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. Har. This insolence other kind of answer fits, 7 Sams. Go, baffled coward! lest I run upon thee, Har. Fair honour that thou dost thy God, in Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast, As a league-breaker, and deliver❜d bound Then like a robber stripp'dst them of their robes ? The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league, Went up with armed powers thee only seeking, To others did no violence nor spoil. Sams. Among the daughters of the Philistines I chose a wife, which argued me no foe; And in your city held my nuptial feast: But your ill-meaning politician lords, Under pretence of bridal friends and guests, Appointed to await me thirty spies, [bride Who, threatening cruel death, constrain'd the To wring from me, and tell to them, my secret, That solv'd the riddle which I had propos'd. 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; 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. I was no private, but a person rais'd [Heaven, With strength sufficient, and command from To free my country; if their servile minds Me, their deliverer sent, would not receive, But to their masters gave me up for nought, The unworthier they; whence to this day they serve. I was to do my part from Heaven assign'd, Who now defies thee thrice to single fight, Har. With thee! a man condemn'd, a slave enroll'd, Due by the law to capital punishment! survey me, To descant on my strength, and give thy verdict? Fear I incurable; bring up thy van, And with one buffet lay thy structure low, Har. By Astaroth, ere long thou shalt lament These braveries, in irons loaden on thee, [Exil.] Chor. His giantship is gone somewhat crestfallen, Stalking with less unconscionable strides, Sams. I dread him nor, not all his giant-brood, Chor. He will directly to the lords, I fear, 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 With no small profit daily to my owners. But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove Chor. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving To the spirits of just men long oppress'd! When God into the hands of their deliverer Puts invincible might To quell the mighty of the Earth, the oppressor, Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue And feats of war defeats, With plain heroic magnitude of mind Swift as the lightning glance, he executes But patience is more oft the exercise That tyranny or fortune can inflict. This idol's day hath been to thee no day of rest, Labouring thy mind More than the working day thy bands. Some other tending; in his hand Of Hebrews, the prisoner Samson here I seek. Chor. His manacles remark him, there he sits. [say; Off. Samson, to thee our lords thus bid me This day to Dagon is a solemn feast, With sacrifices, triumph, pomp, and games: Thy strength they know surpassing human rate, And now some public proof thereof require To honour this great feast, and great assembly: Rise therefore with all speed, and come along, Where I will see thee hearten'd, and fresh clad, To appear as fits before the illustrious lords. Sams. Thou know'st I am an Hebrew, therefore tell them, Our law forbids at their religiou rites Sams. Have they not sword-players, and every sort Of gymnic artists, wrestlers, riders, runners, Juglers, and dancers, antics, mummers, mimics, But they must pick me out, with shackles tir'd, To make them sport with blind activity? Sams. Myself? my conscience, and internal peace. Can they think me so broken, so debas'd Brooks no delay: is this thy resolution? Off. I am sorry what this stoutness will produce. [Exit.] Sams. Perhaps thou shalt have cause to sorrow indeed. Chor. Consider, Samson; matters now strain'd Up to the height, whether to hold or break: are He's gone, and who knows how he may report VOL. VII, After my great transgression, so requite Vaunting my strength in honour to their Dagon! Besides, how vile, contemptible, ridiculous, What act more execrably unclean, prophane? Chor. Yet with this strength thou serv'st the Philistines, Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, 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. Chor. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile not. Sams. Where outward force constrains, the But who constrains me to the temple of Dagon, my reach. 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 Our law, or stain my vow of Nazarite. If there be aught of presage in the mind, This day will be remarkable in my life By some great act, or of my days the last. Chor. In time thou hast resolv'd, the man re turns. Off. Samson, this second message from our lords To thee I ain bid say. Art thou our slave, Our captive at the public mill, our drudge, And dar'st thou at our sending and command Dispute thy coming? come without delay; Or we shall find such engines to assail And hamper thee, as thou shalt come of force, Though thou wert firmlier fasten'd than a rock Sams. I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious. Yet, knowing their advantages too many, Because they shall not trail me through their streets Like a wild beast, I am content to go. Off. I praise thy resolution: doff these links: Sams. Brethren, farewell; your company So dreaded once, may now exasperate them, Of Israel be thy guide [name To what may serve his glory best, and spread his Be efficacious in thee now at need. He seems; supposing here to find his son, [Enter] Manoah. Man. Peace with you, brethren; my inducement hither Was not at present here to find my son, To give ye part with me what hope I have Chor. That hope would much rejoice us to With thee; say, reverend