Of strength, again returning with my hair, By prostituting holy things to idols, A Nazarite, in place abominable, Vaunting my strength in honour to their Dagon? What act more execrably unclean, profane? CHORUS. Yet with this strength thou serv'st the Philistines, SAMSON. Not in their idol-worship, but by labour Of those who have me in their civil power. CHORUS. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile not. SAMSON. Where outward force constrains, the sentence holds. 1360 1370 γέρας τόδ ̓ ἱερὸν ἀναλαβόντα τοῦ κράτους, τὸν Θεὸν, ἄτιμος καὶ κατάπτυστος βροτοῖς. 1420 ΧΟΡΟΣ. τοιοῦτος ὤν, σὺ τοῖς Φιλιστίνοις λάτρις, ἀθέοις ἀπεριτμήτοις τε καὶ δυσωνύμοις. ΣΑΜΨΩΝ. τὸ δ ̓ οὐχὶ θρησκείας ποτ', ἀλλ ̓ ἵν ̓ ἐννόμου ἔχοιμ' ἐδωδὴν ἀντὶ χειρωναξίας τοῖς ὡς μετοίκου δεσπόταις κρατοῦσί μου. ΧΟΡΟΣ. τὸ λῆμ ̓ ἀθῷος, οὐδὲ δρῶν ἁμαρτάνεις, ΣΑΜΨΩΝ. ὀρθῶς, ἀνάγκαις περιπεσὼν ἄλλων βίᾳ. ἰέναι δὲ τόνδ' εἰς ναὸν οὔτιν ̓ ἔστ' ἰδεῖν ὅστις μ ̓ ἂν, ἕλκειν μὴ οὐ θέλων, ἀναγκάσαι. ἐπεὶ κελεύματ ̓ ἐστὶν, οὐ βία, τάδε, 1430 L I do it freely, venturing to displease Present in temples at idolatrous rites, For some important cause, thou need'st not doubt. CHORUS. How thou wilt here come off surmounts my reach. 1380 SAMSON. Be of good courage; I begin to feel Some rousing motions in me, which dispose To something extraordinary my thoughts. By some great act, or of my days the last. In time thou hast resolved; the man returns. OFFICER. Samson, this second message from our lords 1390 ταγοῖς ἂν εἴην τοῖς Φιλιστίνοις ἑκὼν ΧΟΡΟΣ. πῶς δὴ φυγὴν εὕροις ἂν, οὐκ ἔχω φράσαι. ΣΑΜΨΩΝ. θάρσει· νέον γὰρ ἐννοῶν ξύνοιδά τι καὶ δεινὸν, ἔργων φροίμι ̓ οὐκ εἰωθότων. οὐδὲν ποιήσων τοῖς νόμοις ἐναντίον, καιρὸν δέδοκται· τόνδ ̓ ὁρῶ παλίσσυτον. ΚΗΡΥΞ. Σάμψων, ἄνακτες δεύτερ ̓ ἀγγέλλουσί σοι 1440 To thee I am bid say. Art thou our slave, Our captive, at the public mill our drudge, And hamper thee, as thou shalt come of force, SAMSON. I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious. Because they shall not trail me through their streets Like a wild-beast, I am content to go. Masters' commands come with a power resistless To such as owe them absolute subjection; Scandalous or forbidden in our law. OFFICER. I praise thy resolution. Doff these links. 1400 1410 |