To mix with thy concernments7755 I desist
Henceforth, nor too much disapprove my own.
Fame if not double-faced is double-mouthed,
And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds.
On both his wings, one black, th’ other white,
Bears greatest names in his wild airy flight.
My name perhaps among the circumcised7756
In Dan, in Judah, and the bordering tribes,
To all posterity may stand defamed,
With malediction mentioned, and the blot
Of falsehood most unconjugal traduced.7757
But in my country, where I most desire,
In Ecron, Gaza, Asdod, and in Gath
I shall be named among the famousest
Of women, sung at solemn festivals,
Living and dead recorded,7758 who to save
Her country from a fierce destroyer chose
Above7759 the faith of wedlock-bands7760 —my tomb
With odors7761 visited and annual flowers.
Not less renowned than in Mount Ephraim
Jael, who with inhospitable guile
Smote Sisera sleeping through the temples nailed.7762
Nor shall I count it heinous7763 to enjoy
The public marks of honor and reward
Conferred upon me, for the piety
Which to my country I was judged t’ have shown.
At this whoever envies or repines7764
I leave him to his lot, and like my own.
CHOR. She’s gone, a manifest7765 serpent by her sting
Discovered in the end, till now concealed.
SAM. So let her go. God sent her to debase me
And aggravate my folly, who committed 1000
To such a viper his most sacred trust
Of secrecy, my safety, and my life.
CHOR. Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power,
After offence returning, to regain
Love once possessed, nor can be easily
Repulsed, without much inward passion felt
And secret sting of amorous remorse.
SAM. Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end.
Not wedlock-treachery, endangering life.
CHOR. It is not virtue, wisdom, valor, wit, 1010
Strength, comeliness of shape, or amplest merit
That woman’s love can win or long inherit,7766
But what it is, hard is to say,
Harder to hit7767
(Which way soever men refer7768 it),
Much like thy riddle, Samson,7769 in one day
Or seven, though one should musing sit.
If any of these or all, the Timnian bride
Had not so soon preferred
Thy paranymph,7770 worthless to thee compared, 1020
Successor in thy bed,
Nor both7771 so loosely disallied
Their nuptials, nor this last so treacherously
Had shorn the fatal7772 harvest of thy head.
Is it for that7773 such outward ornament
Was lavished on their sex, that inward gifts
Were left for haste unfinished, judgment scant,7774
Capacity not raised7775 to apprehend
Or value what is best
In choice, but oftest to affect7776 the wrong? 1030
Or was too much of self-love mixed,
Of constancy no root7777 infixed,7778
That either they love nothing, or not long?
What e’er it be, to wisest men and best
Seeming at first all Heav’nly under virgin veil,
Soft, modest, meek, demure,7779
Once joined the contrary she proves, a thorn
Intestine, far within defensive7780 arms
A cleaving7781 mischief, in7782 his way to virtue
Adverse and turbulent,7783 or by her charms 1040
Draws him awry,7784 enslaved
With dotage,7785 and his sense depraved7786
To folly and shameful deeds which ruin ends.
What pilot so expert but needs must wreck,
Embarked with such a steer-mate at the helm?
Favored of Heav’n who finds
One7787 virtuous (rarely found),
That in domestic good combines.7788
Happy that house! His way to peace is smooth.
But virtue which breaks through all opposition, 1050
And all temptation can remove
Most shines and most is acceptable above.
Therefore God’s universal Law
Gave to the man despotic7789 power
Over his female in due7790 awe,7791
Nor from that right to part7792 an hour,
Smile she7793 or lour.7794
So shall he least confusion draw
On his whole life, not swayed
By female usurpation, nor dismayed. 1060
But had we best retire, I see a storm?
SAM. Fair days have oft contracted7795 wind and rain.
CHOR. But this another kind of tempest brings.
SAM. Be less abstruse,7796 my riddling days are past.
CHOR. Look now for no enchanting voice, nor fear
The bait of honeyed words. A rougher tongue
Draws hitherward. I know him by his stride,
The giant Harapha7797 of Gath, his look
Haughty as is his pile7798 high-built and proud.
Comes he in peace? What wind hath blown him hither 1070
I less conjecture7799 than when first I saw
The sumptuous7800 Dalila floating this way.
His habit7801 carries peace, his brow defiance.
SAM. Or7802 peace or not, alike to me he comes.
CHOR. His fraught7803 we soon shall know. He now arrives.
HAR. I come not, Samson, to condole thy chance,7804
As these perhaps, yet wish it had not been,
Though for no friendly intent. I am of Gath.
