Of chaf'd wild boars, or ruffled porcupines. SAMSON. I know no spells, use no forbidden arts; No less through all my sinews, joints, and bones, For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy God, Go to his temple, invocate his aid With solemnest devotion, spread before him 1140 1145 1150 To frustrate and dissolve these magic spells, Presume not on thy God, whate'er he be, Thee he regards not, owns not, hath cut off Into thy enemies' hand, permitted them To put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd send thee 1160 Among the slaves and asses, thy comrades, 1138. or ruffled porcupines.] Who can doubt that Milton here had Shakespeare in mind? Hamlet, act i. sc. 8. And each particular hair to stand on end, Like quills upon the fretful porcupine. With those thy boist'rous locks, no worthy match But by the barber's razor best subdued. All these indignities, for such they are HARAPHA. Fair honour that thou dost thy God, in trusting He will accept thee to defend his cause, A murderer, a revolter, and a robber. SAMSON. 1165 1170 1175 1180 Tongue-doughty giant, how dost thou prove me these? HARAPHA. Is not thy nation subject to our lords? Their magistrates confess'd it, when they took thee Into our hands: for hadst thou not committed Notorious murder on those thirty men 1162.thy comrades,] With the accent upon the last syllable, as in 1 Henry IV. act iv. sc. 2. And his comrades, that daft the world aside And bid it pass. 1185 1181.Tongue-doughty] Doughty, that is, valiant. See Skinner. @gaovoroμos. Eschylus, Septem contra Thebas, 617. Richardson. At Ascalon, who never did thee harm, Then like a robber stripp'dst them of their robes? SAMSON. Among the daughters of the Philistines But Who threat'ning cruel death constrain'd the bride 1190 1195 1200 1205 It was the force of conquest; force with force Is well ejected when the conquer'd can. But I a private person, whom my country As a league-breaker gave up bound, presum'd I was no private but a person rais'd With strength sufficient and command from heaven Me their deliverer sent would not receive, 1210 1215 Th' unworthier they; whence to this day they serve. I was to do my part from heav'n assign'd, HARAPHA. With thee a man condemn'd, a slave inroll'd, Cam'st thou for this, vain boaster, to survey me, O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd Hear these dishonours, and not render death? SAMSON. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand Fear I incurable; bring up thy van, My heels are fetter'd, but my fist is free. HARAPHA. This insolence other kind of answer fits. 1222. Who now defies thee thrice] This was the custom and the law of arms to give the challenge and to sound the trumpet thrice. In allusion to the same practice Edgar appears to fight with the Bastard by the third sound of the trumpet, Lear, act v. sc. 7. 1220 1225 1230 1235 1231. O Baal-zebub!] He is properly made to invoke Baalzebub, as afterwards to swear by Astaroth, that is, the deities of the Philistines and neighbouring nations, of whom we have said something in the notes on the Paradise Lost, and the learned reader may see more in Selden. SAMSON. Go baffled coward, lest I run upon thee, By Astaroth ere long thou shalt lament CHORUS. His giantship is gone somewhat crest-fall'n, SAMSON. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood, Though fame divulge him father of five sons, All of gigantic size, Goliah chief. CHORUS. He will directly to the lords, I fear, SAMSON. He must allege some cause, and offer'd fight 1248. Though fame divulge him &c.] So it plainly should be as Milton himself corrected it, and not divulged as it is in all the editions. Father of five sons &c. The story of Goliath of Gath is 1240 1245 1250 1255 very well known: and the other four are mentioned 2 Sam. xxi. 15-22. These four were born to the giant or to Harapha in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants. |