Or lightning, thou shalt fall from Heaven, trod down had begun, left it unfinished. Seneca, the philosoUnder his feet: for proof, ere this thou feel'st pher, is by some thought the author of those trage Thy wound, (yet not thy last and deadliest wound) dies (at least the best of them) that go under that By this repulse receiv'd, and hold'st in Hell name. Gregory Nazianzen, a father of the church, No triumph: in all her gates Abaddon rues thought it not unbeseeming the sanctity of his Thy bold attempt. Hereafter learn with awe person to write a tragedy, which is entitled Christ To dread the Son of God: he, all unarm'd, suffering. This is mentioned to vindicate tragedy Shall chase thee, with the terror of his voice, from the small esteem, or rather infamy, which From thy demoniac holds, possession foul, in the account of many it undergoes at this day Thee and thy legions : yelling they shall fly, with other common interludes; happening, through And beg to hide them in a herd of swine, the poet's error of intermixing comic stuff with Lest he command them down into the deep, tragic sadness and gravity ; or introducing trivial Bound, and to torment sent before their time.- and vulgar persons, which by all judicious hath Hail, Son of the Most High, heir of both worlds, been counted absurd ; and brought in without Queller of Satan! on thy glorious work

discretion, corruptly to gratify the people. And Now enter; and begin to saye mankind." though ancient tragedy use no prologue, yet using

Thus they the Son of God, our Savior meek, sometimes, in case of self-defence, or explanation, Sung victor, and, from heavenly feast refreshid, that which Martial calls an epistle; in behalf of Brought on his way with joy; he, unobserv'd, this tragedy coming forth after the ancient manner, Home to his mother's house private return'd. much different from what among us passes for best,

thus much beforehand may be epistled; that Cho

rus is here introduced after the Greek manner, not ancient only but modern, and still in use among the Italians. In the modelling therefore of this poem, with good reason, the ancients and Italians are

rather followed, as of much more authority and fame. SAMSON AGONISTES,

The measure of verse used in the Chorus is of all

sorts, called by the Greeks Monostrophic, or rather A DRAMATIC POEM.

A polelymenon, without regard had to Strophe, Antistrophe, or Epode, which were a kind of stanzas

framed only for the music, then used with the ARISTOT. Poet. cap. 6.

Chorus that sung; not essential to the poem, and

therefore not material ; or, being divided into stanΤραγωδία μίμησις πράξεως σπουδαίας, κ. τ. λ. zas or pauses, they may be called Allæostropha.

Division into act and scene referring chiefly to the

stage (to which this work never was intended) is Tragedia est imitatio actionis seriæ, &c. per misericordiam et here omitted. metum perficiens talium affectuum lustrationem.

It suffices if the whole drama be found not pro

duced beyond the fifth act. Of the style and uniOf that sort of Dramatic Poem which is called formity, and that commonly called the plot, whether Tragedy.

intricate or explicit, which is nothing indeed but

such economy, or disposition of the fable as may TRAGEDY, as it was anciently composed, hath stand best with verisimilitude and decorum; they been ever held the gravest, moralest, and most only will best judge who are not unacquainted with profitable of all other poems: therefore said by Æschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the three tragic Aristotle to be of power, by raising pity and fear, poets unequalled yet by any, and the best rule to or terror, to purge the mind of those and such like all who endeavor to write tragedy. The circumpassions, that is, to temper and reduce them to just scription of time, wherein the whole drama begins measure with a kind of delight, stirred up by read- and ends, is, according to ancient rule, and best exing or seeing those passions well imitated. Nor is ample, within the space of twenty-four hours. Nature wanting in her own effects to make good his assertion : for so, in physic, things of melancho lic hue and quality are used against melancholy,

