The Complete Poetry of John Milton (150 page)

   705  
      
       So deal not with this once thy glorious Champion,

               
The Image of thy strength, and mighty minister.

               
What do I beg? how hast thou dealt already?

               
Behold him in this state calamitous, and turn

               
His labours, for thou canst, to peaceful end.

   710  
      
       But who is this, what thing of Sea or Land?

               
Femal of sex it seems,

               
That so bedeckt, ornate, and gay,

               
Comes this way sailing

               
Like a stately Ship

   715     
Of
Tarsus
, bound for th’ Isles

               
Of
Javan
or
Gadier
⁷⁴

               
With all her bravery on, and tackle trim,

               
Sails fill’d, and streamers waving,

               
Courted by all the winds that hold them play,

   720     
An Amber
⁷⁵
scent of odorous perfume

               
Her harbinger, a damsel train behind;

               
Some rich
Philistian
Matron she may seem,

               
And now at nearer view, no other certain

               
Then
Dalila
thy wife.

   725  
      
       
Samson.
My Wife, my Traytress, let her not come near me.

           
      
       
Chorus.
Yet on she moves, now stands and eies thee fixt,

               
About t’ have spoke, but now, with head declin’d

               
Like a fair flower surcharg’d with dew, she weeps

               
And words addrest seem into tears dissolv’d,

   730     
Wetting the borders of her silk’n veil:

               
But now again she makes address to speak.

           
      
       
Dalila.
With doubtful feet and wavering resolution

               
I came, still dreading thy displeasure,
Samson
,

               
Which to have merited, without excuse,

   735     
I cannot but acknowledge; yet if tears

               
May expiate (though the fact more evil drew

               
In the perverse event then I foresaw)

               
My penance hath not slack’n’d, though my pardon

               
No way assur’d. But conjugal affection

   740     
Prevailing over fear, and timerous doubt

               
Hath led me on desirous to behold

               
Once more thy face, and know of thy estate,

               
If aught in my ability may serve

               
To light’n what thou suffer’st, and appease

   745     
Thy mind with what amends is in my power,

               
Though late, yet in some part to recompense

               
My rash but more unfortunate misdeed.

           
      
       
Samson.
Out, out
Hyæna;
⁷⁶
these are thy wonted arts,

               
And arts of every woman false like thee,

   750     
To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray,

               
Then as repentant to submit, beseech,

               
And reconcilement move
⁷⁷
with feign’d remorse,

               
Confess, and promise wonders in her change,

               
Not truly penitent, but chief to try

   755     
Her husband, how far urg’d his patience bears,

               
His vertue or weakness which way t’ assail:

               
Then with more cautious and instructed skill

               
Again transgresses, and again submits;

               
That wisest and best men full oft beguil’d">760

   760     
With goodness principl’d not to reject

               
The penitent, but ever to forgive,

               
Are drawn to wear out miserable days,

               
Entangl’d with a poysnous bosom snake,

               
If not by quick destruction soon cut off

   765     
As I by thee, to Ages an example.

           
      
       
Dalila.
Yet hear me
Samson;
not that I endeavour

               
To lessen or extenuate my offence,

               
But that on th’ other side if it be weigh’d

               
By it self, with aggravations not surcharg’d,

   770     
Or else with just allowance counterpois’d,

               
I may, if possible, thy pardon find

               
The easier towards me, or thy hatred less.

               
First granting, as I do, it was a weakness

               
In me, but incident to all our sex,

   775     
Curiosity, inquisitive, importune

               
Of secrets, then with like infirmity

               
To publish them, both common female faults:

               
Was it not weakness also to make known

               
For importunity, that is for naught,

   780     
Wherein consisted all thy strength and safety?

               
To what I did thou shewdst me first the way.

               
But I to enemies reveal’d, and should not.

               
Nor shouldst thou have trusted that to womans frailty:

               
E’re I to thee, thou to thy self wast cruel.