sire, we thirst to hear. Man. I have attempted one by one the lords Either at home, or through the high street passing, With supplication prone and father's tears, And number'd down: much rather I shall choose Chor. Doubtless the people shouting to behold Their once great dread, captive, and blind before them, Or at some proof of strength before them shown. Man. His ransom, if my whole inheritance May compass it, shall willingly be paid 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, Thou for thy son art bent to lay out all; Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age, Thou in old age car'st how to nurse thy son, Made older than thy age through eye-sight lost. Man. It shall be my delight to tend his eyes, And view him sitting in the house, ennobled With all those high exploits by him achiev'd, And on his shoulders waving down those locks That of a nation arm'd the strength contain'd: And I persuade me, God had not permitted His strength again to grow up with his hair, Garrison'd round about him like a camp Of faithful soldiery, were not his purpose To use him further yet in some great service; Not to sit idle with so great a gift Useless, and thence ridiculous about him. And since his strength with eye-sight was not God will restore him eye-sight to his strength. [lost, [vain Chor. Thy hopes are not ill founded, nor seem Of his delivery, and the joy thereon 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 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 perish'd! [noise, Blood, death, and deathful deeds, are in that Ruin, destruction at the utmost point. Man. Of ruin indeed methought I heard the Oh! it continues, they have slain my son. 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? Chor. Best keep together here, lest, running thither, We unawares run into danger's mouth.' Chor. Yet God hath wrought things as incre For his people of old; what hinders now? Man. He can, I know, but doubt to think he will; Yet hope would fain subscribe, and tempts belief. A little stay will bring some notice hither. Chor. Of good or bad so great, of bad the sooner; For evil news rides post, while good news bates. [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? For dire imagination still pursues me. But providence or instinct of nature seems, Or reason though disturb'd, and scarce consulted, To have guided me aright, I know not how, To thee first, reverend Manoah, and to these My countrymen, whom here I knew remaining, As at some distance from the place of horrour, So in the sad event too much concern'd. Man. The accident was loud, and here before thee With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not ; No preface needs, thou seest we long to know. 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 fall'n, All in a moment overwhelm'd and fall'n. Man. Sad, but thou know'st to Israelites not The desolation of a hostile city. [saddest Mess. Feed on that first; there may in grief be surfeit. Mess. Take then the worst in brief, Samson is dead. Man. The worst indeed, O all my hopes defeated To free him hence! but death, who sets all free, Mess: Unwounded of his enemies he fell. Man. Wearied with slaughter then, or how? explain. Mess. By his own hands. Man. Self-violence? what cause Brought him so soon at variance with himself Among his foes? More than enough we know; but while things yet Mess. Occasions drew me early to this city; Proof of his mighty strength in feats and games; Immediately When to their sports they turn'd. I mean to show you of my strength, yet greater, The whole roof after them, with burst of thunder Pull'd down the same destruction on himself; The work for which thou wast foretold Not willingly, but tangled in the fold Of dire necessity, whose law in death conjoin'd Let us go find the body where it lies 1. Semichor. While their hearts were jocund With all his trophies hung, and acts inroll'd and sublime, Drunk with idolatry, drunk with wine, Among them he a spirit of phrenzy sent, And urg'd them on with mad desire In copious legend, or sweet lyric song. Chor. All is best, though we oft doubt Of highest Wisdom brings about, Their own destruction to come speedy upon them. Oft he seems to hide his face, So fond are mortal men, Fall'n into wrath divine. As their own ruin on themselves to invite, 2. Semichor. But he, though blind of sight, His fiery virtue rous'd From under ashes into sudden flame, And as an evening dragon came, Assailant on the perched roosts And nests in order rang'd Of tame villatic fowl; but as an eagle His cloudless thunder bolted on their heads. So virtue, given for lost, Depress'd, and overthrown, as seem'd, Like that self-begotten bird In the Arabian woods embost, That no second knows nor third, And lay ere while a holocaust, From out her ashy womb now teem'd, Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous most When most unactive deem'd; And, though her body die, her fame survives Man. Come, come; no time for lamentation now, Nor much more cause; Samson hath quit himself Fully reveng'd, hath left them years of mourning, SCRIPTURE SUBJECTS. OTHER TRAGEDIES. 2 i. The Flood. [See No. iii. below.] ii. Abram in Egypt. iii. The Deluge. iv. Sodom. v. Dinah, Vide Euseb. Præparat. Evangel lib. ix. cap. xxii. 'These numerous scripture subjects justify a remark made by Mr. Warton, that Milton early leaned towards religious subjects for plays, and wished to turn the drama into the scriptural channel: he accordingly, in his Reason of Ch. Gov. against Prelacy, written in 1641, tempers his praise of Sophocles and Euripides with recom mending Soluinon's Song; and adds, that "the |