Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton

by John Milton

  Have prompted this Heroic Nazarite,

  Against his vow of strictest purity,

  320

  To seek in marriage that fallacious46 Bride,

  Unclean, unchaste.

  Down47 Reason then, at least vain reasonings down,

  Though Reason here aver

  That moral verdit quits her of unclean:

  325

  Unchaste was subsequent, her stain not his.

  But see here comes thy reverend Sire

  With careful48 step, Locks white as doune,

  Old Manoah: advise49

  Forthwith how thou oughtst to receive him.

  330

  Samson. Ay me, another inward grief awak’t,

  With mention of that name renews th’ assault.

  Manoa. Brethren and men of Dan, for such ye seem,

  Though in this uncouth50 place; if old respect,

  As I suppose, towards your once gloried friend,

  335

  My Son now Captive, hither hath inform’d51

  Your younger feet, while mine cast back with age

  Came lagging after; say if he be here.

  Chorus. As signal52 now in low dejected state,

  As earst in highest, behold him where he lies.

  340

  Manoa. O miserable change! is this the man,

  That invincible Samson, far renown’d,

  The dread of Israel’s foes, who with a strength

  Equivalent to Angels walk’d thir streets,

  None offering fight; who single combatant

  345

  Duell’d thir Armies rank’t in proud array,

  Himself an Army, now unequal match

  To save himself against a coward arm’d

  At one spears length. O ever failing trust

  In mortal strength! and oh what not in man

  350

  Deceivable and vain! Nay what thing good

  Pray’d for, but often proves our woe, our bane?

  I pray’d for Children, and thought barrenness

  In wedlock a reproach; I gain’d a Son,

  And such a Son as all Men hail’d me happy;

  355

  Who would be now a Father in my stead?

  O wherefore did God grant me my request,

  And as a blessing with such pomp adorn’d?

  Why are his gifts desirable, to tempt

  Our earnest Prayers, then giv’n with solemn hand

  360

  As Graces, draw a Scorpions tail behind?

  For this did th’ Angel twice descend? for this

  Ordain’d thy nurture holy, as of a Plant;

  Select, and Sacred, Glorious for a while,

  The miracle of men: then in an hour

  365

  Ensnar’d, assaulted, overcome, led bound,

  Thy Foes derision, Captive, Poor, and Blind

  Into a Dungeon thrust, to work with Slaves?

  Alas methinks whom God hath chosen once

  To worthiest deeds, if he through frailty err,

  370

  He should not so o’rewhelm, and as a thrall

  Subject him to so foul indignities,

  Be it but for honours sake of former deeds.

  Samson. Appoint53 not heav’nly disposition, Father,

  Nothing of all these evils hath befall’n me

  375

  But justly; I my self have brought them on,

  Sole Author I, sole cause: if aught seem vile,

  As vile hath been my folly, who have profan’d54

  The mystery of God giv’n me under pledge

  Of vow, and have betray’d it to a woman,

  380

  A Canaanite, my faithless enemy.

  This well I knew, nor was at all surpris’d,

  But warn’d by oft experience: did not she

  Of Timna first betray me, and reveal

  The secret55 wrested from me in her highth

  385

  Of Nuptial Love profest, carrying it strait

  To them who had corrupted her, my Spies,

  And Rivals? In this other was there found

  More Faith? who also in her prime of love,

  Spousal embraces, vitiated with Gold,

  390

  Though offer’d only, by the scent conceiv’d

  Her spurious first-born; Treason against me?

  Thrice she assay’d with flattering prayers and sighs,

  And amorous reproaches to win from me

  My capital56 secret, in what part my strength

  395

  Lay stor’d, in what part summ’d, that she might know:

  Thrice I deluded her, and turn’d to sport

  Her importunity, each time perceiving

  How openly, and with what impudence

  She purpos’d to betray me, and (which was worse

  400

  Then undissembl’d hate) with what contempt

  She sought to make me Traytor to my self;

  Yet the fourth time, when mustring all her wiles,

  With blandisht parlies, feminine assaults,

  Tongue-batteries, she surceas’d not day nor night

  405

  To storm me over-watch’t,57 and wearied out.

  At times when men seek most repose and rest,

  I yielded, and unlock’d her all my heart,

  Who with a grain of manhood well resolv’d

  Might easily have shook off all her snares:

  410

  But foul effeminacy held me yok’t

  Her Bond-slave; O indignity, O blot

  To Honour and Religion! servil mind

  Rewarded well with servil punishment!

  The base degree to which I now am fall’n,

  415

  These rags, this grinding, is not yet so base

  As was my former servitude, ignoble,

  Unmanly, ignominious, infamous,

  True slavery, and that blindness worse then this,

  That saw not how degeneratly I serv’d.

