Nor would that useless multitudes should share
In that great gift it did for one prepare)
Arm'd not like soldiers marching in a war,
But country hinds alarmed from afar

By wolves' loud hunger, when the well-known sound
Raises the' affrighted villages around. [bore,
Some goads, flails, ploughshares, forks, or axes,
Made for life's use and better ends before ;
Some knotted clubs, and darts, or arrows dry'd
I' the' fire, the first rude arts that malice try'd
Ere man the sins of too much knowledge knew,
And death by long experience witty grew.

Such were the numbers, such the arms, which we
Had by fate left us for a victory

O'er well-arm'd millions; nor will this appear
Useful itself, when Jonathan was there.

""Twas just the time when the new ebb of night
Did the moist world unvail to human sight;
The Prince, who all that night the field had beat
With a small party, and no enemy met

(So proud and so secure the enemy lay,
And drench'd in sleep the' excesses of the day!)
With joy this good occasion did embrace,
With better leisure, and at nearer space,
The strength and order of their camp to view:
Abdon alone his generous purpose knew;
Abdon, a bold, a brave, and comely youth,
Well-born, well-bred, with honour fill'd, and truth;
Abdon, his faithful 'squire, whom much he loved,
And oft with grief his worth in dangers proved;
Abdon, whose love to' his master did exceed
What Nature's law, or Passion's power, could
Abdon alone did on him now attend, [breed;
His humblest servant, and his dearest friend.

They went but sacred fury, as they went, Changed swiftly, and exalted his intent.

'What may this be! (the Prince breaks forth); I find
God, or some powerful spirit, invades my mind.
From aught but Heaven can never sure be brought
So high, so glorious, and so vast a thought;
Nor would Ill-fate, that meant me to surprise,
Come clothed in so unlikely a disguise.

Yon host, which its proud fishes spreads so wide
O'er the whole land, like some swoln river's tide;
Which terrible and numberless appears,

As the thick waves which their rough ocean bears; Which lies so strongly' encamp'd, that one would

say

The hill might be removed as soon as they ;

We two alone must fight with and defeat:
Thou'rt strook, and startest at a sound so great!
Yet we must do't; God our weak hands has chose
To' ashame the boasted numbers of our foes;
Which to his strength no more proportion be,
Than millions are of hours to his eternity.
If, when their careless guards espy us here,
With sportful scorn they call to' us to come near,
We'll boldly climb the hill, and charge them all ;
Not they, but Israel's Angel, gives the call.'
He spoke and as he spoke, a light divine
Did from his eyes, and round his temples, shine;
Louder his voice, larger his limbs, appear'd;
Less seem'd the numerous army to be fear'd.
This saw, and heard, with joy the brave Esquire,
As he with God's, fill'd with his master's, fire:

Forbid it, Heaven! (said he,) I should decline,

Or wish, Sir, not to make your danger mine;

The great example which I daily see
Of your high worth is not so lost on me ;
If wonder strook I at your words appear,
My wonder yet is innocent of fear:

[flame, The' honour which does your princely breast enWarms mine too, and joins there with duty's name. If in this act Ill-fate our tempter be,

May all the ill it means be aim'd at me!

But sure, I think, God leads; nor could you bring
So high thoughts from a less exalted spring.
Bright signs through all your words and looks are
spread,

A rising victory dawns around your head.'
With such discourse blowing their sacred flame,
Lo, to the fatal place and work they came.

Strongly encamp'd on a steep hill's large head,
Like some vast wood the mighty host was spread;
The' only access on neighbouring Gabaa's side,
An hard and narrow way, which did divide
Two cliffy rocks, Boses and Senes named,
Much for themselves, and their big strangeness
famed;

More for their fortune, and this stranger day.
On both their points Philistian outguards lay,
From whence the two bold spies they first espy'd;
And, lo! the Hebrews! (proud Eleanor cry'd,)
From Senes' top; lo! from their hungry caves,
A quicker fate here sends them to their graves.
Come up (aloud he cries to them below),
Ye' Egyptian slaves, and to our mercy owe
The rebel lives long since to' our justice due.'
Scarce from his lips the fatal omen flew,

When the' inspired Prince did nimbly understand
God, and his Godlike virtues' high command.

It call'd him up, and up the steep ascent
With pain and labour, haste and joy, they went.
Elcanor laugh'd to see them climb, and thought
His mighty words the' affrighted suppliants
brought;

Did new affronts to the great Hebrew Name
(The barbarous !) in his wanton fancy frame.
Short was his sport; for, swift as thunder's stroke
Rives the frail trunk of some heaven-threatening

oak,

The Prince's sword did his proud head divide;
The parted skull hung down on either side.
Just as he fell, his vengeful steel he drew
Half-way (no more the trembling joints could do);
Which Abdon snatch'd, and dyed it in the blood
Of an amazed wretch that next him stood.
Some close to earth, shaking and grovelling, lie,
Like larks when they the tyrant hobby spy;
Some, wonder strook, stand fix'd; some fly; some
Wildly, at the' unintelligible alarm.
[arm
Like the main channel of an high-swoln flood,
In vain by dikes and broken works withstood;
So Jonathan, once climb'd the' opposing hill,
Does all around with noise and ruin fill:
Like some large arm of which, another way
Abdon o'erflows; him too no bank can stay.
With cries the' affrighted country flies before,
Behind the following waters loudly roar.
Twenty, at least, slain on this out-guard lie,
To the' adjoin'd camp the rest distracted fly;
And ill-mix'd wonders tell, and into 't bear
Blind terror, deaf disorder, helpless fear.
The conquerors too press boldly in behind,
Doubling the wild confusions which they find.

way,

Hamgar at first, the Prince of Ashdod town,
Chief 'mongst the five in riches and renown,
And General then by course, opposed their
Till drown'd in death at Jonathan's feet he lay,
And cursed the heavens for rage, and bit the
ground;

His life, for ever spilt, stain'd all the grass around.
His brother too, who virtuous haste did make
His fortune to revenge, or to partake,

Falls grovelling o'er his trunk, on mother earth; Death mix'd no less their bloods than did their birth.

Meanwhile the well-pleased Abdon's restless sword
Dispatch'd the following train to' attend their lord.
On still, o'er panting corpse, great Jonathan led;
Hundreds before him fell, and thousands fled.
Prodigious Prince! which does most wondrous
show,

Thy' attempt, or thy success? thy fate, or thou?
Who durst alone that dreadful host assail,
With purpose not to die, but to prevail !
Infinite numbers thee no more affright,

Than God, whose unity is infinite.

If Heaven to men such mighty thoughts would give,
What breast but thine capacious to receive
The vast infusion? or what soul but thine
Durst have believed that thought to be divine?
Thou follow'dst Heaven in the design, and we
Find in the act 'twas Heaven that follow'd thee.
Thou led'st on angels, and that sacred band
(The Deity's great lieutenant!) didst command.
'Tis true, Sir, and no figure, when I say
Angels themselves fought under him that day.