THE ARGUMENT. sour against sour, salt to remove salt humors.Hence Philosophers and other gravest writers, as Samson, made captive, blind, and now in the prison Cicero, Plutarch, and others, frequently cite out of at Gaza, there to labor as in a common worktragic poets, both to adorn and illustrate their dis- house, on a festival day, in the general cessation course. The Apostle Paul himself thought it not from labor, comes forth into the open air, to a unworthy to insert a verse of Euripides into the place nigh, somewhat retired, there to sit awhile text of Holy Scripture, 1 Cor. xv. 33. ; and Paræus, and bemoan his condition. Where he happens at commenting on the Revelation, divides the whole length to be visited by certain friends and equals book as a tragedy, into acts distinguished each by a of his tribe, which makes the Chorus, who seek chorus of heavenly harpings and song between. to comfort him what they can; then by his old Heretofore men in highest dignity have labored not father Manoah, who endeavors the like, and witha little to be thought able to compose a tragedy. al tells him his purpose to procure his liberty by Of that honor Dionysius the elder was no less am- ransom; lastly, that this feast was proclaimed by bitious, than before of his attaining to the tyranny. the Philistines as a day of thanksgiving for their Augustus Cæsar also had begun his Ajax, but deliverance from the hands of Samson, which yet wable to please his own judgment with what he more troubles him. Manoah then deparis to prosecute his endeavor with the Philistine lords With this Heaven-gifted strength? O glorious for Samson's redernption; who in the meanwhile

strength, is visited by other persons; and lastly by a pub- Put to the labor of a beast, debas'd lic officer to require his coming to the feast be- Lower than bond-slave! Promise was that I fore the lords and people, to play or show his Should Israel from Philistian yoke deliver; strength in their presence; he at first refuses, dis- Ask for this great deliverer now, and find him missing the public officer with absolute denial to Eyeless in Gaza at the mill with slaves, come ; at length, persuaded inwardly that this Himself in bonds under Philistian yoke : was from God, he yields to go along with him, Yet stay, let me not rashly call in doubt who came now the second time with great threat- Divine prediction ; what if all foretold enings to fetch him: the Chorus yet remaining on Had been fulfill'd but through mine own default, the place, Manoah returns full of joyful hope, to whom have I to complain of but myself? procure ere long his son's deliverance: in the Who this high gift of strength committed to me, midst of which discourse an Hebrew comes in In what part lodg’d, how easily bereft me, haste, confusedly at first, and afterward more dis Under the seal of silence could not keep, tinctly, relating the catastrophe, what Samson had But weakly to a woman must reveal it, done to the Philistines, and by accident to him- O’ercome with importunity and tears. self; wherewith the tragedy ends.

O impotence of mind, in body strong!

But what is strength without a double share
Of wisdom? vast, unwieldy, burdensome,

Proudly secure, yet liable to fall
THE PERSONS.

By weakest subtleties, not made to rule,
SAMSON

But to subservo where wisdom bears command ! MANOAH the father of Samson.

God, when he gave me strength, to show withal DALILA, his wife.

How slight the gift was, hung it in my hair. HARAPHA of Gath.

But peace, I must not quarrel with the will Public Officer.

Of highest dispensation, which herein Messenger.

Haply had ends above my reach to know:
Chorus of Danites.

Suffices that to me strength is my bane,
The Scene before the Prison in Gaza.

And proves the source of all my miseries ;
So many, and so huge, that each apart
Would ask a life to wail ; but chief of all,

O loss of sight, of thee I most complain!
SAMSON, (Attendant leading his

Blind among enemies, 0 worse than chains,

Dungeon, or beggary, or decrepit age! A LITTLE onward lend thy guiding hand

Light, the prime work of God, to me is extinct, To these dark steps, a little further on;

And all her various objects of delight For yonder bank hath choice of sun or shade: Annull’d, which might in part my grief have eas'n! There I am wont to sit, when any chance

Inferior to the vilest now become Relieves me from my task of servile toil,

Of man or worm; the vilest here excel me; Daily in the common prison else enjoin'd me, They creep, yet see ; I, dark in light, expos'd Where I, a prisoner chain'd, scarce freely draw To daily fraud, contempt, abuse, and wrong, The air imprison'd also, close and damp,

Within doors, or without, still as a fool, Unwholesome draught: but here I feel amends, In power of others, never in my own; The breath of Heaven fresh blowing, pure and sweet Scarce half I seem to live, dead more than half. With day-spring born; here leave me to respire.- O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon, This day a solemn feast the people hold

Irrecoverably dark, total eclipse To Dagon their sea-idol, and forbid

Without all hope of day! Laborious works; unwillingly this rest

O first created Beam, and thou great Word,
Their superstition yields me; hence with leave “ Let there be light, and light was over all;"
Retiring from the popular noise, I seek

Why am I thus bereav'd thy prime decree!
This unfrequented place to find some ease, The Sun to me is dark
Ease to the body some, none to the mind

