Might easily have shook off all her snares: 420 415 True slavery, and that blindness worse than this, That saw not how degenerately I serv'd. MAN. I cannot praise thy marriage choices, son, Rather approv'd them not; but thou didst plead Divine impulsion prompting how thou might'st Find some occasion to infest our foes. 425 I state not that; this I am sure, our foes Deposited within thee; which to have kept 435 440 Them out of thine, who slew'st them many a slain. By the idolatrous rout amidst their wine; 450 455 SAMS. Father, I do acknowledge and confess That I this honour, I this pomp, have brought To Dagon, and advanc'd his praises high Among the heathen round; to God have brought Dishonour, obloquy, and op'd the mouths Of idolists and atheists; have brought scandal To Israel, diffidence of God, and doubt In feeble hearts, propense enough before To waver, or fall off, and join with idols; Which is my chief affliction, shame, and sorrow, The anguish of my soul, that suffers not Mine eye to harbour sleep, or thoughts to rest. This only hope relieves me, that the strife With me hath end; all the contést is now 'Twixt God and Dagon; Dagon hath presum'd, Me overthrown, to enter lists with God, His deity comparing and preferring 460 Before the God of Abraham. He, be sure, Will not connive, or linger, thus provok'd, But will arise, and his great name assert: 465 470 Such a discomfit, as shall quite despoil him I as a prophecy receive: for God, Nothing more certain, will not long defer To some Philistian lords, with whom to treat 475 480 By pains and slaveries, worse than death, inflicted On thee, who now no more canst do them harm. [trouble 49 SAMS. Spare that proposal, father, spare the Of that solicitation: let me here, As I deserve, pay on my punishment, And expiate, if possible, my crime, Shameful garrulity. To have reveal'd Secrets of men, the secrets of a friend, How heinous had the fact been, how deserving Contempt and scorn of all, to be excluded All friendship, and avoided as a blab, 471 blank] Hamlet, act iii. sc. 2. 495 Each opposite that blanks the face of joy.' Todd. The mark of fool set on his front? But I God's counsel have not kept, his holy secret Presumptuously have publish'd, impiously, 50C 505 Weakly at least, and shamefully; a sin 510 SAMS. His pardon I implore; but as for life, To what end should I seek it? when in strength 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 some proof 530 I walk'd about, admir'd of all and dreaded, 540 CHOR. Desire of wine and all delicious drinks, Which many a famous warrior overturns, Thou could'st repress, nor did the dancing ruby Sparkling, out-pour'd, the flavour, or the smell, Or taste that cheers the hearts of gods and men, Allure thee from the cool crystalline stream. SAMS. Wherever fountain or fresh current flow'd Against the eastern ray, translucent, pure, With touch etherial of heav'n's fiery rod, 535 lay my head] Spens. F. Q. ii. vi. 14. laying his head disarm'd Todd. 549 545 cheers] Judges ix. 13. 'Wine which cheereth God and man.' 549 touch] Lucr. iv. 409. Contingens fervidus igne.' Hor. Od. iii. xiii. 9. • Aura caniculæ nescit tangere.' Sid. Apoll. xxiii. 94. fulminei tactus.' |