Towards thee I intend for what I have misdone,
Misguided ; only what remains paft cure
Bear not too sensibly, nor still insist
T'afflict thyself in vain : though fight be lost,
Life yet hath many solaces, enjoy'd

915
Where other senses want not their delights
At home in leisure and domestic ease,
Exempt from many a care and chance to which
Eye-light exposes daily men abroad.
I to the Lords will intercede, not doubting

920 Their favorable ear, that I may

fetch thee
From forth this loathsome prison-house, to abide
With me, where my redoubled love and care
With nursing diligence, to me glad office,
May ever tend about thee to old

age

925 With all things greatful chear’d, and so supply'd, That what by me thou' hast lost thou least shalt miss.

SAMSON.
No, no, of my condition take no care ;

It

934. Thy fair inchanted cup, and out of character to represent Sam

warbling charms] Alluding no son acquainted with the mytho. doubt to the story of Circe and the logy of that country? It seems Sirens, but did not our author's the more odd as the allusion to "fondness for Greek learning make the adder immediately following hiin here forget that it is a little is taken from Scripture. Thyer.

He

It fits not; thou and I long since are twain :
Nor think me so unwary or accurs’d,

930
To bring my feet again into the snare
Where once I have been caught; I know thy trains
Though dearly to my cost, thy gins, and toils;
Thy fair inchanted cup, and warbling charms
No more on me have pow'r, their force is null’d,
So much of adder's wisdom I have learn'd

936 To fence my ear against thy sorceries,

. If in my flow'r of youth and strength, when all men Lov'd, honor'd, fear'd me, thou alone could'st hate me Thy husband, flight me, sell me, and forego me; 940 How wouldst thou use me now, blind, and thereby Deceivable, in most things as a child Helpless, thence easily contemn'd, and scorn'd, And last neglected ? How would'st thou insult, When I must live uxorious to thy will

945 In perfect thraldom, how again betray me, Bearing my words and doings to the lords

To

He might as well be supposed to 936. So much of adder's wifdom I know the story of Circe and the have learn'd] The allusion is Sirens as of Tantalus &c. before to Psal. LVIII. 4. 5. They are like ver. 500, and there is no more the deaf adder, that stoppeth her ear; impropriety in the one than in the which will not hearken to the voice other.

of charmers, charming never fowisely.

973. On

To gloss upon, and censuring, frown or smile ?
This jail I count the house of liberty

949 To thine, whose doors my feet shall never enter.

DALILA.
Let me approach at least, and touch thy hand.

SAMSON.
Not for thy life, lest fierce remembrance wake
My sudden rage to tear thee joint by joint.
At distance I forgive thee, go with that ;
Bewail thy falfhood, and the pious works 955
It hath brought forth to make thee memorable
Among illustrious women, faithful wives :
Cherish thy hasten’d widowhood with the gold
Of matrimonial treason: so farewel.

DALILA.
I see thou art implacable, more deaf

To

960

973. On both his wings, one black, Fama vero nulla prorsus perit, the other white,

quam quidem multi Bears greatest names in bis wild Populi divulgant. quippe dea

aery flight, ] I think Fame has quidem eft et ipfa. passed for a Goddess ever since Hefiod deify'd her: 'Epy. 763. Milton makes her a God, I know

not why, unless secundum eos, qui Φημη δ' και τις σαμπαν απόλλυται, dicunt utriufque fexus participaήν τινα πολλου

tionem habere numina. So in his Axoi . 9: 'U TIS ESI xai Lycidas he says (unless it be a

false print)

So

To pray’rs, than winds and seas, yet winds to feas
Are reconcil'd at length, and sea to shore:
Thy anger, unappeasable, still rages,
Eternal tempest never to be calm’d...
Why do I humble thus myself, and suing 965
For

peace, reap nothing but répulfe-and hate ? *.
Bid
go

with evil omen and the brand Of infamy upon my name denounc'd ? To mix with thy concernments I defift Henceforth, nor too much disapprove my own. 970 Fame if not double-fac'd is double-mouth'd, And with contrary blast proclames most deeds : On both his wings, one black, the other white, Bears greatest names in his wild aery flight. My name perhaps among the circumcis'd

975 In Dan, in Judah, and the bordering tribes,

To

To all posterity may stand defam'd,
With malediction mention'd, and the blot
Of falfhood most unconjugal traduc'd.
But in my country where I most desire, 980
In Ecron, Gaza, Asdod, and in Gath,
I shall be nam'd among

the famousest
Of women, sung at folemn festivals,
Living and dead recorded, who to save
Her country from a fierce destroyer, chose 985
Above the faith of wedlock-bands, my tomb
With odors visited and annual flowers;
Not less renown'd than in mount Ephraim
Jael, who with inhospitable guile
Smote Sisera sleeping through the temples nail'd.
Nor shall I count it hainous to enjoy

991 The public marks of honor and reward, Conferr'd upon me, for the piety

Which

So it is said afterwards of Samson,

The virgins also shall on feast

ful days

986.

- my

tomb With odors visited and annual

flowers';] What is said in Scriptare of the daughter of Jephthah, that the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament her, seems to imply that this folemn and periodical visitation of the tombs of eminent persons was an eastern cuftom.

Thyer.

Visit his tomb with flowers.
988. Not less renown'd than in

mount Ephraim.
Jael,] Jael is celebrated in the
noble song of Deborah and Barak,

Judg.