Sams. Boast not of what thou wouldst have done, but do

What then thon would'st; thou seest it in thy hand.

Har. To combat with a blind man I disdain,

And thou hast need much washing to be touch'd.
Sams. Such usage as your honourable lords
Afford me', assassinated and betray'd,

Who durst not with their whole united powers
In fight withstand me single and unarm'd,
Nor in the house with chamber-ambushes
Close-banded durst attack me, no, not sleeping,
Till they had hir'd a woman with their gold

1105

1110

Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent me

1115

Therefore, without feign'd shifts, let be assign'd

Some narrow place euclos'd, where sight may give thee,
Or rather flight, no great advantage on me;

Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet
And brigandine of brass, thy broad habergeon,
Vant-brace and greves, and gauntlet, add thy spear,
A weaver's beam, and sev'n-times-folded shield;
I only with an oaken staff will meet thee,
And raise such outcries on thy clatter'd iron,
Which long shall not withhold me from thy head,
That in a little time, while breath remains thee,
Thou oft shall wish thyself at Gath, to boast
Again in safety what thou would'st have done
To Samson, but shalt never see Gath more.

1120

1125

Har. Thon durst not thus disparage glorious arms,

1130

Which greatest heroes have in battle worn,

Their ornament and safety, had not spells,

And black enchantments, some magician's art,

Arm'd thee or charm'd thee strong, which thou from leav'n Feign'dst at thy birth was giv'n thee in thy hair,

1135

Where strength can least abide, though all thy hairs
Were bristles rang'd like those that ridge the back
Of chaf'd wild boars, or ruffled porcupines.

Sams. I know no spells, use no forbidden arts; My trust is in the living God, who gave me

1140

At my nativity this strength, diffus'd

No less through all my sinews, joints, and bones,

Than thine, while I preserv'd these locks unshorn,
The pledge of my unviolated vow.

For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy God,

1145

Go to his temple, invocate his aid

With solemnest devotion, spread before him

How highly it concerns his glory now
To frustrate and dissolve these magic spells,
Which I to be the power of Israel's God
Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test,
Offering to combat thee his champion bold,
With th' utmost of his godhead seconded :
Then thou shalt see, or rather, to thy sorrow,
Soon feel, whose God is strongest, thine or mine.

1150

1155

Har. Presume not on thy God, whate'er he be ;

Thee he regards not, owns not, hath cut off

Quite from his people, and deliver'd up

Into thy enemies' hand, permitted them

To put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd send thee

1160

Into the common prison, there to grind

Among the slaves and asses thy comrades,
As good for nothing else; no better service

With those thy boist'rous locks, no worthy match
For valour to assail, nor by the sword
Of noble warrior, so to stain his honour,
But by the barber's razor best subdued.

1165

Sams. All these indignities, for such they are
From thine, these evils I deserve, and more,
Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me
Justly, yet despair not of his final pardon,
Whose ear is ever open, and his eye
Gracious to re-admit the suppliant:
In confidence whereof I once again
Defy thee to the trial of mortal fight,
By combat to decide whose God is God,
Thine, or whom I with Israel's sons adore

1170

1175

Har. Fair honour that thou dost thy God, in trusting

He will accept thee to defend his cause,

A murderer, a revolter, and a robber!

1180

Sums. Tongue-doughty Giant, how dost thou prove me Har. Is not thy nation subject to our lords? Their magistrates confess'd it, when they took thee

(these?

As a league-breaker, and deliver'd bound

Into our hands: for hadst thou not committed
Notorious murder on those thirty men

1185

At Ascalon, who never did thee harin,

Then like a robber stripp'dst them of their robes?
The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league,

Went up with armed pow'rs thee only seeking,

1190

To others did no violence nor spoil.

Sams. Among the daughters of the Philistines I chose a wife, which argued me no foe ;

To wring from me, and tell to them, my secret,

That solv'd the riddle which I had propos'd.

1200

When I perceiv'd all set on enmity,
As on my enemies, wherever chanc'd,
I us'd hostility, and took their spoil,
To pay my underminers in their coin.
My nation was subjected to your lords;

1205

It was the force of conquest; force with force

Is well ejected when the conquer'd can.

But I, a private person, whom my country

As a league-breaker gave up bound, presum'd
Single rebellion, and did hostile acts:

1210

I was no private, but a person rais'd

With strength sufficient, and command from Heav'n,

To free my country; if their servile minds

Me, their deliverer sent, would not receive,

But to their masters gave me up for nought,

1215

Th' unworthier they; whence to this day they serve.

I was to do my part from Heav'n assign'd,

And had perform'd it, if my known offence

Had not disabled me, not all your force;

These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant,

1220

Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts,
Who now defies thee thrice to single fight,

As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

Har. with thee ! a man condem'd, a slave enroll'd, Due by the law to capital punishment!

1225

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.

Sams. Cam'st thou for this, vain boaster, to survey me,

To descant on my strength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer; part not hence so slight inform'd;
But take good heed my hand survey not thee.
Har. O Baal-zebub ! can my ears unus'd
Hear these dishonours, and not render death ?

1230

Sams. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand Fear I incurable; bring up thy van,

'My heels are fetter'd, but my fist is free.

1235

Har. This insolence other kind of answer fits.
Sams. Go, baffled coward! lest I run upon thee,
Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast,
And with one buffet lay thy structure low,
Or swing thee in the air, then dash thee down
To th' hazard of thy brains and shatter'd sides.
Har. By Astaroth, ere long thou shalt lament
These braveries, in irons loaden on thee.

Chor. His giantship is gone somewhat crest-fall'n,
Stalking with less unconscionable strides,
And lower looks, but in a sultry chase.

4

Sams. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood,
Though fame divulge him father of five sons,
All of gigantic size, Goliah chief.

1240

[Exit.]

1245

Chor. He will directly to the lords, I fear,

1250

And with malicious counsel stir them up

Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.

Sams. He must allege some cause, and offer'd fight

Will not dare mention, lest a question rise

Whether he durst accept th' offer or not;

1255

And that he durst not, plain enough appear'd.

Much more affliction than already felt

They cannot well impose, nor I sustain ;

If they intend advantage of my labours,

The work of many hands, which earns my keeping

1260

With no small profit daily to my owners.

But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove

My speediest friend, by death to rid me hence

The worst that he can give, to me the best.
Yet so it may fall out, because their end

1265