by John Milton
Or reason though disturb’d, and scarse consulted
T’ have guided me aright, I know not how,
To thee first reverend Manoa, and to these
My Countreymen, whom here I knew remaining,
1550
As at some distance from the place of horrour,
So in the sad event too much concern’d.
Manoa. The accident was loud, and here before thee
With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not,
No Preface needs, thou seest we long to know.
1555
Messenger. It would burst forth, but I recover breath
And sense distract, to know well what I utter.
Manoa. Tell us the sum, the circumstance defer.
Messenger. Gaza yet stands, but all her Sons are fall’n,
All in a moment overwhelm’d and fall’n.
1560
Manoa. Sad, but thou knowst to Israelites not saddest
The desolation of a Hostile City.
Messenger. Feed on that first, there may in grief be surfet.
Manoa. Relate by whom.
Messenger. By Samson.
Manoa. That still lessens
The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy.
1565
Messenger. Ah Manoa, I refrain too suddenly
To utter what will come at last too soon;
Lest evil tidings with too rude irruption
Hitting thy aged ear should pierce too deep.
Manoa. Suspense in news is torture, speak them out.
1570
Messenger. Then take the worst in brief, Samson is dead.
Manoa. The worst indeed, O all my hope’s defeated
To free him hence! but death who sets all free
Hath paid his ransom now and full discharge.
What windy21 joy this day had I conceiv’d
1575
Hopeful of his Delivery, which now proves
Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring
Nipt with the lagging rear of winters frost.
Yet e’re I give the rains to grief, say first,
How dy’d he? death to life is crown or shame.
1580
All by him fell thou say’st, by whom fell he,
What glorious hand gave Samson his deaths wound?
Messenger. Unwounded of his enemies he fell.
Manoa. Wearied with slaughter then or how? explain.
Messenger. By his own hands.
Manoa. Self-violence? what cause
1585
Brought him so soon at variance with himself
Among his foes?
Messenger. Inevitable cause
At once both to destroy and be destroy’d;
The Edifice where all were met to see him
Upon thir heads and on his own he pull’d.
1590
Manoa. O lastly over-strong against thy self!
A dreadful way thou took’st to thy revenge.
More than anough we know; but while things yet
Are in confusion, give us if thou canst,
Eye-witness of what first or last was done,
1595
Relation more particular and distinct.
Messenger. Occasions drew me early to this City,
And as the gates I enter’d with Sun-rise,
The morning Trumpets Festival proclaim’d
Through each high street: little I had dispatch’t
1600
When all abroad was rumour’d that this day
Samson should be brought forth to shew the people
Proof of his mighty strength in feats and games;
I sorrow’d at his captive state, but minded22
Not to be absent at that spectacle.
1605
The building was a spacious Theatre
Half round on two main Pillars vaulted high,
With seats where all the Lords and each degree
Of sort,23 might sit in order to behold,
The other side was op’n, where the throng
1610
On banks24 and scaffolds under Skie might stand;
I among these aloof obscurely stood.
The Feast and noon grew high, and Sacrifice
Had fill’d thir hearts with mirth, high chear, and wine,
When to thir sports they turn’d. Immediately
1615
Was Samson as a public servant brought,
In thir state Livery clad; before him Pipes
And Timbrels, on each side went armed guards,
Both horse and foot before him and behind,
Archers, and Slingers, Cataphracts and Spears.25
1620
At sight of him the people with a shout
Rifted the Air clamouring thir god with praise,
Who had made thir dreadful enemy thir thrall.
He patient but undaunted where they led him,
Came to the place, and what was set before him
1625
Which without help of eye might be assay’d,
To heave, pull, draw, or break, he still perform’d
All with incredible, stupendious force,
None daring to appear Antagonist.
At length for intermission sake they led him
1630
Between the pillars; he his guide requested
(For so from such as nearer stood we heard)
As over-tir’d to let him lean a while
With both his arms on those two massie Pillars
That to the arched roof gave main support.
1635
He unsuspitious led him; which when Samson
Felt in his arms, with head a while enclin’d,
And eyes fast fixt he stood, as one who pray’d,
Or some great matter in his mind revolv’d.
At last with head erect thus cry’d aloud,
1640
Hitherto, Lords, what your commands impos’d
I have perform’d, as reason was, obeying,
Not without wonder or delight beheld.
Now of my own accord such other tryal
I mean to shew you of my strength, yet greater;
1645
As with amaze shall strike all who behold.
