Robert Bridges, ed. (1844–1930). The Spirit of Man: An Anthology. 1916. | | | | From Samson Agonistes |
John Milton (1608–1674) |
| | | OH 1 how comely it is and how reviving | |
| To the Spirits of just men long opprest! | |
| When God into the hands of thir deliverer | |
| Puts invincible might | |
| To quell the mighty of the Earth, th’ oppressour, | 5 |
| The brute and boist’rous force of violent men | |
| Hardy and industrious to support | |
| Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue | |
| The righteous and all such as honour Truth; | |
| He all thir Ammunition | 10 |
| And feats of War defeats | |
| With plain Heroic magnitude of mind | |
| And celestial vigour arm’d, | |
| Thir Armories and Magazins contemns, | |
| Renders them useless, while | 15 |
| With winged expedition | |
| Swift as the lightning glance he executes | |
| His errand on the wicked, who surpris’d | |
| Lose thir defence distracted and amaz’d. | |
| But patience is more oft the exercise | 20 |
| Of Saints, the trial of thir fortitude, | |
| Making them each his own Deliverer, | |
| And Victor over all | |
| That tyrannie or fortune can inflict … | |
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