[The Poetical Works of John Milton by John Milton]@TWC D-Link bookThe Poetical Works of John Milton BOOK XII 25/27
Art thou our Slave, Our Captive, at the public Mill our drudge, And dar'st thou at our sending and command Dispute thy coming? come without delay; Or we shall find such Engines to assail And hamper thee, as thou shalt come of force, Though thou wert firmlier fastn'd then a rock. Sam: I could be well content to try thir Art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious.
1400 Yet knowing thir advantages too many, Because they shall not trail me through thir streets Like a wild Beast, I am content to go. Masters commands come with a power resistless To such as owe them absolute subjection; And for a life who will not change his purpose? (So mutable are all the ways of men) Yet this be sure, in nothing to comply Scandalous or forbidden in our Law. Off: I praise thy resolution, doff these links: 1410 By this compliance thou wilt win the Lords To favour, and perhaps to set thee free. Sam: Brethren farewel, your company along I will not wish, lest it perhaps offend them To see me girt with Friends; and how the sight Of me as of a common Enemy, So dreaded once, may now exasperate them I know not.
Lords are Lordliest in thir wine, And the well-feasted Priest then soonest fir'd With zeal, if aught Religion seem concern'd: 1420 No less the people on thir Holy-days Impetuous, insolent, unquenchable; Happ'n what may, of me expect to hear Nothing dishonourable, impure, unworthy Our God, our Law, my Nation, or my self, The last of me or no I cannot warrant. Chor: Go, and the Holy One Of Israel be thy guide To what may serve his glory best, & spread his name Great among the Heathen round: 1430 Send thee the Angel of thy Birth, to stand Fast by thy side, who from thy Fathers field Rode up in flames after his message told Of thy conception, and be now a shield Of fire; that Spirit that first rusht on thee In the camp of Dan Be efficacious in thee now at need. For never was from Heaven imparted Measure of strength so great to mortal seed, As in thy wond'rous actions Hath been seen.
1440 But wherefore comes old Manoa in such hast With youthful steps? much livelier than e're while He seems: supposing here to find his Son, Or of him bringing to us some glad news? Man: Peace with you brethren; my inducement hither Was not at present here to find my Son, By order of the Lords new parted hence To come and play before them at thir Feast. I heard all as I came, the City rings And numbers thither flock, I had no will, 1450 Lest I should see him forc't to things unseemly. But that which moved my coming now, was chiefly To give ye part with me what hope I have With good success to work his liberty. Chor: That hope would much rejoyce us to partake With thee; say reverend Sire, we thirst to hear. Man: I have attempted one by one the Lords Either at home, or through the high street passing, With supplication prone and Fathers tears To accept of ransom for my Son thir pris'ner, 1460 Some much averse I found and wondrous harsh, Contemptuous, proud, set on revenge and spite; That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his Priests, Others more moderate seeming, but thir aim Private reward, for which both God and State They easily would set to sale, a third More generous far and civil, who confess'd They had anough reveng'd, having reduc't Thir foe to misery beneath thir fears, The rest was magnanimity to remit, 1470 If some convenient ransom were propos'd. What noise or shout was that? it tore the Skie. Chor: Doubtless the people shouting to behold Thir once great dread, captive, & blind before them, Or at some proof of strength before them shown. Man: His ransom, if my whole inheritance May compass it, shall willingly be paid And numberd down: much rather I shall chuse To live the poorest in my Tribe, then richest, And he in that calamitous prison left.
1480 No, I am fixt not to part hence without him. For his redemption all my Patrimony, If need be, I am ready to forgo And quit: not wanting him, I shall want nothing. Chor: Fathers are wont to lay up for thir Sons, Thou for thy Son art bent to lay out all; Sons wont to nurse thir Parents in old age, Thou in old age car'st how to nurse thy Son, Made older then thy age through eye-sight lost. Man: It shall be my delight to tend his eyes, 1490 And view him sitting in the house, enobl'd With all those high exploits by him atchiev'd, And on his shoulders waving down those locks, That of a Nation arm'd the strength contain'd: And I perswade me God had not permitted His strength again to grow up with his hair Garrison'd round about him like a Camp Of faithful Souldiery, were not his purpose To use him further yet in some great service, Not to sit idle with so great a gift 1500 Useless, and thence ridiculous about him. And since his strength with eye-sight was not lost, God will restore him eye-sight to his strength. Chor: Thy hopes are not ill founded nor seem vain Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon Conceiv'd, agreeable to a Fathers love, In both which we, as next participate. Man: I know your friendly minds and--O what noise! Mercy of Heav'n what hideous noise was that! Horribly loud unlike the former shout.
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