Samson Agonistes

“ That invincible Samson, far renown'd,
The dread of Israel's foes, who with a strength
Equivalent to Angels walk'd thir streets,
None offering fight; who single combatant
Duell'd thir Armies rank't in proud array,
Himself an Army, now unequal match
To save himself against a coward arm'd
At one spears length. O ever failing trust
In mortal strength! and oh what not in man350
Deceivable and vain! Nay what thing good
Pray'd for, but often proves our woe, our bane?
I pray'd for Children, and thought barrenness
In wedlock a reproach ”

“ He straight from off his wrists tore them asunder,
A jawbone of an ass he found, and grasped it
Most horrid weapon in such hands! He smooth'd
Our ranks! While each blow kills a man, he shouts—
"Revenge of Samson for a priest's deceit!" ”

“ It is Samson, with a bone in his hand, rushing on his enemies and felling them: one admires not the cause so much as the strength, the anger, the fury of the champion. As is the case with madmen, certain subjects provoke him, and awaken his fits of wrath. ”

“ Why should he be so constantly driven to use his strength? Why could he never use it without harming some one? Why was he born into a world where men played on his simplicity and women charmed him to destruction? These were the riddles that confused Samson. It seemed to him that he was no better than the Arabian giant who held the Princess of Bizerta in thrall—that cruel bully who cared not how many he killed, nor who they were, and believed every man to be as wicked as himself. ”

“ Of our brief love; and ah! Again mark—mark!
He lives, that I may fally wield my vengeance!
SAMSON: Angry father of light! is yet not filled
My bitter cup of sufferings and of trials?
Must all thy wrath be poured upon my head?
MANOAH: Do not blaspheme! Heaven never doth forsake!
ABIGAIL: Thou'lt kill me! Bear it like a man, my son.
DELILAH: Thy offspring have I borne—him have nursed
And guarded. Surely, mothers, the most tender,
Can not bestow more care upon a child.
For know—our son shall be a sacrifice
To Dagon, who's delighted with such gifts. ”

“ Thou knowest not what a father's love can do
For the relief of an unfortunate son.
PLIAS: In vain will ye implore—come, we'll hence,
To open market. Thou must follow me;
Do not resist. Come, or I'll force thee hence!
SAMSON: Hal say' st thou, '-force me hence?
Come—dare approach;
My eyes are dead, but all my strength revives.
I hear thee say that thou wilt force me hence,
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! My hair has grown anew.
[He breaks the chains from off his arms and dishevels his hair.]
Come! Dare draw near, and say, thou'lt force me hence! ”

“ Be't death or life—love conquers, wins the prize,
Thus flow the tears which trembling fill my eyes.
BOLON: Thou dost abandon then thy hoary father?
Dost not remember thy own sentiments?
Philistines, know this was her sacred promise
"Yes, I adore my Samson, worship God,
But for my father would I part with him—
Would tear them both from out my bleeding breasts!"
NAMILAH: So 'tis, my life be taken, I'll die for thee—
But live I cannot without him.
PLIAS: Dost thou devise
To be a traitress to our faith and country? ”

“ Hence, hence to Timnath, to the Dagon's temple.
I feel myself anew the giant Samson.
The history of my life shall mark this day
As having been my mission's final sway.
[MANOAH steps forth and kneels; ABIGAIL, SAMSON and NAMILAH follow. DELILAH, PLIAS and the Philistines stand in the background.]
MANOAH: Hear me, Heaven—my prayer grant!
Oh! Govern his mind, and strengthen his hand—
That idol may totter, the Gentiles exclaim. ”

“ To the abhorred mammoth fish-god, Dagon.
Down with both idol and idolaters!
That my mission be henceforth, my vengeance,
Samson shall Israel yet deliver!
[The Philistines all crowd into the background.]
Hence from my sight! Hence, accursed traitors!
Away! I say—If ye would not behold
The sight—that presently these arms alone
Shall level all your bodies to the ground
I I'll slay whatever bears a human face!
BOLON: Fly! Fly before the mad destroyer's wrath!
[Tableau: The Philistines all in a flying position. SAMSON retaining his threatening stand. Music.] ”

