The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems

by John Milton; Burton Raffel

  To mix with thy concernments7755 I desist

  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.

  My name perhaps among the circumcised7756

  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.7757

  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,7758 who to save

  Her country from a fierce destroyer chose

  Above7759 the faith of wedlock-bands7760 —my tomb

  With odors7761 visited and annual flowers.

  Not less renowned than in Mount Ephraim

  Jael, who with inhospitable guile

  Smote Sisera sleeping through the temples nailed.7762

  Nor shall I count it heinous7763 to enjoy

  The public marks of honor and reward

  Conferred upon me, for the piety

  Which to my country I was judged t’ have shown.

  At this whoever envies or repines7764

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

  CHOR. She’s gone, a manifest7765 serpent by her sting

  Discovered in the end, till now concealed.

  SAM. So let her go. God sent her to debase me

  And aggravate my folly, who committed 1000

  To such a viper his most sacred trust

  Of secrecy, my safety, and my life.

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

  After offence returning, to regain

  Love once possessed, nor can be easily

  Repulsed, without much inward passion felt

  And secret sting of amorous remorse.

  SAM. Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end.

  Not wedlock-treachery, endangering 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,7766

  But what it is, hard is to say,

  Harder to hit7767

  (Which way soever men refer7768 it),

  Much like thy riddle, Samson,7769 in one day

  Or seven, though one should musing sit.

  If any of these or all, the Timnian bride

  Had not so soon preferred

  Thy paranymph,7770 worthless to thee compared, 1020

  Successor in thy bed,

  Nor both7771 so loosely disallied

  Their nuptials, nor this last so treacherously

  Had shorn the fatal7772 harvest of thy head.

  Is it for that7773 such outward ornament

  Was lavished on their sex, that inward gifts

  Were left for haste unfinished, judgment scant,7774

  Capacity not raised7775 to apprehend

  Or value what is best

  In choice, but oftest to affect7776 the wrong? 1030

  Or was too much of self-love mixed,

  Of constancy no root7777 infixed,7778

  That either they love nothing, or not long?

  What e’er it be, to wisest men and best

  Seeming at first all Heav’nly under virgin veil,

  Soft, modest, meek, demure,7779

  Once joined the contrary she proves, a thorn

  Intestine, far within defensive7780 arms

  A cleaving7781 mischief, in7782 his way to virtue

  Adverse and turbulent,7783 or by her charms 1040

  Draws him awry,7784 enslaved

  With dotage,7785 and his sense depraved7786

  To folly and shameful deeds which ruin ends.

  What pilot so expert but needs must wreck,

  Embarked with such a steer-mate at the helm?

  Favored of Heav’n who finds

  One7787 virtuous (rarely found),

  That in domestic good combines.7788

  Happy that house! His way to peace is smooth.

  But virtue which breaks through all opposition, 1050

  And all temptation can remove

  Most shines and most is acceptable above.

  Therefore God’s universal Law

  Gave to the man despotic7789 power

  Over his female in due7790 awe,7791

  Nor from that right to part7792 an hour,

  Smile she7793 or lour.7794

  So shall he least confusion draw

  On his whole life, not swayed

  By female usurpation, nor dismayed. 1060

  But had we best retire, I see a storm?

  SAM. Fair days have oft contracted7795 wind and rain.

  CHOR. But this another kind of tempest brings.

  SAM. Be less abstruse,7796 my riddling days are past.

  CHOR. Look now for no enchanting voice, nor fear

  The bait of honeyed words. A rougher tongue

  Draws hitherward. I know him by his stride,

  The giant Harapha7797 of Gath, his look

  Haughty as is his pile7798 high-built and proud.

  Comes he in peace? What wind hath blown him hither 1070

  I less conjecture7799 than when first I saw

  The sumptuous7800 Dalila floating this way.

  His habit7801 carries peace, his brow defiance.

  SAM. Or7802 peace or not, alike to me he comes.

  CHOR. His fraught7803 we soon shall know. He now arrives.

  HAR. I come not, Samson, to condole thy chance,7804

  As these perhaps, yet wish it had not been,

  Though for no friendly intent. I am of Gath.

  Men call me Harapha, of stock renowned

  As Og7805 or Anak7806 and the Emims7807 old 1080

  That Kiriathaim7808 held: thou knowst me now,

  If thou at all art known. Much I have heard

  Of thy prodigious7809 might and feats performed,

  Incredible to me, in this displeased,

  That I was never present on the place

  Of those encounters, where we might have tried7810

  Each other’s force in camp7811 or listed field:7812

  And now am come to see of whom such noise

  Hath walked about, and each limb to survey,

  If thy appearance answer loud report.7813 1090

  SAM. The way to know were not to see but taste.