Men call me Harapha, of stock renowned
As Og7805 or Anak7806 and the Emims7807 old 1080
That Kiriathaim7808 held: thou knowst me now,
If thou at all art known. Much I have heard
Of thy prodigious7809 might and feats performed,
Incredible to me, in this displeased,
That I was never present on the place
Of those encounters, where we might have tried7810
Each other’s force in camp7811 or listed field:7812
And now am come to see of whom such noise
Hath walked about, and each limb to survey,
If thy appearance answer loud report.7813 1090
SAM. The way to know were not to see but taste.
HAR. Dost thou already single7814 me? I thought
Gyves7815 and the mill had tamed thee. O that fortune
Had brought me to the field where thou art famed
T’ have wrought such wonders with an ass’s jaw!
I should have forced thee soon wish other arms,
Or left thy carcass where the ass lay thrown.
So had the glory of prowess been recovered
To Palestine, won by a Philistine
From7816 the unforeskinned race,7817 of whom thou bear’st 1100
The highest name for valiant acts. That honor
Certain t’ have won by mortal7818 duel from thee,
I lose, prevented by thy eyes put out.
SAM. Boast not of what thou would’st have done, but do
What then thou would’st. Thou see’st it in thy hand.
HAR. To combat with a blind man I disdain.
And thou hast need much washing to be7819 touched.
SAM. Such usage as your honorable lords
Afford me, assassinated7820 and betrayed,
Who durst not with their whole united powers 1110
In fight withstand me single and unarmed,
Nor in the house with chamber7821 ambushes
Close-banded7822 durst attack me—no, not slee
ping—
Till they had hired a woman with their gold,
Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent7823 me.
Therefore without feigned shifts7824 let be assigned
Some narrow place enclosed, where sight may give thee
(Or rather flight) no great advantage on me.
Then put on all thy gorgeous7825 arms,7826 thy helmet
And brigandine7827 of brass, thy broad habergeon,7828 1120
Vant-brass7829 and greves,7830 and gauntlet,7831 add thy spear,
A weaver’s beam,7832 and seven-times-folded7833 shield.
I only with an oaken staff will meet thee,
And raise such out-cries on thy clattered7834 iron
Which long shall not with-hold me from thy head,
That in a little time, while breath remains thee,
Thou oft shalt wish thyself at Gath to boast
Again in safety what thou would’st have done
To Samson, but shalt never see Gath more.
HAR. Thou durst not thus disparage glorious arms, 1130
Which greatest heroes have in battle worn,
Their ornament and safety, had not spells
And black enchantments, some magician’s art
Armed thee or charmed thee strong, which thou from Heav’n
Feignd’st at thy birth was giv’n thee in thy hair,
Where strength can least abide, though all thy hairs
Were bristles ranged like those that ridge the back
Of chafed7835 wild boars or ruffled7836 porcupines.
SAM. I know no spells, use no forbidden arts.
My trust is in the living God who gave me 1140
At my nativity this strength, diffused
No less through all my sinews, joints and bones,
Than thine, while7837 I preserved these locks unshorn,
The pledge of my unviolated vow.
For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy god,
Go to his temple, invocate7838 his aid
With solemnest devotion, spread before him
How highly it concerns his glory now
To frustrate and dissolve these magic spells,
Which I to be the power of Israel’s God 1150
Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test,
Offering to combat thee, his champion bold,
With th’ utmost of his godhead seconded:7839
Then thou shalt see, or rather to thy sorrow
Soon feel, whose God is strongest, thine or mine.
HAR. Presume not on thy God, what e’er He be.
Thee He regards7840 not, owns7841 not, hath cut off
Quite from his7842 people and delivered up
Into thy enemies’ hand, permitted them
To put out both thine eyes, and fettered send thee 1160
Into the common prison, there to grind7843
Among the slaves and asses, thy comrades,
As good for nothing else, no better service
With those thy boist’rous7844 locks. No worthy match
For valor to assail, nor by the sword
Of noble warrior, so to stain his honor,
But by the barber’s razor best subdued.7845
SAM. All these indignities, for such they are
From thine,7846 these evils I deserve and more,
Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me 1170
Justly, yet despair not of His final pardon
Whose ear is ever open, and His eye
Gracious7847 to re-admit the suppliant.
In confidence whereof I once again
Defy7848 thee to the trial of mortal fight,
By combat to decide whose god is God,
Thine or whom I with Israel’s sons adore.
HAR. Fair honor that thou dost thy God, in trusting
He will accept thee to defend his cause—
A murderer, a revolter,7849 and a robber. 1180
SAM. Tongue-doughty7850 giant, how dost thou prove me these?
HAR. Is not thy nation subject to our lords?