And silent as the Moon,
From restless thoughts, that, like a deadly swarm When she deserts the night,
Of hornets arm'd, no sooner found alone,

Hid in her vacant interlunar cave. But rush upon me thronging, and present

Since light so necessary is to life, Times past, what once I was, and what am now. And almost life itself, if it be true 0, wherefore was my birth from Heaven foretold That light is in the soul, 'Twice by an angel, who at last in sight

She all in every part ; why was the sight Of both my parents all in flames ascended To such a tender ball as the eye confin'd, From off the altar, where an offering burn'd, So obvious and so easy to be quench'd ? As in a fiery column charioting

And not, as feeling, through all parts diffus'd,
His godlike presence, and from some great act That she might look at will through every pore ?
Or benefit reveal'd to Abraham's race?

Then had I not been thus exil'd from light,
Why was my breeding order'd and prescrib’d As in the land of darkness, yet in light,
As of a person separate to God,

To live a life half dead, a living death,
Design'd for great exploits; if I must die

And buried; but, O yet more miserable!
Betray'd, captív'd, and both my eyes put out, Myself my sepulchre, a moving grave;
Made of my enemies the scorn and gaze; Buried, yet not exempt,
To grind in brazen fetters under task

By privilege of death and burial,

From worst of other evils, pains and wrongs ; Or the sphere of fortune, raises ;
But made hereby obnoxious more

But thee whose strength, while virtue was her mate.
To all the miseries of life,

Might have subdued the Earth, Life in captivity

Universally crown'd with highest praises. {air
Among inhuman foes.

Sams. I hear the sound of words; their sense the
But who are these ? for with joint pace I hear Dissolves unjointed ere it reach my ear.
The tread of many feet steering this way;

Chor. He speaks, let us draw nigh.-Matchless in
Perhaps my enemies, who come to stare

might, At my affliction, and perhaps to insult,

The glory late of Israel, now the grief; Their daily practice to affict me more.

We come, thy friends and neighbors not unknown,

From Eshtaol and Zora's fruiiful vale, [Enter Chorus.)

To visit or bewail thee; or, if better, Chor. This, this is he; softly awhile,

Counsel or consolation we may bring,
Let us not break in upon him :

Salve to thy sores ; apt words have power to swage
O change beyond report, thought, or belief! The tumors of a troubled mind,
See how he lies at random, carelessly diffus'd, And are as balm to fester'd wounds. (learn
With languish'd head unpropt,

Sams. Your coming, friends, revives me ; for I
As one past hope, abandon'd,

Now of my own experience, not by talk, And by himself given over;

How counterfeit a coin they are who friends In slavish babit, ill-fitted weeds

Bear in their superscription, (of the most
O'er-worn and soild ;

I would be understood ;) in prosperous days
Or do my eyes misrepresent? Can this be he, They swarm, but in adverse withdraw their head,
That heroic, that renown'd,

Not to be found, though sought. Ye see, O friends,
Irresistible Samson? whom unarm'd (withstand; How many evils have inclos'd me round:

No strength of man, or fiercest wild beast, could Yet that which was the worst now least afflicts me • Who tore the lion, as the lion tears the kid ; Blindness; for had I sight, confusd with shame, Ran on embattled armies clad in iron;

How could I once look up or heave the head, And, weaponless himself,

Who, like a foolish pilot, have shipwreck'd
Made arms ridiculous, useless the forgery

My vessel trusted to me from above,
Of brazen shield and spear, the hammer'd cuirass, Gloriously rigg'd; and for a word, a tear,
Chalybean temper'd steel, and frock of mail Fool! have divulg'd the secret gift of God
Adamantéan proof?

To a deceitful woman? tell me, friends,
But safest he who stood aloof,

Am I not sung and proverb'd for a fool When insupportably his foot advanc'd,

In every street ? do they not say, how well In scorn of their proud arms and warlike tools, Are come upon him his deserts ? yet why? Spurn'd them to death by troops. The bold Asca- Immeasurable strength they might behold lonite

In me, of wisdom nothing more than mean;
Fled from his lion ramp; old warriors turn'd This with the other should, at least, have pair'd,
Their plated backs under his heel;

These two, proportion'a ill, drove me transverse.
Or, groveling, soild their crested helmets in the dust. Chor. Tax not divine disposal; wisest men
Then with what trivial weapon came to hand, Have err'd, and by bad women been deceiv'd;
The jaw of a dead ass, his sword of bone, And shall again, pretend they ne'er so wise.
A thousand fore-skins fell, the flower of Palestine, Deject not then so overmuch thyself,
In Ramath-lechi, famous to this day.

