And thief of Paradise! Him long of old For Adam and his chosen sons, whom thou, A Saviour, art come down to reinstal, Where they shall dwell secure, when time shall be, Under his feet; for proof, ere this thou feel'st Queller of Satan! on thy glorious work Thus they the Son of God, our Saviour meck Sung victor, and, from heavenly feast refresh'd, Brought on his way with joy; he, unobserved, Home to his mother's house private return'd. END OF PARADISH REGAINRU THE ARGUMENT. Samson, made captive, blind, and now in the prison & Gaza, there t abour as in a common workhouse, on a festival day, in the general ces Kation from labour, comes forth into the open air, to a place nigh, somewhat retired, there to sit awhile and bemoan his condition: where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who seek to comfort him what they can; then by his old father Manoah, who endeavours the like, and withal tells him his purpose to procure his liberty by ransom; lastly, that this feast was proclaimed by the Philistines as a day of thanksgiving for their deliver ance from the hands of Samson, which yet more troubles him. Manoah then departs to prosecute his endeavour with the Philistine lords for Samson's redemption; who, in the meanwhile, is visited by other per gons; and, lastly, by a public officer to require his coming to the feast before the lords and people, to play or show his strength in their presence: he at first refuses, dismissing the public officer with absolute derial to come; at length, persuaded inwardly that this was from God, he yields to go along with him, who came now the second time with great threatenings to fetch him: the Chorus yet remaining on the place, Manoah re turns full of joyful hope, to procure ere long his son's deliverance; in the midst of which discourse an Hebrew comes in haste, confusedly at first, and afterward more distinctly, relating the catastrophe, what San son had done to the Philistines, and by accident to himself, where with the tragedy ends SAMSON AGONISTES. SAMSON. Attendant leading him. A LITTLE onward lend thy guiding hand Their superstition yields me; hence, with leave Times past, what once I was, and what am now. |