Sams. Perhaps thou shalt have cause to sorrowindeed Cho. Consider, Samson; matters now are strain'd Up to the height, whether to hold or break:
He's gone,
and who knows how he may report
Thy words, by adding fuel to the flame?
Expect another message, more imperious,
More lordly thundering than thou well wilt bear.
Sams. Shall I abuse this consecrated gift
Of strength, again returning with my hair
After my great transgression, so requite
Favour renew'd, and add a greater sin
By prostituting holy things to idols ?
A Nazarite, in place abominable,
Vaunting my strength in honour to their Dagon! 1360 Besides, how vile, contemptible, ridiculous!
What act more execrably unclean, profane ?
Cho. Yet with this strength thou servest the Philis
Idolatrous, uncircumcised, unclean.
Sams. Not in their idol-worship, but by labour,
Honest and lawful, to deserve my food
Of those who have me in their civil power.
Cho. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile Sams. Where outward force constrains, the sentence But who constrains me to the temple of Dagon, [holds: Not dragging? The Philistian lords command: 1371 Commands are no constraints. If I obey them, I do it freely, venturing to displease God for the fear of man, and man prefer, Set God behind; which, in his jealousy, Shall never, unrepented, find forgiveness. Yet that he may dispense with me, or thee, Present in temples at idolatrous rites For some important cause, thou need'st not doubt.
Cho. How thou wilt here come off surmounts my
Sams. Be of good courage; I begin to feel
Some rousing motions in me, which dispose
To something extraordinary my thoughts.
I with this messenger will go along,
Nothing to do, be sure, that may dishonour
Our law, or stain my vow of Nazarite:
If there be aught of presage in the mind,
This day will be remarkable in my life
By some great act, or of my days the last.
Cho. In time thou hast resolved: the man returns.
Off. Samson, this second message from our lords
To thee I am bid say: Art thou our slave,
Our captive, at the public mill our drudge,
And darest thou, at our sending and command,
Dispute thy coming? Come without delay:
Or we shall find such engines to assail
And hamper thee, as thou shalt come of force,
Though thou wert firmlier fasten'd than a rock.
Sams. I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious. 1400 Yet, knowing their advantages too many,
Because they shall not trail me through their streets Like a wild beast, I am content to go.
Masters' commands come with a power
To such as owe them absolute subjection;
And for a life who will not change his purpose?
(So mutable are all the ways of men!)
Yet this be sure, in nothing to comply
Scandalous or forbidden in our law.
Off. I praise thy resolution; doff these links
By this compliance thou wilt win the lords
To favour, and perhaps to set thee free.
Sams. Brethren, farewell; your company along
I will not wish, lest it, perhaps, offend them
To see me girt with friends; and how the sight
Of me, as of a common enemy,
So dreaded once, may now exasperate them,
I know not: lords are lordliest in their wine;
And the well-feasted priest then soonest fired
With zeal, if aught religion seem concern'd;
No less the people, on their holy-days,
Impetuous, insolent, unquenchable:
Happen what may, of me expect to hear
Nothing dishonourable, impure, unworthy
Our God, our law, my nation, or myself;
The last of me or no, I cannot warrant.
Cho. Go, and the Holy One
Of Israel be thy guide
To what may serve his glory best, and spread his name Great among the Heathen round;
Send thee the angel of thy birth, to stand
Fast by thy side, who, from thy father's field,
Rode up in flames after his message told
Of thy conception, and be now a shield
Of fire; that spirit, that first rush'd on thee
In the camp of Dan,
Be efficacious in thee now at need!
For never was from Heaven imparted
Measure of strength so great to mortal seed,
As in thy wondrous actions hath been seen.
But wherefore comes old Manoah in such haste,
With youthful steps? much livelier than erewhile
He seems; supposing here to find his son,
Or of him bringing to us some glad news.
Man. Peace with you, brethren; my inducement Was not at present here to find my son,
By order of the lords now parted hence
To come and play before them at their feast.
I heard all as I came; the city rings,
And numbers thither flock: I had no will,
Lest I should see him forced to things unseemly.
But that which moved my coming now, was chiefly
To give ye part with me what hope I have,
With good success, to work his liberty.
Cho. That hope would much rejoice us to partake With thee: say, reverend sire, we thirst to hear.
Man. I have attempted, one by one, the lords
Either at home, or through the high street passing,
With supplication prone, and father's tears,
To accept of ransom for my son, their prisoner.
Some much averse I found, and wondrous harsh,
Contemptuous, proud, set on revenge and spite;
That part most reverenced Dagon and his priests:
Others more moderate seeming, but their aim
Private reward, for which both god and state
They easily would set to sale: a third
More generous far and civil, who confess'd
They had enough revenged, having reduced
Their foe to misery beneath their fears,
The rest was magnanimity to remit,
If some convenient ransom were proposed—
What noise or shout was that? it tore the sky.
Cho. Doubtless, the people shouting to behold Their once great dread, captive and blind before them, Or at some proof of strength before them shown.
Man. His ransom, if my whole inheritance
May compass it, shall willingly be paid
And number'd down: much rather I shall choose
To live the poorest in my tribe, than richest,
And he in that calamitous prison left.
No, I am fix'd not to part hence without him.
For his redemption all my patrimony,
If need be, I am ready to forego
And quit: not wanting him, I shall want nothing.
Cho. Fathers are wont to lay up for their sons;
Thou for thy son art bent to lay out all:
Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age,
Thou in old age carest how to nurse thy son,
Made older than thy age through eye-sight lost.
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