These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant 1220 Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts, Who now defies thee thrice to fingle fight, As a petty enterprise of small enforce. HAR. With thee, a man condemn'd, a flave inroll'd, Due by the law to capital punishment? 1225 To fight with thee no man of arms will deign. Hear thefe difhonors, and not render death? 1230 SAMS. 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. HAR. This infolence other kind of answer fits. To th' hazard of thy brains and fhatter'd fides. CHO. His giantship is gone fomewhat crest-faln, And lower looks, but in a sultry chafe. 1235 1240 1245 SAMS. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood, Сно. 1250 CHO. He will directly to the lords, I fear And with malicious counsel ftir them up Some way or other yet further to afflict thee. SAMS. He muft allege fome caufe, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, left a question rise 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, 1255 The work of many hands, which earns my keeping But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove 1265 Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed. CHO. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving To the spirits of just men long oppress'd! When God into the hands of their deliverer 1270 Puts invincible might To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppressor, The brute and boisterous force of violent men Hardy and industrious to support Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue 1275 The righteous and all fuch as honor truth; And feats of war defeats VOL. III. E With With plain heroic magnitude of mind And celeftial vigor arm'd, Their armories and magazines contemns, 1280 With winged expedition. Swift as the lightning glance he executes 1285 But patience is more oft the exercise That tyranny or fortune can inflict. Samfon, with might indued Above the fons of men: but fight bereav'd Whom patience finally muft crown. This idol's day hath been to thee no day of reft, 1290 1295 Laboring thy mind More than the working-day thy hands. And yet perhaps more trouble is behind, 1300 For I defcry this way Some other tending, in his hand 1303 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 say; 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 fport with blind activity ? On my refusal to diftrefs me more, Or make a game of my calamities? Return the way thou cam'ft, I will not come. 1330 OFF. Regard thyself; 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 jester, To show them feats, and play before their God, 1340 Join'd with extreme contempt? I will not come. OFF. My meffage was impos'd on me with speed, Brooks no delay is this thy resolution? : SAMS. So take it with what speed thy message needs. OFF. I am forry what this stoutnefs will produce. SAMS. Perhaps thou shalt have cause 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. Of strength, again returning with my hair 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 deferve my food Of |