“ Thou knowest, O Lord, that it is only that I may the better serve Thee, and thus overcome the wiles of the Wicked One. Give unto me in this hour the strength of Samson that I may overturn the pillars of this temple of abominations, even though we all perish in its destruction. Yea, visit us with power and righteousness, and scatter Thy enemies over the face of the earth. O Lord! I am as nothing, a mere worm of the dust: smite me if Thou wilt, yet I but wrestle with Thee in prayer that through me the heathen may be brought low, and led to see the error of their way. ”

“ The grip of the boy's arms only grew tighter and tighter with snake-like force, while a dreadful smile came into the young face and became stamped there, engraved in rigid lines. His lower lip was caught between his teeth, and a thin stream of blood ran from it over the smooth, clean-cut chin. It was the only sign he gave that he was putting forth the whole of his strength.
A murmur of surprise that had in it a note of uneasiness began to run through the ring of onlookers. They had seen many a fight before, but never a fight like this. Samson's face had gone from red to purple. ”

“ Oh!” she cried, striking her hands violently together, “there is madness and more than madness in the thought! I will not die alone; no, no, no, no, so help me, just Heaven! I will not die alone. Oh, Samson was a brave man as well as a strong one when he lifted the pillars of the temple, and willingly fell beneath its crumbling ruins, crushing all his foes. ”

“ The Philistines, half afraid, gather about thee ten to one; they can bind now and lead captive for thou hast lost the girdle which knit thy powers together and made thee invincible. The consciousness of being God's man is gone—the consciousness of being true to that which united thee in a rude but very real bond to the Almighty. Thou hast scorned the vow which kept thee from the abyss, and with the knowledge of utter moral baseness comes physical prostration, despair, feebleness, ruin. Samson at last knows himself to be no king at all, no hero nor judge. ”

“ Samson, I'm thine; do with me what thou wilt; my friends are enemies; my life is death; I am a traitor to my nation, and despised; my joy is given into the hands of him who hates me, using deceit to the wife of his bosom. ”

“ But hast thou not forgotten the festive garments
Which are our dues if we can solve thy riddle?
NAMILAH: [Aside.] Didst thou betray me, Father?
I entrusted Thee with the secret, yet our guests, too, know it.
I have committed treachery on Samson
And will—
BOLON: Hush, senseless girl, and instantly
SAMSON: Be not so hasty, prince—first guess correctly
And then demand the winner's due reward.
PLIAS: Thy riddle?
SAMSON: Nourishment came from the strong!
PLIAS: What is stronger than a lion?
SAMSON: [Aside.] Deceit! They know it. ”

“ Of course there were some who never came into the thing at all, and continued in their usual course; but these were the dregs, sure to be found everywhere, and the main body of the Hydriot potters kept their word so staunchly, that the demon of intoxication among them was slain by those Samson windows, as Harold had never slain it during his life.
Beautiful bright windows they are, glowing with Samson in his typical might, slaying his lion, out of the strong finding sweetness, drinking water after the fight, bearing away the gates, and slaying his foes in his death. ”

“ Both Samson and the giant were as mistaken as they were powerful, but Samson, by virtue of his weakness, was the stronger man, for, while the giant’s brutality aroused our hatred, Samson’s nobility compelled our love. ”

“ The Dagon's high priest, that I surely hope
My mission's end will be attained in peace,
By the conversion of a Gentile nation.
To gain this victory I have selected
Love for my counsel and interpreter.
No longer therefore interfere; I pray
To have Namilah for my legal spouse.
MANOAH: Though hard it be disturbing these sweet dreams,
To which a noble, youthful heart inspires,
Ah, Samson! ”

“ Thus it is we'll break this giant's strength;
If eyeless, he will be alive, yet dead.
[They approach noiselessly. PLIAS cuts the locks. Both then rush forward. PLIAS throws the hair to DELILAH.]
PLIAS: 'Tis done I
Receive all seven of his braids;
In yonder ambush have I placed our allies.
DELILAH: Call them immediately to our succor,
PLIAS: [Shouts.] Philistines and Dagon!
This way, to overcome Samson!
[Enter the Warriors.]
Take fearless hold of him with solid grasp. ”

“ But in process of time his hair began to grow again; and on the occasion of a great feast Samson is brought out of prison to the assembly of the Philistines, and set in sight of the people. There were nearly three thousand in number, men and women; and they insulted him with bitter reproaches, and carried him about in mockery, a trial harder to be borne than the very reality of captivity by a man conscious of innate power. For to live and die is natural, to be a laughing stock is counted a disgrace. ”

