To such as owe them absolute subjection; And for a life who will not change his purpose? Yet this be sure, in nothing to comply OFFICER. I praise thy resolution; doff these links: Brethren farewel; your company along 1405 1410 To see me girt with friends; and how the sight, 1415 So dreaded once, may now exasperate them 1420 1425 CHORUS. Go, and the Holy One Of Israel be thy guide To what may serve his glory best, and spread his name Great among the heathen round; Send thee the angel of thy birth, to stand Fast by thy side, who from thy father's field Of thy conception, and be now a shield Of fire; that Spirit that first rush'd on thee Be efficacious in thee now at need. For never was from heav'n imparted Measure of strength so great to mortal seed, Or of him bringing to us some glad news? MANOAH. 1430 1435 1440 Peace with you, brethren? my inducement hither 1445 Was not at present here to find my son, By order of the lords new parted hence To come and play before them at their feast. And numbers thither flock, I had no will, Lest I should see him forc'd to things unseemly. But that which mov'd my coming now, was chiefly To give ye part with me what hope I have With good success to work his liberty. 1450 CHORUS. That hope would much rejoice us to partake With thee; say, reverend Sire, we thirst to hear. MANOAH. I have attempted one by one the lords What noise or shout was that? it tore the sky. CHORUS. Doubtless the people shouting to behold 1455 1460 1465 1470 Their once great dread, captive, and blind before them, Or at some proof of strength before them shown. 1475 MANOAH. His ransom, if my whole inheritance 1463. That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his priests;] Milton, I doubt not, in this place indulges that inveterate spleen, which he always had against public and established religion. He might also perhaps in this description of Manoah's application for Samson's deliverance glance at his own case after the Restoration. Thyer. May compass it, shall willingly be paid And number'd down: much rather I shall choose No, I am fix'd not to part hence without him. If need be, I am ready to forego And quit: not wanting him I shall want nothing. CHORUS. Fathers are wont to lay up for their sons, MANOAH. It shall be my delight to tend his eyes, 1490. It shall be my delight &c.] The character of a fond parent is extremely well supported in the person of Manoah quite through the whole performance; but there is in my opinion something particularly natural and moving in this speech. The circumstance of the old man's feeding and soothing his fancy with the thoughts of tending his son and contemplating him ennobled with so many famous exploits is vastly expressive 1480 1485 1490 1495 of the doating fondness of an old father. Nor is the poet less to be admired for his making Manoah under the influence of this pleasing imagination go still further, and flatter himself even with the hopes of God's restoring his eyes again. Hope as naturally arises in the mind in such a situation, as doubts and fears do when it is overclouded with gloominess and melancholy. Thyer. His strength again to grow up with his hair Useless, and thence ridiculous about him. And since his strength with eye-sight was not lost, CHORUS. Thy hopes are not ill founded nor seem vain Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon Conceiv'd, agreeable to a father's love, In both which we, as next, participate. MANOAH. I know your friendly minds and-O what noise! Mercy of heav'n, what hideous noise was that! 1504. Thy hopes are not ill founded nor sem vain Of his delivery,] This is very proper and becoming the gravity of the Chorus, as much as to intimate that his other hopes were fond and extravagant. And the art of the poet cannot be sufficiently admired in raising the hopes and expectations of his persons to the highest pitch just before the dreadful catastrophe. How great and how sudden is the change from good to bad! The one renders the other more striking and affecting. 1508.-and-0 what noise! &c.] It must be very pleasing to the reader to observe with what art and judgment Milton prepares him for the relation of the 1500 1505 catastrophe of this tragedy. This abrupt start of Manoah upon hearing the hideous noise, and the description of it by the Chorus in their answer, in terms so full of dread and terror, naturally fill the mind with a presaging horror proper for the occasion. This is still kept up by their suspense and reasoning about it, and at last raised to a proper pitch by the frighted and distracted manner of the Messenger's coming in, and his hesitation and backwardness in telling what had happened. What gives it the greater strength and beauty is the sudden transition from that soothing and flattering prospect with which Manoah was entertaining his thoughts to a scene so totally opposite. Thyer. |