[bore Who hast of sorrow thy full load besides : Then by main force pull'd up, and on his shoulders Yet truth to say, I oft have heard men wonder The gates of Azza, post, and massy bar,

Why thou shouldst wed Philistian women rather
Up to the hill by Hebron, seat of giants old, Than of thine own tribe fairer, or as fair,
No journey of a sabbath-day, and loaded so; At least of thy own nation, and as noble.
Like whom the Gentiles feign to bear up Heaven. Sams. The first I saw at Timna, and she pleas'd
Which shall I first bewail,

Me, not my parents, that I sought to wed
Thy bondage or lost sight,

The daughter of an infidel: they knew not Prison within prison

That what I motion'd was of God; I knew
Inseparably dark ?

From intimate impulse, and therefore urg'd
Thou art become (О worst imprisonment!) The marriage on ; that by occasion hence
The dungeon of thyself; thy soul, (plain) I might begin Israel's deliverance,
(Which men enjoying sight oft without cause com- The work to which I was divinely callid.
Imprison'd now indeed,

She proving false, the next I took to wife
In real darkness of the body dwells,

(O that I never had ! fond wish too late.) Shut up from outward light

Was in the vale of Sorec, Dalila, To incorporate with gloomy night;

That specious monster, my accomplish'd snare. For inward light, alas !

I thought it lawful from my former act, Puts forth no visual beam.

And the same end; still watching to oppress O mirror of our fickle state,

Israel's oppressors : of what now I suffer Since man on Earth unparallela!

She was not the prime cause, but I myself,
The rarer thy example stands,

Who, vanquish'd with a peal of words, so weakness)
By how much from the top of wondrous glory, Gave up my fort of silence to a woman.
Strongest of mortal men,

Chor. In seeking just occasion to provoke
To lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fallen. The Philistine, thy country's enemy,
For him I reckon not in high estate

Thou never wast amiss, I bear thee witness ;
Whom long descent of birth,

Yet Israël still serves with all his sons.

Sams. That fault I take not on me, but transfer And hath full right to exempt
On Israel's governors and heads of tribes,

Whom so it pleases him by choice
Who, seeing those great acts which God had done From national obstriction, without taint
Singly by me against their conquerors

Of sin, or legal debt ;
Acknowledg'd not, or not at all consider'd, For with his own laws he can best dispense.
Deliverance offered : I on the other side

He would not else, who never wanted means, I's d no ambition to commend my deeds :

Nor, in respect of the enerny, just cause,
The deeds themselves, though mute, spoke loud the To set his people free,
doer :

Have prompted this heroic Nazarite,
But they persisted deaf, and would not seem Against his vow of strictest purity,
To count them things worth notice, till at length To seek in marriage that fallacious bride,
'Their lords, the Philistines, with gather'd powers Unclean, unchaste.
Enter'd Judea seeking me, who then

Down, reason, then; at least vain reasonings down; Safe to the rock of Ethan was retir'd;

Though reason here aver, Vot flying but forecasting in what place

That moral verdict quits her of unclean :
To set upon them, what advantag'd best; Unchaste was subsequent, her stain not his.
Meanwhile the men of Judah, to prevent

But see, here comes thy reverend sire
The harass of their land, beset me round; With careful step, locks white as down,
I willingly on some conditions came

Old Manoah : advise
Into their hands, and they as gladly yield me Forthwith how thou ought'st to receive him.
To the uncircumcis'd a welcome prey,

Sams. Ay me! another inward grief, awak'd
Bound with two cords; but cords to me were threads With mention of that name, renews the assault.
Touch'd with the flame: on their whole host I flew
l'narm'd, and with a trivial weapon fellid

(Enter Manoah.] Their choicest youth ; they only liv'd who fled. Man. Brethren and men of Dan, for such ye seem, llad Judah that day join'd, or one whole tribe, Though in this uncouth place; if old respect, They had by this possess'd the towers of Gath, As I suppose, towards your once gloried friend, And lorded over them whom they now serve: My son, now captive, hither hath inform'd But what more oft, in nations grown corrupt, Your younger feet, while mine cast back with age And by their vices brought to servitude,

Came lagging after; say if he be here. Than to love bondage more than liberty,

Chor. As signal now in low dejected state, Bondage with ease than strenuous liberty ; As erst in highest, behold him where he lies. And to despise, or envy, or suspect

Man. O miserable change! is this the man, Whom God hath of his special favor rais'd That invincible Samson, far renown'd, As their deliverer ? if he aught begin,

The dread of Israel's foes, who with a strength How frequent to desert him, and at last

Equivalent to angels walk'd their streets, To heap ingratitude on worthiest deeds!

