Τραγωδία μίμησις πράξεως σπεδαΐας, &c.
Tragedia eft imitatio actionis feriæ, &c. per mifericordiam et metum perficiens talium
"affectuum luftrationem."
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OF THAT SORT OF DRAMATIC POEM WHICH IS CALLED TRAGEDY.
TRAGEDY, as it was anciently compos'd, hath been ever held the graveft, moraleft, and moft profitable of all other poems: therefore faid by Ariftotle to be of power, by railing pity and fear, or terror, to purge the mind of thofe and fuch like paffions, that is, to temper and reduce them to juft measure with a kind of delight, stirr'd up by reading or feeing thofe paffions well imitated. Nor is Nature wanting in her own effects to make good his affertion: for fo in phyfic things of melancholic hue and quality are us'd against melancholy, four against four, falt to remove falt humors. Hence philofophers and other graveft writers, as Cicero, Plutarch, and others, frequently cite out of tragic poets, both to adorn and illuftrate their difcourfe. The Apottle Paul himself thought it not unworthy to insert a verfe of Euripides into the text of Holy Scripture, 1 Cor. xv. 33. ; and Paræus, commenting on the Revelation, divides the whole book as a tragedy, into acts diftinguifh'd each by a chorus of heavenly harpings and fong between. Heretofore men in highest dignity have labor'd not a little to be thought able to compofe a tragedy. Of that honor Dionyfius the elder was no lefs ambitious, than before of his attaining to the tyranny. Auguftus Cæfar alfo had begun his Ajax, but, unable to pleafe his own judgment with what he had begun, left it unfinifh'd. Seneca the philofopher is by fome thought the author of thofe tragedies (at least the beft of them) that go under that name. Gregory Nazianzen, a Father of the Church, thought it not unbefeeming the fanctity of his perfon to write a tragedy, which is intitled Chrift fuffering. This is mention'd to vindicate tragedy from the fmall efteem, or rather infamy, which in the account of many it undergoes at this day with other common interludes; hap'ning through the poets error of intermixing comic ftuff with tragic fadnefs and gravity; or introducing trivial and vulgar perfons, which by all judicious hath been counted abfurd; and brought in without difcretion, corruptly to gratify the people. And though ancient tragedy ufe no prologue, yet ufing fometimes, in cafe of felf-defenfe, or explanation, that which Martial calls an epiftle; in behalf of this tragedy coming forth after the ancient manner, much different from what among us paffes for belt, thus much before-hand may be epiftled; that chorus is here introduc'd after the Greek manner, not ancient only but modern, and still in use among the Italians. In the modeling therefore of this poem, with good reason, the Ancients and Italians are rather follow'd, as of much more authority and fame. The measure of verse us'd in the chorus is of all forts, call'd by the Greeks Monoftrophic, or rather Apolelymenon, without regard had to Strophe, Antiftrophe, or Epod, which were a kind of ftanzas fram'd only for the mufic, then us'd with the chorus that fung; not effential to the poem, and therefore not material; or, being divided into ftanzas or paufes, they may be call'd Allæoftropha. Divifion into act and feene referring chiefly to the flage (to which this work never was intended) is here omitted.
It fuffices if the whole drama be found not produc'd beyond the fifth act. Of the file and uniformity, and that commonly call'd the plot, whether intricate or explicit, which is nothing indeed but fuch œconomy, or difponition of the fable as may ftand best with verfimilitude and decorum; they only will beft judge who are not unacquainted with Efchylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the three tragic poets unequal'd yet by any, and the best rule to all who endevor to write tragedy. The circumfcription of time, wherein the whole drama begins and ends, is according to ancient rule, and beft example, within the fpace of twenty-four hours.
Samfon made captive, blind, and now in the prifon at Gaza, there to labor as in a common workhouse, on a festival day, in the general ceffation from labor, comes forth into the open air, to a place nigh, fomewhat retir'd, there to fit a while and bemoan his condition. Where he happens at length to be vifited by certain friends and equals of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who feek to comfort him what they can; then by his old father Manoah, who endeavors the like, and withal tells him his laft purpose to procure his liberty by ranfome; laftly, that this feaft was proclam'd by the Philistines as a day of thanksgiving from their deliverance from the hands of Samfon, which yet more troubles him. Manoah then departs to profecute his endevor with the Philiftine lords for Samfon's redemption; who in the mean while is vifited by other perfons; and lafly by a public officer to require his coming to the feaft before the lords and people, to play or fhow his flrength in their prefence; he at first refufes, difmiffing the public officer with abfolute denial to come; at length per fuaded inwardly that this was from God, he yields to go along with him, who came now the fecond time with great threatnings to fetch him: The Chorus yet remaining on the place, Manoah returns full of joyful hope, to procure ere long his fon's deliverance in the midft of which discomfe an Hebrew comes in hafle, confusedly at firit, and afterward more diftinctly relating the catastrophe, what Samfon had done to the Philistines, and by accident to himfelf; wherewith the tragedy ends.
