Bear in their superscription, (of the most I would be understood,) in prosp'rous days 190 They swarm, but in adverse withdraw their head, Yet that which was the worst now least afflicts me, 195 Gloriously rigg'd? and for a word, a tear, Tax not divine disposal; wisest men 195. Yet that which was the worst now least afflicts me,] There is no inconsistence in this with what he had said before, ver. 66. -but chief of all, O loss of sight, of thee I most complain. When he was by himself, he considered his blindness as the worst of evils; but now, upon his friends coming in and seeing him in this wretched condition, it least afflicts me, says he, as 200 205 210 being some cover to his shame and confusion. 210. Tax not divine disposal; &c.] As this whole play, so particularly the part of the Chorus, is written in the very spirit of the ancients, and is formed exactly according to the precepts of Horace. De Arte Poet. 193. Actoris partes Chorus, officiumque virile Defendat; neu quid medios intercinat actus, Have err'd, and by bad women been deceiv'd; Who hast of sorrow thy full load besides; At least of thy own nation, and as noble. SAMSON. The first I saw at Timna, and she pleas'd Me, not my parents, that I sought to wed The daughter of an infidel: they knew not That what I motion'd was of God; I knew 215 220 Afflicted worth, and impious pride depress. Yet let their songs with apt coherence Promote the plot, and aid the main design. 216.-Philistian women rather] So it is printed in Milton's own edition, and woman is a mistake of the other editions; for more than one are mentioned afterwards. The first I saw at Timna, &c. ver. 219. the next I took to wife, &c. ver. 227. 219. The first I saw at Timna,] Judg. xiv. 1. And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines, &c. 222. That what I motion'd was of God;] It was printed mention'd, which is sense indeed, but Milton himself in the table of From intimate impulse, and therefore urg'd 225 230 That specious monster, my accomplish'd snare. Gave up my CHORUS. In seeking just occasion to provoke The Philistine, thy country's enemy, Thou never wast remiss, I bear thee witness: SAMSON. That fault I take not on me, but transfer On Israel's governors, and heads of tribes, errata substituted motion'd, which is better: but the first error hath still prevailed in all the editions. 229. Was in the vale of Sorec, Dalila,] Judg. xvi. 4. And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Dalilah, &c. 230.my accomplish'd snare,] There seems to be a quibble in the use of this epithet. Warburton. 236 240 241. That fault &c.] Milton certainly intended to reproach his countrymen indirectly, and as plainly as he dared, with the restoration of Charles II. which he accounted the restoration of slavery, and with the execution of the regicides. He pursues the same subject again, 678 to 700. I wonder how the licensers of those days let it pass. Jortin. Who seeing those great acts, which God had done 245 The deeds themselves, though mute, spoke loud the doer; But they persisted deaf, and would not seem To count them things worth notice, till at length Their lords the Philistines with gather'd pow'rs 250 Not flying, but forecasting in what place To set upon them, what advantag'd best; 255 Mean while the men of Judah, to prevent The harass of their land, beset me round; I willingly on some conditions came Into their hands, and they as gladly yield me To the uncircumcis'd a welcome prey, 260 Bound with two cords; but cords to me were threads 247. Us'd no ambition] Going about with studiousness and affectation to gain praise, as Mr. Richardson says, alluding to the origin of the word in Latin. 253. Safe to the rock of Etham was retir'd, &c.] Judg. xv. 8. And he went down, and dwelt in 265 the top of the rock Etam. Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, &c. 254.-forecasting] The same word as to cast, to consider, devise means, &c. See Par. Lost, iii. 634. T. Warton. But what more oft in nations grown corrupt, CHORUS. Thy words to my remembrance bring 268. But what more oft in nations grown corrupt, &c.] Here Mr. Thyer has anticipated me by observing, that Milton is very uniform, as well as just, in his notions of liberty, always attributing the loss of it to vice and corruption of morals: but in this passage he very probably intended also a secret satire upon the English nation, which according to his republican politics had, by restoring the King, chosen bondage with ease rather than strenuous liberty. And let me add, that the sentiment is very like that of Æmilius Lepidus the consul, in his oration to the Roman people against Sulla, preserved among the fragments of Sallust annuite legibus impositis; accipite otium cum servitio ;- but for my self 270 275 280 -potior visa est periculosa libertas, quieto servitio. 278. How Succoth and the fort of Penuel &c.] The men of Succoth and of the tower of Penuel refused to give loaves of bread to Gideon and his three hundred men pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. See Judg. viii. 4-9. 282. And how ingrateful Ephraim &c.] Jephtha subdued the children of Ammon; and he is said to have defended Israel by argument not worse than by arms, on account of the message which he sent unto the king of the children of Ammon, Judg. xi. 1527. For his victory over the Ammonites the Ephraimites envied and quarrelled with him; and threatened to burn his house with fire: but Jephthah and the |