575 "Did his whole strength into one blow collect;— "The threaten'd life; did glad and greedy stand 580 "Had almost borne the striker from his horse, 585 "A nimble thrust his active enemy made; « "Twixt his right ribs deep pierc'd the furious blade, "And opened wide those secret vessels, where "Life's light goes out, when first they let in air. "He falls! his armour clanks against the ground, "From his faint tongue imperfect curses sound. 591 "His amaz'd troops straight cast their arms away; "Scarce fled his soul from thence more swift than "they. 595 "As when two kings of neighbour hives (whom rage "And thirst of empire in fierce wars engage, "Whilst each lays claim to th' garden as his own, "And seeks t' usurp the bordering flowers alone) "Their well-arm'd troops drawn boldly forth to fight, "In th'air's wide plain dispute their doubtful right; "If by sad chance of battle either king 600 "Fall wounded down, strook with some fatal sting, "His army's hopes and courage with him die; "They sheathe up their faint swords, and routed fly. "On th' other sides at once, with like success, 610. "Into the camp great Saul and Abner press; 605 "From Jonathan's part a wild mix'd noise they hear, 66 And, whatsoe'er it mean, long to be there; "At the same instant from glad Jabesh' town "The hasty troops march loud and cheerful down; "Some few at first with vain resistance fall, "The rest is slaughter and vast conquest all. "The fate by which our host thus far had gone, "Our host with noble heat drove farther on; "Victorious arms through Ammon's land it bore ; "Ruin behind, and terror march'd before: "Where'er from Rabba's towers they cast their sight, "Smoke clouds the day, and flames make clear the "night. 615 "This bright success did Saul's first action bring; "The oil, the lot, and crown, less crown'd him king: "The Happy, all men judge for empire fit, 620 "And none withstands where Fortune does submit. "Those who before did God's fair choice with"stand, "Th' excessive vulgar now to death demand; "But wiser Saul repeal'd their hasty doom; "Conquest abroad, with mercy crown'd at home; "Nor stain'd with civil slaughter that day's pride, "Which foreign blood in nobler purple dy'd. Again the crown th' assembled people give, "With greater joy than Saul could it receive; "Again th' old Judge resigns his sacred place 630 ❝ (God glorify'd with wonders his disgrace); "With decent pride, such as did well befit "The name he kept, and that which he did quit : "The long-past row of happy years he show'd "Which to his heavenly government they ow'd; 635 "How the torn State his just and prudent reign "Restor'd to order, plenty, power, again; "In war what conquering miracles he wrought ;"God, then their King, was General when they "fought; "Whom they depos'd with him-And that, said he, "You may see God concern'd in 't more than me, "Behold how storms his angry presence shroud! "Hark how his wrath in thunder threats aloud! ""T was now the ripen'd summer's highest rage; "Which no faint cloud durst mediate to assuage; 645 "Th'earth hot with thirst, and hot with lust for ❝ rain, "Gap'd, and breath'd feeble vapours up in vain, "Which straight were scatter'd, or devour'd by th 66 sun; 650 "When, lo! ere scarce the active speech was done, "A violent wind rose from his secret cave, "And troops of frighted clouds before it drave: "Whilst with rude haste the confus'd tempest crowds, "Swift, dreadful flames shot through th' encounter[broke, "ing clouds, "From whose torn womb th' imprison'd thunder "And in dire sounds the prophet's sense it spoke ; "Such an impetuous shower it downwards sent, "As if the waters 'bove the firmament "Were all let loose; horror and fearful noise "Fill'd the black scene; till the great prophet's ❝ voice, "Swift as the wings of morn, reduc'd the day; 660 "Wind, thunder, rain, and clouds, fled all at once 66 away. "Fear not, said he ; God his fierce wrath removes, "And, though this State my service disapproves, 665 My prayers shall serve it constantly: No more, "I hope, a pardon for past sins t' implore; "But just rewards from gracious Heaven to bring "On the good deeds of you, and of our king. "Behold him there! and, as you see, rejoice "In the kind care of God's impartial choice. "Behold his beauty, courage, strength, and wit! 670 "The honour Heaven has cloth'd him with, sits "fit "And comely on him; since you needs must be "Rul'd by a King, you're happy that 't is he. 66 Obey him gladly; and let him too know "You were not made for him, but he for you, 675 "And both for God; "Whose gentlest yoke if once you cast away, 680 "The crown thus several ways confirm'd to Saul, "One way was wanting yet to crown them all ; "And that was force, which only can maintain "The power that fortune gives, or worth does gain. "Three thousand guards of big bold men he took; "Tall, terrible, and guards ev'n with their look: "His sacred person two, and throne, defend ; "The third, on matchless Jonathan attend; "O'er whose full thoughts Honour, and Youthful "Heat, 691 "Sate brooding, to hatch actions good and great. "On Geba first, where a Philistian band "Lies, and around torments the fetter'd land, "He falls, and slaughters all; his noble rage "Mix'd with design his nation to engage "In that just war, which from them long in vain 695 "Honour and freedom's voice had strove t' obtain. "Th' accurs'd Philistian, rous'd with this bold blow, "All the proud marks of enrag'd power does show ; "Raises a vast, well-arm'd, and glittering host: "If human strength might authorize a boast, 700 "Their threats had reason here: for ne'er did we "Ourselves so weak, or foe so potent, see. "Here we vast bodies of their foot espy, "The rear out-reaches far th' extended eye; "Like fields of corn their armed squadrons stand; "As thick and numberless they hide the land. 706 "Here with sharp neighs the warlike horses sound, "And with proud prancings beat the putrid ground; "Here with worse noise three thousand chariots 66 pass, "With plates of iron bound, or louder brass; 710 |