For evil news rides post, while good news baits.

And to our wish I see one hither speeding;

A Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe.

MESSENGER.

Oh, whither shall I run, or which way fly
The sight of this so horrid spectacle,
Which erst my eyes beheld, and yet behold?
For dire imagination still pursues me.

But providence or instinct of nature seems,
Or reason, though disturbed, and scarce consulted,
To have guided me aright, I know not how,
To thee first, reverend Manoah, and to these
My countrymen, whom here I knew remaining,
As at some distance from the place of horror,
So in the sad event too much concerned.

MANOAH.

The accident was loud, and here before thee
With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not.
No preface needs, thou seest we long to know.

MESSENGER.

It would burst forth, but I recover breath

1540

1550

χρόνια τὰ τερπνὰ, τὸ δὲ κακὸν ταχύπτερον. προσέρχεται δ ̓ Ἑβραῖος, εἰκάσαι γ ̓ ἐμὲ, ὁμόφυλος ἡμῖν, καίριός τε συντυχών.

ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ.

φεῦ, φεύ, τίς ἄν μοι, ποῖ δραμόντι, καταφυγὴ
γένοιτ' ἂν, ὥστε μὴ τὰ τλημονέστατα
ἰδεῖν, ἰδὼν γὰρ διατελῶ λεύσσων ἔτι
τὰ συντυχόντα, περιφόβῳ φαντάσματι;

ἀλλ ̓, εἴτ ̓ ἄρ ̓ ἦν τὸ θεῖον, ἢ τὰ τῆς φύσεως,
εἴτ ̓ αὖ τὸ φρόνιμον—ἀλλὰ σύμβουλον μόγις
τόδ ̓ ἦν ἑλέσθαι, κάρτα παράκοπον φρενών—
οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως, δεῦρ ̓ ἦλθον εὐπλοίας τυχών,
κιχεῖν σε πρῶτον, τὸν μάλ' αἰδοῖον, Μάνως,
καὶ τοὺς πολίτας, ἐνθάδ' οὓς ἐπιστάμην
μένοντας, οὐ μὲν ἐμφόβων πέλας τόπων,
ἀλλ ̓ οἷς ὑπέρφεν τῶν πεπραγμένων μέλει.
ΜΑΝΩΣ.

σὲ μὲν κτύπῳ φθάσαντα καὶ λυγρῷ στόνῳ
ἴσμεν τὰ συμβεβηκόθ', οἷα δ ̓ ἐστὶν, οὐ.

μαθεῖν προθύμοις, οὔ τι φροιμίου σε δεῖ.

ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ.

1610

1620

οὐδ ̓ ἦν στέγειν τάδ', ἀλλά μ' ἀμπνεῦσαι χρεὼν

And sense distract, to know well what I utter

MANOAH.

Tell us the sum, the circumstance defer.

MESSENGER.

Gaza yet stands, but all her sons are fallen,

All in a moment overwhelmed and fallen.

MANOAH.

Sad; but thou knowest to Israelites not saddest
The desolation of a hostile city.

MESSENGER.

Feed on that first, there may in grief be surfeit.

MANOAH.

Relate by whom.

MESSENGER.

By Samson.

MANOAH.

That still lessens

The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy.

MESSENGER.

Ah, Manoah, I refrain too suddenly

To utter what will come at last too soon;
Lest evil tidings, with too rude irruption
Hitting thy aged ear, should pierce too deep.

1560

τὸν νοῦν τ ̓ ἀνορθοῦν, ὥστε τἀκριβῆ λέγειν.

ΜΑΝΩΣ.

ἀλλ ̓ ἀμβαλὼν ἕκαστα, τὸ ξύμπαν φράσον.

ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ.

Γάζην ἔτ ̓ οὖσαν, τοὺς δὲ Γαζίτας λέγω ξυνολωλότας τοὺς πάντας ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ. ΜΑΝΩΣ.

ἀλγεινά γ', ἀλλ ̓ οὐ τοῖσιν Ἑβραίοις τάδε ἄλγιστα, τὴν ἐχθράν τιν' ἐκπέρσαι πόλιν.

ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ.

περίσσ ̓ ἂν ἦν τἀντεῦθεν· ἀρκείτω τόδε.

ΜΑΝΩΣ.

τίνος δὲ τοῦργον ;

ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ.

τοῦδ ̓ ὃς ἐκπέφυκε σοῦ.

ΜΑΝΩΣ.

σχεδόν χαρά μοι, διάδοχος λύπης, πάρα.

ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ.

Μάνως, μάλ ̓ ἄκων ἂν διηγοίμην τάχος
ὃ καὶ χρονισθὲν κάρτ ̓ ἄωρον ἔρχεται·
καὶ γὰρ γεραιὰ προσβολαῖς κακαγγέλοις
βλάψαιμ ̓ ἂν ὦτα, διατόρῳ κνίσας φόβῳ,

1630

MANOAH.

Suspense in news is torture, speak them out.

MESSENGER.

Take then the worst in brief, Samson is dead.

MANOAH.

The worst indeed! Oh, all my hopes defeated

To free him hence! but Death who sets all free
Hath paid his ransom now and full discharge.
What windy joy this day had I conceived,
Hopeful of his delivery, which now proves
Abortive, as the first-born bloom of spring
Nipt with the lagging rear of winter's frost!
Yet, ere I give the reins to grief, say first
How died he; death to life is crown or shame.
All by him fell, thou sayest; by whom fell he?

What glorious hand gave Samson his death's wound?

MESSENGER.

Unwounded of his enemies he fell.

1570

1580

MANOAH.

Wearied with slaughter then, or how? explain.

By his own hands.

MESSENGER.