  HAR. Dost thou already single7814 me? I thought

  Gyves7815 and the mill had tamed thee. O that fortune

  Had brought me to the field where thou art famed

  T’ have wrought such wonders with an ass’s jaw!

  I should have forced thee soon wish other arms,

  Or left thy carcass where the ass lay thrown.

  So had the glory of prowess been recovered

  To Palestine, won by a Philistine

  From7816 the unforeskinned race,7817 of whom thou bear’st 1100

  The highest name for valiant acts. That honor

  Certain t’ have won by mortal7818 duel from thee,

  I lose, prevented by thy eyes put out.

  SAM. Boast not of what thou would’st have done, but do

  What then thou would’st. Thou see’st it in thy hand.

  HAR. To combat with a blind man I disdain.

  And thou hast need much washing to be7819 touched.

  SAM. Such usage as your honorable lords

  Afford me, assassinated7820 and betrayed,

  Who durst not with their whole united powers 1110

  In fight withstand me single and unarmed,

  Nor in the house with chamber7821 ambushes

  Close-banded7822 durst attack me—no, not slee
ping—

  Till they had hired a woman with their gold,

  Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent7823 me.

  Therefore without feigned shifts7824 let be assigned

  Some narrow place enclosed, where sight may give thee

  (Or rather flight) no great advantage on me.

  Then put on all thy gorgeous7825 arms,7826 thy helmet

  And brigandine7827 of brass, thy broad habergeon,7828 1120

  Vant-brass7829 and greves,7830 and gauntlet,7831 add thy spear,

  A weaver’s beam,7832 and seven-times-folded7833 shield.

  I only with an oaken staff will meet thee,

  And raise such out-cries on thy clattered7834 iron

  Which long shall not with-hold me from thy head,

  That in a little time, while breath remains thee,

  Thou oft shalt wish thyself at Gath to boast

  Again in safety what thou would’st have done

  To Samson, but shalt never see Gath more.

  HAR. Thou durst not thus disparage glorious arms, 1130

  Which greatest heroes have in battle worn,

  Their ornament and safety, had not spells

  And black enchantments, some magician’s art

  Armed thee or charmed thee strong, which thou from Heav’n

  Feignd’st at thy birth was giv’n thee in thy hair,

  Where strength can least abide, though all thy hairs

  Were bristles ranged like those that ridge the back

  Of chafed7835 wild boars or ruffled7836 porcupines.

  SAM. I know no spells, use no forbidden arts.

  My trust is in the living God who gave me 1140

  At my nativity this strength, diffused

  No less through all my sinews, joints and bones,

  Than thine, while7837 I preserved these locks unshorn,

  The pledge of my unviolated vow.

  For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy god,

  Go to his temple, invocate7838 his aid

  With solemnest devotion, spread before him

  How highly it concerns his glory now

  To frustrate and dissolve these magic spells,

  Which I to be the power of Israel’s God 1150

  Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test,

  Offering to combat thee, his champion bold,

  With th’ utmost of his godhead seconded:7839

  Then thou shalt see, or rather to thy sorrow

  Soon feel, whose God is strongest, thine or mine.

  HAR. Presume not on thy God, what e’er He be.

  Thee He regards7840 not, owns7841 not, hath cut off

  Quite from his7842 people and delivered up

  Into thy enemies’ hand, permitted them

  To put out both thine eyes, and fettered send thee 1160

  Into the common prison, there to grind7843

  Among the slaves and asses, thy comrades,

  As good for nothing else, no better service

  With those thy boist’rous7844 locks. No worthy match

  For valor to assail, nor by the sword

  Of noble warrior, so to stain his honor,

  But by the barber’s razor best subdued.7845

  SAM. All these indignities, for such they are

  From thine,7846 these evils I deserve and more,

  Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me 1170

  Justly, yet despair not of His final pardon

  Whose ear is ever open, and His eye

  Gracious7847 to re-admit the suppliant.

  In confidence whereof I once again

  Defy7848 thee to the trial of mortal fight,

  By combat to decide whose god is God,

  Thine or whom I with Israel’s sons adore.

  HAR. Fair honor that thou dost thy God, in trusting

  He will accept thee to defend his cause—

  A murderer, a revolter,7849 and a robber. 1180

  SAM. Tongue-doughty7850 giant, how dost thou prove me these?

  HAR. Is not thy nation subject to our lords?

  Their magistrates confessed it, when they took thee

  As a league7851 breaker and delivered, bound,

  Into our hands—for hadst thou not committed

  Notorious7852 murder on those thirty men

  At Askalon, who never did thee harm,

  Then like a robber strip’dst them of their robes?7853

  The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league,

  Went up with armèd powers, thee only seeking, 1190

  To others did no violence nor spoil.7854

  SAM. Among the daughters of the Philistines

  I chose a wife, which argued7855 me no foe,

  And in your city held my nuptial feast.

