Where thou may't bring thy offerings, to avert His further ire, with pray'rs and vows renew'd? 520 SAMS. His pardon I implore; but as for life, To what end fhould I feek it? when in ftrength All mortals I excell'd, and great in hopes

With youthful courage and magnanimous thoughts Of birth from Heav'n foretold and high exploits, Full of divine instinct, after fome proof

Of acts indeed heroic, far beyond

The fons of Anak, famous now and blaz`d,
Fearless of danger, like a

petty God

546

330

I walk'd about admir'd of all and dreaded
On hoftile ground, none daring my affront.
Then fwolln with pride into the fnare I fell
Of fair fallacious looks, venereal trains,
Soften'd with pleature and voluptuous life;
At length to lay my head and hallow'd pledge 535
Of all my ftrength in the lafcivious lap

540

Of a deceitful concubine, who fhore me
Like a tame weather, all my precious fleece,
Then turn'd me out ridiculous, defpoil'd,
Shavin, and difarm'd among mine enemies.
CHOR. Defire of wine and all delicious drinks,
Which many a famous warrior overturns,
Thou couldst reprefs, nor did the dancing ruby
Sparkling, out-pour'd, the flavor, or the fmell,
Or tafte that chears the heart of Gods and men, 545
Allure thee from the cool cryftallin stream.

SAMS. Wherever fountain or fresh current flow'd
Against the eastern ray, tranflucent, pure
With touch ethereal of Heav'n's fiery rod,

I drank, from the clear milky juice allaying 550 Thirft, and refresh'd; nor envy'd them the grape Whore heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes. CHOR. O madhefs, to think ufe of strongest wines

And

And ftrongeft drinks our chief fupport of health, When God with these forbidd'n made choice to rear His mighty champion, ftrong above compare, 556 Whofe drink was only from the liquid brook. SAMS. But what avail'd this temp'rance, not comAgainst another object more enticing?

What boots it at one gate to make defense,
And at another to let in the foe,

Effeminately vanquish'd? by which means,

[plete

560

Now blind, difhearten'd, fham'd, dishonor'd, quell'd,
To what can I be useful, wherein serve

My nation, and the work from Heav'n impos'd,
But to fit idle on the houfhold hearth,
A burd'nous drone; to vifitants a gaze,
Or pity'd object, these redundant locks
Robuftious to no purpose cluftring down,

566

Vain monument of strength; till length of years 570 And sedentary numness craze mý limbs

To a contemptible old age obfcure?

Here rather let me drudge and earn my bread,
Till vermin or the draff of fervile food

Confume me, and oft-invocated death
Haften the welcome end of all my pains.

575

MAN. Wilt thou then ferve the Philiftines with that Which was exprefly giv'n thee to annoy them? [gift Better at home lie bed-rid, not only idle,

Inglorious, unemploy'd, with age out-worn. 580
But God who caus'd a fountain at thy prayer
From the dry ground to spring, thy thirst tallay
After the brunt of battel, can as eafy

Caufe light again within thy eyes to spring,
Wherewith to serve him better than thou haft; 585
And I perfuade me fo; why elfe this ftrength
Miraculous yet remaining in those locks
His might continues in thee not for nought,

Κ

Nor

Lenient of grief and anxious thought:

But with th' afflicted in his pangs their found 660 Little prevails, or rather feems a tune

Harfh, and of diffonant mood from his complaint; Unless he feel within

Some fource of confolation from above,

Secret refreshings, that repair his strength,

And fainting fpirits uphold.

God of our fathers, what is man!

That thou towards him with hand fo various,
Or might I fay contrarious,

665

Temper ft thy providence through his fhort courfe,

Not ev'nly, as thou rul'ft

671

Th' angelic orders and inferior creatures mute,

Irrational and brute.

Nor do I name of men the common rout,
That wand'ring loose about

675

Grow up and perish, as the fummer flie,
Heads without name no more remember'd,
But fuch as thou haft folemnly elected,
With gifts and graces eminently adorn'd
To fome great work, thy glory,

And people's fafety, which in part they' effect:

Yet toward there thus dignify'd, thou oft

Amidft their highth of noon

680

Changeft thy countenance, and thy hand with no re

Of highest favors past

[gard

From thee on them, or them to thee of fervice. 686
Nor only doft degrade them, or remit

To life obfcur'd, which were a fair dismission,
But throw ft them lower than thou didst exalt them

Unfeemly falls in human eye,

Too grievous for the trefpafs or omiffion;
Oft leav'ft them to the hoftile fword

Of Heathen and profane, their carçafes

[high,

691

To

To dogs and fowls a prey, or elfe captív'd;
Or to th' unjust tribunals, under change of times,
And condemnation of th' ingrateful multitude. 696
If these they scape, perhaps in poverty

With fickness and disease thou bow'ft them down,
Painful diseases and deform`d,

In crude old age;

Though not difordinate, yet caufless fuff'ring
The punishment of diffolute days: in fine,
Juft or unjust alike seem miferable,

For oft alike both come to evil end.

700

704

So deal not with this once thy glorious champion, The image of thy ftrength, and mighty minister. What do I beg? how haft thou dealt already? Behold him in this ftate calamitous, and turn His labors, for thou canft, to peaceful end.

But who is this, what thing of fea or land? 710 Female of fex it seems,

That fo bedeck'd, ornate, and gay,

Comes this way sailing

Like a stately ship

Of Tarfus, bound for th' iles

Of Javan or Gadire

With all her bravery on, and tackle trim,

Sails fill'd, and streamers waving,

715

Courted by all the winds that hold them play,

An amber fent of odorous perfume

Her harbinger, a damfel train behind;
Some rich Philiftian matron fhe may feem,
And now at nearer view, no other certain
Than Dalila thy Wife.

720

SAMS. My Wife, my Trait'ress, let her not come

near me.

725

CHOR. Yet on the moves, now stands and eyes

thee fix'd,

About t'have fpoke, but now, with head declin'd
Like a fair flow'r furcharg'd with dew, fhe weeps,
And words addrefs'd feem into tears diffolv'd,
Wetting the borders of her filken veil :
But now again fhe makes address to speak.

730

DAL. With doubtful feet and wavering refolution I came, still dreading thy displeasure, Samfon, Which to have merited, without excuse,

I cannot but acknowledge; yet if tears
May expiate (though the fact more evil drew
In the perverfe event than I forefaw)

735

My penance hath not flacken'd, though my pardon
No way affur'd. But conjugal affection
Prevailing over fear, and timorous doubt,
Hath led me on defirous to behold

Once more thy face, and know of thy estate,
If ought in my ability may serve

740

To lighten what thou fuffer'ft, and appease
Thy mind with what amends is in my power, 745
Though late, yet in fome part to recompenfe
My rath but more unfortunate mifdeed.

SAMS. Out, out Hyæna; thefe are thy wonted arts, And arts of every woman falfe like thee,

To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray, 750
Then as repentant to fubmit, befeech,

And reconcilement move with feign'd remorse,
Confefs, and promife wonders in her change,
Not truly penitent, but chief to try

Her husband, how far urg'd his patience bears, 755
His virtue or weaknefs which way to affail :
Then with more cautious and inftructed skill
Again tranfgreffes, and again fubmits;

That wifeft and beft men full oft beguil'd,
With goodness principled not to reject
The penitent, but ever to forgive,

760

Are