The Poetical Works of John Milton Part 35

Much more affliction then already felt They cannot well impose, nor I sustain; If they intend advantage of my labours The work of many hands, which earns my keeping 1260 With no small profit daily to my owners.

But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove My speediest friend, by death to rid me hence, The worst that he can give, to me the best.

Yet so it may fall out, because thir end Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine Draw thir own ruin who attempt the deed.

Chor: Oh how comely it is and how reviving To the Spirits of just men long opprest!

When G.o.d into the hands of thir deliverer 1270 Puts invincible might To quell the mighty of the Earth, th' oppressour, The brute and boist'rous force of violent men Hardy and industrious to support Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue The righteous and all such as honour Truth; He all thir Ammunition And feats of War defeats With plain Heroic magnitude of mind And celestial vigour arm'd, 1270 Thir Armories and Magazins contemns, Renders them useless, while With winged expedition Swift as the lightning glance he executes His errand on the wicked, who surpris'd Lose thir defence distracted and amaz'd.

But patience is more oft the exercise Of Saints, the trial of thir fort.i.tude, Making them each his own Deliverer, And Victor over all 1290 That tyrannie or fortune can inflict, Either of these is in thy lot, Samson, with might endu'd Above the Sons of men; but sight bereav'd May chance to number thee with those Whom Patience finally must crown.

This Idols day hath bin to thee no day of rest, Labouring thy mind More then the working day thy hands, And yet perhaps more trouble is behind. 1300 For I descry this way Some other tending, in his hand A Scepter or quaint staff he bears, Comes on amain, speed in his look.

By his habit I discern him now A Public Officer, and now at hand.

His message will be short and voluble.

Off: Ebrews, the Pris'ner Samson here I seek.

Chor: His manacles remark him, there he sits.

Off: Samson, to thee our Lords thus bid me say; 1310 This day to Dagon is a solemn Feast, With Sacrifices, Triumph, Pomp, and Games; Thy strength they know surpa.s.sing human rate, And now some public proof thereof require To honour this great Feast, and great a.s.sembly; Rise therefore with all speed and come along, Where I will see thee heartn'd and fresh clad To appear as fits before th' ill.u.s.trious Lords.

Sam: Thou knowst I am an Ebrew, therefore tell them, Our Law forbids at thir Religious Rites 1320 My presence; for that cause I cannot come.

Off: This answer, be a.s.sur'd, will not content them.

Sam: Have they not Sword-players, and ev'ry sort Of Gymnic Artists, Wrestlers, Riders, Runners, Juglers and Dancers, Antics, Mummers, Mimics, But they must pick me out with shackles tir'd, And over-labour'd at thir publick Mill, To make them sport with blind activity?

Do they not seek occasion of new quarrels On my refusal to distress me more, 1330 Or make a game of my calamities?

Return the way thou cam'st, I will not come.

Off: Regard thy self, this will offend them highly.

Sam: My self? my conscience and internal peace.

Can they think me so broken, so debas'd With corporal servitude, that my mind ever Will condescend to such absurd commands?

Although thir drudge, to be thir fool or jester, And in my midst of sorrow and heart-grief To shew them feats, and play before thir G.o.d, 1340 The worst of all indignities, yet on me Joyn'd with extream contempt? I will not come.

Off: My message was impos'd on me with speed, Brooks no delay: is this thy resolution?

Sam: So take it with what speed thy message needs.

Off: I am sorry what this stoutness will produce.

Sam: Perhaps thou shalt have cause to sorrow indeed.

Chor: Consider, Samson; matters now are strain'd Up to the highth, whether to bold or break; He's gone, and who knows how he may report 1350 Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?

Expect another message more imperious, More Lordly thund'ring then thou well wilt bear.

Sam: 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 prost.i.tuting holy things to Idols; A Nazarite in place abominable Vaunting my strength in honour to thir Dagon? 1360 Besides, how vile, contemptible, ridiculous, What act more execrably unclean, prophane?

Chor: Yet with this strength thou serv'st the Philistines, Idolatrous, uncirc.u.mcis'd, unclean.

Sam: Not in thir Idol-wors.h.i.+p, but by labour Honest and lawful to deserve my food Of those who have me in thir civil power.

Chor: Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile not

Sam: Where outward force constrains, the sentence holds: But who constrains me to the Temple of Dagon, 1370 Not dragging? the Philistian Lords command.

