The Complete Poems (Penguin Classics)

by John Milton

  Than Dálila thy wife.

  725 Samson. My wife, my traitress, let her not come near me.

  Chorus. Yet on she moves, now stands and eyes thee fixed,

  About t’ have spoke, but now, with head declined

  Like a fair flower surcharged with dew, she weeps

  And words addressed seem into tears dissolved,

  730 Wetting the borders of her silken 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 than I foresaw),

  My penance hath not slackened, though my pardon

  No way assured. But conjugal affection

  740 Prevailing over fear, and timorous 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 lighten 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 hyena; 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 with feigned remorse,

  Confess, and promise wonders in her change,

  Not truly penitent, but chief to try

  755 Her husband, how far urged his patience bears,

  His virtue or weakness which way to assail:

  Then with more cautious and instructed skill

  Again transgresses, and again submits;

  That wisest and best men, full oft beguiled,

  760 With goodness principled not to reject

  The penitent, but ever to forgive,

  Are drawn to wear out miserable days,

  Entangled with a poisonous 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 weighed

  By itself, with aggravations not surcharged,

  770 Or else with just allowance counterpoised,

  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 show’dst me first the way.

  But I to enemies revealed, and should not.

  Nor shouldst thou have trusted that to woman’s frailty:

  Ere I to thee, thou to thyself wast cruel.

  785 Let weakness then with weakness come to parle,

  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, than in thyself was found.

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

  The jealousy of love, powerful of sway

  In human hearts, nor less in mine towards thee,

  Caused what I did? I saw thee mutable

  Of fancy, feared 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 than by importuning

  To learn thy secrets, get into my power

  Thy key of strength and safety: thou wilt say,

  800 Why then revealed? I was assured by those

  Who tempted me, that nothing was designed

  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 sat full of cares and fears

  Wailing thy absence in my widowed bed;

  Here I should still enjoy thee day and night

  Mine and love’s prisoner, not the Philistines’,

  Whole to myself, unhazarded abroad,

  810 Fearless at home of partners in my love.

  These reasons in love’s law have passed for good,

  Though fond and reasonless to some perhaps;

  And love hath oft, well meaning, wrought much woe,

  Yet always pity or pardon hath obtained.

  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 myself was false ere 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 feigned; weakness is thy excuse,

  830 And I believe it, weakness to resist

  Philistian gold: if weakness may excuse,

  What murderer, what traitor, 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 constrained thee; call it furious rage

  To satisfy thy lust: love seeks to have love;

  My love how couldst thou hope, who took’st the way

  To raise in me inexpiable hate,

  840 Knowing, as needs I must, by thee betrayed?

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

  Or by evasions thy crime uncover’st more.

  Dalila. Since thou determin’st 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, ere I consented;

  Which might have awed the best resolved of men,

  The constantest to 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 country came in person,

  Solicited, commanded, threatened, urged,

  Adjured by all the bonds of civil duty

  And of religion, pressed how just it was,

  855 How honourable, how glorious to entrap

  A common enemy, who had destroyed

  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

  To oppose against such powerful arguments?

  Only my love of thee held long debate;

  And combated in silence all these reasons

  865 With hard contest: at length that grounded maxim

  So rife and celebrated in the mouths
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  Of wisest men; that to the public good

  Private respects must yield; with grave authority

  Took full possession of me and prevailed;

  870 Virtue, as I thought, truth, duty so enjoining.

  Samson. I thought where all thy circling wiles would end;

  In feigned religion, smooth hypocrisy.

  But had thy love, still odiously pretended,

  Been, as it ought, sincere, it would have taught thee

  875 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, loved thee, as too well thou knew’st,

  Too well; unbosomed all my secrets to thee,

  880 Not out of levity, but overpow’red

  By thy request, who could deny thee nothing;

  Yet now am judged an enemy. Why then

  Didst thou at first receive me for thy husband?

  Then, as since then, thy country’s foe professed:

  885 Being once a wife, for me thou wast to leave

  Parents and country; nor was I their subject,

  Nor under their protection but my own;

  Thou mine, not theirs: if aught against my life

  Thy country sought of thee, it sought unjustly,

  890 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;

  895 Not therefore to be obeyed. But zeal moved 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:

  900 Less therefore to be pleased, obeyed, or feared;

  These false pretexts and varnished colours failing,

  Bare in thy guilt how foul must thou appear?

  Dalila. In argument with men a woman ever

  Goes by the worse, whatever be her cause.

  905 Samson. For want of words no doubt, or lack of breath;

  Witness when I was worried with thy peals.

  Dalila. I was a fool, too rash, and quite mistaken

  In what I thought would have succeeded best.

  Let me obtain forgiveness of thee, Samson,

  910 Afford me place to show what recompense

  Towards 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,

  915 Life yet hath many solaces, enjoyed

  Where other senses want not their delights

  At home in leisure and domestic ease,

  Exempt from many a care and chance to which

  Eyesight exposes daily men abroad.

  920 I to the lords will intercede, not doubting

  Their favourable 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,

  925 May ever tend about thee to old age

  With all things grateful cheered, and so supplied,

  That what by me thou hast lost thou least shalt miss.

