CHORUS. His manacles remark him, there he sits. Samson, to thee our lords thus bid me say; SAMSON. 1310 1315 Thou know'st I am an Hebrew, therefore tell them, Our law forbids at their religious rites My presence; for that cause I cannot come. OFFICER. This answer, be assur'd, will not content them. 1309. remark him,] Distinguish him, point him out. Richardson. 1312. With sacrifices, triumph, pomp, and games;] Triumph was used for shews, such as masks, revels, &c. See Burton's Anatomie of Melancholie, Pref. p. 3. Bacon has an essay Of Masques and Triumphs. Ess. xxxvii. See also his Essay Of Buildings, Ess. xlv. where he would have a room "for a preparing place at times "of triumphes." And Bishop Fysher's funeral sermon on Margaret Countess of Richmond, ed. Baker, 1708. p. 29. And in this sense we are to interpret Drayton, vol. i. p. 331. And Beaumont and Fletcher's Coronation, act ii. 1320 sc. 1. vol. ix. p. 29. Jonson's Cynth. Rev. a. iv. s. 6. and Shakespeare, K. Richard II. a. v. s. 2. Midnight Dream, a. i. s. 1. Third Part K. Henry VI. a. v. s. 7. and this is the precise meaning of Falstaffe's humour to Bardolph," O, thou art a perpetual triumph, &c." First P. Henry IV. a. iii. s. 3. Pomp also had a technical sense in the ancient masques, introduced perhaps by Jonson, for retinue, train, &c. See note on P. L. viii. 60. T. Warton. 1313. surpassing human rate,] In the first edition it was printed race, but in the table of Errata we are desired to read rate. SAMSON. Have they not sword-players, and every sort Return the way thou cam'st, I will not come. OFFICER. Regard thyself, this will offend them highly. Myself? my conscience and internal peace. OFFICER. My message was impos'd on me with speed, Brooks no delay: is this thy resolution? 1325 1380 1335 1340 1825. —mummers, mimics,] It was printed mummers, mimirs; mummers are maskers according to Junius, Skinner, and the other etymologists; but what are mi mirs? The table of Errata to the first edition hath set us right, instructing us to read mimics, but not one of the editions has followed it. SAMSON. So take it with what speed thy message needs. 1345 OFFICER. I am sorry what this stoutness will produce. Perhaps thou shalt have cause to sorrow' indeed. Consider, Samson; matters now are strain'd Up to the height, whether to hold or break: Expect another message more imperious, SAMSON. hair Shall I abuse this consecrated gift 1355 Vaunting my strength in honour to their Dagon? 1360 Besides how vile, contemptible, ridiculous, What act more execrably unclean, profane? CHORUS. Yet with this strength thou serv'st the Philistines, Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean. SAMSON. Not in their idol-worship, but by labour CHORUS. 1365 Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile not. SAMSON. 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, vent'ring to displease God for the fear of man, and man prefer, Set God behind: which in his jealousy For some important cause, thou need'st not doubt. CHORUS. 1375 How thou wilt here come off surmounts my reach. 1380 SAMSON. Be of good courage, I begin to feel Some rousing motions in me which dispose 1377. Yet that he may dispense &c.] Milton here probably had in view the story of Naaman the Syrian's begging a dispensation of this sort from Elisha, which he seemingly grants him. See 2 Kings v. 18, 19. Thyer. 1384. I with this messenger will Nothing to do, be sure, that may dishonour By some great act, or of my days the last. In time thou hast resolv'd, the man returns. Samson, this second message from our lords 1385 1390 1395 I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious. 1400 Yet knowing their advantages too many, Because they shall not trail me through their streets Like a wild beast, I am content to go. Masters' commands come with a pow'r resistless go along,] With what messenger? It was not expressly said before that the messenger was coming; it was implied indeed in what the Chorus had said, How thou wilt here come off surmounts my reach : and this might very well be understood by a man, who could the messenger coming as well as the Chorus, but seems see hardly a sufficient intimation to a blind man, unless we suppose him to know that the messenger was coming by the same impulse that he felt rousing him to something extraordinary. 1404. Masters' commands &c.] This was a feint, but it had betrayed itself had it not been covered by ver. 1408. Yet this be sure &c. Warburton. |