  420

  Manoa. I cannot praise thy Marriage choises, Son,

  Rather approv’d them not; but thou didst plead

  Divine impulsion prompting how thou might’st

  Find some occasion to infest our Foes.

  I state not that; this I am sure; our Foes

  425

  Found soon occasion thereby to make thee

  Thir Captive, and thir triumph; thou the sooner

  Temptation found’st, or over-potent charms

  To violate the sacred trust of silence

  Deposited within thee; which t’ have kept

  430

  Tacit, was in thy power; true; and thou bear’st

  Enough, and more the burden of that fault;

  Bitterly hast thou paid, and still art paying

  That rigid score. A worse thing yet remains,

  This day the Philistines a popular Feast

  435

  Here celebrate in Gaza; and proclaim

  Great Pomp, and Sacrifice, and Praises loud

  To Dagon, as their God who hath deliver’d

  Thee Samson, bound and blind into thir hands,

  Them out of thine, who slew’st them many a slain.

  440

  So Dagon shall be magnifi’d, and God,

  Besides whom is no God, compar’d with Idols,

  Disglorifi’d, blasphem’d, and had in scorn

  By th’ Idolatrous rout amidst thir wine;

  Which to have come to pass by means of thee,

  445

  Samson, of all thy sufferings think the heaviest,

  Of all reproach the most with shame that ever

  Could have befall’n thee and thy Fathers house.

  Samson. Father, I do acknowledge and confess

  That I this honour, I this pomp have brought

  450

  To Dagon, and advanc’d his praises high

  Among the Heathen round; to God have brought

&n
bsp; Dishonour, obloquie, and op’t the mouths

  Of Idolists, and Atheists; have brought scandal

  To Israel, diffidence58 of God, and doubt

  455

  In feeble hearts, propense anough before

  To waver, or fall off and joyn with Idols;

  Which is my chief affliction, shame and sorrow,

  The anguish of my Soul, that suffers not

  Mine eie to harbour sleep, or thoughts to rest.

  460

  This only hope relieves me, that the strife

  With me hath end; all the contest is now

  ’Twixt God and Dagon; Dagon hath presum’d,

  Me overthrown, to enter lists with God,

  His Deity comparing and preferring

  465

  Before the God of Abraham. He, be sure,

  Will not connive,59 or linger, thus provok’d,

  But will arise and his great name assert:

  Dagon must stoop, and shall e’re long receive

  Such a discomfit, as shall quite despoil him

  470

  Of all these boasted Trophies won on me,

  And with confusion blank his Worshippers.

  Manoa. With cause this hope relieves thee, and these words

  I as a Prophecy receive: for God,

  Nothing more certain, will not long defer

  475

  To vindicate the glory of his name

  Against all competition, nor will long

  Endure it, doubtful whether God be Lord,

  Or Dagon. But for thee what shall be done?

  Thou must not in the mean while here forgot

  480

  Lie in this miserable loathsom plight

  Neglected. I already have made way

  To some Philistian Lords, with whom to treat

  About thy ransom: well they may by this

  Have satisfi’d thir utmost of revenge

  485

  By pains and slaveries, worse then death inflicted

  On thee, who now no more canst do them harm.

  Samson. Spare that proposal, Father, spare the trouble

  Of that sollicitation; let me here,

  As I deserve, pay on my punishment;

  490

  And expiate, if possible, my crime,

  Shameful garrulity. To have reveal’d

  Secrets of men, the secrets of a friend,

  How hainous had the fact been, how deserving

  Contempt, and scorn of all, to be excluded

  495

  All friendship, and avoided as a blab,

  The mark of fool set on his front!60 But I

  Gods counsel have not kept, his holy secret

  Presumptuously have publish’d, impiously,

  Weakly at least, and shamefully: A sin

  500

  That Gentiles in thir Parables condemn

  To thir abyss and horrid pains confin’d.61

  Manoa. Be penitent and for thy fault contrite,

  But act not in thy own affliction, Son;

  Repent the sin, but if the punishment

  505

  Thou canst avoid, self-preservation bids;

  Or th’ execution leave to high disposal,

  And let another hand, not thine, exact

  Thy penal forfeit from thy self; perhaps

  God will relent, and quit thee all his debt;

  510

  Who evermore approves and more accepts

  (Best pleas’d with humble and filial submission)

  Him who imploring mercy sues for life,

  Then who self-rigorous chooses death as due;

  Which argues over-just, and self-displeas’d

  515

  For self-offence, more then for God offended.

