Took full possession of me and prevail'd;
Virtue, as I thought, truth, duty so injoining. 870 SAM. I thought where all thy circling wiles would end;
In feign'd religion, smooth hypocrisy.
But had thy love, still odiously pretended,
Been, as it ought, sincere, it would have taught thee Far other reasonings, brought forth other deeds. I before all the daughters of my tribe
And of my nation chose thee from among My enemies, lov'd thee, as too well thou knew'st, Too well, unbosom'd all my secrets to thee, Not out of levity, but over-power'd
By thy request, who could deny thee nothing; Yet now am judg'd an enemy. Why then Didst thou at first receive me for thy husband, Then, as since then, thy country's foe profess'd ? Being once a wife, for me thou wast to leave 885 Parents and country; nor was I their subject, Nor under their protection but my own, Thou mine, not theirs : if ought against my life Thy country sought of thee, it sought unjustly, Against the law of nature, law of nations, No more thy country, but an impious crew Of men conspiring to uphold their state By worse than hostile deeds, violating the ends For which our country is a name so dear; Not therefore to be' obey'd. But zeal mov'd thee; To please thy gods thou didst it; gods unable To' acquit themselves and prosecute their foes
But by ungodly deeds, the contradiction Of their own deity, gods cannot be ;
Less therefore to be pleas'd, obey'd, or fear'd. 900 These false pretexts and varnish'd colors failing, Bare in thy guilt how foul must thou appear? DAL. In argument with men a woman ever Goes by the worse, whatever be her cause. [breath; SAM. For want of words no doubt, or lack of Witness when I was worried with thy peals. 906 DAL. I was a fool, too rash, and, quite mistaken In what I thought would have succeeded best. Let me obtain foregiveness of thee, Samson, Afford me place to show what recompense Tow'ards thee I intend for what I have misdone, Misguided; only what remains past cure Bear not too sensibly, nor still insist
To' afflict thyself in vain: though sight be lost, Life yet hath many solaces, enjoy'd Where other senses want not their delights At home in leisure and domestic ease, Exempt from many a care and chance to which Eye-sight exposes daily men abroad.
I to the lords will intercede, not doubting Their favorable ear, that I may fetch thee
From forth this loathsome prison-house, to abide With me, where my redoubled love and care With nursing diligence, to me glad office,
May ever tend about thee to old age
With all things grateful cheer'd, and so supply'd, That what by me thou' hast lost thou least shalt miss.
SAM. No, no, of my condition take no care; It fits not; thou and I long since are twain : Nor think me so unwary or accurs'd,
To bring my feet again into the snare
Where once I have been caught; I know thy trains Though dearly to my cost, thy gins, and toils; Thy fair inchanted cup, and warbling charms No more on me have power, their force is null'd, So much of adder's wisdom I have learn'd To fence my ear against thy sorceries.
If in my flower of youth and strength, when all men Lov'd, honor'd, fear'd me, thou alone couldst hate
Thy husband, slight me, sell me, and forego me; How wouldst thou use me now, blind, and thereby Deceivable, in most things as a child
Helpless, thence easily contemn'd, and scorn'd, And last neglected? How wouldst thou insult, When I must live uxorious to thy will In perfect thraldom, how again betray me, Bearing my words and doings to the lords To gloss upon, and censuring, frown or smile? This jail I count the house of liberty
To thine, whose doors my feet shall never enter. DAL. Let me approach at least, and touch thyhand. SAM. Not for thy life, least fierce remembrance wake
My sudden rage to tear thee joint by joint. At distance I forgive thee, go with that; Bewail thy falshood, and the pious works. It hath brought forth to make thee memorable
Among illustrious women, faithful wives: Cherish thy hasten'd widowhood with the gold Of matrimonial treason: so farewel.
DAL. I see thou art implacable, more deaf 960 Το prayers than winds and seas, yet winds to seas Are reconcil'd at length, and sea to shore:
Thy anger, unappeasable, still rages, Eternal tempest never to be calm'd.
Why do I humble thus myself, and suing For peace, reap nothing but repulse and hate? Bid go with evil omen and the brand Of infamy upon my name denounc'd? To mix with thy concernments I desist Henceforth, nor too much disapprove my own. Fame if not double-fac'd is double mouth'd, And with contrary blast proclames most deeds; On both his wings, one black, the other white, Bears greatest names in his wild aery flight. My name perhaps among the circumcis'd In Dan, in Judah, and the bordering tribes, To all posterity may stand defam'd, With malediction mention'd, and the blot of falshood most unconjugal traduc'd. But in my country where I most desire, In Ecron, Gaza, Asdod, and in Gath, I shall be nam'd among the famousest Of women, sung at solemn festivals, Living and dead recorded, who to save Her country from a fierce destroyer, chose
Above the faith of wedlock-bands, my tomb
With odors visited and annual flowers;
Not less renown'd than in Mount Ephraim Jael, who with inhospitable guile
Smote Sisera sleeping through the temples nail'd. Nor shall 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 who ever envies or repines,
I leave him to his lot, and like my own.
CHOR. She's gone, a manifest serpent by her sting Discover'd in the end, till now conceal'd.
SAM. So let her go, God sent her to debase me, And aggravate my folly, who committed To such a viper his most sacred trust Of secrecy, my safety, and my life.
CHOR. Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange
After offense returning, to regain
Love once possess'd, nor can be easily
Repuls'd, without much inward passion felt And secret sting of amorous remorse.
SAM. Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end, Not wedlock-treachery indang'ring life.
CHOR. It is not virtue, wisdom, valor, wit, 1010 Strength, comeliness of shape, or amplest merit That woman's love can win or long inherit; But what it is, hard is to say,
(Which way soever men refer it)
Much like thy riddle, Samson, in one day Or sev'n, though one should musing sit.
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