And celeftial vigor arm'd, Their armories and magazines contemns, With winged expedition Swift as the lightning glance he executes But patience is more oft the exercise 1280 1285 1290 This idol's day hath been to thee no day of rest, A scepter or quaint staff he bears, 1305 off. Off. Hebrews, the pris'ner Samfon here I feek. Chor. His manacles remark him, there he fits. Off. Samfon to thee our lords thus bid me say; This day to Dagon is a folemn feast, 1311 With facrifices, triumph, pomp, and games; Thy ftrength they know furpaffing human rate, And now fome public proof thereof require To honor this great feast, and great assembly; 1315 Rife therefore with all speed and come along, Where I will fee thee hearten'd and fresh clad To' appear as fits before th' illuftrious lords. Samf. Thou know'ft I am an Hebrew, therefore Our law forbids at their religious rites (tell them, My prefence; for that cause I cannot come. 1321 Off. This anfwer, be affur'd, will not content them. Samf. Have they not fword-players, and every fort Of gymnic artifts, wrestlers, riders, runners, Juglers and dancers, antics, mummers, mimics, But they must pick me out with shackels tir'd, 1326 And over-labor'd at their public mill, To make them sport with blind activity ? Or make a game of my calamities? Return the way thou cam'ft, I will not come. 1330 Off. Regard thyself, this will offend them highly. Can they think me fo broken, so debas'd 1335 With corporal fervitude, that my mind ever 1341 Will condefcend to fuch abfurd commands? 1351 Of ftrength, again returning with my hair 1355 By prostituting holy things to idols; 1359 Vaunting my strength in honor to their Dagon ? Besides how vile, contemptible, ridiculous, What act more execrably unclean, profane? (ftines, Chor. Yet with this ftrength thou ferv'ft the Phili Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean. Samf. Not in their idol-worship, but by labor Honest and lawful to deserve my food 1366 God for the fear of man, and man prefer, 1375 For fome important cause, thou need'ft not doubt. Ch. How thou wilt here come off furmounts my reach. Samf. Be of good courage, I begin to feel 1381 Some rousing motions in me which dispose To fomething extraordinary my thoughts. I with this messenger will go along, Nothing to do, be sure, that may dishonor Our law, or stain my vow of Nazarite. If there be ought of prefage in the mind, This day will be remarkable in my life By some great act, or of my days the last. 1385 1389 Chor. In time thou hast refolv'd, the man returns. Off. Samfon, this fecond message from our lords To To thee I am bid say. Art thou our flave, And hamper thee, as thou fhalt come of force, 1401 Samf. I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious. Yet knowing their advantages too many, Because they shall not trail me through their streets Like a wild beaft, I am content to go. Masters commands come with a pow'r 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.. 1405 Off. I praise thy resolution: doff these links: 1410 By this compliance thou wilt win the lords To favor, and perhaps to set thee free. Sams. Brethren farewel; your company along I will not wish, left it perhaps offend them To fee me girt with friends; and how the fight Of me as of a common enemy, 1416 So dreaded once, may now exasperate them I know not lords are lordlieft in their wine; And the well-feafted priest then foonest fir'd |