The sumptuous Dalila floting this way:
His habit carries peace, his brow defiance.

Sams. Or peace or not, alike to me he comes,
Cho. His fraught we soon thall know, he now arrives.

HAR. I come not, Samson, to condole thy chance,
As these perhaps, yet with it had no been,
Though for no friendly intent. I am of Gath,
Men call me Harapha, of stock renown'd
As Og or Anak and the Emims old

1080 That Kiriathaim held, thou knowift me now If thou at all art known, Much I have heard Of thy prodigious might and feats perform'd Incredible to me, in this displeas'd, That I was never present on the place

1085 Of those encounters, where we might have try'd Each other's force in camp or listed field; And now am come to fee of whom such noise Hath walk'd about, and each limb to survey, If thy appearance answer loud report.

1090 Sams. The way to know were not to see but taste.

HAR. Dost thou already single me? I thouglıt Gyves and the mill had tam'd thee. O that fortune Had brought me to the field, where thou art fam'd To' havewrought such wonders with an ass's jaw; 1095 I should have forc'd thee soon with other arms, Or left thy carcass where the ass lay thrown: So had the glory of prowess been recover'd To Palestine, won by a Philistine, From the unforeskin'd race, of whom thou bear'st 1100 The highest name for valiant acts; that honor

Certain

IIIO

Certain to have won by mortal duel from thee,
I lose, prevented by thy eyes put out.

[do Sams. Boast not of what thou wouldst have done, but What then thou wouldst, thou seest it in thy hand.

HAR. To combat with a blind man I disdain,
And thou hast med much washing to be touch'd.

SAMs. Such usage as your honorable lords
Afford me' assassinated and betray'd,
Who durit 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
Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent me.

II15
Therefore without feign’d shifts let be aflign'd
Some narrow place inclos’d, where sight may give thee,
Or rather fight, no great advantage on me;
Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet
And brigandine of brass, thy broad habergeon,
Vant-brass and greves, and gauntlet, add thy spear,
A weaver's beam, and seven-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, 1125
That in a little time while breath remains thee,
Thou oft shalt with thyself at Gath to boast
Again in safety what thou wouldst have done
To Samson, but shalt never see Gath more.

Har. Thou durst not thus disparage glorious arms, Which greatest heroes have in battle worn,

I I20

Their ornament and safety, had not spells
And black inchantments, fome magician's art,
Arm'd thee or charm’d thee strong, which thou from

Heaven
Feign'dít 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 finews, 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 folemnest devotion, spread before hiin
How highly it concerns his glory now
To frustrate and dissolve these magic spells,
Which I to be the power of Israel's God 1150
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. 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

Into the common prison, there to grind
Among the faves and asses thy comrades,
As good for nothing else, no better fervice
With those thy boisterous locks, no worthy match
For valor to affail, nor by the sword

1165 Of noble warrior, so to stain his honor, But by the barber's razor best subdued.

Sams. All these indignities, for such they are From thine, these evils I deserve and more, Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me 1170 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,

1175 By combat to decide whose God is God, Thine, or, whom I with Israel's fons adore.

HAR. Fair honor that thou dost thy God, in trusting He will accept thee to defend his cause, A Murderer, a Revolter, and a Robber. 1180 SAMS. Tongue-doughty Giant, how doft thou prové

me these ? HAR. Is not thy nation subject to our lords ? Their magistrates confess’d it, when they took thee As a league-breaker and deliver'd bound Into our hands: for hadft thou not committed 1185 Notorious murder on those thirty men At Ascalon, who never did thee harm, Then like a robber stripp’dst them of their robes ? The Philistines, when thou hadft broke the league,

Went

1200

Went up with armed powers 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 ;
And in your city held my nuptial fealt :
But your ill-meaning politician lords

1195
Under pretence of bridal friends and guests,
Appointed to await me thirty spies,
Who threatning cruel death constrain'd the bride
To wring from me and tell to them my secret,
That foly'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 fpoil
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. I was no private but a perfon rais'd With strength sufficient and command from Heaven To free my country; if their servile minds Me their deliverer fent 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 afsign'd, And had perform'd it, if my known offense Had not disabled me, not all your force :

There

1210