Up to the highth, whether to hold or break. A Nazarite, in place abominable, Vaunting my strength in honour to their Dagon? Besides how vile, contemptible, ridiculous, What act more execrably unclean, profane? Chor. Yet with this strength thou serv'st the Philistines, Idolatrous, uncircumcised, unclean. Sams. Not in their idol-worship, but by labour Honest and lawful to deserve my food Of those who have me in their civil power. 1350 1360 Chor. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile not. Sams. Where outward force constrains, the sentence holds: But who constrains me to the temple of Dagon, Not dragging? The Philistian lords command: I do it freely, venturing to displease For some important cause, thou need'st not doubt. 1370 Chor. How thou wilt here come off surmounts my reach. 1380 Sams. Be of good courage; I begin to feel Some rousing motions in me, which dispose To something extraordinary my thoughts. I with this messenger will go along Nothing to do, be sure, that may dishonour By some great act, or of my days the last. Chor. In time thou hast resolved: the man returns. 1390 Off. Samson, this second message from our lords To thee I am bid say: Art thou our slave, Or we shall find such engines to assail Sams. I could be well content to try their art, Because they shall not trail me through their streets Masters' commands come with a power resistless And for a life who will not change his purpose? 1400 Off. I praise thy resolution. Doff these links: 1410 Sams. Brethren, farewell. Your company along I will not wish, lest it perhaps offend them So dreaded once, may now exasperate them Of Israel be thy guide To what may serve his glory best, and spread his name Send thee the Angel of thy birth, to stand Fast by thy side, who from thy father's field 1420 1430 Be efficacious in thee now at need! 1440 He seems supposing here to find his son, Man. Peace with you, brethren! My inducement hither Was not at present here to find my son, By order of the lords new 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 forced to things unseemly. But that which moved my coming now was chiefly Chor. That hope would much rejoice us to partake 1450 1460 1470 If some convenient ransom were proposed. 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, May compass it, shall willingly be paid And numbered 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 fixed not to part hence without him. If need be, I am ready to forgo And quit. Not wanting him, I shall want nothing. Thou for thy son art bent to lay out all: Made older than thy age through eye-sight lost. 1480 Man. It shall be my delight to tend his eyes, Useless, and thence ridiculous, about him. 1490 1500 And, since his strength with eye-sight was not lost, God will restore him eye-sight to his strength. Chor. Thy hopes are not ill founded, nor seem vain, Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon Conceived, 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 perished? Blood, death, and deathful deeds, are in that noise, 1510 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 outcry From slaughter of one foe could not ascend. Man. Some dismal accident it needs must be. What shall we do-stay here, or run and see? 1520 Chor. Best keep together here, lest, running thither, We unawares run into danger's mouth. From whom could else a general cry be heard? The sufferers, then, will scarce molest us here; He now be dealing dole among his foes, And over heaps of slaughtered walk his way? 1530 Man. That were a joy presumptuous to be thought. For his people of old; what hinders now? Man. He can, I know, but doubt to think he will; Chor. Of good or bad so great, of bad the sooner; An Ebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe. Messenger. 0, whither shall I run, or which way fly Which erst my eyes beheld, and yet behold? But providence or instinct of nature seems, Or reason, though disturbed and scarce consulted, 1540 1550 Man. The accident was loud, and here before thee 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 fallen, All in a moment overwhelmed and fallen. Man. Sad! but thou know'st to Israelites not saddest Mess. Feed on that first; there may in grief be surfeit. Mess. Man. By Samson. That still lessens The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy.. Hitting thy aged ear, should pierce too deep. Man. Suspense in news is torture; speak them out. 1561 Mess. Then take the worst in brief: Samson is dead. 1570 Man. The worst indeed! O, all my hope's defeated To free him hence! but Death, who sets all free, Hath paid his ransom now and full discharge. 1580 What glorious hand gave Samson his death's wound? |