The Poetical Works of John Milton Part 36

Chor: Noise call you it or universal groan As if the whole inhabitation perish'd, Blood, death, and deathful deeds are in that noise, Ruin, destruction at the utmost point.

Man: Of ruin indeed methought I heard the noise, Oh it continues, they have slain my Son.

Chor: Thy Son is rather slaying them, that outcry From slaughter of one foe could not ascend.

Man: Some dismal accident it needs must be; What shall we do, stay here or run and see? 1520

Chor: Best keep together here, lest running thither We unawares run into dangers mouth.

This evil on the Philistines is fall'n From whom could else a general cry be heard?

The sufferers then will scarce molest us here, From other hands we need not much to fear.

What if his eye-sight (for to Israels G.o.d Nothing is hard) by miracle restor'd, He now be dealing dole among his foes, And over heaps of slaughter'd walk his way? 1530

Man: That were a joy presumptuous to be thought.

Chor: Yet G.o.d hath wrought things as incredible For his people of old; what hinders now?

Man: He can I know, but doubt to think he will; Yet Hope would fain subscribe, and tempts Belief.

A little stay will bring some notice hither.

Chor: Of good or bad so great, of bad the sooner; For evil news rides post, while good news baits.

And to our wish I see one hither speeding, An Ebrew, as I guess, and of our Tribe. 1540

Mess: O whither shall I run, or which way flie The sight of this so horrid spectacle Which earst my eyes beheld and yet behold; For dire imagination still persues me.

But providence or instinct of nature seems, Or reason though disturb'd, and sca.r.s.e consulted To have guided me aright, I know not how, To thee first reverend Manoa, and to these My Countreymen, whom here I knew remaining, As at some distance from the place of horrour, 1550 So in the sad event too much concern'd.

Man: The accident was loud, & here before thee With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not, No Preface needs, thou seest we long to know.

Mess: It would burst forth, but I recover breath And sense distract, to know well what I utter.

Man: Tell us the sum, the circ.u.mstance defer.

Mess: Gaza yet stands, but all her Sons are fall'n, All in a moment overwhelm'd and fall'n.

Man: Sad, but thou knowst to Israelites not saddest 1560 The desolation of a Hostile City.

Mess: Feed on that first, there may in grief be surfet.

Man: Relate by whom.

Mess: By Samson.

Man: That still lessens The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy.

Mess: 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.

Man: Suspense in news is torture, speak them out.

Mess: Then take the worst in brief, Samson is dead. 1570

Man: 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 windy joy this day had I conceiv'd 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.

All by him fell thou say'st, by whom fell he, 1580 What glorious band gave Samson his deaths wound?

Mess: Unwounded of his enemies he fell.

Man: Wearied with slaughter then or how? explain.

Mess: By his own hands.

Man: Self-violence? what cause Brought him so soon at variance with himself Among his foes?

Mess: 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.

Man: O lastly over-strong against thy self! 1590 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, Relation more particular and distinct.

Mess: 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 When all abroad was rumour'd that this day 1600 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 minded Not to be absent at that spectacle.

The building was a s.p.a.cious Theatre Half round on two main Pillars vaulted high, With seats where all the Lords and each degree Of sort, might sit in order to behold, The other side was op'n, where the throng On banks and scaffolds under Skie might stand; 1610 I among these aloof obscurely stood.

The Feast and noon grew high, and Sacrifice Had fill'd thir hearts with mirth, high chear, & wine, When to thir sports they turn'd. Immediately 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.

At sight of him the people with a shout 1620 Rifted the Air clamouring thir G.o.d 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 Which without help of eye, might be a.s.say'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 Between the pillars; he his guide requested 1630 (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 ma.s.sie Pillars That to the arched roof gave main support.

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 cryed aloud, Hitherto, Lords, what your commands impos'd 1640 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; 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 ma.s.sie Pillars With horrible convulsion to and fro, He tugg'd, he shook, till down they came and drew 1650 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 n.o.bility and flower, not only Of this but each Philistian City round Met from all parts to solemnize this Feast.

Samson with these immixt, inevitably Pulld down the same destruction on himself; The vulgar only scap'd who stood without.

Chor: O dearly-bought revenge, yet glorious! 1660 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 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.

Semichor: While thir hearts were jocund and sublime Drunk with Idolatry, drunk with Wine, 1670 And fat regorg'd of Bulls and Goats, Chaunting thir Idol, and preferring Before our living Dread who dwells In Silo his bright Sanctuary: Among 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 Unweetingly importun'd 1680 Thir own destruction to come speedy upon them.

So fond are mortal men Fall'n into wrath divine, As thir own ruin on themselves to invite, Insensate left, or to sense reprobate, And with blindness internal struck.

Semichor: But he though blind of sight, Despis'd and thought extinguish't quite, With inward eyes illuminated His fierie vertue rouz'd 1690 From under ashes into sudden flame, And as an ev'ning Dragon came, a.s.sailant on the perched roosts, And nests in order rang'd Of tame villatic Fowl; but as an Eagle His cloudless thunder bolted on thir heads.

So vertue giv'n for lost, Deprest, and overthrown, as seem'd, Like that self-begott'n bird In the Arabian woods embost, 1700 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 When most unactive deem'd, And though her body die, her fame survives, A secular bird ages of lives.

Man: Come, come, no time for lamentation now, Nor much more cause, Samson hath quit himself Like Samson, and heroicly hath finish'd 1710 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 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 G.o.d not parted from him, as was feard, But favouring and a.s.sisting to the end. 1720 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 n.o.ble.

Let us go find the body where it lies Sok'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 plight to say us nay) Will send for all my kindred, all my friends 1730 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 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 b.r.e.a.s.t.s To matchless valour, and adventures high: 1740 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.

Chor: All is best, though we oft doubt, What th' unsearchable dispose Of highest wisdom brings about, And ever best found in the close.

Oft he seems to hide his face, But unexpectedly returns 1750 And to his faithful Champion hath in place Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns And all that band them to resist His uncontroulable intent, His servants he with new acquist Of true experience from this great event With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all pa.s.sion spent.

The End.

APPENDIX.