  Samson. No, no, of my condition take no care;

  It fits not; thou and I long since are twain;

  930 Nor think me so unwary or accurst

  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 enchanted cup, and warbling charms

  935 No more on me have power, their force is nulled,

  So much of adder’s wisdom I have learnt

  To fence my ear against thy sorceries.

  If in my flower of youth and strength, when all men

  Loved, honoured, feared me, thou alone could hate me

  940 Thy husband, slight me, sell me, and forgo me;

  How wouldst thou use me now, blind, and thereby

  Deceivable, in most things as a child

  Helpless, thence easily contemned, and scorned,

  And last neglected? How wouldst thou insult

  945 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 gaol I count the house of liberty

  950 To thine whose doors my feet shall never enter.

  Dalila. Let me approach at least, and touch thy hand.

  Samson. Not for thy life, lest fierce remembrance wake

  My sudden rage to tear thee joint by joint.

  At distance I forgive thee, go with that;

  955 Bewail thy falsehood, and the pious works

  It hath brought forth to make thee memorable

  Among illustrious women, faithful wives:

  Cherish thy hastened widowhood with the gold

  Of matrimonial treason: so farewell.

  960 Dalila. I see thou art implacable, more deaf

  To prayers, than winds and seas; yet winds to seas

  Are reconciled at length, and sea to shore:

  Thy anger, unappeasable, still rages,

  Eternal tempest never to be calmed.

  965 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 denounced?

  To mix with thy concernments I desist

  970 Henceforth, nor too much disapprove my own.

  Fame if not double-faced is double-mouthed,

  And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds;

  On both his wings, one black, th’ other white,

  Bears greatest names in his wild airy flight.

  975 My name perhaps among the circumcised

  In Dan, in Judah, and the bordering tribes,

  To all posterity may stand defamed,

  With malediction mentioned, and the blot

  Of falsehood most unconjugal traduced.

  980 But in my country where I most desire,

  In Ecron, Gaza, Asdod, and in Gath

  I shall be named among the famousest

  Of women, sung at solemn festivals,

  Living and dead recorded, who to save

  985 Her country from a fierce destroyer, chose

  Above the faith of wedlock bands; my tomb

  With odours visited and annual flowers.

  Not less renowned than in Mount Ephraim,

  Jael, who with inhospitable guile

  990 Smote Sisera sleeping through the temples nailed.

  Nor shall I count it heinous to enjoy

  The public marks of honour and reward

  Conferred upon me, for the piety

  Which to my country I was judged to have shown.

  995 At this whoever envies or repines

  I leave him to his lot, and like my own.

  Chorus. She’s gone, a manifest serpent by her sting

  Discovered in the end, till now concealed.

  Samson. So let her go, God sent her to debase me,

  1000 And aggravate my folly who committed

  To such a viper his most sacred trust

  Of secrecy, my safety, and my life.

  Chorus. Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power,

  After offence returning, to regain

  1005 Love once possessed, nor can be easily

  Repulsed, without much inward passion felt

  And secret sting of amorous remorse.

  Samson. Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end,

  Not wedlock-tr
eachery endangering life.

  1010 Chorus. It is not virtue, wisdom, valour, wit,

  Strength, comeliness of shape, or amplest merit

  That woman’s love can win or long inherit;

  But what it is, hard is to say,

  Harder to hit,

  1015 (Which way soever men refer it)

  Much like thy riddle, Samson, in one day

  Or seven, though one should musing sit;

  If any of these or all, the Timnian bride

  Had not so soon preferred

  1020 Thy paranymph, worthless to thee compared,

  Successor in thy bed,

  Nor both so loosely disallied

  Their nuptials, nor this last so treacherously

  Had shorn the fatal harvest of thy head.

  1025 Is it for that such outward ornament

  Was lavished on their sex, that inward gifts

  Were left for haste unfinished, judgement scant,

  Capacity not raised to apprehend

  Or value what is best

  1030 In choice, but oftest to affect the wrong?

  Or was too much of self-love mixed,

  Of constancy no root infixed,

  That either they love nothing, or not long?

  Whate’er it be, to wisest men and best

  1035 Seeming at first all Heavenly under virgin veil,

  Soft, modest, meek, demure,

  Once joined, the contrary she proves, a thorn

  Intestine, far within defensive arms

  A cleaving mischief, in his way to virtue

  1040 Adverse and turbulent; or by her charms

  Draws him awry enslaved

  With dotage, and his sense depraved

  To folly and shameful deeds which ruin ends.

  What pilot so expért but needs must wreck

  1045 Embarked with such a steers-mate at the helm?

  Favoured of Heav’n who finds

  One virtuous rarely found,

  That in domestic good combines:

  Happy that house! his way to peace is smooth:

  1050 But virtue which breaks through all opposition,

  And all temptation can remove,

  Most shines and most is ácceptáble above.

  Therefore God’s universal law

  Gave to the man despotic power

  1055 Over his female in due awe,

  Nor from that right to part an hour,

  Smile she or lour:

  So shall he least confusion draw

  On his whole life, not swayed

  1060 By female usurpation, nor dismayed.

  But had we best retire? I see a storm.

  Samson. Fair days have oft contracted wind and rain.

  Chorus. But this another kind of tempest brings.

  Samson. Be less abstruse, my riddling days are past.

  1065 Chorus. Look now for no enchanting voice, nor fear

  The bait of honeyed words; a rougher tongue