   785     
Let weakness then with weakness come to parl

               
So near related, or the same of kind,

               
Thine forgive mine; that men may censure thine

               
The gentler, if severely thou exact not

               
More strength from me, then in thy self was found.

   790     
And what if Love, which thou interpret’st hate,

               
The jealousie of Love, powerful of sway

               
In human hearts, nor less in mine towards thee,

               
Caus’d what I did? I saw thee mutable

               
Of fancy, feard lest one day thou wouldst leave me

   795     
As her at
Timna
, sought by all means therefore

               
How to endear, and hold thee to me firmest:

               
No better way I saw then by importuning

               
To learn thy secrets, get into my power

               
Thy key of strength and safety: thou wilt say,

   800     
Why then reveal’d? I was assur’d by those

               
Who tempted me, that nothing was design’d

               
Against thee but safe custody, and hold:

               
That made for me, I knew that liberty

               
Would draw thee forth to perilous enterprises,

   805     
While I at home sate full of cares and fears

               
Wailing thy absence in my widow’d bed;

               
Here I should still enjoy thee day and night

               
Mine and Loves prisoner, not the
Philistines
,

               
Whole to my self, unhazarded abroad,

   810     
Fearless at home of partners in my love.

               
These reasons in Loves law have past for good,

               
Though fond and reasonless to some perhaps;

               
And Love hath oft, well meaning, wrought much wo,

               
Yet always pity or pardon hath obtain’d.

   815     
Be not unlike all others, not austere

               
As thou art strong, inflexible as steel.

               
If thou in strength all mortals dost exceed,

               
In uncompassionate anger do not so.

           
      
       
Samson.
How cunningly the sorceress displays

   820     
Her own transgressions, to upbraid me mine!

               
That malice not repentance brought thee hither,

               
By this appears: I gave, thou say’st, th’ example,

               
I led the way; bitter reproach, but true,

               
I to my self was false e’re thou to me;

   825     
Such pardon therefore as I give my folly,

               
Take to thy wicked deed: which when thou seest

               
Impartial, self-severe, inexorable,

               
Thou wilt renounce thy seeking, and much rather

               
Confess it feign’d, weakness is thy excuse,

   830     
And I believe it. Weakness to resist

               
Philistian
gold: if weakness may excuse,

               
What Murtherer, what Traytor, Parricide,

               
Incestuous, Sacrilegious, but may plead it?

               
All wickedness is weakness: that plea therefore

   835     
With God or Man will gain thee no remission.

               
But Love constrain’d thee; call it furious rage

               
To satisfie thy lust: Love seeks to have Love;

               
My love how couldst thou hope, who tookst the way

               
To raise in me inexpiable hate,

   840     
Knowing, as needs I must, by thee betray’d?

               
In vain thou striv’st to cover shame with shame,

               
Or by evasions thy crime uncoverst more.

           
      
       
Dalila.
Since thou determinst weakness for no plea

               
In man or woman, though to thy own condemning,

   845     
Hear what assaults I had, what snares besides,

               
What sieges girt me round, e’re I consented;

               
Which might have aw’d the best resolv’d of men,

               
The constantest t’ have yielded without blame.

               
It was not gold, as to my charge thou lay’st,

   850     
That wrought with me: thou know’st the Magistrates

               
And Princes of my countrey came in person,

               
Sollicited, commanded, threat’n’d, urg’d,

               
Adjur’d by all the bonds of civil Duty

               
And of Religion, press’d how just it was,

   855     
How honourable, how glorious to entrap

               
A common enemy, who had destroy’d

               
Such numbers of our Nation: and the Priest

               
Was not behind, but ever at my ear,

               
Preaching how meritorious with the gods

   860     
It would be to ensnare an irreligious

               
Dishonourer of
Dagon:
what had I

               
T’ oppose against such powerful arguments?

               
Only my love of thee held long debate;

               
And combated in silence all these reasons