The Poetical Works of John Milton Part 34

Sam: Not for thy life, lest fierce remembrance wake My sudden rage to tear thee joint by joint.

At distance I forgive thee, go with that; Bewail thy falshood, and the pious works It hath brought forth to make thee memorable Among ill.u.s.trious women, faithful wives: Cherish thy hast'n'd widowhood with the gold Of Matrimonial treason: so farewel.

Dal: I see thou art implacable, more deaf 960 To prayers, then winds and seas, yet winds to seas Are reconcil'd at length, and Sea to Sh.o.r.e: Thy anger, unappeasable, still rages, Eternal tempest never to be calm'd.

Why do I humble thus my self, and suing For peace, reap nothing but repulse and hate?

Bid go with evil omen and the brand Of infamy upon my name denounc't?

To mix with thy concernments I desist Henceforth, nor too much disapprove my own. 970 Fame if not double-fac't is double-mouth'd, And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds, On both his wings, one black, th' other white, Bears greatest names in his wild aerie flight.

My name perhaps among the Circ.u.mcis'd In Dan, in Judah, and the bordering Tribes, To all posterity may stand defam'd, With malediction mention'd, and the blot Of falshood most unconjugal traduc't.

But in my countrey where I most desire, 980 In Ecron, Gaza, Asdod, and in Gath I shall be nam'd among the famousest Of Women, sung at solemn festivals, Living and dead recorded, who to save Her countrey from a fierce destroyer, chose Above the faith of wedlock-bands, my tomb With odours visited and annual flowers.

Not less renown'd then in Mount Ephraim, Jael who with inhospitable guile Smote Sisera sleeping through the Temples nail'd. 990 Nor shall I count it hainous to enjoy The public marks of honour and reward Conferr'd upon me, for the piety Which to my countrey I was judg'd to have shewn.

At this who ever envies or repines I leave him to his lot, and like my own.

Chor: She's gone, a manifest Serpent by her sting Discover'd in the end, till now conceal'd.

Sam: So let her go, G.o.d sent her to debase me, And aggravate my folly who committed 1000 To such a viper his most sacred trust Of secresie, my safety, and my life.

Chor: Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power, After offence returning, to regain Love once possest, nor can be easily Repuls't, without much inward pa.s.sion felt And secret sting of amorous remorse.

Sam: Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end, Not wedlock-trechery endangering life.

Chor: It is not vertue, wisdom, valour, wit, 1010 Strength, comliness of shape, or amplest merit That womans love can win or long inherit; But what it is, hard is to say, Harder to hit, (Which way soever men refer it) Much like thy riddle, Samson, in one day Or seven, though one should musing sit; If any of these or all, the Timnian bride Had not so soon preferr'd Thy Paranymph, worthless to thee compar'd, 1020 Successour in thy bed, Nor both so loosly disally'd Thir nuptials, nor this last so trecherously Had shorn the fatal harvest of thy head.

Is it for that such outward ornament Was lavish't on thir s.e.x, that inward gifts Were left for hast unfinish't, judgment scant, Capacity not rais'd to apprehend Or value what is best In choice, but oftest to affect the wrong? 1030 Or was too much of self-love mixt, Of constancy no root infixt, That either they love nothing, or not long?

What e're it be, to wisest men and best Seeming at first all heavenly under virgin veil, Soft, modest, meek, demure, Once join'd, the contrary she proves, a thorn Intestin, far within defensive arms A cleaving mischief, in his way to vertue Adverse and turbulent, or by her charms 1040 Draws him awry enslav'd With dotage, and his sense deprav'd To folly and shameful deeds which ruin ends.

What Pilot so expert but needs must wreck Embarqu'd with such a Stears-mate at the Helm?

Favour'd of Heav'n who finds One vertuous rarely found, That in domestic good combines: Happy that house! his way to peace is smooth: But vertue which breaks through all opposition, 1050 And all temptation can remove, Most s.h.i.+nes and most is acceptable above.

Therefore G.o.ds universal Law Gave to the man despotic power Over his female in due awe, Nor from that right to part an hour, Smile she or lowre: So shall he least confusion draw On his whole life, not sway'd By female usurpation, nor dismay'd. 1060 But had we best retire, I see a storm?

