Imprison'd now indeed,
In real darkness of the body dwells,
Shut up from outward light,
T' incorporate with gloomy night!
For inward light, alas!
Puts forth no visual beam.
O mirror of our fickle state,
Since man on earth unparallel'd!
The rarer thy example stands,
By how much from the top of wondrous glory,
Strongest of mortal men,
To lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fall'n,
For him I reckon not in high estate,
Whom long descent of birth
Or the sphere of fortune raises:
But thee, whose strength, while virtue was her mate, Might have subdued the earth,
Universally crown'd with highest praises.
SAMS. I hear the sound of words, their sense the air Dissolves unjointed ere it reach
CHOR. He speaks, let us draw nigh. Matchless in The glory late of Israel, now the grief,
We come, thy friends and neighbours not unknown,
From Eshtaol and Zora's1 fruitful vale,
To visit or bewail thee, or, if better,
Counsel or consolation we may bring,
Salve to thy sores: apt words have power to swage
The tumours of a troubled mind,
And are as balm to fester'd wounds.
SAMS. Your coming, friends, revives me, for I learn Now of my own experience, not by talk, How counterfeit a coin they are who friends Bear in their superscription, (of the most I would be understood;) in prosperous days They swarm, but in adverse withdraw their head, Not to be found, though sought. Ye see, O friends, How many evils have inclosed me round;
Yet that which was the worse now least afflicts me,
1 Towns in the tribe of Dan. Zora was the birthplace of Samson.
i sar. I oft hæve heard men wonder
I SHOUList ved Philletian women rather
time ovn the firer, or as fair
At leas of my own natin, and as moble.
Sam. The first I saw at Timma, and she pleased
Me, not my parents, that I sought to wed
The daughter of an infile. They knew not
That what I motion'd was of GOD; I knew
From intimate impulse, and therefore urged
The marriage on; that by occasion hence
I might begin Israel's deliverance,
The work to which I was divinely call'd.
moving false, the next I took to wife,
never had! fond wish too late!
evale of Soree, Dalila,
is monster, my accomplish'd snare.
- lawful from my former act,
me end, still watching to oppress
ressors. Of what now I suffer
: the prime cause, but I myself,
aish'd with a peal of words, O weakness!
Gave up my fort of silence to a woman.
CHOR. In seeking just occasion to provoke The Philistine, thy country's enemy,
Thou never wast remiss, I bear thee witness:
Yet Israel still serves with all his sons.
SAMS. That fault I take not on me, but transfer
On Israel's governors, and heads of tribes,
Who, seeing those great acts which God had done
Singly by me against their conquerors,
Acknowledged not, or not at all consider'd
Deliverance offer'd. I on the other side
Used no ambition to commend my deeds,
The deeds themselves, though mute, spoke loud the doer;
But they persisted deaf, and would not seem
To count them things worth notice, till at length
Their lords the Philistines with gather'd powers
Enter'd Judea seeking me, who then
Safe to the rock of Etham' was retired,
Not flying, but forecasting in what place
To set upon them, what advantaged best.
Meanwhile the men of Judah, to prevent
The harass of their land, beset me round;
I willingly on some conditions came
Into their hands, and they as gladly yield me
To the uncircumcised a welcome prey,
Bound with two cords: but cords to me were threads
Touch'd with the flame. On their whole host I flew
Unarm'd, and with a trivial weapon fell'd
Their choicest youth; they only lived who fled.
Had Judah that day join'd, or one whole tribe,
They had by this possess'd the towers of Gath,
And lorded over them whom now they serve:
But what more oft in nations grown corrupt,
And by their vices brought to servitude,
Than to love bondage more than liberty,
Bondage with ease than strenuous liberty;
And to despise, or envy, or suspect
Whom God hath of his special favour raised
As their deliverer ? If he aught begin,
Words 1. my remembrance bring
and the fort of Pernel
Ther great deliverer contemn'd
The matchless Gideon in pursuit
Of Madian and her vanquish'd kings:
And how ingrateful Ephraim
Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument,
Not worse than by his shield and spear,
Defended Israel from the Ammonite,
Had not his prowess quell'd their pride
In that sore battle, when so many died
Without reprieve adjudged to death,
For want of well pronouncing Shibboleth.
SAMs. Of such examples add me to the roll,
Me easily indeed mine may neglect,
But Gon's proposed deliverance not so.
CHO Just are the ways of GoD,
For with His own laws He can best dispense.
He would not else, who never wanted means, Nor in respect of th' 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,
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 ought'st to receive him.
SAMS. Aye me! another inward grief awaked
With mention of that name renews th' assault.
MAN. Brethren and men of Dan, for such ye seem,
Though in this uncouth place; if old respect,
As I suppose, towards your once gloried friend,
My son now captive, hither hath inform'd
Your younger feet, while mine cast back with age
Came lagging after; say if he be here.
CHOR. As signal now in low dejected state,
As erst in highest, behold him where he lies.
MAN. O miserable change! is this the man.
That invincible Samson, far renown'd,
The dread of Israel's foes, who with a strength
Equivalent to angels walk'd their streets,
None offering fight; who single combatant
Duell'd their armies rank'd in proud array,
Himself an army, now unequal match
To save himself against a coward arm'd
At one spear's length. O ever-failing trust
In mortal strength! and, oh! what not in man
Deceivable and vain ? nay, what thing good,
Pray'd for, but often proves our woe, cur bane ?
I pray'd for children, and thought barrenness
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