MANOAH, the Father of Samfon.
DALILA, his Wife.
HARAPHA of Gath.
Little onward lend thy guiding hand
To thefe dark fteps, a little further on;
Fe. yonder bank hath choice of fun or shade:
There I am wont to fit, when any chance
Relieves me from my task of fervile toil,
Daily' in the common prifon elfe injoin'd me,
Where I, a prifoner chain'd, fcarce freely draw
The air imprifon'd also, close and damp,
Unwholesome draught: but here I feel amends,
The breath of Heav'n fresh blowing, pure and
fweet,
With day-fpring born; here leave me to refpire.
This day a folemn feaft the people hold
To Dagon their fea-idol, and forbid
Laborious works; unwillingly this reft
Their fuperftition yields me; hence with leave 15
Retiring from the popular noife, I feek
This unfrequented place to find fome eafe,
Eafe to the body fome, none to the mind
From reftless thoughts, that, like a deadly fwarm
Of hornets arm'd, no fooner found alone,
Public Officer.
Meffenger.
Chorus of Danites.
The SCENE before the Frifon in Gaza.
But ruh upon me thronging, and prefent
Times paft, what once i was, and what am now.
O wherefore was my birth from Heav'n foretold
Twice by an Angel, who at last in fight
Of both my parents all in flames afcended
From off the altar, where an offering bara'd,
As in a fiery column charioting
His god-like prefence, and from fome great act
Or benefit reveal'd to Abraham's race?
Why was my breeding order'd and preferib'd 30
As of a perfon feparate to God,
Defign'd for great exploits; if I must die
Betray'd, captiv'd, and both my eyes put out,
Made of my enemies the fcorn and gaze;
To grind in brazen fetters under task
With this Heav'n-gifted ftrength? O glorious
strength,
Put to the labor of a beast, dehas'd
Lower than bond-flave! Promife was that I
Should Ifrael from Philiftian yoke deliver;
Afk for this great deliverer now, and find him
Eyelefs in Gaza at the mill with slaves,
By weakest fubtleties, not made to rule,
But to fubferve where wifdom bears command!
God, when he gave me ftrength, to show withal
How flight the gift was, hung it in my hair.
I must not quarrel with the will
Of higheft difpenfation, which herein
Haply had ends above my reach to know:
Suffices that to me ftrength is my bane,
And proves the fource of all my miseries;
So many, and fo huge, that each apart
Would ask a life to wail, but chief of all,
O lofs of fight, of thee I most complain!
Blind among enemies, O worfe than chains,
Dungeon, or beggary, or decrepit age!
Light the prime work of God to me' is extinct, 70
And all her various objects of delight
Annull'd, which might in part my grief have eas'd,
Inferior to the vileft now become
Of man or worm; the vileft here excel me,
They creep, yet fee, I dark in light expos'd
To daily fraud, contempt, abufe, and wrong,
Within doors, or without, ftill as a fool,
In pow'r of others, never in my own;
Scarce half feem to live, dead more than half.
O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon, 80
Irrecoverably dark, total eclipse
Without all hope of day!
O firft created Beam, and thou great Word,
Let there be light, and light was over all;
Why am I thus bereav'd thy prime decree?
The fun to me is dark
And filent as the moon,
When the deferts the night
Hid in her vacant interlunar cave.
Since light fo necessary is to life,
And almoft life itself, if it be true
That light is in the foul,
To all the miferies of life, Life in captivity
Among inhuman foes.
But who are thefe? for with joint pace I hear 110
The tread of many feet fteering this way;
Perhaps my enemies who come to stare
At my affliction, and perhaps t' infult
Their daily practice to afflict me more.
CHOR. This, this is he; foftly a while,
Let us not break in upon him;
O change beyond report, thought, or belief!
