I fhall be nam'd among the famousest Jael, who with inhofpitable guile 985 Smote Sifera fleeping through the temples nail'd. 990 Nor fhall I count it hainous to enjoy The public marks of honor and reward, Conferr'd upon me, for the piety Which to my country I was judg'd to' have shown. At this whoever envies or repines, I leave him to his lot, and like my own. CHO. She's gone, a manifeft ferpent by her sting Discover'd in the end, till now conceal'd. SAMS. So let her go, God fent her to debase me, And aggravate my folly, who committed To fuch a viper his moft facred trust Of fecrefy, my fafety, and my life. 995 1000 CHO. Yet beauty, though injurious, hath ftrange After offense returning, to regain Love once poffefs'd, nor can be eafily And secret sting of amorous remorse. [power, 1005 SAMS. Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end, Not wedlock-treachery indangering life. CHO. It is not virtue, wisdom, valor, wit, Strength, comeliness of shape, or amplest merit 1010 That That woman's love can win or long inherit; Harder to hit, (Which way foever men refer it) Much like thy riddle, Samfon, in one day If any of thefe or all, the Timnian bride Thy paranymph, worthless to thee compar'd, Nor both fo loosly disally'd Their nuptials, nor this last so treacherously 1015 1020 In choice, but ofteft to affect the wrong? 1030 Of conftancy no root infix'd, That either they love nothing, or not long? Whate'er it be, to wifeft men and best Seeming at first all heav'nly under virgin veil, 1035 Once join'd, the contrary she proves, a thorn A cleaving mischief, in his way to virtue 1040 With dotage, and his fenfe deprav'd To folly' and fhameful deeds which ruin ends. Favor'd of Heav'n who finds One virtuous rarely found, That in domeftic good combines : 1045 Happy that houfe! his way to peace is smooth : 'But virtue, which breaks through all oppofition, 1050 And all temptation can remove, Moft fhines and moft is acceptable above. Therefore God's univerfal law Gave to the man defpotic power But had we beft retire, I fee a storm? SAMS. Fair days have oft contracted wind and rain. CHO. But this another kind of tempest brings. SAMS. Be lefs abftrufe, my riddling days are past. CHO. Look now for no inchanting voice, nor fear The bait of honied words; a rougher tongue Draws hitherward, I know him by his ftride, The giant Harapha of Gath, his look Haughty as is his pile high-built and proud. Comes he in peace? what wind hath blown him hither I lefs conjecture than when firft I faw The } The fumptuous Dalila floting this way: His habit carries peace, his brow defiance. SAMS. Or peace or not, alike to me he comes. CHO. His fraught we foon fhall know, he now arrives. HAR. I come not, Samfon, to condole thy chance, As thefe perhaps, yet wish it had not been, Though for no friendly intent. I am of Gath, That Kiriathaim held, thou know'ft me now 1080 1085 Of thofe encounters, where we might have try'd And now am come to fee of whom fuch noise 1090 SAMS. The way to know were not to see but taste. From the unforeskin'd race, of whom thou bear'st 1100 Certain Certain to' have won by mortal duel from thee, [do SAMS. Boaft not of what thou wouldst have done, but What then thou wouldft, thou seeft it in thy hand. HAR. To combat with a blind man I disdain, And thou hast need much washing to be touch'd. SAMS. Such ufage as your honorable lords Afford me' affaffinated and betray'd, Who durft not with their whole united powers In fight withstand me single and unarm'd, Nor in the houfe with chamber ambyfhes Clofe-banded durft attack me, no not fleeping Till they had hir'd a woman with their gold Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent me. Therefore without feign'd shifts let be affign'd Some narrow place inclos'd, where fight may give thee, Or rather flight, no great advantage on me; Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet And brigandine of brafs, thy broad habergeon, Vant-brass and greves, and gauntlet, add thy spear, A weaver's beam, and seven-times-folded shield, I only with an oaken staff will meet thee, And raise fuch outcries on thy clatter'd iron, 1115 II20 Which long fhall not withhold me from thy head, 1125 Thou oft fhalt wish thyself at Gath to boast |