CHO. 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 1255 SAMS. He muft 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 impose, nor I sustain; If they intend advantage of my labors, The work of many hands, which earns my keeping : But come what will, my deadlieft foe will prove 1265 Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed. Cно. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving 1270 Puts invincible might To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppreffor, With plain heroic magnitude of mind And celestial vigor arm'd, Their armories and magazines contemns, With winged expedition Swift as the lightning glance he executes That tyranny or fortune can inflict. 1280 1285 1290 Either of these is in thy lot, Samfon, with might indued Above the fons of men: but fight bereav'd 1295 Whom patience finally muft crown. 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, Some other tending, in his hand 1300 7395 OFF. OFF. Hebrews, the pris'ner Samfon here I feek. CHO. His manacles remark him, there he fits. OFF. Samfon, to thee our lords thus bid me fay; This day to Dagon is a folemn feast, 1315 With facrifices, triumph, pomp, and games; 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. To make them sport with blind activity? Or make a game of my calamities ? Return the way thou cam'ft, I will not come. 1330 OFF. Regard thyfelf; this will offend them highly. SAMS. Myfelf? my confcience and internal peace. Can they think me fo broken, fo debas'd With corporal fervitude, that my mind ever E 2 1335 Will Will condefcend to fuch abfurd commands? Although their drudge, to be their fool or jefter, To show them feats, and play before their God, 1340 Join'd with extreme contempt? I will not come. OFF. My meflage was impos'd on me with speed, Brooks no delay is this thy refolution? : SAMS. So take it with what speed thy meffage needs. OFF. I am forry what this ftoutness will produce. SAMS. Perhaps thou shalt have caufe to forrow' indeed. CHO. Confider, Samfon; matters now are strain'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. 1355 Vaunting my strength in honor to their Dagon? 1360 Befides how vile, contemptible, ridiculous, What act more execrably unclean, profane? CHO. Yet with this strength thou serv'ft the Philistines, Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean. SAMS. Not in their idol-worship, but by labor 1365 Honest and lawful to deserve my food Of Of those who have me in their civil power. [not. CHO. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile SAMS. Where outward force conftrains, the fen tence holds. But who constrains me to the temple' of Dagon, 1370 God for the fear of Man, and Man prefer, 1375 For fome important cause, thou need'st not doubt. CHO. How thou wilt here come off furmounts my reach. SAMS. Be of good courage, I begin to feel By fome great act, or of my days the last. 1380 3385 CHO. In time thou haft refolv'd, the man returns. OFF. Samson, this fecond meffage from our lords To thee I am bid fay. Art thou our slave, Our captive, at the public mill our drudge, |