Sam: Fair days have oft contracted wind and rain.

Chor: But this another kind of tempest brings.

Sam: Be less abstruse, my riddling days are past.

Chor: Look now for no inchanting voice, nor fear The bait of honied words; a rougher tongue Draws. .h.i.therward, I know him by his stride, The Giant Harapha of Gath, his look Haughty as is his pile high-built and proud.

Comes he in peace? what wind hath blown him hither 1070 I less conjecture then when first I saw The sumptuous Dalila floating this way: His habit carries peace, his brow defiance.

Sam: Or peace or not, alike to me he comes.

Chor: His fraught we soon shall know, he now arrives.

Har: I come not Samson, to condole thy chance, As these perhaps, yet wish it had not been, Though for no friendly intent. I am of Gath, Men call me Harapha, of stock renown'd As Og or Anak and the Emims old 1080 That Kiriathaim held, thou knowst me now If thou at all art known. Much I have heard Of thy prodigious might and feats perform'd Incredible to me, in this displeas'd, That I was never present on the place Of those encounters, where we might have tri'd Each others force in camp or listed field: And now am come to see of whom such noise Hath walk'd about, and each limb to survey, If thy appearance answer loud report. 1090

Sam: The way to know were not to see but taste.

Har: Dost thou already single me; I thought Gives and the Mill had tam'd thee? O that fortune Had brought me to the field where thou art fam'd To have wrought such wonders with an a.s.ses Jaw; I should have forc'd thee soon with other arms, Or left thy carka.s.s where the a.s.s lay thrown: So had the glory of Prowess been recover'd To Palestine, won by a Philistine From the unforeskinn'd race, of whom thou hear'st 1100 The highest name for valiant Acts, that honour Certain to have won by mortal duel from thee, I lose, prevented by thy eyes put out.

Sam: Boast not of what thou wouldst have done, but do What then thou would'st, thou seest it in thy hand.

Har: To combat with a blind man I disdain And thou hast need much was.h.i.+ng to be toucht.

Sam: Such usage as your honourable Lords Afford me a.s.sa.s.sinated and betray'd, Who durst not with thir whole united powers 1110 In fight withstand me single and unarm'd, Nor in the house with chamber Ambushes Close-banded durst attaque me, no not sleeping, Till they had hir'd a woman with their gold Breaking her Marriage Faith to circ.u.mvent me.

Therefore without feign'd s.h.i.+fts let be a.s.sign'd Some narrow place enclos'd, where sight may give thee.

Or rather flight, no great advantage on me; Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy Helmet And Brigandine of bra.s.s, thy broad Habergeon. 1120 Vant-bra.s.s and Greves, and Gauntlet, add thy Spear A Weavers beam, and seven-times-folded s.h.i.+eld.

I only with an Oak'n staff will meet thee, And raise such out-cries on thy clatter'd Iron, Which long shall not with-hold mee from thy head, That in a little time while breath remains thee, Thou oft shalt wish thy self at Gath to boast Again in safety what thou wouldst have done To Samson, but shalt never see Gath more.

Har: Thou durst not thus disparage glorious arms 1130 Which greatest Heroes have in battel worn, Thir ornament and safety, had not spells And black enchantments, some Magicians Art Arm'd thee or charm'd thee strong, which thou from Heaven Feigndst at thy birth was giv'n thee in thy hair, Where strength can least abide, though all thy hairs Were bristles rang'd like those that ridge the back Of chaf't wild Boars, or ruffl'd Porcupines.

Sam: I know no Spells, use no forbidden Arts; My trust is in the living G.o.d who gave me 1140 At my Nativity this strength, diffus'd No less through all my sinews, joints and bones, Then thine, while I preserv'd these locks unshorn, The pledge of my unviolated vow.

For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy G.o.d, Go to his Temple, invocate his aid With solemnest devotion, spread before him How highly it concerns his glory now To frustrate and dissolve these Magic spells, Which I to be the power of Israel's G.o.d 1150 Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test, Offering to combat thee his Champion bold, With th' utmost of his G.o.dhead seconded: Then thou shalt see, or rather to thy sorrow Soon feel, whose G.o.d is strongest, thine or mine.