Commands are no constraints. If I obey them, I do it freely; venturing to displease G.o.d for the fear of Man, and Man prefer, Set G.o.d behind: which in his jealousie 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 needst not doubt.

Chor: How thou wilt here come off surmounts my reach. 1380

Sam: Be of good courage, I begin to feel Some rouzing 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.

Chor: In time thou hast resolv'd, the man returns. 1390

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 dar'st thou at our sending and command Dispute thy coming? come without delay; Or we shall find such Engines to a.s.sail And hamper thee, as thou shalt come of force, Though thou wert firmlier fastn'd then a rock.

Sam: I could be well content to try thir Art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious. 1400 Yet knowing thir advantages too many, Because they shall not trail me through thir streets Like a wild Beast, I am content to go.

Masters commands come with a power resistless 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: 1410 By this compliance thou wilt win the Lords To favour, and perhaps to set thee free.

Sam: Brethren farewel, 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 thir wine, And the well-feasted Priest then soonest fir'd With zeal, if aught Religion seem concern'd: 1420 No less the people on thir Holy-days Impetuous, insolent, unquenchable; Happ'n what may, of me expect to hear Nothing dishonourable, impure, unworthy Our G.o.d, our Law, my Nation, or my self, The last of me or no I cannot warrant.

Chor: Go, and the Holy One Of Israel be thy guide To what may serve his glory best, & spread his name Great among the Heathen round: 1430 Send thee the Angel of thy Birth, to stand Fast by thy side, who from thy Fathers field Rode up in flames after his message told Of thy conception, and be now a s.h.i.+eld Of fire; that Spirit that first rusht 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 wond'rous actions Hath been seen. 1440 But wherefore comes old Manoa in such hast With youthful steps? much livelier than e're while He seems: supposing here to find his Son, Or of him bringing to us some glad news?

Man: Peace with you brethren; my inducement hither Was not at present here to find my Son, By order of the Lords new parted hence To come and play before them at thir Feast.

I heard all as I came, the City rings And numbers thither flock, I had no will, 1450 Lest I should see him forc't 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.

Chor: That hope would much rejoyce 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 pa.s.sing, With supplication p.r.o.ne and Fathers tears To accept of ransom for my Son thir pris'ner, 1460 Some much averse I found and wondrous harsh, Contemptuous, proud, set on revenge and spite; That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his Priests, Others more moderate seeming, but thir aim Private reward, for which both G.o.d and State They easily would set to sale, a third More generous far and civil, who confess'd They had anough reveng'd, having reduc't Thir foe to misery beneath thir fears, The rest was magnanimity to remit, 1470 If some convenient ransom were propos'd.

What noise or shout was that? it tore the Skie.

Chor: Doubtless the people shouting to behold Thir once great dread, captive, & blind before them, Or at some proof of strength before them shown.

Man: His ransom, if my whole inheritance May compa.s.s it, shall willingly be paid And numberd down: much rather I shall chuse To live the poorest in my Tribe, then richest, And he in that calamitous prison left. 1480 No, I am fixt not to part hence without him.

For his redemption all my Patrimony, If need be, I am ready to forgo And quit: not wanting him, I shall want nothing.

Chor: Fathers are wont to lay up for thir Sons, Thou for thy Son art bent to lay out all; Sons wont to nurse thir Parents in old age, Thou in old age car'st how to nurse thy Son, Made older then thy age through eye-sight lost.

Man: It shall be my delight to tend his eyes, 1490 And view him sitting in the house, en.o.bl'd With all those high exploits by him atchiev'd, And on his shoulders waving down those locks, That of a Nation arm'd the strength contain'd: And I perswade me G.o.d had not permitted His strength again to grow up with his hair Garrison'd round about him like a Camp Of faithful Souldiery, were not his purpose To use him further yet in some great service, Not to sit idle with so great a gift 1500 Useless, and thence ridiculous about him.

And since his strength with eye-sight was not lost, G.o.d will restore him eye-sight to his strength.

Chor: Thy hopes are not ill founded nor seem vain Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon Conceiv'd, agreeable to a Fathers love, In both which we, as next partic.i.p.ate.

Man: I know your friendly minds and--O what noise!

Mercy of Heav'n what hideous noise was that!

Horribly loud unlike the former shout. 1510