Fo Dagon, and advanc'd his praises high

Among the heathen round; to God have brought
Dishonour, obloquy, and op'd the mouths
Of idolists, and atheists; have brought scandal
To Israel, diffideuce of God, and doubt

450

In feeble hearts, propense enough before
To waver, or fall off and join with idols;
Which is my chief affliction, shame and sorrow,
The anguish of my soul, that suffers not

455

Mine eye to harbour sleep, or thoughts to rest.
This only hope relieves me, that the strife

With me hath end; all the contest is now

460.

"Twixt God and Dagon; Dagon hath presum'd
Me overthrown, to enter lists with God,
His deity comparing and preferring

Before the God of Abraham. He, be sure,
Will not connive, or linger, thus provok'd,
But will arise, and his great name assert:
Dagon must stoop, and shall ere long receive
Such a discomfit, as shall quite despoil him

465

Of all these boasted trophies won on me,

And with confusion blank his worshippers.

470

Man. With cause this hope relieves thee, and these words

Or Dagon. But for thee what shall be done?
Thou must not in the meanwhile here forgot,
Lie in this miserable loathsome plight
Neglected. I already have made way
To sume Philistian lords, with whom to treat

480.

About thy ransom well they may by this 'Have satisfy'd their utmost of revenge

By pains and slav'ries, worse than death, inflicted

On thee, who now no more canst do them harm.

486

Samps. Spare that proposal, father; spare the trouble

Of that solicitation; let me here,

As I deserve, pay on my punishment;

And expiate, if possible, my crime,
Shameful garrulity. To have reveal'd
Secrets of men, the secrets of a friend,

490

How heinous had the fact been, how deserving
Contempt, and scorn of all, to be excluded
All friendship and avoided as a blab,

The mark of fool set on his front? but I
God's council have not kept, his holy secret
Presumptuously have publish'd, impiously,
Weakly at least, and shamefully; a sin
That Gentiles in their parables condemn
To their abyss and horrid pains confin'd.

Man. Be penitent, and for thy fault contrite; But act not in thy own affliction, son:

Repent the sin; but if the punishment

Thou canst avoid, self-preservation bids ;
Or th' execution leave to high disposal,
And let another hand, not thine, exact
Thy penal forfeit from thyself: perhaps
God will relent, and quit thee all his debt;
Who ever more approves, and more accepts,
(Best pleas'd with humble and filial submission)
Him, who, imploring mercy sues, for life,
Than who, self-rigorous chuses death as duc;
Which argues over-just, and self-displeas'd
For self-offence, more than for God offended.

505

510

Reject not then what offer'd means, who knows
But God hath set before us, to return thee
Home to thy country and his sacred house,
Where thou may'st bring thy off'rings, to avert
His further ire, with pray'rs and vows renew'd?

515

Sams. His pardon I implore; but as for life, To what end should I seek it? when in strength All mortals I excell'd, and great in hopes

520

With youthful courage, and magnanimous thoughts
Of birth from heav'n foretold, and high exploits,
Full of divine instinct, after some proof

525

Of acts indeed heroic, far beyond

The sons of Anak, famous now and blaz'd,
Fearless of danger, like a petty god

I walk'd about admir'd of all and dreaded
On hostile ground, noue daring my affront
Then swoll'n with pride into the snare 1 fell
Of fair fallacious looks, venereal trains,
Softened with pleasure and voluptuous life;
At length to lay my head and hallow'd pledge

Of all my strength in the lascivious lap
Of a deceitful concubine, who shore me

530

535

Like a tame weather, all my precious fleece
Then turn'd me out ridiculous, despoil'd,
Shaven, and disarin'd among mine enemies

Chor. Desire of wine and all delicious drinks,
Which many a famous warrior overturns,
Thou couldst repress; nor did the dancing ruby
Sparkling, out-pour'd, the flavour, or the smell,
Or taste that cheers the hearts of gods and men,

540

530. "None daring my affront."---to front or face me in a hostile manner.

VOL. III.

39

Allure thee from the cool crystalline stream.

545

Sams. Wherever fountain or fresh current flow'd
Against the eastern ray, translucent, pure
With touch ethereal of heaven's fiery rod,
I drank, from the clear milky juice allaying
Thirst, and refresh'd: nor envy'd them the grape
Whose heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes.

550

Chor. O madness, to think use of strongest wines And strongest drinks our chief support of health, When God with these forbidd'n made choice to rear His mighty champion, strong above compare,

555

Whose drink was only from the liquid brook.

Sams. But what avail'd this temp'rance, not complete

Against another object more enticing?

What boots it at one gate to make defence,

And at another to let in the foe,

560

Effeminately vanquish'd? by which means,

Now blind, dishearten'd, sham'd, dishonour'd, quell'd,

To what can I be useful, wherein serve

My nation, and the work from heav'n impos'd,

Here rather let me drudge, and earn my bread,

Till vermin, or the draff of servile food,

Consume me, and oft invocated death

Hasten the welcome end of all my pains.

575

Man. Wilt thou then serve the Philistines with that gift

Which was expressly given thee to annoy them?

Better at home lie bed-rid, not only idle,
Inglorious, unemploy'd, with age out-worn.

But God who caus'd a fountain at thy pray'r

580

From the dry ground to spring, thy thirst t' allay
After the brunt of battle, can as easy

Cause light again within thy eyes to spring,

Wherewith to serve him better than thou hast;
And I persuade me so; why else this strength
Mirac'lous yet remaining in those locks?
His might continues in thee not for nought,
Nor shall his wondrous gifts be frustrate thus.

585

Samps. All otherwise to me my thoughts portend,
That these dark orbs no more shall treat with light,
Nor th' other light of life continue long,
But yield to double darknes nigh at hand :
So much I feel my genial spirits droop,
My hopes all flat, nature within me seems
In all her functions weary of herself;
My race of glory run, and race of shame,
And I shall shortly be with them at rest.

590

5.95

Man. Believe not these suggestions, which proceed,

From anguish of the mind and humours black,

That mingle with thy fancy. I however

600

Must not omit a father's timely care

To prosecute the means of thy deliverance
By ransom, or how else: meanwhile be calm,
And healing words from these thy friends admit.

Sams. O that torment should not be confin'd
To the body's wounds and sores,

With maladies innumerable

In heart, head, breast, and reins;

But must secret passage find
To th' inmost mind