See how he lies at random, carelefly diffus'd,
With languifh'd head unpropt,
As one paft hope, abandon'd,
And by himfelf given over;
In flavish habit, ill fitted weeds
O'er-worn and foil'd;
Or do my eyes mifreprefent? Can this be he,
That heroic, that renown'd,
Irrefiftible Samfon? whom unarm'd
No strength of man, or fiercelt wild beaft could
The gates of Azza, poft, and maffy bar,
Up to the hill by Hebron, feat of giants old,
No journey of a fabbath-day, and loaded fo;
Like whom the Gentiles feign to bear up Heaven.
Which shall I first bewail,
90 Thy bondage or loft fight,
Prifon within prifon
She all in every part: why was the fight
To fuch a tender ball as th' eye confin'd,
So obvious and fo cafy to be quench'd?
And not, as feeling, through all parts diffus'd,
Tha: fhe might look at will through every pore?
Then had I not been thus exil'd from light,
As in the land of darkness yet in light,
To live a life half dead, a living death,
And bury'd; but O yet more miferable!
Myfelf, my fepulchre, a moving grave,
Bary'd, yet not exempt
By privilege of death and burial
From worst of other evils, pains and wrongs, 105 But made hereby obnoxious more
Thou art become (O worst imprisonment!) 155 The dungeon of thyself; thy foul
(Which men enjoying fight oft without caufe complain)
Imprifon'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 ftate,
By how much from the top of wondrous glory,
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How many evils have inclos'd me round;
194
Yet that which was the worst now leaft afflicts me,
Blindnefs, for had I fight, confus'd with fhame,
How could I once look up, or heave the head,
Who like a foolish pilot have fhipwrack'd
My veffel trufted to me from above,
Glorioufly rigg'd; and for a word, a tear,
Fool, have divulg'd the fecret gift of God
To a deceitful woman? tell me, Friends,
Am I not fung and proverb'd for a fool
In every street? do they not fay, how well
Are come upon him his deferts? yet why? 205
Immeafurable ftrength they might behold
In ne, of wisdom nothing more than mean;
This with the other fhould, at least, have pair'd,
Thefe two propertion'd ill drove me tranfverfe.
Cao. Tax not divine difpofal; wifeft men 210
Have err'd, and by bad women been deceiv'd;
And shall again, pretend they ne'er fo wife.
Deject not then fo overmuch thyfelf,
Who haft of forrow thy full load befides;
Yet truth to fay, I oft have heard men wonder 215
Why thou fhouldft wed Philiflian women rather
Than of thine own trike fairer, or a, fair,
At leaft of thy own nation, and as noble.
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(O that I never had! fond wifh too late,)
Was in the vale of Sorec, Dalila,
That fpecious moniter, my accomplish'd fnare.
I thought it lawful from my former act, 231
And the fame end; ftill watching to opprefs
Ifrael's oppreffors: of what now I fuffer
She was not the prime caufe, but I myself,
Who vanquish'd with a peal of words (Oweakness!)
Gave up my fort of filence to a woman.
Cho. In fecking juft occafion to provoke
The Philiftine, thy country's enemy,
Thou never waft remifs, I bear thee witnefs:
Yet Ifraël ftill ferves with all his fons.
SAMS. That fault I take not on me, but transfer On Ifrael's governors, and heads of tribes, Who feeing those great acts, which God had done Singly by me against their conquerors, Acknowledg'd not, or not at all confider'd Deliverance offer'd: I on th' other fide Us'd no ambition to commend my deeds, The deeds themselves, though mute, fpoke loud the doer;
But they perfifted deaf, and would not feem 249
To count them things worth notice, till at length
Their lords the Philistines with gather'd powers
Enter'd Judea feeking me, who then
Safe to the rock of Etham was retir'd,
Not flying, but fore-cafting in what place
To fet upon them, what advantag'd best:
Mean while the men of Judah, to prevent
The harrafs of their land, befet me round;
I willingly on fome conditions came
Into their hands, and they as gladly yield me
To the uncircumcis'd a welcome prey,
Bound with two cords; but cords to me were
Touch'd with the flame: on their whole hoft I flew
Unarm'd, and with a trivial weapon fell'd
Their choiceft youth; they only liv'd who fled.
Had Judah that day join'd, or one whole tribe, 265
They had by this poffefs'd the towers of Gath,
And lorded over them whom now they ferve:
But what more oft in nations grown corrupt,
And by their vices brought to fervitude,
Than to love bondage more than liberty,
Bondage with ease than ftrenuous liberty;
And to defpife, or envy, or fufpc&
Whom God hath of his fpecial favor rais'd
As their deliverer; if he ought begin,
How frequent to defert him, and at last
To heap ingratitude on worthiest deeds?
