As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

HARAPHA.

With thee a man condemn'd, a flave inroll'd,

Due by the law to capital punishment?

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.

SAMSON.

1225

Cam'ft thou for this, vain boafter, to furvey me,
To defcant on my strength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer, part not hence so flight inform'd;
But take good heed my hand survey not thee. 1230
HARAPH A.

O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd
Hear thefe difhonors, and not render death?

SAMSON.

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.

HARAPH A.

This infolence other kind of answer fits.

1231. O Baal-zebub!] He is

properly made to invoke Baalzebub, as afterwards to fwear by Aftaroth, that is the deities of the Philistines and neighb'ring nations, of whom we have faid fome

1235

SAMSON.

Go baffled coward, left I run upon thee,
Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast,
And with one buffet lay thy ftructure low,

Or fwing thee in the air, then dash thee down
To th' hazard of thy brains and shatter'd fides.
HARAPHA.

By Aftaroth ere long thou shalt lament
These braveries in irons loaden on thee.

CHORUS.

His giantship is gone fomewhat creft-faln, Stalking with lefs unconscionable ftrides, And lower looks, but in a fultry chafe.

SAMSON.

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

CHORUS.

He will directly to the lords, I fear,

1240

1245

1250

And with malicious counsel stir them up

Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.
SAMSON.

He must allege fome caufe, and offer'd fight
Will not dare mention, left a question 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 impofe, nor I sustain ;

If they intend advantage of my labors,

1255

1259

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

But come what will, my deadlieft foe will prove
My speediest 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.
CHORUS.

Oh how comely it is, and how reviving
To the fpirits of just men long oppress'd!
When God into the hands of their deliverer
Puts invincible might

1265

1270

Το

To quell the mighty of the earth, th'oppreffor,
The brute and boift'rous force of violent men
Hardy and induftrious to support

Tyrannic pow'r, but raging to pursue

The righteous and all fuch as honor truth;

He all their ammunition

And feats of war defeats

With plain heroic magnitude of mind

And celeftial 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 distracted 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

1275

1280

1285

1290

May chance to number thee with those

A

Whom patience finally muft crown.

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,
For I defcry this

way

Some other tending, in his hand
A fcepter or quaint staff he bears,
Comes on amain, speed in his look.
By his habit I difcern him now
A public Officer, and now at hand.

His meffage will be short and voluble.

OFFICER.

Hebrews, the pris'ner Samfon here I feek.

CHORUS.

His manacles remark him, there he fits.

OFFICER.

Samfon, to thee our lords thus bid me fay;

1300

1305

This

1309. remark him,] Di- are defired to read rate. No wonftinguish him, point him out. der the, first reading is followed in Richardfon. all the editions, when it is fenfe ; 1313.-furpaffing human rate,] for it would have been followed in In the first edition it was printed all probability, though it had made race, but in the table of Errata we nonfenfe.

1325. mum