Of fair fallacious looks, venereal trains, 535 CHO. Defire of wine and all delicious drinks, Which many a famous warrior overturns, Thou couldst reprefs, nor did the dancing ruby Sparkling, out-pour'd, the flavor, or the fmell, Or taste that chears the heart of Gods and men, 545 Allure thee from the cool crystallin fream. 550 SAMS. Wherever fountain or fresh current flow'd Against the eastern ray, tranflucent, pure With touch ethereal of Heav'n's fiery rod, I drank, from the clear milky juice allaying Thirst, and refresh'd; nor envy'd them the grape Whose heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes. Сно. O madness, to think ufe of strongest wines And strongest drinks our chief fupport of health, When God with thefe forbidd'n made choice to rear His mighty champion, ftrong above compare, Whose drink was only from the liquid brook! SAMS. But what avail'd this temp'rance, not com Against another object more enticing? What boots it at one gate to make defense, And at another to let in the foe, Effeminately vanquifh'd? by which means, [plete 560 Now blind, dishearten'd, fham'd, difhonor'd, quell'd, To what can I be useful, wherein serve My nation, and the work from Heav'n impos'd, 565 A burd'nous drone; to vifitants a gaze, Vain monument of ftrength; till length of years 570 To a contemptible old-age obfcure? Here rather let me drudge and earn my bread, Till vermin or the draff of fervile food Confume me, and oft-invoked death 575 Haften the welcome end of all my pains. MAN. Wilt thou then ferve the Philiftines with that Which was exprefly giv'n thee to annoy them? [gift Better at home lie bed-rid, not only idle, Inglorious, unemploy'd, with age outworn. 580 From the dry ground to fpring, thy thirst t' allay After the brunt of battel, can as easy Caufe light again within thy eyes to spring, Wherewith to ferve him better than thou haft; 585 SAMS. All otherwife to me my thoughts portend, That thefe dark orbs no more shall treat with light, Nor th' other light of life continue long, But But yield to double darkness nigh at hand: 595 MAN. Believe not these suggestions, which proceed From anguish of the mind and humors black, To prosecute the means of thy deliverance By ransome, or how elfe: mean while be calm, 600 And healing words from these thy friends admit. 605 SAMS. O that torment fhould not be confin'd To the body's wounds and fores, With maladies innumerable In heart, head, breast and reins; To th' inmoft mind, There exercise all his fierce accidents, As on entrails, joints, and limbs, 610 With answerable pains, but more intense, 615 Thoughts my tormentors arm'd with deadly ftings Exafperate, exulcerate, and raise Dire inflammation, which no cooling herb 625 Nor breath of vernal air from fnowy Alp. Sleep hath forfook and giv'n me o'er To death's benumming opium as my only cure: 630 And fenfe of Heav'n's defertion. I was his nurfling once and choice delight, His deftin'd from the womb, Promis'd by heav'nly meffage twice defcending. 635 Under his fpecial eye Abftemious I grew up and thriv'd amain; He led me on to mightiest deeds Above the nerve of mortal arm Against th' uncircumcis'd, our enemies : 640 But now hath caft me off as never known, Whom I by his appointment had provok'd, Left me all helpless with th' irreparable lofs of fight, referv'd alive to be repeated 645 The subject of their cruelty or scorn. Nor am I in the list of them that hope; Hopeless are all my evils, all remedilefs; This one prayer yet remains, might I be heard, "No long petition, speedy death, 650 The close of all my miferies, and the balın. CHO. Many are the fayings of the wife In In ancient and in modern books inroll'd, 655 With study'd argument, and much persuasion fought But with th' afflicted in his pangs their found Harsh, and of diffonant mood from his complaint; Unless he feel within Some fource of confolation from above, Secret refreshings, that repair his ftrength, And fainting spirits uphold. God of our fathers, what is man! That thou tow'ards him with hand fo various, Or might I fay contrarious, 660 665 Temper'ft thy providence through his fhort course, 670 Th' angelic orders and inferior creatures mute, Nor do I name of men the common rout, Grow up and perish, as the fummer flie, And people's fafety, which in part they' effect: 675 680 Amidst |