  Reject not then what offerd means, who knows

  But God hath set before us, to return thee

  Home to thy countrey and his sacred house,

  Where thou mayst bring thy off’rings, to avert

  520

  His further ire, with praiers and vows renew’d.

  Samson. 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 magnanimous62 thoughts

  525

  Of birth from Heav’n foretold and high exploits,

  Full of divine instinct, after some proof

  Of acts indeed heroic, far beyond

  The Sons of Anac, famous now and blaz’d,

  Fearless of danger, like a petty God

  530

  I walk’d about admir’d of all and dreaded

  On hostile ground, none daring my affront.

  Then swoll’n with pride into the snare I fell

  Of fair fallacious looks, venereal trains,63

  Soft’n’d with pleasure and voluptuous life;

  535

  At length to lay my head and hallow’d pledge

  Of all my strength in the lascivious lap

  Of a deceitful Concubine who shore me

  Like a tame Weather, all my precious fleece,

  Then turn’d me out ridiculous, despoil’d,

  540

  Shav’n, and disarm’d among my enemies.

  Chorus. Desire of wine and all delicious drinks,

  Which many a famous Warriour overturns,

  Thou couldst repress, nor did the dancing Rubie

  Sparkling, out-pow’rd, the flavor, or the smell,

  545

  Or taste that cheers the heart of Gods and men,

  Allure thee from the cool Crystalline stream.

  Samson. Where ever fountain or fresh current flow’d

  Against the Eastern ray, translucent, pure,

  With touch ætherial of Heav’ns fiery rod

  550

  I drank, from the clear milkie juice64 allaying

  Thirst, and refresht; nor envy’d them the grape

  Whose heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes.

  Chorus. O madness, to think use of strongest wines

  And strongest drinks our chief support of health,

  555

  When God with these forbid’n made choice to rear

  His mighty Champion, strong above compare,

  Whose drink was only from the liquid brook.

  Samson. But what avail’d this temperance, not compleat

  Against another object more enticing?

  560

  What boots it at one gate to make defence,

  And at another to let in the foe

  Effeminatly vanquish’t? by which means,

  Now blind, disheart’n’d, sham’d, dishonours, quell’d,

  To what can I be useful, wherein serve

  565

  My Nation, and the work from Heav’n impos’d,

  But to sit idle on the houshold hearth,

  A burdenous drone; to visitants a gaze,

  Or pitied object, these redundant locks

  Robustious to no purpose clustring down,

  570

  Vain monument of strength; till length of years

  And sedentary numness craze65 my limbs

  To a contemptible old age obscure.

  Here rather let me drudge and earn my bread,

  Till vermin or the draff66 of servil food

  575

  Consume me, and oft-invocated death

  Hast’n the welcom end of all my pains.

  Manoa. Wilt thou then serve the Philistines with that gift

  Which was expresly giv’n thee to annoy them?

  Better at home lie bed-rid, not only idle,

  580

  Inglorious, unimploy’d, with age out-worn.

  But God who caus’d a fountain at thy prayer

  From the dry ground to spring,67 thy thirst t’ allay

  After the brunt of battel, can as easie

  Cause light again within thy eies to spring,

  585

  Wherew
ith to serve him better then thou hast;

  And I perswade me so; why else his strength

  Miraculous yet remaining in those locks?

  His might continues in thee not for naught,

  Nor shall his wondrous gifts be frustrate thus.

  590

  Samson. All otherwise to me my thoughts portend,

  That these dark orbs no more shall treat with light,

  Nor th’ other light of life continue long,

  But yield to double darkness nigh at hand:

  So much I feel my genial68 spirits droop,

  595

  My hopes all flat, nature within me seems

  In all her functions weary of her self;

  My race of glory run, and race of shame,

  And I shall shortly be with them that rest.

  Manoa. Believe not these suggestions which proceed

  600

  From anguish of the mind and humours black,69

  That mingle with thy fancy. I however

  Must not omit a Fathers timely care

  To prosecute the means of thy deliverance

  By ransom or how else: mean while be calm,

  605

  And healing words from these thy friends admit.

  Samson. O that torment should not be confin’d

  To the bodies wounds and sores

  With maladies innumerable

  In heart, head, brest, and reins;

  610

  But must secret passage find

  To th’ inmost mind,

  There exercise all his fierce accidents,70

  And on her purest spirits prey,

  As on entrails, joints, and limbs,

  615

  With answerable pains, but more intense,

  Though void of corporal sense.

  My griefs not only pain me

  As a lingring disease,

  But finding no redress, ferment and rage,

  620

  Nor less then wounds immedicable

  Ranckle, and fester, and gangrene,

  To black mortification.

  Thoughts my Tormentors arm’d with deadly stings

  Mangle my apprehensive tenderest parts,71