Thefe fhifts refuted, anfwer thy appellant

1220

Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts,
Who now defies thee thrice to fingle fight,
As a petty enterprife of fmall enforce.

HAR. With thee, a man condemn'd, a flave inroll'd, Due by the law to capital punishment?

1225

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign,
SAMS. Cam'ft thou for this, vain boafter, to furvey me,
To défcant on my strength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer, part not hence fo flight inform'd;
But take good heed my hand survey not thee.
HAR. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd
Hear thefe dishonors, and not render death?
SAMS. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand
Fear I incurable; bring up thy van,

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

1230

1235

HAR. This infolence other kind of anfwer fits. SAMS. Go, baffled coward, left I run upon thee, Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast, And with one buffet lay thy ftructure low,

Or fwing thee in the air, then dash thee down
To th' hazard of thy brains and flatter'd fides.
HAR. By Aftaroth ere long thou fhalt lament
Thefe braveries in irons loaden on thee.

1240

CHO. His giantship is gone fomewhat crest-faln, Stalking with lefs unconfcionable ftrides,

And lower looks, but in a fultry chafe.

1245

SAMS. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood,
Though fame divulge him father of five fons,
All of gigantic fize, Goliah chief.

Сно.

1250

CHO. 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 fome caufe, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, left a question rise Whether he durft accept the' offer or not, And that he durft not plain enough appear'd. Much more affliction than already felt They cannot well impofe, nor I sustain; If they intend advantage of my labors,

1255

The work of many hands, which earns my keeping
With no fmall profit daily to my owners.

But come what will, my deadlieft foe will prove
My speedieft friend, by death to rid me hence,
The worst that he can give, to me the best.
Yet fo it may fall out, because their end

1265

Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine

Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.

CнO. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving
To the fpirits of juft men long opprefs'd!
When God into the hands of their deliverer

1270

Puts invincible might

To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppreffor,
The brute and boisterous force of violent men

Hardy and industrious to support

Tyrannic power, but raging to purfue

The righteous and all fuch as honor truth;

He all their ammunition

And feats of war defeats

1275

With

With plain heroic magnitude of mind

And celeftial vigor arm'd,

Their armories and magazines contemns,
Renders them ufelefs, while

1280

With winged expedition

Swift as the lightning glance he executes
His errand on the wicked, who, furpris'd,
Lose their defence diftracted and amaz'd.

1285

But patience is more oft the exercise Of faints, the trial of their fortitude, Making them each his own deliverer, And victor over all

1290

That tyranny or fortune can inflict.

Either of these is in thy lot,

Samfon, with might indued

Above the fons of men: but fight bereav'd
May chance to number thee with those

1295

Whom patience finally muft crown.

This idol's day hath been to thee no day of reft,

Laboring thy mind

More than the working-day thy hands.

And yet perhaps more trouble is behind,

1300

For I defcry this way

Some other tending, in his hand
A fcepter or quaint staff he bears,
Comes on amain, fpeed in his look.
By his habit I difcern him now

1305

A public Officer, and now at hand.
His meffage will be short and voluble.

OFF.

OFF. Hebrews, the pris'ner Samfon here I feek. CHO. His manacles remark him, there he fits. OFF. Samfon, to thee our lords thus bid me fay; This day to Dagon is a folemn feast,

With facrifices, triumph, pomp, and games;
Thy strength they know furpaffing human rate,
And now fome public proof thereof require
To honor this great feaft, and great affembly;
Rife therefore with all speed and come along,
Where I will fee thee hearten'd and fresh clad
To' appear as fits before th' illuftrious lords.

1315

SAMS. Thou know'ft I am an Hebrew, therefore tell them

Our Law forbids at their religious rites

My prefence; for that cause I cannot come.

1320

OFF. This answer, be affur'd, will not content them.
SAMS. Have they not sword-players, and every fort
Of gymnic artists, wrestlers, riders, runners,
Juglers and dancers, antics, mummers, mimics, 1325
But they must pick me out with shackles tir'd,
And over-labor'd at their public mill,

To make them fport with blind activity?
Do they not feek occafion of new quarrels
On my refusal to distress me more,

Or make a game of my calamities?

Return the way thou cam'ft, I will not come.

1330

OFF. Regard thyfelf; this will offend them highly. SAMS. Myfelf? my conscience and internal peace.

Can they think me fo broken, fo debas'd

With corporal fervitude, that my mind ever

E 2

1335

Will

Will condefcend to fuch abfurd commands?

Although their drudge, to be their fool or jester,
And in my midst of forrow and heart-grief

To fhow them feats, and play before their God, 1340
The worst of all indignities, yet on me

Join'd with extreme contempt? I will not come.

OFF. My meffage was impos'd on me with speed, Brooks no delay is this thy refolution?

:

SAMS. So take it with what speed thy meffage needs. OFF. I am forry what this ftoutnefs will produce. SAMS. Perhaps thou fhalt have caufe to forrow' indeed. CHO. Confider, Samfon; matters now are ftrain'd Up to the highth, whether to hold or break;

He 's gone, and who knows how he may report 1350 Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?

Expect another meffage more imperious,

More lordly thundering than thou well wilt bear.
SAMS. Shall I abuse this confecrated gift

Of ftrength, again returning with my hair
After my great tranfgreffion, fo requite
Favor renew'd, and add a greater fin
By proftituting holy things to idols ;
A Nazarite in place abominable

1355

Vaunting my ftrength in honor to their Dagon? 1360 Befides how vile, contemptible, ridiculous,

What act more execrably unclean, profane?

CHO. Yet with this strength thou serv'ft the Philistines, Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean.

SAMS. Not in their idol-worship, but by labor 1365 Honeft and lawful to deferve my food.

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