Of all these boafted trophies won on me, 470 And with confusion blank his worshippers.
Man. With cause this hope relieves thee, and these I as a prophecy receive, for God, (words
Nothing more certain, will not long defer
To vindicate the glory of his name
Against all competition, nor will long
Indure it doubtful whether God be Lord,
Or Dagon. But for thee what fhall be done?
Thou must not in the mean while here forgot
Lie in this miserable loathfome plight
Neglected. I already have made way
To fome Philiftian lords, with whom to treat
About thy ransome: well they may by this
Have fatisfy'd their utmost of revenge
Bypains and flaveries, worse than death inflicted 485 On thee, who now no more canft do them harm.
Samf. Spare that proposal, Father, spare the trouOf that folicitation; let me here,
As I deferve, pay on my punishment;
And expiate, if poffible, my crime,
Shameful garrulity. To have reveal'd
Secrets of men, the fecrets of a friend,
Contempt, and fcorn of all, to be excluded
How hainous had the fact been, how deferving
All friendship, and avoided as a blab,
The mark of fool fet on his front?
But I God's counsel have not kept, his holy secret
Presumptuously have publish'd, impiously,
Weakly at least, and shamefully: a fin
That Gentiles in their parables condemn
To their abyfs and horrid pains confin'd.
Man. Be penitent and for thy fault contrite,
But act not in thy own affliction, Son;
Repent the fin, but if the punishment
Thou canst avoid, self-preservation bids;
Or th' execution leave to high disposal,
And let another hand, not thine, exact
Thy penal forfeit from thyfelf; perhaps
God will relent, and quit thee all his debt;
Who ever more approves and more accepts
(Beft pleas'd with humble' and filial submission)
Him who imploring mercy fues for life,
Than who self-rigorous chooses death as due;
Which argues over-juft, and self-displeas'd
For felf-offense, more than for God offended. 515
Reject not then what offer'd means; who knows
But God hath fet before us, to return thee
Home to thy country and his facred house,
Where thou may'ft bring thy offerings, to avert
His further ire, with pray'rs and vows renew'd? 520
Samf. His pardon I implore; but as for life,
To what end fhould I feek it? when in ftrength
All mortals I excell'd, and great in hopes
With youthful courage and magnanimous thoughts
Of birth from Heav'n foretold and high exploits, 525
Full of divine inftinct, after some proof
Of acts indeed heroic, far beyond
The fons of Anak, famous now and blaz'd,
Fearless of danger, like a petty God
I walk'd about admir'd of all and dreaded
On hoftile ground, none daring my affront.
Then fwoll'n with pride into the fnare I fell
Of fair fallacious looks, venereal trains,
Soften'd with pleasure and voluptuous life;
At length to lay my head and hallow'd pledge
Of all my strength in the lascivious lap
Of a deceitful concubine, who fhore me
Like a tame weather, all my precious fleece,
Then turn'd me out ridiculous, defpoil'd,
Shav'n, and disarm'd among mine enemies.
Chor. Defire of wine and all delicious drink Which many a famous warrior overturns, Thou couldst reprefs, nor did the dancing ru Sparkling, out-pour'd, the flavor, or the fmel Or taste that chears the heart of Gods and me Allure thee from the cool cryftallin ftream.
Samf. Wherever fountain or fresh current f Against the eastern ray, translucent, 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 g Whose heads that turbulent liquor fills with f
Chor. O Madness, to think use of strongest
From the dry ground to spring, 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
And I persuade me fo; why else this strength
Miraculous yet remaining in those locks?
His might continues in thee not for nought,
Nor fhall his wondrous gifts be fruftrate thus. 590
Samf. All otherwise to me my thoughts portend,
That these dark orbs no more shall treat with light,
Nor th' other light of life continue long,
But yield to double darkness nigh at hand:
So much I feel my genial spirits droop,
My hopes all flat, nature within me seems
In all her functions weary of herself,
My race of glory run, and race of fhame,
And I shall shortly be with them that rest.
Man. Believe not these suggestions which proceed From anguish of the mind and humors black, 600 That mingle with thy fancy. I however Muft not omit a father's timely care
To profecute the means of thy deliverance
By ransome, or how elfe: mean while be calm,
And healing words from these thy friends admit. 605
Samf. O that torment should not be confin'd
To the body's wounds and fores,
With maladies innumerable
In heart, head, breaft and reins;
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