This utter’d, straining all his nerves he bow’d;
As with the force of winds and waters pent,
When Mountains tremble, those two massie Pillars
With horrible convulsion to and fro,
1650
He tugg’d, he shook, till down they came and drew
The whole roof after them, with burst of thunder
Upon the heads of all who sate beneath,
Lords, Ladies, Captains, Councellors, or Priests,
Thir choice nobility and flower, not only
1655
Of this but each Philistian City round
Met from all parts to solemnize this Feast.
Samson with these immixt, inevitably
Pull’d down the same destruction on himself;
The vulgar only scap’d who stood without.
1660
Chorus. O dearly-bought revenge, yet glorious!
Living or dying thou hast fulfill’d
The work for which thou wast foretold
To Israel, and now ly’st victorious
Among thy slain self-kill’d
1665
Not willingly, but tangl’d in the fold
Of dire necessity, whose law in death conjoin’d
Thee with thy slaughter’d foes in number more
Then all thy life had slain before.
Semichorus. While thir hearts were jocund and sublime,26
1670
Drunk with Idolatry, drunk with Wine,
And fat regorg’d of Bulls and Goats,
Chaunting thir Idol, and preferring
Before our living Dread who dwells
In Silo27 his bright Sanctuary:
1675
A
mong them he a spirit of phrenzie sent,
Who hurt thir minds,
And urg’d them on with mad desire
To call in hast for thir destroyer;
They only set on sport and play
1680
Unweetingly importun’d
Thir own destruction to come speedy upon them.
So fond28 are mortal men
Fall’n into wrath divine,
As thir own ruin on themselves t’ invite,
1685
Insensate left, or to sense reprobate,29
And with blindness internal struck.
Semichorus. But he though blind of sight,
Despis’d and thought extinguish’t quite,
With inward eyes illuminated
1690
His fierie vertue rouz’d
From under ashes into sudden flame,
And as an ev’ning Dragon30 came,
Assailant on the perched roosts,
And nests in order rang’d
1695
Of tame villatic31 Fowl; but as an Eagle
His cloudless thunder bolted on thir heads.32
So vertue giv’n for lost,
Deprest, and overthrown, as seem’d,
Like that self-begott’n bird33
1700
In th’ Arabian woods embost,34
That no second knows nor third,
And lay e’re while a Holocaust,
From out her ashie womb now teem’d,
Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous most
1705
When most unactive deem’d,
And though her body die, her fame survives,
A secular35 bird ages of lives.
Manoa. Come, come, no time for lamentation now,
Nor much more cause, Samson hath quit himself
1710
Like Samson, and heroicly hath finish’d
A life Heroic, on his Enemies
Fully reveng’d, hath left them years of mourning,
And lamentation to the Sons of Caphtor
Through all Philistian bounds. To Israel
1715
Honour hath left, and freedom, let but them
Find courage to lay hold on this occasion,
To himself and Fathers house eternal fame;
And which is best and happiest yet, all this
With God not parted from him, as was feard,
1720
But favouring and assisting to the end.
Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail
Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt,
Dispraise, or blame, nothing but well and fair,
And what may quiet us in a death so noble.
1725
Let us go find the body where it lies
Soak’t in his enemies blood, and from the stream
With lavers pure and cleansing herbs wash off
The clotted gore. I with what speed the while
(Gaza is not in plight36 to say us nay)
1730
Will send for all my kindred, all my friends
To fetch him hence and solemnly attend
With silent obsequie and funeral train
Home to his Fathers house: there will I build him
A Monument, and plant it round with shade
1735
Of Laurel ever green, and branching Palm,
With all his Trophies hung, and Acts enroll’d
In copious Legend, or sweet Lyric Song.
Thither shall all the valiant youth resort,
And from his memory inflame thir breasts
1740
To matchless valour, and adventures high:
The Virgins also shall on feastful days
Visit his Tomb with flowers, only bewailing
His lot unfortunate in nuptial choice,
From whence captivity and loss of eyes.
1745
Chorus. All is best, though we oft doubt,
What th’ unsearchable dispose37
Of highest wisdom brings about,
And ever best found in the close.
