Difference between revisions of "Samson in the mill at Gaza"
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One day the Philistines held a great feast and sacrifice to their god Dagon, and sent for Samson that they might gloat over the state of their enemy. He was set between the pillars of the house [possibly, according to [[Peake's Commentary]], pillars holding up a great balcony, with people gathered above and below]. He prayed "O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes," adding (with one pillar in the grip of one hand and the other in the other) "Let me die with the Philistines". Then he pulled the pillars down, and "the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life." | One day the Philistines held a great feast and sacrifice to their god Dagon, and sent for Samson that they might gloat over the state of their enemy. He was set between the pillars of the house [possibly, according to [[Peake's Commentary]], pillars holding up a great balcony, with people gathered above and below]. He prayed "O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes," adding (with one pillar in the grip of one hand and the other in the other) "Let me die with the Philistines". Then he pulled the pillars down, and "the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life." | ||
| − | The story of Samson's death has been the subject of many works of art, most notably perhaps to readers of AWE [[Milton]]'s great play ''Samson | + | The story of Samson's death has been the subject of many works of art, most notably perhaps to readers of AWE [[Milton]]'s great play ''Samson Agonistes''. (''Agonistes'' means 'one engaged in a struggle', and, specifically, 'an actor in a [[Greek]] play'.) ''Samson Agonistes'' is the finest attempt in English to adapt the tradition of Greek [[tragedy]] to use in English, and to use its forms to communicate Christian themes. It reflects Milton's huge learning, as well his piety - and his own blindness. [[Aldous Huxley]] refers to the scene in the title of his novel ''Eyeless in Gaza''. |
[[category:bible stories]] | [[category:bible stories]] | ||
[[category:religion]] | [[category:religion]] | ||
[[category:culture]] | [[category:culture]] | ||
Revision as of 10:35, 24 November 2015
Samson, the Judge and hero of the Jewish people, was eventually, after killing many of the Philistines who were oppressing the Israelites, captured after Delilah had betrayed him: his hair was cut off, which led him to lose his strength (and his God to leave him). He was blinded and imprisoned, and set to work grinding corn in the mill. As time passed, his hair grew back.
One day the Philistines held a great feast and sacrifice to their god Dagon, and sent for Samson that they might gloat over the state of their enemy. He was set between the pillars of the house [possibly, according to Peake's Commentary, pillars holding up a great balcony, with people gathered above and below]. He prayed "O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes," adding (with one pillar in the grip of one hand and the other in the other) "Let me die with the Philistines". Then he pulled the pillars down, and "the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life."
The story of Samson's death has been the subject of many works of art, most notably perhaps to readers of AWE Milton's great play Samson Agonistes. (Agonistes means 'one engaged in a struggle', and, specifically, 'an actor in a Greek play'.) Samson Agonistes is the finest attempt in English to adapt the tradition of Greek tragedy to use in English, and to use its forms to communicate Christian themes. It reflects Milton's huge learning, as well his piety - and his own blindness. Aldous Huxley refers to the scene in the title of his novel Eyeless in Gaza.