CHO. Thy words to my remembrance bring
How Succoth and the fort of Penuel
Their great deliverer contemn'd,
The matchlefs Gideon in purfuit
Of Madian and her vanquish'd kings:
And how ingrateful Ephraim
Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument,
Not worse than by his fhield and spear,
Defended Ifrael from the Ammonite,
Had not his prowefs quell'd their pride
In that fore battel when fo many dy'd
Without reprieve adjudg'd to death,
For want of well pronouncing Shibboleth.
SAMS. Of fuch examples add me to the roll, 290
Forthwith how thou oughtft to receive him. 329
SAMS. Ay me, another inward grief awak'd
With mention of that name renews th' affault.
MAN. Brethren and men of Dan, for fuch ye
fecm,
Though in this uncouth place; if old refpect,
As I fuppofe, tow'ards your once glory'd friend,
My fon now captive, hither hath inform'd
335
Your younger feet, while mine caft back with age
Came lagging after; fay if he be here.
CHO. As fignal now in low dejected state, As erft in high'eft, behold him where he lies. MAN. O miferable change! is this the man, That invincible Samfon, far renown'd, The dread of Ifrael's foes, who with a strength Equivalent to Angels walk'd their streets, None offering fight; who fingle combatant Duel'd their armies rank'd in proud array, Himself an army, now unequal match To fave himself against a coward arm'd At one fpear's length. O ever-failing truft In mortal ftrength! and oh what not in man Deceivable and vain? Nay, what thing good 350 Pray'd for, but often proves our woe, our banc ? I pray'd for children, and thought barrenness In wedlock a reproach; I gain'd a fon, And fuch a fon as all men hail'd me happy;
Who would be now a father in my ftead?
O wherefore did God grant me my request,
And as a blefling with fuch pomp adorn'd?
Why are his gifts defirable, to tempt
Our earnest pray'rs, then, giv'n with folemn hand
As graces, draw a fcorpion's tail behind?
360
For this did th' Angel twice defcend? for this
Ordain'd thy nurture holy, as of a plant
Select, and facred, glorious for a while,
The miracle of men; then in an hour
Infnar'd, affaulted, overcome, led bound,
Thy foes derifion, captive, poor and blind,
Into a dungeon thruft, to work with flaves?
Alas methinks whom God hath chofen once
To worthieft deeds, if he through frailty err,
He fhould not fo o'erwhelm, and as a thrall 370
Subject him to fo foul indignities,
Be it but for honor's fake of former deeds.
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SAMS. Appoint not heav'nly difpofition, Father;
Nothing of all thefe evils hath befall'n me
But justly; I myself have brought them on, 375
Sole author I, fole caufe: if ought feem vile,
As vile hath been my folly, who' have profan'd
The mystery of God giv'n me under pledge
Of vow, and have betray'd it to a woman,
A Canaanite, my faithless enemy
This well I knew, nor was at all furpris'd,
But warn'd by oft' experience: did not the
Of Timna first betray me, and reveal
The fecret wrefted from me in her highth
Of nuptial love profefs'd, carrying it strait 385
To them who had corrupted her, my spies
And rivals? In this other was there found
More faith, who alfo in her prime of love,
Spoufal embraces, vitiated with gold,
Though offer'd only, by the feent conceiv'd 390
Her fpurious firft-born, treafon against me?
Thrice the affay'd with flattering prayers and fighs,
And amorous reproaches, to win from me
My capital fecret, in what part my ftrength
Lay ftor'd, in what part fumm'd, that she might
know;
395
Thrice I deluded her, and turn'd to sport
Her importunity, each time perceiving
How openly, and with what impudence,
She purpos'd to betray me, and (which was worse
Than undiffembled hate) with what contempt 400
She fought to make me traitor to myself;
Yet the fourth time, when mustering all her wiles,
With blandish'd parlies, feminine affaults,
Tongue-batteries, the furceas'd not day nor night
To ftorm me over-watch'd, and wearied out, 405
At times when men feek moft repole and reft,
I yielded, and unlock'd her all my heart,
Who with a grain of manhood well refolv'd
Might easily have shook off all her fnares:
But foul effeminacy held me yok'd
Her bond-dave; O indignity, O blot
To honor and religion! fervile mind
Rewarded well with fervile punishment!
The bafe degree to which I now am fall'n,
Thefe rags, this grinding is not yet fo bafe
As was my former fervitude, ignoble,
Unmanly, ignominious, infamous,
True flavery, and that blindness worse than this,
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