Regardless of his glory's diminution ;

Till, by their own perplexities involved,

They rável 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

310

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,

320

Unclean, unchaste,

310

Θεού αμνήμονες" εν δε το τελευτών

αμηχανίας περι

-πλοκαίς απόροισιν αυ-τοι δεινόν έμπεπλεγμένοι, είσαεί αυταρκείας απέτυχον αργός κατέχει νιν ασάφεια,

σχολή τον απείρον’ αυτόν

αυτός οίς εψήφισεν είρξοντας, ος ου καθ' αυτού θέσμ' έθηκε τοϊς βροτοίς: παρόν τον αεί δοκoύνθ' οι,

ως άγος λύoντί τω, ελευθερούν ποθ', οίς πέφυκε, δεσμών.

πως, ός γ' εκύρωσ', αυτός ου κάριστ’ αναιρεϊν άν δύναιτο ταυτά;

πρόχειρον όν τώ Θεώ θέλοντι, πρός τ' εχθρών δίκαιον, την πόλιν σώζειν, όμως τον γεννάδαν

υποσχόμενόν περ βίον αγνότατον διαζής,

ανοσίων δόλω γάμων ώτρυν' αγάμων μιγήναι.

προς ταύτα ματαιόκομπα

320

Down reason then, at least vain reasonings down,

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 ά λογισμός ορθώς

τωνδ' υπερ καθίσταται το γούν επιεικές, εξά

-γιστος ήδ' εν τω γαμεϊν ουχ, ύστερον δ', ων ου μετείχεν ανήρ.

αλλ', είσορώ γάρ τον γεραι-ον, δεύρο προστείχοντα, σεμνότιμον,

λευκότριχ ήδη, σε τον φύσαντα, Μάνων, ασφάλειας ευ ποδών τηρούντα, νύν τούτον φρόνει

πως δεί σε δέχεσθαι.

ΣΑΜΨΩΝ. φεύ τήσδε φωνής: ως διανταζαν τάλας πληγήν πέπληγμαι, δευτέραν ούτασμένος.

340

ΜΑΝΩΣ.

φίλοι Δάνητες, ολα γούν δοκείν εμοί,
καίπερ δυσαύλω ξυντυχόντες εν τόπο,
ει του πριν ούνεχ, ως επεικάσαι, κλέους,
ο θητικής ήμειψεν αικίας τα νύν,
εμού γεραιών υστερήσαντος βάσιν,

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.

340

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.