Their magistrates confessed it, when they took thee
As a league7851 breaker and delivered, bound,
Into our hands—for hadst thou not committed
Notorious7852 murder on those thirty men
At Askalon, who never did thee harm,
Then like a robber strip’dst them of their robes?7853
The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league,
Went up with armèd powers, thee only seeking, 1190
To others did no violence nor spoil.7854
SAM. Among the daughters of the Philistines
I chose a wife, which argued7855 me no foe,
And in your city held my nuptial feast.
But your ill-meaning politician7856 lords,
Under pretence of bridal friends and guests,
Appointed to await me thirty spies,
Who threat’ning cruel death constrained7857 the bride
To wring from me and tell to them my secret
That solved the riddle which I had proposed. 1200
When I perceived all set on enmity,
As7858 on my enemies, wherever chanced,
I used7859 hostility, and took their spoil
To pay my underminers7860 in their coin.
My nation was subjected to your lords.
It was the force of conquest; force with force
Is well ejected when the conquered can.
But I a private7861 person, whom my country
As a league7862 -breaker gave up,7863 bound, presumed7864
Single7865 rebellion and did hostile acts? 1210
I was no private but a person raised
With strength sufficient, and command from Heav’n,
To free my country. If their servile minds
Me their deliverer sent would not receive,
But to their masters gave me up for nought,
Th’ unworthier they. Whence to this day they serve.
I was to do my part from Heav’n assigned,
And had performed it if my known7866 offense
Had not disabled me7867 —not all your force.
These shifts7868 refuted, answer thy appellant7869 1220
(Though by his blindness maimed for high attempts)
Who now defies7870 thee thrice7871 to single fight,
As a petty7872 enterprise7873 of small7874 enforce.7875
HAR. With thee, a man condemned, a slave enrolled,
Due by the law to capital punishment?
To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.
SAM. Cam’st thou for this, vain boaster, to survey7876 me,
To descant7877 on my strength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer, part not hence so slight informed—
But take good heed my hand survey not thee. 1230
HAR. O Baal-zebub!7878 Can my ears, unused,7879
Hear these dishonors and not render7880 death?
SAM. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand
Fear I incurable: bring up thy van!7881
My heels are fettered, but my fist is free.
HAR. This insolence7882 other kind of answer fits.7883
SAM. Go, baffled7884 coward, lest I run upon thee,
Though in these chains—bulk7885 without spirit vast!—7886
And with one buffet7887 lay thy structure7888 low,
Or swing thee in the air, then dash thee down 1240
To th’ hazard7889 of thy brains and shattered sides.
HAR. By Astaroth, ere long thou shalt lament
These braveries,7890 in irons loaden on thee.
CHOR. His giantship is gone, somewhat crestfall’n,
Stalking7891 with less unconscionable7892 strides
And lower looks, but in a sultry7893 chafe.7894
SAM. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood,
Though fame7895 divulge7896 him father of five sons,
All of gigantic size, Goliath chief.7897
And with malicious counsel stir them up
Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.
SAM. He must allege some cause, and offered fight
Will not dare mention, lest a question rise
Whether he durst accept the offer or not,
And that he durst not plain enough appeared.
Much more affliction than already felt
They cannot well impose, nor I sustain,
If they intend advantage7898 of my labors,
The work of many hands, which earns my keeping 1260
With no small profit daily to my owners.
But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove
My speediest friend, by death to rid me hence:
The worst that he can give, to me the best.
Yet so it may fall out, because their end
Is hate, not help to me, it may—with mine—7899
Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.
CHOR. Oh how comely7900 it is, and how reviving
To the spirits of just men long oppressed,
When God into the hands of their deliverer 1270
Puts invincible might
To quell7901 the mighty of the earth, th’ oppressor,
The brute and boist’rous7902 force of violent men,
Hardy7903 and industrious7904 to support
Tyrannic power, but raging7905 to pursue
The righteous and all such as honor truth!
He7906 all their ammunition7907
And feats of war defeats
With plain heroic magnitude of mind
And celestial vigor armed,
Their armories and magazines contemns,7908
Renders them useless, while
With wingèd expedition,7909
Swift as the lightning glance,7910 he executes7911
His errand on the wicked, who surprised
Lose their defence, distracted7912 and amazed.7913
But patience is more oft the exercise7914
Of Saints, the trial of their fortitude,7915
Making them each his own deliverer,
And victor over all7916
That tyranny or fortune can inflict.
Either of these is in thy lot,
Samson, with might endued7917
Above the sons of men. But sight bereaved7918
May chance to number thee with those
Whom patience finally must crown.
This idol’s day hath been to thee no day of rest, Laboring thy mind
More than the working day thy hands.
And yet perhaps more trouble is behind.7919
For I descry this way
Some other tending.7920 In his hand
A scepter or quaint7921 staff he bears,
Comes on amain,7922 speed in his look.
The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Page 73