And now! what art thou now? thine old-world fame Fled like a dream, and we may praise or blame; Nor then, or ever, was it purely good That followed higher knowledge; many a crime, Such lesson wealth and genial skies had taught No power is left unless with slavish art To kiss the hand that strikes, the foot that spurns ; Far different lesson now, far other part The Indian race, though late, from British conqueror learns. Ever to speak with lips that cannot lie; Ever with faithless men to keep his faith; Rather than live dishonored life, to die; Nor count that loss which can be lost with death, This is the Briton's glory,-truth unfeigned, If so she guard it, Britain ne'er can wound; Still must she grow in honour self sustained, And all whereon she steps will straight seem hallowed ground. And as at dawn the early light that rolls, Her progress watched with awe by half a wondering world. Off. Samson, this second messsage from our lords To thee I am bid say: Art thou our slave, Sams. I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious, Yet knowing their advantages too many, Because they shall not trail me through their streets Master's commands come with a power resistless (So mutable are all the ways of men.) Off. I praise thy resolution: doff these links, IDEM GRECE REDDITUM. οὐκ ἂν ἔλοις ἤσσω γε τῶν ἀισχρῶν ἐμέ. ΑΓΓ. Σάμψον, τάδ' αὖθις κοιράνων πεμφθεὶς ὑπο τῶν σῶν τε κἀμῶν σοι φέρω κελεύσματα . Σύ δῆθ ̓ ὁ δοῦλος, ἔσχατος θ' ὑπηρέτης, ὁ δουρίληπτος, οὐπὶ τῇ μύλῃ πονῶν, τολμᾶς ἀπειθὴς δεσπότων ἀγγέλμασιν ὧδ ̓ ἀντιτείνειν ; μὴ τριβὰς ἔτ ̓ εἰ δὲ μὴ, τοίας πάγας σοὶ μηχάνας τε φράξομεν* ὥστ ̓ ἐξ ἀνάγκης, καίπερ ἀσφαλέστερον πέτρας παγέντα, δεῦρο πρὸς βίαν μολεῖν. ΣΑΜ. καὶ μὴν θέλοιμ ̓ ἂν τῶν τεχνῶν πεῖραν λαβεῖν, βλαβὴν ἂν οὐ παύροισι μελλουσῶν φέρειν · ὅμως δ' ὑπερβάλλοντας ἐξειδὼς ἄγαν, μή μ' ἑλκύσωσι διὰ πόλιν θηρὸς δίκην, ἑκὼν μόλοιμ' ἄν, οὐδ ̓ ἀναίνομαι τὸ μή. ἀπρόσμαχοι γὰρ δεσπότων ἐπιστολαί, ὅτῳ πέπρωται δούλιον ζυγον φέρειν· τίς δ ̓ οὐ τρόπους ἂν μεταμάθοι βίου χάριν ; ὧδ' ἀστάθμητα τὴν βροτοῖς βουλεύματα· ἀλλ' εν τόδ ̓ ἴσθι μηδὲν ἐνδώσοντα με μήτ' εἰς ὄνειδος μήτ' ἀπόρρητον νόμῳ. ΑΓΓ. κάλλιστ' ἔλεξας· ἀλλὰ τάσδ' ἐκδὺς πέδας ὅπου, χάριν γὰρ δεσπότων πεισθεὶς τάδε κτήσαι ἂν ἤδη, καὶ τάχ' ἂν δεσμῶν λύσιν . * Cf. #sch. Αg. 823. |