None offering fight; who single combatant Chor. Thy words to my remembrance bring Duell’d their armies rank'd in proud array, How Succoth and the fort of Penuel

Himself an army, now unequal match Their great deliverer contemn'd,

To save himself against a coward arm'd The matchless Gideon, in pursuit

At one spear's length ? O ever-failing trust of Madian and her vanquish'd kings:

In mortal strength! and oh! what not in man And how ingrateful Ephraim

Deceivable and vain ? Nay, what thing good
Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument, Pray'd for, but often proves our bane ?
Not worse than by his shield and spear,

I pray'd for children, and thought barrenness
Defended Israel from the Ammonite,

In wedlock a reproach ; I gain'd a son, Had not his prowess quell'd their pride

And such a son as all men hail'd me happy ;In that, sore battle, when so many died

Who would be now a father in my stead? Without reprieve, adjudg’d to death,

O wherefore did God grant me my request,
For want of well pronouncing Shibboleth.

And as a blessing with such pomp adorn'd ?
Sams. Of such examples add me to the roll; Why are his gifts desirable, to tempt
Me easily indeed mine may neglect.

Our earnest prayers, then, given with solemn hand But God's propos'd deliverance not so.

As graces, draw a scorpion's tail behind ? Chor. Just are the ways of God,

For this did the angel twice descend ! for this And justifiable to men;

Ordain'd thy nurture holy, as of a plant
Unless there be, who think not God at all : Select, and sacred, glorious for a while,
If any be, they walk obscure ;

The miracle of men; then in an hour
For of such doctrine never was there school, Ensnar'd, assaulted, overcome, led bound,
But the heart of the fool,

Thy foes' derision, captive, poor, and blind,
And no man therein doctor but himself.

Into a dungeon thrust, to work with slaves ? Yet more there be, who doubt his ways not just, Alas! methinks whom God hath chosen once As to his own edícts found contradicting,

To worthiest deeds if he through frailty err, Then give the reins to wandering thought, He should not so o'erwhelm, and as a thrall Regardless of his glory's diminution;

Subject him to so foul indignities, Till, by their own perplexities involv'd,

Be it but for honor's sake of former deeds. They ravel more, still less resolv'd,

Sams. Appoint not heavenly disposition, father; But never find self-satisfying solution.

Nothing of all these evils hath befall'n me As if they would confine the Interminable, But justly: I myself have brought them on, And tie him to his own prescript

Sole author I, sole cause : if aught seem vile, Who made our laws to bind us, not himself, As vile hath been my folly, who have profan'd

1

The mystery of God given me under pledge Sam. Father, I do acknowledge and confess
Of vow, and have betray'd it to a woman, That I this honor, I this pomp, have brought
A Canaanite, my faithless enemy.

To Dagon, and advanc'd his praises high
This well I knew, nor was at all surpris’d, Among the heathen 'round: to God have brought
But warn'd by oft experience: did not she Dishonor, obloquy, and op'd the mouths
Of Timna first betray me, and reveal

Of idolists, and atheists : have brought scandal
The secret wrested from me in her height

Io Israel, diffidence of God, and doubt
Of nuptial love profess'd, carrying it straight In feeble hearts, propense enough before
To them who had corrupted her, my spies, To waver, or fall off and join with idols;
And rivals? In this other was there found Which is my chief affliction, shame and sorrow,
More faith, who also in her prime of love, The anguish of my soul, that suffers not
Spousal embraces, vitiated with gold,

Mine eye to harbor sleep, or thoughts to rest.
Though offer'd only, by the scent conceiv'd This only hope relieves me, that the strife
Her spurious first-born, treason against me? With me hath end : all the contest is now
Thrice she assay'd with flattering prayers and sighs, "Twixt God and Dagon; Dagon hath presum'd,
And amorous reproaches, to win from me

