Imatges de pàgina
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Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon
Conceiv'd, agreeable to a father's love,
In both which we, as next, participate.
Man. I know your friendly minds, and

noise!

what

Mercy of Heaven, what hideous noise was that Horribly loud, unlike the former shout?

Chor. Noise call you it, or universal groan, As if the whole inhabitation perish'd ? Blood, death, and deathful deeds, are in that noise, Ruin, destruction of the utmost point.

Man. Of ruin, indeed, methought I heard the

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Oh! it continues, they have slain my son.
Chor. Thy son is rather slaying them: that

outcry

From slaughter of one foe could not ascend. Man. Some dismal accident it needs must be; What shall we do, stay here or run and see?

Chor. Best keep together here, lest, running We unawares run into danger's mouth. [hither, This evil on the Philistines is fallen:

From whom could else a general cry be heard?
The sufferers then will scarce molest us here;
From other hands we need not much to fear.
What if, his eye-sight (for to Israel's God
Nothing is hard) by miracle restor'd,
He now be dealing dole among his foes,
And over heaps of slaughter'd walk his way?

Man. That were a joy presumptuous to be [ble

thought.

Chor. Yet God hath wrought things as incredi For his people of old; what hinders now?

Man. He can, I know, but doubt to think he

will;

Yet hope would fain subscribe, and tempts besiet, A little stay will bring some notice hither.

Chor. Of good or bad so great, of bad the sooner; For evil news rides nost, while good news bates

And to our wish I see one hither speeding,
An Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe.

Enter Messenger.

Mess. O whither shall I run, or which way fly The sight of this so horrid spectacle, Which erst my eyes beheld, and yet behold? For dire imagination still pursues me. But Providence or instinct of nature seems, Or reason though disturb'd, and scarce consulted. To have guided me aright, I know not how, To thee first, reverend Manoah, and to these My countrymen, whom here I knew remaining, As at some distance from the place of horror, Though in the sad event too much concern'd.

Man. The accident was loud, and here before thee With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not; No preface needs, thou seest we long to know. Mess. It would burst forth, but I recover breath And sense distract, to know well what I utter. Man. Tell us the sum, the circumstance defer. Mess. Gaza yet stands, but all her sons are fallen, All in a moment overwhelm'd and fallen.

3

Man. Sad, but thou know'st to Israelites not The desolation of a hostile city.

[saddest,

Mess. Feed on that first; there may in grief be

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The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy.

Mess. Ah! Manoah, I refrain too suddenly

To utter what will come at least too soon;
Lest evil tidings with too rude irruption
Hitting thy aged ear should pierce too deep.

Man. Suspense in news is torture, speak them

out.

Mess. Take then the worst in brief: Samson is

dead

Man. The worst indeed: O all my hopes de

feated,

To free him hence! but death, who sets all free,
Hath paid his ransom now, and full discharge.
What windy joy this day had I conceiv'd
Hopeful of his delivery, which now proves
Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring
Nipt with the lagging rear of winter's frost.
Yet ere I give the reins to grief, say first,
How died he; death to life is crown or shame.
All by him fell, thou say'st; by whom fell he?
What glorious hand gave Samson his death's

wound?

Mess. Unwounded of his enemies he fell.

Man. Wearied with slaughter then, or how?

explain.

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At once both to destroy, and be destroy'd;
The edifice where all were met to see him,
Upon their heads and on his own he pull'd.

Man. O lastly over-strong against thyself
A dreadful way thou took'st to thy revenge.
More than enough we know; but while things yet
Are in confusion, give us, if thou canst,
Eve-witness of what first or last was done,
Relation more particular and distinct.

Mess. Occasions drew me early to this city; And, as the gates I enter'd with sun-rise, The morning trumpets festival proclaim' Through each high street: little I had dispatch'd, When all abroad was rumour'd that this day Samson should be brought forth, to show the

people

Proof of his mighty strength in feats and games; I sorrow'd at his captive state, but minded

Not to be absent at that spectacle.
The building was a spacious theatre,

Half round, on two main pillars vaulted high,
With seats where all the lords, and each degree
Of sort, might sit in order to behold;
The other side was open, where the throng
On banks and scaffolds under sky might stand;
1 among these aloof obscurely stood.
The feast and noon grew high, and sacrifice
Had fill'd their hearts with mirth, high cheer, and

wine,

When to their sports they turn'd. Immediately
Was Samson as a public servant brought,
In their state livery clad; before him pipes
And timbres, on each side went armed guards.
Both horse and foot, before him and behind
Archers and slingers, cataphracts and spears.
At sight of him the people with a shout
Rifted the air, clamouring their god with praise,
Who had made their dreadful enemy their thrall.
He, patient, but undaunted, where they led him,
Came to the place; and what was set before him,
Which without help of eye might be assay'd,
To heave, pull, draw, or break, he still perform'd
All with incredible, stupendous force;
None daring to appear antagonist.
At length for intermission's sake they led him
Between the pillars; he his guide requested,
(For so from such as nearer stood we heard,)
As over-tir'd, to let him lean a while
With both his arms on those two massy pillars
That to the arched roof gave main support.
He, unsuspicious, led him; which when Samson
Felt in his arms, with head a while inclin'd,
And eyes fast fix'd, he stood, as one who pray'd,
Or some great matter in his mind revolv'd:
At last with head erect thus cried aloud,
"Hitherto, lords, what your commands impos'd
I have perform'd. as reason was, obeying,

Not without wonder or delight beheld:
Now of my own accord such other trial
I mean to show you of my strength, yet greater,
As with amaze shall strike all who behold."
This utter'd, straining all his nerves, he bow'd,
As, with the force of winds and waters pent,
When mountains tremble: those two massy pillars
With horrible convulsion to and fro

He tugg'd, he shook, till down they came, and drew
The whole roof after them with burst of thunder
Upon the heads of all who sat beneath,
Lords, ladies, captains, counsellors, or priests,
Their choice nobility and flower, not only
Of this, but each Philistian city round,
Met from all parts to solemnize this feast:
Samson, with these immix'd, inevitably
Pull'd down the same destruction on himself;
The vulgar only 'scap'd, who stood without.

Chor. O dearly-bought revenge, yet glorious
Living or dying thou hast fulfill'd
The work for which thou wast foretold
To Israel, and now liest victorious
Among thy slain seaf-kill'd,

Not willingly, but tangled in the fold
Of dire necessity, whose law in death conjoin'd
Thee with thy slaughter'd foes in number more
Than all thy life hath slain before.

1 Semichor. While their hearts were jocund and

sublime,

Drunk with idolatry, drunk with wine,
And fat regorg'd of bulls and goats,
Chanting their idol, and preferring
Before our living Dread who dwells
In Silo, his bright sanctuary;
Among them he a spirit of frenzy sent
W'ho hurt their minds,

And urg'd them on with mad desire
To call in haste for their destroyer:
They, only set on sport and play,
• Unweetingly importuned

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