Samson Agonistes (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1902. Excerpt: ... NOTES. THE ARGUMENT (i.e., The Subject-matter of the Play equals of his tribe, Lat. cequales, persons of his own age. which, archaic for "who." Cf. the familiar "Our Father, which art in heaven." Note that which (O.E. hivilc) contains the wh of -who, what, and -lc = O.E. lie = like. Manoa, a native of Zorah, of the tribe of Dan. See Judges xiii. Whether he died before Samson, as some have supposed, is uncertain; Judges xvi. 31 is not decisive. ransom, a doublet of the word "redemption," which occurs a few lines later. denial to come. Note the use of the infinitive, comparing "yields to go along with him," just below; P. L. xii. 173, (the tyrant) "who denies to know their God." ere long, soon. Ebrew, Hebrew. For the form ct. 11. 1308, 1319, 1540 of the Play, and Shakespeare, 'i Henry IV." n. iv. 198, "I am a Jew else, an Ebrew Jew." Philistines, Fhilistian. In Milton's poetry these words occur only in 'Samson." The form Philistean is found in P. L. ix. 1061, "Philistean Dalilah." It is probable that the Philistines were originally Aryan pirates--perhaps from Crete1 (or Cyprus) --who forced a settlement for themselves among the Semitic tribes of the Mediterranean lowlands, and adopted the language, and in part the religion and civilisation, of the Semites they had conquered. The hold secured over the captured territory by these immigrants was, doubtless, the result of many successive small migrations and expeditions. The actual date of their appearance in Canaan is quite uncertain. Their political organisation, like their religion, appears to have been not only highly complex, but in some respects unique. Their line of policy towards the Israelites (which was to prevent the formation of a united Israel, and to secure their own supremacy by keeping their enemies divided) is familiar to...