But act not in thy own affliction, Son:
Repent the fin; but if the punishment
Thou canft avoid, felf-prefervation bids;
Or th' execution leave to high disposal,
And let another hand, not thine, exact
Thy penal forfeit from thyfelf; perhaps
God will relent, and quit thee all his debt;
Who ever more approves and more accepts
(Beft pleas'd with humble' and filial fubmiffion)
Him who imploring mercy fues for life,
Than who felf-rigorous chooses death as due;
Which argues over-just, and self-displeas'd
For felf-offenfe, more than for God offended.
Reject not then what offer'd means; who knows
But God hath fet before us, to return thee
Home to thy country and his facred house,
Where thou mayft bring thy offerings, to avert
His further ire, with prayers and vows renew'd?

505

510

515

520

SAMS. His pardon I implore; but as for life,
To what end fhould I feek it? When in strength
All mortals I excell'd, and great in hopes
With youthful courage and magnanimous thoughts
Of birth from Heav'n foretold and high exploits, 525
Full of divine instinct, after fome proof

Of acts indeed heroic, far beyond

The fons of Anak, famous now and blaz'd,

Fearless of danger, like a petty God

I walk'd about admir'd of all and dreaded

On hoftile ground, none daring my affront.
Then fwoll'n with pride into the fnare I fell

530

of

ལ.

Of fair fallacious looks, venereal trains,
Soften'd with pleasure and voluptuous life;
At length to lay my head and hallow'd pledge
Of all my ftrength in the lafcivious lap
Of a deceitful concubine, who fhore me
Like a tame wether, all my precious fleece,
Then turn'd me out ridiculous, defpoil'd,
Shav'n, and difarm'd among mine enemies.

CHO. Defire of wine and all delicious drinks,
Which many a famous warrior overturns,
Thou couldft reprefs, nor did the dancing ruby
Sparkling, out-pour'd, the flavor, or the fmell,

535

540

Or tafte that chears the heart of Gods and men, 545 Allure thee from the cool cryftallin stream.

550

SAM'S. Wherever fountain or fresh current flow'd Against the eastern ray, tranflucent, pure With touch ethereal of Heav'n's fiery rod, I drank, from the clear milky juice allaying Thirst, and refresh'd; nor envy'd them the grape Whofe heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes. CHO. O madness, to think use of strongest wines And strongest drinks our chief fupport of health, When God with thefe forbidd'n made choice to rear His mighty champion, ftrong above compare, Whofe drink was only from the liquid brook!

SAMS. But what avail'd this temp'rance, not com Against another object more enticing?

What boots it at one gate to make defenfe,

And at another to let in the foe,

Effeminately vanquish'd? by which means,

[plete

560

I was his nurfling once and choice delight,

His deftin'd from the womb,

Promis'd by heav'nly meffage twice defcending. 635

Under his special eye

Abftemious I grew up and thriv'd amain;

He led me on to mightiest deeds

Above the nerve of mortal arm

Against th' uncircumcis'd, our enemies :

640

But now hath caft me off as never known,
And to thofe cruel enemies,
Whom I by his appointment had provok'd,
Left me all helpless with th' irreparable lofs
of fight, referv'd alive to be repeated

645

The fubject of their cruelty or fcorn.

Nor am I in the lift of them that hope;

Hopeless are all my evils, all remedilefs;

This one prayer yet remains, might I be heard,
No long petition, speedy death,

650

The clofe of all my miferies, and the balın.
CHO. Many are the fayings of the wife

But yield to double darkness nigh at hand:
So much I feel my genial fpirits droop,
My hopes all flat, nature within me seems
In all her functions weary of herfelf,
My race of glory run, and race of shame,
And I fhall fhortly be with them that reft.

595

600

MAN. Believe not thefe fuggeftions, which proceed From anguish of the mind and humors black, That mingle with thy fancy. I however

Muft not omit a father's timely care

To profecute the means of thy deliverance

By ranfome, or how elfe: mean while be calm,

And healing words from these thy friends admit. 605 SAMS. O that torment fhould not be confin'd

To the body's wounds and fores,

With maladies innumerable

In heart, head, breaft and reins;
But muft fecret paffage find

To th' inmoft mind,

There exercife all his fierce accidents,
And on her pureft fpirits prey,

As on entrails, joints, and limbs,

With anfwerable pains, but more intenfe,
Though void of corporal fenfe.

My griefs not only pain me

As a lingring disease,

But finding no redrefs, ferment and rage,

Nor lefs than wounds immedicable

610

615

620

Rankle, and fester, and gangrene,

To black mortification.

Thoughts

I was his nurfling once and choice delight,

His deftin'd from the womb,

Promis'd by heav'nly meffage twice defcending. 635

Under his fpecial eye

Abftemious I grew up and thriv'd amain;

He led me on to mightiest deeds.

Above the nerve of mortal arm

Against th' uncircumcis'd, our enemies :
But now hath caft me off as never known,
And to thofe cruel enemies,

Whom I by his appointment had provok'd,
Left me all helpless with th' irreparable lofs

640

Or fight, referv'd alive to be repeated

645

The fubject of their cruelty or fcorn.

Nor am I in the lift of them that hope;

Hopeless are all my evils, all remedilefs;

This one prayer yet remains, might I be heard,

No long petition, speedy death,

650

The clofe of all my miferies, and the balin.

CHо. Many are the sayings of the wife

In