage; to which end she sends a courtier before, to sound whether he might be persuaded to mitigate his sentence; which not finding, she herself craftily assays; and on his constancie, founds an accusation to Herod of a contumacious affront, on such a day, before many peers; præpares the king to some passion, and at last by her daughter's dancing, effects it. There may prologize the spirit of Philip, Herod's brother. It may also be thought that Herod had well bedew'd himself with wine, which made him grant the easier to his wive's daughter.

Some of his disciples also, as to congratulate his liberty, may be brought in; with whom, after certain command of his death, many compassionating words of his disciples, bewayling his youth cut off in his glorious cours; he telling them his work is don, and wishing them to follow Christ his mais

ter.

liv. Sodom. The title, Cupid's funeral pile:

Sodom burning. The Scene before Lot's gate.

The Chorus, consisting of Lot's shepherds come to the citty about some affairs, await in the evening thire maister's return from his evening walk toward the citty gates. He brings with him two young men, or youths, of noble form. After likely discourses, præpares for thire entertainment. By then supper is ended, the gallantry of the towne passe by in procession, with music and song, to the temple of Venus Urania or Peor; and, understanding of tow noble strangers arriv'd, they send 2 of thire choysest youth, with the priest, to invite them to thire citty solemnities; it beeing an honour that thire citty had decreed to all fair personages, as beeing sacred to their goddess. The angels being ask't by the priest whence they are, say they are of Salem; the priest inveighs against the strict reign of Melchisedec.

Lot, that knows thire drift, answers thwartly at last. Of which notice given to the whole assembly, they hasten thither, taxe him of præsumption, singularity, breach of city-customs; in fine, offer violence. The Chorus of shepheards præpare resistance in thire maister's defence; calling the rest of the serviture: but, being forc❜t to give back, the angels open the dore, rescue Lot, discover themselves, wame him to gether his friends and sons in law out of the city.

He goes, and returns; as having met with some incredulous. Some other freind or son in law (out of the way when Lot came to his house) overtakes him to know his buisnes. Heer is disputed of incredulity of divine judgements, and such like matters.

At last is described the parting from the citty. The Chorus depart with their maister. The angels doe the deed with all dreadful execution. The king and nobles of the citty may come forth, and serve to set out the terror. A Chorus of angels concluding, and the angels relating the event of Lot's journey, and of his wife.

The first Chorus, beginning, may relate the course of the citty; each evening every one, with mistresse or Ganymed, gitterning along the streets, or solacing on the banks of Jordan, or down the stream.

At the priests' inviting the angels to the solemnity, the angels, pittying their beauty, may dispute of love, and how it differs from lust; seeking to win them,

In the last scene, to the king and nobles, when the fierce thunder begins aloft, the angel appeares all girt with flames, which, he saith, are the flames of true love, and tells the king, who falls down with terrour, his just suffering, as also Athane's, that is, Gener, Lot's son

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