Full of divine instinct, after some proof The sons of Anack, famous now and blaz'd, 530 I walk'd about, admir'd of all and dreaded, 540 CHOR. Desire of wine and all delicious drinks, Which many a famous warrior overturns, Thou could'st repress, nor did the dancing ruby Sparkling, out-pour'd, the flavour, or the smell, Or taste that cheers the heart of gods and men, Allure thee from the cool crystalline stream. SAMS. Wherever fountain or fresh current flow'd Against the eastern ray, translucent, pure, With touch etherial of heaven's fiery rod, 535 lay my head] Spens. F. Q. ii. vi. 14. 549 545 cheers] Judges ix. 13. 'Wine which cheereth God and man.' 549 touch] Lucr. iv. 409. 'Contingens fervidus igne.' Hor. Od. iii. xiii. 9. 'Aura canicula nescit tangere.' Sid. Apoll. xxiii. 94. 'fulminei tactus.' I drank, from the clear milky juice allaying 550 Thirst, and refresh'd; nor envied them the grape, Whose heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes. CHOR. O madness, to think use of strongest wines And strongest drinks our chief support of health, When God with these forbidden made choice to rear His mighty champion, strong above compare, 556 Whose drink was only from the liquid brook. SAMS. But what avail'd this temperance, not complete Against another object more enticing? Effeminately vanquish'd? by which means, Now blind, dishearten'd, sham'd, dishonour'd, quell'd, To what can I be useful, wherein serve 560 My nation, and the work from heav'n impos'd, 565 To a contemptible old age obscure? Here rather let me drudge and earn my bread, Till vermin or the draff of servile food 569 Robustious] Drayton's Baron's Warrs, 1627. c. v. st. 85. 'Cast from my seat, in some robustious course.' Todd. 575 Consume me, and oft invocated death 580 MAN. Wilt thou then serve the Philistines with Cause light again within thy eyes to spring, SAMS. All otherwise to me my thoughts portend, 595 From anguish of the mind and humours black, 600 597 race] May's Cleopatra, p. 48. 'My race of life, and glory is not run.' That mingle with thy fancy. I however To prosecute the means of thy deliverance With maladies innumerable In heart, head, breast, and reins; To th' inmost mind, There exercise all his fierce accidents, As on entrails, joints, and limbs, With answerable pains, but more intense, My griefs not only pain me As a ling'ring disease, But, finding no redress, ferment and rage, Nor less than wounds immedicable Rankle, and fester, and gangrene, To black mortification. 610 615 620 [stings, Thoughts my tormentors, arm'd with deadly Mangle my apprehensive tenderest parts, Dire inflammation, which no cooling herb, 695 healing] Eurip. Hippol. v. 478. Εἰσὶν δ' ἐπὼδαι, καὶ λόγοι θελκτήριοι. Todd. 627 Medicinal] Milton always spells this word 'Medcinal.' 625 Nor breath of vernal air from snowy Alp. To death's benumbing opium as my only cure: 630 Thence faintings, swoonings of despair, And sense of heav'n's desertion. I was his nursling once, and choice delight, His destin'd from the womb, Promis'd by heavenly message twice descending: Under his special eye Abstemious I grew up, and thriv'd amain; He led me on to mightiest deeds, Above the nerve of mortal arm, Against the uncircumcised, our enemies : Whom I by his appointment had provok'd, The close of all my miseries, and the balm. 636 640 645 650 655 |