  But your ill-meaning politician7856 lords,

  Under pretence of bridal friends and guests,

  Appointed to await me thirty spies,

  Who threat’ning cruel death constrained7857 the bride

  To wring from me and tell to them my secret

  That solved the riddle which I had proposed. 1200

  When I perceived all set on enmity,

  As7858 on my enemies, wherever chanced,

  I used7859 hostility, and took their spoil

  To pay my underminers7860 in their coin.

  My nation was subjected to your lords.

  It was the force of conquest; force with force

  Is well ejected when the conquered can.

  But I a private7861 person, whom my country

  As a league7862 -breaker gave up,7863 bound, presumed7864

  Single7865 rebellion and did hostile acts? 1210

  I was no private but a person raised

  With strength sufficient, and command from Heav’n,

  To free my country. If their servile minds

  Me their deliverer sent would not receive,

  But to their masters gave me up for nought,

  Th’ unworthier they. Whence to this day they serve.

  I was to do my part from Heav’n assigned,

  And had performed it if my known7866 offense

  Had not disabled me7867 —not all your force.

  These shifts7868 refuted, answer thy appellant7869 1220

  (Though by his blindness maimed for high attempts)

  Who now defies7870 thee thrice7871 to single fight,

  As a petty7872 enterprise7873 of small7874 enforce.7875

  HAR. With thee, a man condemned, a slave enrolled,

  Due by the law to capital punishment?

  To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.

  SAM. Cam’st thou for this, vain boaster, to survey7876 me,

  To descant7877 on my strength, and give thy verdict?

  Come nearer, part not hence so slight informed—

  But take good heed my hand survey not thee. 1230

  HAR. O Baal-zebub!7878 Can my ears, unused,7879

  Hear these dishonors and not render7880 death?

  SAM. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand

  Fear I incurable: bring up thy van!7881

  My heels are fettered, but my fist is free.

  HAR. This insolence7882 other kind of answer fits.7883

  SAM. Go, baffled7884 coward, lest I run upon thee,

  Though in these chains—bulk7885 without spirit vast!—7886

  And with one buffet7887 lay thy structure7888 low,

  Or swing thee in the air, then dash thee down 1240

  To th’ hazard7889 of thy brains and shattered sides.

  HAR. By Astaroth, ere long thou shalt lament

  These braveries,7890 in irons loaden on thee.

  CHOR. His giantship is gone, somewhat crestfall’n,

  Stalking7891 with less unconscionable7892 strides

  And lower looks, but in a sultry7893 chafe.7894

  SAM. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood,

  Though fame7895 divulge7896 him father of five sons,

  All of gigantic size, Goliath chief.7897
r />   CHOR. He will directly to the lords, I fear,

  And with malicious counsel stir them up

  Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.

  SAM. He must allege some cause, and offered fight

  Will not dare mention, lest a question rise

  Whether he durst accept the offer or not,

  And that he durst not plain enough appeared.

  Much more affliction than already felt

  They cannot well impose, nor I sustain,

  If they intend advantage7898 of my labors,

  The work of many hands, which earns my keeping 1260

  With no small profit daily to my owners.

  But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove

  My speediest friend, by death to rid me hence:

  The worst that he can give, to me the best.

  Yet so it may fall out, because their end

  Is hate, not help to me, it may—with mine—7899

  Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.

  CHOR. Oh how comely7900 it is, and how reviving

  To the spirits of just men long oppressed,

  When God into the hands of their deliverer 1270

  Puts invincible might

  To quell7901 the mighty of the earth, th’ oppressor,

  The brute and boist’rous7902 force of violent men,

  Hardy7903 and industrious7904 to support

  Tyrannic power, but raging7905 to pursue

  The righteous and all such as honor truth!

  He7906 all their ammunition7907

  And feats of war defeats

  With plain heroic magnitude of mind

  And celestial vigor armed,

  Their armories and magazines contemns,7908

  Renders them useless, while

  With wingèd expedition,7909

  Swift as the lightning glance,7910 he executes7911

  His errand on the wicked, who surprised

  Lose their defence, distracted7912 and amazed.7913

  But patience is more oft the exercise7914

  Of Saints, the trial of their fortitude,7915

  Making them each his own deliverer,

  And victor over all7916

  That tyranny or fortune can inflict.

  Either of these is in thy lot,

  Samson, with might endued7917

  Above the sons of men. But sight bereaved7918

  May chance to number thee with those

  Whom patience finally must crown.

  This idol’s day hath been to thee no day of rest, Laboring thy mind

  More than the working day thy hands.

  And yet perhaps more trouble is behind.7919

  For I descry this way

  Some other tending.7920 In his hand

  A scepter or quaint7921 staff he bears,

  Comes on amain,7922 speed in his look.