1671
                                SAMSON AGONISTES
                                 by John Milton
     Of that sort of Dramatic Poem which is call'd Tragedy

  TRAGEDY, as it was antiently compos'd, hath been ever held the
gravest, moralest, and most profitable of all other Poems: therefore
said by Aristotle to be of power by raising pity and fear, or
terror, to purge the mind of those and such like passions, that is
to temper and reduce them to just with a kind of delight, stirr'd up
by reading or seeing those passions well imitated. Nor is Nature
wanting in her own effects to make good his assertion: for so in
Physic things of melancholic hue and quality are us'd against
melancholy, sowr against sowr, salt to remove salt humours. Hence
Philosophers and other gravest Writers, as Cicero, Plutarch and
others, frequently cite out of Tragic Poets, both to adorn and
illustrate thir discourse. The Apostle Paul himself thought it not
unworthy to insert a verse of Euripides into the Text of Holy
Scripture, I Cor. 15.33. and Paraeus commenting on the Revelation,
divides the whole Book as a Tragedy, into Acts distinguisht each by
a Chorus of Heavenly Harpings and Song between. Heretofore Men in
highest dignity have labour'd not a little to be thought able to
compose a Tragedy. Of that honour Dionysius the elder was no less
ambitious, then before of his attaining to the Tyranny. Augustus Cesar
also had begun his Ajax, but unable to please his own judgment with
what he had begun, left it unfinisht. Seneca the Philosopher is by
some thought the Author of those Tragedies (at lest the best of
them) that go under that name. Gregory Nazianzen a Father of the
Church, thought it not unbeseeming the sanctity of his person to write
a Tragedy, which he entitl'd, Christ suffering. This is mention'd to
vindicate Tragedy from the small esteem, or rather infamy, which in
the account of many it undergoes at this day with other common
Interludes; hap'ning through the Poets error of intermixing Comic
stuff with Tragic sadness and gravity; or introducing trivial and
vulgar persons, which by all judicious hath bin counted absurd; and
brought in without discretion, corruptly to gratifie the people. And
though antient Tragedy use no Prologue, yet using sometimes, in case
of self defence, or explanation, that which Martial calls an
Epistle; in behalf of this Tragedy coming forth after the antient
manner, much different from what among us passes for best, thus much
before-hand may be Epistl'd; that Chorus is here introduc'd after
the Greek manner, not antient only but modern, and still in use
among the Italians. In the modelling therefore of this Poem, with good
reason, the Antients and Italians are rather follow'd, as of much more
authority and fame. The measure of Verse us'd in the Chorus is of
all sorts, call'd by the Greeks Monostrophic, or rather
Apolelymenon, without regard had to Strophe, Antistrophe or Epod,
which were a kind of Stanza's fram'd only for the Music, then us'd
with the Chorus that sung; not essential to the Poem, and therefore
not material; or being divided into Stanza's or Pauses, they may be
call'd Allaeostropha. Division into Act and Scene referring chiefly to
the Stage (to which this work never was intended) is here omitted.
  It suffices if the whole Drama be found not produc't beyond the fift
Act, of the style and uniformitie, and that commonly call'd the
Plot, whether intricate or explicit, which is nothing indeed but
such oeconomy, or disposition of the fable as may stand best with
verisimilitude and decorum; they only will best judge who are not
unacquainted with AEschulus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the three
Tragic Poets unequall'd yet by any, and the best rule to all who
endeavour to write Tragedy. The circumscription of time wherein the
whole Drama begins and ends, is according to antient rule, and best
example, within the space of 24 hours.
ARGUMENT
                         The Argument

  Samson made Captive, Blind, and now in the Prison at Gaza, there
to labour as in a common work-house, on a Festival day, in the general
cessation from labour, comes forth into the open Air, to a place nigh,
somewhat retir'd there to sit a while and bemoan his condition.
Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals
of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who seek to comfort him what they
can; then by his old Father Manoa, who endeavours the like, and withal
tells him his purpose to procure his liberty by ransom; lastly, that
this Feast was proclaim'd by the Philistins as a day of Thanksgiving
for thir deliverance from the hands of Samson, which yet more troubles
him. Manoa then departs to prosecute his endeavour with the Philistian
Lords for Samson's redemption; who in the mean while is visited by
other persons; and lastly by a publick Officer to require his coming
to the Feast before the Lords and People, to play or shew his strength
in thir presence; he at first refuses, dismissing the publick
Officer with absolute denyal to come; at length perswaded inwardly
that this was from God, he yields to go along with him, who came now
the second time great threatnings to fetch him; the Chorus yet
remaining on the place, Manoa returns full of joyful hope, to
procure e're long his Sons deliverance: in the midst of which
discourse an Ebrew comes in haste confusedly at first; and afterward
more distinctly relating the Catastrophe, what Samson had done to
the Philistins, and by accident to himself; wherewith the Tragedy
ends.
                         The Persons
  Samson.
  Harapha of Gath.
  Manoa the Father of Samson.
  Publick Officer. Messenger.
  Dalila his Wife.
  Chorus of Danites.

               The Scene before the Prison in Gaza.

    Sams. A little onward lend thy guiding hand