SAMSON AGONISTES
��39
��In confidence whereof I once again Defy 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 honour that thou dost thy God,
in trusting
He will accept thee to defend his cause, A inurtherer, a revolter, and a robber ! 1 180 Sams. Tongue-doughty 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 league-breaker, and delivered bound Into our hands; for hadst thou not com- mitted
Notorious murder on those thirty men At Ascalon, who never did thee harm, Then, like a robber, stripp'dst them of
their robes ? The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the
league,
Went up with armed powers thee only seek- ing, 1190 To others did no violence nor spoil.
Sams. Among the daughters of the Phi- listines
I chose a wife, which argued me no foe, And in your city held my nuptial feast; But your ill-meaning politician lords, Under pretence of bridal friends and guests, Appointed to await me thirty spies, Who, threatening cruel death, constrained
the bride To wring from me, and tell to them, my
secret,
That solved the riddle which I had pro- posed. 1200
When I perceived all set on enmity, As on my enemies, wherever chanced, I used hostility, and took their spoil, To pay my underminers 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 private person, whom my country As a league-breaker gave up bound, pre- sumed
Single rebellion, and did hostile acts ! 1210 I was no private, but a person raised, With strength sufficient, and command
from Heaven, To free my country. If their servile minds
��Me, their Deliverer sent, would not re- ceive, But to their masters gave me up for
nought, The unworthier they; whence to this day
they serve.
I was to do my part from Heaven assigned, And had performed it if my known offence Had not disabled me, not all your force. These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant, Though by his blindness maimed for high
attempts, 1221
Who now defies thee thrice to single fight, As a petty enterprise of small enforce. 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. Sams. Cam'st thou for this, vain boaster,
to survey me, To descant on my strength, and give thy
verdit ?
Come nearer; part not hence so slight in- formed ; But take good heed my hand survey not
thee. 1230
Har. O Baal-zebub ! can my ears unused
Hear these dishonours, and not render
death ? Sams. No man withholds thee; nothing
from thy hand
Fear I incurable; bring up thy van; My heels are fettered, but my fist is free. Har. This insolence other kind of answer
fits. Sams. Go, baffled coward, lest I run
upon thee, Though in these chains, bulk without spirit
vast, And with one buffet lay thy structure
low, Or swing thee in the air, then dash thee
down, 1240
To the hazard of thy brains and shattered
sides. Har. By Astaroth, ere long thou shalt
lament
These braveries, in irons loaden on thee. Char. His Giantship is gone somewhat
crest-fallen,
Stalking with less unconscionable strides, And lower looks, but in a sultry chafe. Sams. I dread him not, nor all his giant
brood,
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