Regardless of his glory's diminution;

Till, by their own perplexities involved,

They ravel more, still less resolved,

But never find self-satisfying solution.

As if they would confine the Interminable,

And tie him to his own prescript,

Who made our laws to bind us, not himself,

And hath full right to exempt

Whom so it pleases him by choice

From national obstriction, without taint

Of sin or legal debt;

For with his own laws he can best dispense.

He would not else, who never wanted means,

Nor in respect of the enemy just cause

To set his people free,

Have prompted this heroic Nazarite,

Against his vow of strictest purity,

To seek in marriage that fallacious bride,

Unclean, unchaste.

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320

Θεοῦ ἀμνήμονες· ἐν δὲ τῷ τελευτῶν

ἀμηχανίας περι

-πλοκαῖς ἀπόροισιν αὐτ

-τοὶ δεινὸν ἐμπεπλεγμένοι, εἰσαεὶ αὐταρκείας

ἀπέτυχον· ἀργὸς κατέχει νιν ἀσάφεια,

σχολῇ τὸν ἀπείρον ̓ αὐτὸν

αὐτὸς οἷς ἐψήφισεν

εἵρξοντας, ὃς οὐ καθ ̓ αὑτοῦ

θέσμ ̓ ἔθηκε τοῖς βροτοῖς·

παρὸν τὸν ἀεὶ δοκοῦνθ ̓ οἶ,

ὡς ἄγος λύοντί τῷ,

ἐλευθεροῦν ποθ', οἷς πέφυκε, δεσμῶν. πῶς, ὅς γ ̓ ἐκύρωσ', αὐτὸς οὐ

κἄριστ ̓ ἀναιρεῖν ἂν δύναιτο ταὐτά; πρόχειρον ὂν τῷ Θεῷ

θέλοντι, πρός τ ̓ ἐχθρῶν δίκαιον,

τὴν πόλιν σώζειν, ὅμως τὸν γεννάδαν

ὑποσχόμενόν περ

βίον ἁγνότατον διαζῆν,

ἀνοσίων δόλῳ γάμων

ὤτρυν' ἀγάμων μιγῆναι.

πρὸς ταῦτα ματαιόκομπα

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320

Down reason then, at least vain reasonings down,

Though reason here aver

That moral verdict quits her of unclean:

Unchaste was subsequent, her stain not his.

But see! here comes thy reverend sire

With careful step, locks white as down,

Old Manoah. Advise

Forthwith, how thou oughtest to receive him.

SAMSON.

Ay me! another inward grief, awaked

With mention of that name, renews the assault.

MANOAH.

Brethren and men of Dan-for such ye seem,
Though in this uncouth place—if old respect,
As I suppose, toward your once-gloried friend,
My son, now captive, hither hath informed.

330

χαιρέτω σοφίσματα,

μή νυν ἃ λογισμὸς ὀρθῶς

τῶνδ ̓ ὕπερ καθίσταται

τὸ γοῦν ἐπιεικές, ἐξά

-γιστος ἥδ ̓ ἐν τῷ γαμεῖν

οὐχ, ὕστερον δ ̓, ὧν οὐ μετεῖχεν ἁνήρ. ἀλλ ̓, εἰσορῶ γὰρ τὸν γεραι

-ὸν, δεῦρο προστείχοντα, σεμνότιμον,

λευκότριχ ̓ ἤδη, σὲ τὸν

φύσαντα, Μάνων, ἀσφάλειαν

εὖ ποδῶν τηροῦντα, νῦν τοῦτον φρόνει πῶς δεῖ σε δέχεσθαι.

ΣΑΜΨΩΝ.

φεῦ τῆσδε φωνῆς· ὡς διανταῖαν τάλας

πληγὴν πέπληγμαι, δευτέραν οὐτασμένος.

ΜΑΝΩΣ.

φίλοι Δάνητες, οἷα γοῦν δοκεῖν ἐμοὶ,
καίπερ δυσαύλῳ ξυντυχόντες ἐν τόπῳ,
εἰ τοῦ πρὶν ούνεχ', ὡς ἐπεικάσαι, κλέους,
ὃ θητικῆς ἤμειψεν αἰκίας τὰ νῦν,
ἐμοῦ γεραιὰν ὑστερήσαντος βάσιν,

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340

Your younger feet, while mine cast back with age

Came lagging after-say if he be here.

CHORUS.

As signal now in low dejected state,

As erst in highest, behold him where he lies.

MANOAH.

O miserable change! Is this the man?

That invincible Samson, far renowned,

The dread of Israel's foes, who with a strength
Equivalent to Angels' walked their streets,
None offering fight; who single combatant
Duelled their armies ranked in proud array,
Himself an army, now unequal match
To save himself against a coward armed
At one spear's length. O ever-failing trust
In mortal strength! and O, what not in man
Deceivable and vain? Nay, what thing good
Prayed for, but often proves our woe, our bane?
I prayed for children, and thought barrenness

In wedlock a reproach; I gained a son,

And such a son as all men hailed me happy.

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350