Me overthrown, to enter lists with God,
My capital secret, in what part my strength His deity comparing and preferring
Lay stor’d, in what part summ’d, that she might know; Before the God of Abraham. He, be sure,
Thrice I deluded her, and turn'd to sport

Will not connive, or linger, thus provok’d,
Her importunity, each time perceiving

But will arise, and his great name assert : How openly, and with what impudence

Dagon must stoop, and shall ere long receive
She purpos’d to betray me, and (which was worse Such a discomfit, as shall quite despoil him
Than undissembled hate) with what contempt Of all these boasted trophies won on me,
She sought to make me traitor to myself;

And with confusion blank his worshippers.
Yet the fourth time, when, mustering all her wiles, Man. With cause this hope relieves thee, and
With blandish'd parleys, feminine assaults,

these words
Tongue-batteries, she surceas'd not, day nor night, I as a prophecy receive; for God,
To storm me over-watch'd, and wearied out. Nothing more certain, will not long defer
At times when men seek most repose and rest, To vindicate the glory of his name
I yielded, and unlock'd her all my heart,

Against all competition, nor will long
Who, with a grain of manhood well resolvid, Endure it doubtful, whether God be Lord,
Might easily have shook off all her snares :

Or Dagon. But for thee what shall be done ?
But foul effeminacy held me yok'd

Thou must not, in the meanwhile here forgot, Her bond-slave; O indignity, O blot

Lie in this miserable lothesome plight, To honor and religion ! servile mind

Neglected. I already have made way
Rewarded well with servile punishment!

To some Philistian lords, with whom to treat
The base degree to which I now am fallin, About thy ransom : well they may by this
These rags, this grinding, is not yet so base Have satisfied their utmost of revenge
As was my former servitude, ignoble,

By pains and slaveries, worse than death, inflicted
Unmanly, ignominious, infamous,

On thee, who now no more canst do them harm.
True slavery, and that blindness worse than this Sams. Spare that proposal, father; spare the
That saw not how degenerately I serv'd.

trouble
Man. I cannot praise thy marriage-choices, son. Of that solicitation; let me here,
Rather approv'd them not; but thou didst plead As I deserve, pay on my punishment;
Divine impulsion prompting how thou might'st And expiate, if possible, my crime,
Find some occasion to infest our foes.

Shameful garrulity. To have reveal'd
I state not that; this I am sure, our foes

Secrets of men, the secrets of a friend,
Found soon occasion thereby to make thee How heinous had the fact been, how deserving
Their captive, and their triumph ; thou the sooner Contempt and scorn of all, to be excluded
Temptation found'st, or over-potent charms, All friendship, and avoided as a blab,
To violate the sacred trust of silence

The mark of fool set on his front? But I
Deposited within thee; which to have kept God's counsel have not kept, his holy secret
Tacit was in thy power: true; and thou bear'st Presumptuously have publish'd, impiously,
Enough, and more the burthen of that fault; Weakly at least, and shamefully; a sin
Bitterly hast thou paid, and still art paying, That Gentiles in their parables condemn
That rigid score. A worse thing yet remains ; To their abyss and horrid pains confin'd.
This day the Philistines a popular feast

Man. Be penitent, and for thy fault contrite ; Here celebrate in Gaza ; and proclaim

But act not in thy own affliction, son; Great pomp, and sacrifices, and praises loud, Repent the sin; but, if the punishment To Dagon, as their god who hath deliver'd Thou canst avoid, self-preservation bids ; Thee, Samson, bound and blind into their hands. Or the execution leave to high disposal, Them out of thine, who slew’st them many a slain. And let another hand, not thine, exact So Dagon shall be magnified, and God,

Thy penal forfeit from thyself : perhaps
Besides whom is no God, compar'd with idols, God will relent, and quit thee all his debt;
Disglorified, blasphem'd, and had in scorn Who evermore approves, and more accepts,
By the idolatrous rout amidst their wine ;

(Best pleas'd with humble and filial submission,
Which to have come pass by means of thee, Him, who, imploring mercy, sues for life,
Samson, of all thy sufferings think the heaviest, Than who, self-rigorous, chooses death as due ;
Of all reproach the most with shame that ever Which argues over-just, and self-displeased
Could have befall’n thee and thy father's house. For self-offence, more than for God offended.