Har: Presume not on thy G.o.d, what e're he be, Thee he regards not, owns not, hath cut off Quite from his people, and delivered up Into thy Enemies hand, permitted them To put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd send thee 1160 Into the common Prison, there to grind Among the Slaves and a.s.ses thy comrades, As good for nothing else, no better service With those, thy boyst'rous locks, no worthy match For valour to a.s.sail, nor by the sword Of n.o.ble Warriour, so to stain his honour, But by the Barbers razor best subdu'd.

Sam: All these indignities, for such they are From thine, these evils I deserve and more, Acknowledge them from G.o.d inflicted on me 1170 Justly, yet despair not of his final pardon Whose ear is ever open; and his eye Gracious to re-admit the suppliant; In confidence whereof I once again Defie thee to the trial of mortal fight, By combat to decide whose G.o.d is G.o.d, Thine or whom I with Israel's Sons adore.

Har: Fair honour that thou dost thy G.o.d, in trusting He will accept thee to defend his cause, A Murtherer, a Revolter, and a Robber. 1180

Sam: Tongue-doubtie Giant, how dost thou prove me these?

Har: Is not thy Nation subject to our Lords?

Thir Magistrates confest it, when they took thee As a League-breaker and deliver'd bound Into our hands: for hadst thou not committed Notorious murder on those thirty men At Askalon, who never did thee harm, Then like a Robber stripdst them of thir robes?

The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league, Went up with armed powers thee only seeking, 1190 To others did no violence nor spoil.

Sam: Among the Daughters of the Philistines I chose a Wife, which argu'd me no foe; And in your City held my Nuptial Feast: But your ill-meaning Politician Lords, Under pretence of Bridal friends and guests, Appointed to await me thirty spies, Who threatning cruel death constrain'd the bride To wring from me and tell to them my secret, That solv'd the riddle which I had propos'd. 1200 When I perceiv'd all set on enmity, As on my enemies, where ever chanc'd, I us'd hostility, and took thir spoil To pay my underminers in thir coin.

My Nation was subjected to your Lords.

It was the force of Conquest; force with force Is well ejected when the Conquer'd can.

But I a private person, whom my Countrey As a league-breaker gave up bound, presum'd Single Rebellion and did Hostile Acts. 1210 I was no private but a person rais'd With strength sufficient and command from Heav'n To free my Countrey; if their servile minds Me their Deliverer sent would not receive, But to thir Masters gave me up for nought, Th' unworthier they; whence to this day they serve.

I was to do my part from Heav'n a.s.sign'd, And had perform'd it if my known offence Had not disabl'd me, not all your force: These s.h.i.+fts refuted, answer thy appellant 1220 Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts, Who now defies thee thrice to single fight, As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

Har: With thee a Man condemn'd, a Slave enrol'd, Due by the Law to capital punishment?

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.

Sam: Cam'st thou for this, vain boaster, to survey me, To descant on my strength, and give thy verdit?

Come nearer, part not hence so slight inform'd; But take good heed my hand survey not thee. 1230 Har: O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd Hear these dishonours, and not render death?

Sam: No man with-holds thee, nothing from thy hand Fear I incurable; bring up thy van, My heels are fetter'd, but my fist is free.

Har: This insolence other kind of answer fits.

Sam: Go baffl'd coward, lest I run upon thee, Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast, And with one buffet lay thy structure low, Or swing thee in the Air, then dash thee down 1240 To the hazard of thy brains and shatter'd sides.

Har: By Astaroth e're long thou shalt lament These braveries in Irons loaden on thee.

Chor: His Giants.h.i.+p is gone somewhat crestfall'n, Stalking with less unconsci'nable strides, And lower looks, but in a sultrie chafe.

Sam: I dread him not, nor all his Giant-brood, Though Fame divulge him Father of five Sons All of Gigantic size, Goliah chief.

Chor: He will directly to the Lords, I fear, 1250 And with malitious counsel stir them up Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.

Sam: He must allege some cause, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, lest a question rise Whether he durst accept the offer or not, And that he durst not plain enough appear'd.