“ That I direct both pillars to embrace.
[She kisses his hands before guiding them to the pillars.]
SAMSON: My fate deserves those tears of pity, son:
For nothing has my heart yet owned in love,
That would not turn unto deceit and treason.
Revenge alone proved faithful true to me.
But, nay—I must except thee from this rule;
Thou hast consoled me with unparalleled
Devotion of a friend and soothed my sufferings.
Heaven must reward such deeds of charity.
That to repay, is not in human power. ”

“ SAMSON: We must not battle. Come, let me pledge thee here.
DELILAH: My sentiment then have—Good luck to hatred!
[They drink, and the goblets are re-filled.]
PLIAS: And mine—May ever grand thy people be!
SAMSON: My Israel the world may persecute;
But e'en in fetters, free and grand remains
God's chosen people,
For hearts and souls and faith cannot be conquered.
PLIAS: Another toast! May true religion prosper!
Hail, Dagon! [He drinks.]
SAMSON: Nay, hail, Sabaoth! ”

“ This world is not for sleep, is not for inaction and sloth. "Whatsoever thy hand finds to do, do it with thy might." A thousand men in Dan, ten thousand in Judah did nothing that became men, sat at home while their grapes and olives grew, abjectly sowed and reaped their fields in dread of the Philistines, making no attempt to free their country from the hated yoke. Samson, not knowing rightly how to act, did go to work and, at any rate, lived. ”

“ The Black Abbot would never carry a woman's saddle, nor would his father nor his father's father. I have seen them fight like barbarian kings, great, tawny, desperate savages, bursting the straps and buckles as Samson burst the withes of the Philistines, fighting to kill, fighting to tear in pieces and destroy, fighting as a man fights when his standards are all down and he has lost a kingdom. ”

“ While we kneel down devoutly here and pray.
[MANOAH, ABIGAIL, and the shepherds kneel; (the white fire;) the ANGEL throws off his disguise, blesses them, and ascends the rock; he touches the sacrifice with a palm-branch that he holds in his hands; the flames (the red fire) break forth and illumine the tableau, during which the curtain falls.]
ACT FIRST:
A BETROTHAL. JUDGES XIV. 1—14.
SCENE THE FIRST
[MANOAH and ABIGAIL pensive before the pillars of DAGON'S Temple. Enter SAMSON, with some antique urn.]
SAMSON: Shalam Alichum, venerable parents! ”

“ If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me - The miraculous strength of Samson must not be supposed to reside either in his hair or in his muscles, but in that relation in which he stood to God as a Nazarite, such a person being bound by a solemn vow to walk in a strict conformity to the laws of his Maker. ”

“ Samson in his black robe came out on the terrace. A wooden cross hung at his girdle; he wore leather sandals and an iron chain round his neck. Waving the peasant folk back as they thronged him, he took a stool of cedar wood that stood by the wall. Putting back the cowl from off his face, he gazed round on those who awaited his words.
Though a seeming monk, he wore no tonsure; the black hair was cropped close to the massive head. Seated there in the western glow, he looked like a Homeric hero with the face of a Jove. The eyes were black, bright as polished stone. ”

“ Who is it here? Art thou a human being?
NAMILAH: Horror! Horror! Samson—is it thee, Samson?
SAMSON: 'Tis he that Samson was; destroyed is all
But his afflicted heart and a sightless casket.
[He falls back again, groaning with pain.]
NAMILAH: Infamous deed! If they had killed the man—
A foe's revenge—it should have satisfied;
But it is more than cruel, it is infernal,
To spare the life, but kill the power to enjoy it.
'Tis like the burying of a man alive.
For this, their deed, I curse my heartless race;
From Dagon's faith I'm severed for all future. ”

“ The wooded slopes glittered with steel, for the soldiers of the Church had thronged down to see the Heretic brought back in bonds from Marvail. A fierce, mocking outcry rose from the thickets, a clamour as of wild beasts tongueing to the slaughter. The road to the ford seethed with men, a mass of squealing, frenzied beings, more like the brown savages of primitive ages than cleansed and baptised Christians. Even Samson on his death march pitied them with some measure of pure scorn. He rode unmoved through the mocking mob, with pale, calm face and steadfast eyes. ”