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 Of thy conception, and be now a shield Of fire; that Spirit, that first rushed on thee Be efficacious in thee now at need! For never was from Heav'n imparted 1430 1435 Measure of strength so great to mortal seed, 1440 He seems; supposing here to find his son, Or of him bringing to us some glad news? 1144 [Enter] MANOAH. Man. Peace with you, Brethren; my inducement hither Was not a present here to find my son, By order of the lords now parted hence To come and play before them at their feast. And numbers thither flock: I had no will, Lest I should see him forc'd to things unseemly. With gos d Success to work his liberty, 1450 Chor. That hope would much rejoice us to partake 1455 With thee; say, reverend sire, we thirst to hear. They had enough reveng'd; having reduc'd 1460 1465 The rest was magnanimity to remit, 1470 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, 1475 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. 1480 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 nothing. Chor. Fathers are wont to lay up for their sons, 1485 Thou for thy son art bet to lay o ti Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age, Thou in old age car'st how to nurse thy son, 1490 1495 1500 Useless, and thence ridiculous about him. 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 1505 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 Heav'n, what hideous noise was that! Horribly loud, unlike the former shout. 1510 Chor. Noise call you it, or universal groan, As if the whole inhabitation perish'd! Blood, death, and deathful deeds are in that noise, Ruin, destruction at the utmost point. Man. Of ruin indeed methought I heard the noise: 1515 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. This evil on the Philistines is fall'n; From whom could else a general cry be heard? 1525 And over heaps of slaughter'd 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; 1535 Chor. Of good or bad so great, of bad the sooner; For evil news rides post, while good news baits. 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? 1540 For dire imagination still pursues me. But providence or instinct of nature seems, 1545 Or reason though disturb'd, and scarce consulted, To' have guided me aright, I know not how, As at some distance from the place of horror, So in the sad event too much concern'd. Man. The accident was loud, and here before thee Mess. It would burst forth, but I recover breath Man. Sad, but thou know'st to Israelites not saddest 1550 1555 1561 Mess. Feed on that first; there may in grief be surfeit. Mess. Man. By Samson. That still lessens 1565 The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy. Mess. Ah, Manoah, I refrain too suddenly Hitting thy aged ear should pierce too deep. Man. Suspense in news is torture, speak them ont. To free him hence! but death, who sets all free, 1575 1580 |