SAMSON made captive, blind, and now in the prison of Gaza, there to labour as in a common workhouse, on a festival day, in the general cessation from labour, comes forth into the open air, to a place nigh, somewhat retired, there to sit a while and bemoan his condition.: where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who seek to comfort him what they can; then by his old father, Manoah, who endeavours the like, and withal tells him his purpose to procure his liberty by ransom; lastly, that this feast was proclaimed by the Philistines as a day of thanksgiving for their deliverance from the hands of Samson, which yet more troubles him. Manoah then departs to prosecute his endeavour with the Philistian lords for Samson's redemption; who in the meanwhile is visited by other persons; and lastly, by a public officer to require his coming to the feast before the lords and people, to play or show his strength in their presence: he at first refuses, dismissing the public officer with absolute denial to come; at length, persuaded inwardly that this was from God, he yields to go along with him, who came now the second time with great threatenings to fetch him: the Chorus yet remaining on the place. Manoah returns full of joyful hope, to procure ere long his son's deliverance, in the midst of which discourse an Hebrew comes in haste, confusedly at first, and afterward more distinctly relating the catastrophe, what Samson had done to the Philistines, and by accident to himself wherewith the tragedy ends. SAMSON. [Attendant leading him.] His god-like presence, and from some great act ΙΟ 20 Or benefit revealed to Abraham's race? Why was my breeding ordered and prescribed Designed for great exploits: if I must die Betrayed, captíved, and both my eyes put out, To grind in brazen fetters under task With this Heaven-gifted strength? O glorious strength Lower than bond-slave! Promise was that I Should Israel from Philistian yoke deliver; Ask for this great deliverer now, and find him Had been fulfilled but through mine own default ! 30 40 50 By weakest subtleties,― not made to rule, But to subserve where wisdom bears command! God, when he gave me strength, to show withal 60 How slight the gift was, hung it in my hair. Dungeon, or beggary, or decrepit age! Light, the prime work of God, to me is extinct,- Annulled, which might in part my grief have eased,— Of man or worm; the vilest here excel me: O first created beam! and thou great Word, And silent, as the moon, When she deserts the night, Hid in her vacant interlunar cave. Since light so necessary is to life, And almost life itself; if it be true That light is in the soul, She all in every part; why was the sight To such a tender ball as the eye confined, So obvious, and so easy to be quenched; And not, as feeling, through all parts diffused, That she might look at will through every pore? By privilege of death and burial, From worst of other evils, pains and wrongs, But made hereby obnoxious more To all the miseries of life,- Life in captivity 70 80 90 100 |