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These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant

1220

Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts, Who now defies thee thrice to fingle fight,

As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

HAR. With thee, a man condemn'd, a slave inroll'd, Due by the law to capital punishment ?

1225

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.
SAMS. Cam'ft thou for this, vain boaster, to survey me,
To défcant on my strength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer, part not hence fo flight inform'd;
But take good heed my hand survey not thee.
HAR. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd
Hear thefe dishonors, and not render death?

1230

SAMS. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand

Fear I incurable; bring up thy van,

My heels are fetter'd, but my fift is free.

1235

HAR. This infolence other kind of anfwer fits.
SAMS. Go, baffled coward, left I run upon thee,
Though in these chains, bulk without fpirit vaft,
And with one buffet lay thy structure low,
Or fwing thee in the air, then dash thee down
To th' hazard of thy brains and shatter'd fides.
HAR. By Aftarcth ere long thou shalt lament
Thefe braveries in irons loaden on thee.

1240

CHO. His giantship is gone fomewhat creft-fall'n, Stalking with lefs unconfcionable ftrides,

And lower looks, but in a fultry chafe.

1245

SAMS. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood,
Though fame divulge him father of five sons,
All of gigantic fize, Goliah chief.

Сно.

CHо. He will directly to the lords, I fear, And with malicious counsel stir them up

Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.

1250

SAMS. He muft allege fome cause, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, left a queftion rife

Whether he durft accept the' offer or not,
And that he durft not plain enough appear'd.
Much more affliction than already felt
They cannot well impose, nor I sustain;
If they intend advantage of my labors,

1255

The work of many hands, which earns my keeping
With no fmall profit daily to my owners.

But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove
My fpeedieft friend, by death to rid me hence,
The worst that he can give, to me the best.
Yet fo it may fall out, because their end
Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine
Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.

CHо. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving

1265

To the fpirits of just men long opprefs'd!

When God into the hands of their deliverer

1270

Puts invincible might

To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppreffor,

The brute and boisterous force of violent men

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With plain heroic magnitude of mind

And celestial vigor arm'd,

Their armories and magazines contemns,
Renders them ufelefs, while

With winged expedition

Swift as the lightning glance he executes
His errand on the wicked, who, furpris'd,
Lose their defence diftracted and amaz'd.
But patience is more oft the exercise
Of faints, the trial of their fortitude,
Making them each his own deliverer,
And victor over all

That tyranny or fortune can inflict.

Either of these is in thy lot,

Samfon, with might indued

Above the fons of men: but fight bereav'd
May chance to number thee with those

Whom patience finally muft crown.

1280

1285

1290

1295

This idol's day hath been to thee no day of reft,

Laboring thy mind

More than the working-day thy hands.

And yet perhaps more trouble is behind,

1300

For I defcry this way

Some other tending, in his hand
A fcepter or quaint ftaff he bears,
Comes on amain, speed in his look.
By his habit I discern him now
A public Officer, and now at hand.
His meffage will be short and voluble.

1305

OFF

OFF. Hebrews, the pris'ner Samson here I seek. CHO. 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,

With facrifices, triumph, pomp, and games;
Thy ftrength they know furpaffing human rate,
And now fome public proof thereof require

To honor this great feaft, and great affembly; 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.
SAMS. Thou know'ft I am an Hebrew, therefore tell
them

Our Law forbids at their religious rites

My prefence; for that cause I cannot come.

1320

OFF. This anfwer, be affur'd, will not content them. SAMS. Have they not fword-players, and every fort Of gymnic artists, wrestlers, riders, runners,

Juglers and dancers, antics, mummers, mimics, 1325
But they must pick me out with shackles tir’d,
And over-labor'd at their public mill,
To make them fport with blind activity?
Do they not feek occafion of new quarrels
On my refufal to distress me more,

Or make a game

Return the way

of my calamities?

thou cam't, I will not come.

1330

OFF. Regard thyself; this will offend them highly. SAMS. Myfelf? my conscience and internal peace.

Can they think me fo broken, fo debas'd

1335

With corporal fervitude, that i

mind ever

Will

E 2

Will condescend to fuch abfurd commands?

Although their drudge, to be their fool or jefter,
And in my midst of sorrow and heart-grief

To show them feats, and play before their God, 1340
The worst of all indignities, yet on me

Join'd with extreme contempt? I will not come.

OFF. My meffage was impos'd on me with speed, Brooks no delay: is this thy refolution?

SAMS. So take it with what speed thy message needs.
OFF. I am forry what this stoutness will produce.
SAMS. Perhaps thou fhalt have caufe to forrow' indeed.
CHо. Confider, Samfon; matters now are ftrain'd
Up to the highth, whether to hold or break;
He's gone, and who knows how he may report 1350
Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?

Expect another meffage more imperious,
More lordly thundering than thou well wilt bear.
SAMS. Shall I abuse this confecrated gift
Of strength, again returning with my hair
After my great tranfgreffion, fo requite
Favor renew'd, and add a greater fin
By proftituting holy things to idols;
A Nazarite in place abominable

1355

Vaunting my strength in honor to their Dagon? 1360 Besides how vile, contemptible, ridiculous,

What act more execrably unclean, profane?

CHO. Yet with this ftrength thou ferv'ft the Philistines, Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean.

SAMS. Not in their idol-worship, but by labor 1365 Honeft and lawful to deserve my food

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