By this repulse receiv'd, and hold'st in Hell 630 Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek Sung victor, and from heav'nly feast refresh'd Brought on his way with joy; he unobserv'd Home to his mother's house private return'd. END OF PARADISE REGAIN'D SAMSON AGONISTES, A DRAMATIC POEM. SAMSON. Ehe Persons. MANOAH, the Father of Samson. DALILA, his wife. HARAPHA of Gath. Public Officer, Messenger. Chorus of Danites. The Scene before the Prison in Gaza. SAMSON AGONISTES. The Argument. Samson made captive, blind, and now in the prison of Gaza, there to labor as in a common workhouse, on a festival day, in the general cessation from labor, comes forth into the open air, to a place nigh, somewhat retired, there to sit awhile and bemoan his condition. Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who seek to comfort him what they can; then by his old father, Manoah, who endeavours the like, and withal tells him his purpose to procure his liberty by ransom; lastly, that this feast was proclaimed by the Philistines as a day of thanksgiving for their deliverance from the hands of Samson, which yet more troubles him. Manoah then departs to pro secute his endeavour with the Philistine lords for Samson's re demption; who in the mean while is visited by other persons; and lastly by a public officer to require his coming to the feast before the lords and people, to play or show his strength in their presence; he at first refuses, dismissing the public officer with absolute denial to come; at length persuaded inwardly that this was from God, he yields to go along with him, who came now the second time with great threatenings to fetch him: the Chorus yet remaining on the place, Manoah returns full of joyful hope, to procure ere long his son's deliverance, in the midst of which discourse an Hebrew comes in haste, confusedly at first, and afterward more distinctly relating the catastrophe, what Samson had done to the Philistines, and by accident to himself; wherewith the tragedy ends. A SAMSON. TTLE onward lend thy guiding hand Relieves me from my task of servile toil, Daily in the common prison else injoin'd me, Of both my parents all in flames ascended His godlike presence, and from some great act 20 Why was my breeding order'd and prescrib'd 30 Design'd for great exploits; if I must die With this Heav'n-gifted strength? O glorious Put to the labour of a beast, debas'd [strength Lower than bond-slave! promise was that I Should Israel from Philistine yoke deliver; Ask for this great deliverer now, and find him 40 Eyeless in Gaza at the mill with slaves, Himself in bonds under Philistian yoke: Yet stay, let me not rashly call in doubt Divine prediction; what if all foretold Had been fulfill'd but through mine own default, Whom have I to complain of but myself? Who this high gift of strength committed to me, In what part lodg'd, how easily bereft me, Under the seal of silence could not keep, But weakly to a woman must reveal it, O'ercome with importunity and tears. O impotence of mind, in body strong! But what is strength without a double share Of wisdom, vast, unwieldy, burdensome, Proudly secure, yet liable to fall 50 60 By weakest subtleties, not made to rule, |