To quell the mighty of the earth, the oppressor,

The brute and boisterous force of violent men,

Hardy and industrious to support

Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue

The righteous, and all such as honour truth !

He all their ammunition

And feats of war defeats,

With plain heroic magnitude of mind

1280

And celestial vigour armed,
Their armouries and magazines contemns,

Renders them useless; while

With winged expedition,

Swift as the lightning glance, he executes

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

1320

κάλλιστα, πιεζομέ

-νοις χρονισθείση βία ουκ αδίκοισιν, πρόμαχον έ-δωκεν Θεός αστυφέλικτον,

ψυχάς παραθέλγων, τον υπερφίαλον κρατύνοντ'

ανδρών κατέχειν, τρόπον θηρός του θορύβω μανέντα

άψευδών κάτα και δικαιων,

τα τυραννίδος έκνομα αυξάνειν σπεύδοντ’ άγαν.

τοίος αρωγός πολεμικών σκευών τ’ έργων θ' υπερέσχεν:

μεγαλόψυχος γαρ θυμόν τ' αφελής άθ' ήρως,

έν' αθάνατον σθένων,
θήκας οπλοφόρους παρ' ουδέν
αχρείους έθετ' εν δε τούτω

οίον φλογώπες αστραπαι,
ωκνπτέροις βουλεύμασι

1330 His errand on the wicked, who surprised

Lose their defence, distracted and amazed.

But patience is more oft the exercise Of Saints, 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,

Samson, with might endued

Above the sons of men ; but sight bereaved
May chance to number thee with those
Whom patience finally must crown.

This idol's day hath been to thee no day of rest,
Labouring thy mind
More than the working day thy hands.
And yet perhaps more trouble is behind;

1300
For I descry this way
Some other tending : in his hand
A sceptre or quaint staff he bears,

1340

1350

τους αμπλακόντας
αδημονούντας ανεκφεύκτους
το τεταγμένον οι θεήλατον δρά.
θαμά δε βάσανος όσιον έλουσ'

άνδρα τινα, δοκιμάσασα το ταλασίφρον νιν, το λυπείσθαι λέγω, σωτήρ' αυτον εαυτό παρέχει

τύχας άπ' ή τυράννων σοι τηδ' αν ήν και θατέρα,

υπέρ βρoτους ερρωμένω,

Σάμψων συ δ' όσσων βλάβαις λάχοις εν τούτοις αν οισι στέφανος το καρτερήσαι.

φρενί δε πολύπονον αμέραν

πολύθυτον έλαχες, ως τόσον χερσίν ουπώποτ' ήντληκας μόγον έτι δ' εκ τούτων, ως μέν έoικεν,

κάκ' αν γένοιτο μείζω. και γάρ τιν' άλλον δεύρο πορευόμενον λεύσσω, ποδών λαιψηροδρόμους μελέταις

σπερχθέντ' ιδείν, και σκήπτρόν τι νωμώντα δαίδαλον.

136ο

Comes on amain, speed in his look.
By his habit I discern him now
A public officer, and now at hand.
His message will be short and voluble.

OFFICER.
Hebrews, the prisoner Samson here I seek.

CHORUS.
His manacles remark him, there he sits.

1310

OFFICER.
Samson, to thee our lords thus bid me say :
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 heartened and fresh clad,
To appear as fits before the illustrious lords.

SAMSON.
Thou knowest I am a Hebrew, therefore tell them,
Our law forbids at their religious rites

1320 My presence; for that cause I cannot come.