Oft he seems to hide his face,38
1750
But unexpectedly returns
And to his faithful Champion hath in place
Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns
And all that band them to resist
His uncontroulable intent;
1755
His servants he with new acquist39
Of true experience from this great event
With peace and consolation hath dismist,
And calm of mind all passion spent.40
(1646–48 ?; revised, 1653 or later ?)41
* * *
1 Drawn from Hebraic material (Judges xiii–xvi) and Greek tragic structure, the drama reflects both Christian traditions (see Krouse’s survey) and Hellenistic spirit (see Parker’s study). In “SA and Milton in Old Age,” p. 278, Hanford remarks, “by representing a clearly marked triumph of the human will over its own weakness, and by the substitution of Providence for blind fate as the power which overrules the action, the play provides material for a different understanding of catharsis from that contemplated by Aristode.” Based on Greek tragedy, Milton’s drama consists of five episodes each followed by a chorus (stasimon) in addition to Samson’s opening soliloquy (prologos) and a choral ode (parados) and a closing passage (exodos) in which is included a lament (kommos). As tragic hero, Samson has succumbed prior to the opening of the play to pride (hubris) and uxoriousness. His regeneration, the main “plot” of the play (although such regeneration is debated by critics), is developed through these five episodes, and thus forges the champion of truth indicated by the title. Samson must first overcome despair through fortitude in order to realize God’s providential ways. “Agonistes” implies one engaged in a struggle as well as an actor (in the drama of life).
Biographical interpretations have been commonplace because of the element of blindness, but if the suggested earlier dating is correct, many allusions to contemporary and marital problems which have been inferred are invalidated.
2 The principle of catharsis is described in Poetics, VI.
3 “Evil communications corrupt good manners,” attributed also to Menander.
4 David Pareus (1548–1622), a Calvinist theologian, in his Operum Theologicorum.
5 tyrant of Syracuse, who wrote numerous literary works.
6 See Suetonius, II, lxxxv.
7 This was a common ascription, though wrong.
8 a “defense” of the writing of the play, not the passage preceding the entrance of the chorus.
9 explained by the next phrase.
10 strophes of varying lengths.
11 a principal city of the Philistines, lying on the eastern Mediterranean in Palestine.
12 See Nativity Ode, n. 44.
13 that which is appointed by God, but punning etymologically on its being “hung” in his hair (l. 59).
14 require.
15 the interval between the old and the new moons; during this period the moon was thought by the ancients to be “vacating” the night in a cave. The etymologies of “cave” and “vacant” emphasize the “emptiness” of darkness.
16 susceptible (to something harmful).
17 spread in all directions.
18 too powerful to be resisted.
19 Judges xiv. 5–6: “a young lion roared against him … and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand.”
20 referring to natives of Pontus, on the Black Sea, known for their iron work.
21 too powerful to be resisted.
22 Ascalon was a Philistine coastal city; Judges xiv. 19.
23 rage.
24 also, “picked up at the crossroads.”
25 uncircumcised Philistines; Judges xv. 15–17. The following exploit is found in Judges xvi. 3; Azza is a variant of Gaza. The giants are the children of Anak who were expelled from Hebron by Caleb (Judges i. 20).
26 Atlas.
27 example of decline through loss of virtue, l. 173, common to men and government; Fortune’s wheel, l. 172, does not bring true glory.
28 cities from which Manoah came in the coastal valley of Sorec (l. 229).
29 meaning “swellings,” the word connotes the exaggeration or preoccupation arising from psychological disorder.
30 an inscription on a coin.
31 been equal.
32 to thwart my intended use to God.
33 See Judges xiv. 1–4; his association with Dalila is told in Judges xvi. 4 ff.
34 a volley (as of gunfire).
35 The Israelites are still subjugated by the Philistines.
36 I did not walk about soliciting commendation for my deeds.
37 a principal city of Philistia, standing for the whole.
38 Compare Mammon’s words in PL II, 255–57.
39 The cities of Succoth and Penuel refused to help the Hebrew general Gideon when he was pursuing the kings of Midian (Judges vii. 4–9).
40 Judges xi. 12–23, xii. 1–6. The Ephraimites were detected and slain by Jephthah’s Gileadites when they could not pronounce the first syllable of “Shibboleth” correctly.
41 my nation.
42 Rev. xv. 3: “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord, God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”
43 both “unknown” and “in the darkness of ignorance.”
44 Psalms xiv. 1: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”
45 the obligation of the Israelites not to marry outside their nation.
46 deceitful.
47 subordinate (to faith and revelation).
48 full of concern.
49 consider.
50 strange.
51 directed.
52 That is, indicative of his present low state, he is lying down.
53 arraign.
54 impiously revealed.
55 the answer to Samson’s riddle (Judges xiv. 12–18).
56 “major,” “fatal,” and connected with the head.
57 tired from being vigilant.
58 distrust.