The sumptuous Dalila floting this way:
His habit carries peace, his brow defiance.

Sams. Or peace or not, alike to me he comes.
Cho. His fraught we foon shall know, he now arrives.

HAR. I come not, Samson, to condole thy chance,
As these perhaps, yet wish it had not been,
Though for no friendly intent. I am of Gath,
Men call me Harapha, of stock renown'd
As Og or Anak and the Emims old

108 That Kiriathaim held, thou know'ft me now If thou at all art known. Much I have heard Of thy prodigious might and feats perform'd Incredible to me, in this displeas’d, That I was never present on the place

1085 Of those encounters, where we might have try'd Each other's force in camp or listed field; And now am come to fee of whom fuch noise Hath walk'd about, and each limb to survey, If thy appearance answer loud report.

1090 SAMS. The way to know were not to see but taste.

Har. Doft thou already single me? I thought Gyves and the mill had tam’d thee. O that fortune Had brought me to the field, where thou art fam'd To have wrought such wonders with an ass's jaw; 1095 I should have forc'd thee foon with other arms, Or left thy carcass where the ass lay thrown : So had the glory of prowess been recover'd To Palestine, won by a Philistine, From the unforeskin'd race, of whom thou bear'st 1100 The highest name for valiant acts; that honor

Certain

Certain to have won by mortal duel from thee,
I lose, prevented by thy eyes put out.

[do SAMs. Boaft not of what thou wouldst have done, but What then thou wouldst, thou seest it in thy hand.

Har. To combat with a blind man I disdain, And thou hast need much washing to be touch'd.

SAMS. Such usage as your honorable lords Afford me' assassinated and betray'd, Who durft not with their whole united powers 1110 In fight withstand me single and unarm’d, Nor in the house with chamber ambushes Close-banded durst attack me, no not sleeping Till they had hir'd a woman with their gold Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent me.

I115 Therefore without feign’d shifts let be aisign'd Some narrow place inclos’d, where fight may give thee, Or rather fight, no great advantage on me ; Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet And brigandine of brass, thy broad habergeon, Vant-brass and greves, and gauntlet, add thy spear, A weaver's beam, and seven-times-folded shield, I only with an oaken staff will meet thee, And raise such outcries on thy clatter'd iron, Which long shall not withhold me from thy head, 1125 That in a little time while breath remains thee, Thou oft shalt wish thyself at Gath to boast Again in safety what thou wouldst have done To Samson, but shalt never see Gath more.

HAR. Thou durst not thus disparage glorious arms, Which greatest heroes have in battle worn,

I I20

1135

Their ornament and safety, had not spells
And black inchantments, some magician's art,
Arm'd thee or charm’d thee strong, which thou from

Heaven
Feign’dst at thy birth was giv’n thee in thy hair,
Where strength can least abide, though all thy hairs
Were bristles rang'd like those that ridge the back
Of chaf'd wild boars, or ruffed porcupines.

Sams. I know no spells, use no forbidden arts ; My trust is in the living God, who gave me 1140 At my nativity this strength, diffus’d No less through all my linews, joints, and bones, Than thine, while I preserv'd these locks unfhorn, The pledge of my

unviolated vow.
For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy God, 1145
Go to his temple, invocate his aid
With folemnest devotion, spread before him
How highly it concerns his glory now
To frustrate and dissolve these magic spells,
Which I to be the power of Israel's God 1150
Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test,
Offering to combat thee his champion bold,
With th' utmost of his Godhead seconded :
Then thou shalt see, or rather to thy forrow
Soon feel, whose God is strongest, thine or mine. 1155

HAR. Presume not on thy God, whate'er he be,
Thee he regards not, owns not, hath cut off
Quite from his people, and deliver'd up
Into thy enemies' hand, permitted them
To put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd send thee

Into the common prison, there to grind
Among the slaves and asses thy comrades,
As good for nothing else, no better service
With thofe thy boisterous locks, no worthy match
For valor to asiail, nor by the sword

1165 Of noble warrior, so to stain his honor, But by the barber's razor belt subdued.

Sams. All these indignities, for such they are From thine, these evils I deserve and more, Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me

1170 Justly, yet despair not of his final pardon Whose ear is ever open, and his eye Gracious to re-admit the suppliant: In confidence whereof I once again Defy thee to the trial of mortal fight,

1175 By combat to decide whose God is God, Thine, or whom I with Ifrael's fons adore.

HAR. Fair honor that thou dost thy God, in trusting He will accept thee to defend his cause, A Murderer, a Revolter, and a Robber. 1180 SAMs. Tongue-doughty Giant, how dost thou prove

me these? HAR. Is not thy nation subject to our lords ? Their magiftrates confess’d it, when they took thee As a league-breaker and deliver'd bound Into our hands : for hadft thou not committed 1185 Notorious murder on those thirty men At Ascalon, who never did thee harm, Then like a robber stripp’dft them of their robes ? The Philistines, when thou hadit broke the league,

Went

Went up with armed powers thee only seeking, 1190
To others did no violence nor spoil.

SAMs. Among the daughters of the Philistines
I chose a wife, which argued me no foc
And in your city held my nuptial feast :
But your ill-meaning politician lords

1195
Under pretence of bridal friends and guests,
Appointed to await me thirty spies,
Who threatning cruel death constrain'd the bride
To wring from me and tell to them my secret,
That folv'd the riddle which I had propos'd. 1200
When I perceiv'd all set on enmity,
As on my enemies, wherever chanc'd,
I us'd hostility, and took their spoil
To pay my underminers in their coin.
My nation was subjected to your lords.

1205 It was the force of conqueft; force with force Is well ejected when the conquer'd can. But I a private person, whom my country As a league-breaker gave up bound, presum’d Single rebellion, and did hostile acts. I was no private but a perfon rais'd With strength sufficient and command from Heaven To free my country; if their servile minds Me their deliverer fent would not receive, But to their masters gave me up for nought, 1215 Th' unworthier they ; whence to this day they ferve, I was to do my part from Heav'n afsign’d, And had perform'd it, if my known offense Had not disabled me, not all your force :

These

1210