“Samson et Dalila” – Act 1

Act One

Scene One

A public square in Gaza, Palestine; to the left, the portico of the temple of Dagon. A crowd of Hebrews, men and women, are gathered in the square in sorrowing, prayerful attitudes. Samson is among them. It is night.

Hebrews O God! God of Israel! Hear the prayer of thy children, imploring thee on their knees, take pity on thy people in their misery! May their distress turn away thy wrath! One day, thou turnedst thy face from us, and in that day were thy people overcome! What! Wouldst thou then that the peoples who have known thee be utterly destroyed? Continually I call upon thee but in vain; deaf to my cry, he answereth me not! And yet, from evening to morn, I beseech the help of his arm! We have seen our cities overthrown, and the Gentiles defiling thy altar; and under their yoke our scattered tribes have lost everything, even to the very name of Israel! And under their yoke, etc. Art thou then no longer that God of deliverance who brought our tribes out of Egypt? O God! Hast thou broken that holy alliance, the sacred promises made to our forefathers? Samson (coming out of the crowd on the right) Cease, o my brethren! And bless the name of the Holy God of our fathers, for the hour of forgiveness peradventure is come! Verily, I hear within me an exalted voice! It is the voice of the Lord who speaks through my mouth: this God full of goodness, moved by our prayer, promises us freedom! Brothers, let us break our bonds and set up again the altar of the one God of Israel!

Hebrews Alas! Alas! Empty words! To go forth to battle where shall we find weapons? How arm ourselves? We have only our tears! Samson Have you then forgotten him, he who in his might once espoused your cause? He who, full of forgiveness, so often caused his oracles to speak for you, and rekindled your faith at the fire of his miracles? He who through the [Red] Sea was able to cleave a passage for our fathers fleeing a shameful slavery? Hebrews Those times are gone when the God of our fathers protected his children, harkened to their prayers! Samson Miserable wretches, be quiet! Your lack of faith is a blasphemy! Let us implore on our knees the Lord who loves us! Let us place again in his hands the care of our glory, and then gird up our loins, sure of our victory! He is the God of battles! He is the God of hosts! He will arm you with invincible swords! Hebrews Ah! The breath of the Lord has entered into his spirit! Ah! Let us banish from our hearts an unworthy terror and go forth with him towards our deliverance! Jehovah! Jehovah! Jehovah! Jehovah! Jehovah guides him and brings us new hope!

Scene Two

(Enter Abimelech followed by several Philistine soldiers and warriors.)

Abimelech Who dares to raise up his voice here? Yet again this vile herd of slaves, always daring to defy our edicts and seeking to break their shackles! Hold back your sighs and your tears which weary our patience; invoke, rather, the mercy of your conquerors! This god on whom you call has remained deaf to your cries, and yet you still dare to pray to him when he abandons you to our scorn? If his might is not false let him show his godhood! Let him break your bonds; let him grant you your freedom! Do you believe that this god can compare with Dagon, the greatest among the gods, who with his mighty arm leads our victorious soldiers? Your timorous god fled trembling before him, as the plaintive dove flees the pursuing vulture! Samson (inspired) It is thou he raileth against and the earth hath not trembled a whit? O Lord, we have reached the very depth of our shame! I see in the hands of the angels the fiery weapon blaze, and from the heavens the phalanxes come rushing to avenge God. Yea, the dark angel, passing before them, utters doom-laden cries which shake the heavens! At last the hour has come, the hour of God the avenger, and I hear his fury break out in the clouds. Yea, before his wrath all are terror-stricken and flee! The earth is felt shaking; in the heavens the thunderbolt flashes!

Hebrews Yea, before his wrath all are terror-stricken and flee! Abimelech Stop! Madman, reckless fool... Hebrews The earth is felt shaking; in the heavens the thunderbolt flashes! Abimelech ...or beware inflaming my wrath! Samson Israel! Burst your bonds! O my people, rise up! Come forth to satiate your hatred! The Lord has entered into me! O thou, God of Light, as in days of old harken to my prayer and fight to defend thy laws! Hebrews Israel! Burst your bonds! etc. Samson Yea, before his wrath all are terror-stricken and flee! The earth is felt shaking; in the heavens the thunderbolt flashes! He looses the storm, orders the hurricane; the ocean is seen to roll back in its path! Hebrews Israel! Burst your bonds! etc. Israel! Arise! Arise! (Abimelech hurls himself at Samson, sword in hand, to strike him. Samson wrests the sword from his hands and strikes him; Abimelech falls. The Philistines accompanying the Satrap try to come to his aid; Samson, brandishing his sword, keeps them at bay. He takes up position on the right side of the stage; the greatest confusion reigns among them. Samson and the Hebrews exit to the right.)

Scene Three

(The gates of the temple of Dagon open; the High Priest, followed by servants and guards, comes down the steps of the portico; he stops before Abimelech’s body; the Philistines make way for him.)

High Priest What’s this? Abimelech! Struck down by the slaves! Why are you letting them escape? Hurry, my men, hurry! To avenge your prince crush under your blows this rebellious people who defy your anger! First Philistine I felt my blood freeze in my veins; it is as though fetters were suddenly tightening around me. Second Philistine Uselessly I look to my weapons, my arms are powerless, my heart is full of fear, my knees quake! High Priest Cowards! More timid than women! You flee in the face of battle! Are you afraid that the fire of their god may shrivel up your arms?

Scene Four

(A Philistine messenger enters.) Philistine Messenger My lord! The infuriated mob led by Samson in his daring rebellion comes ravaging the harvest. First and Second Philistines Let’s fly from needless danger! First and Second Philistines, Messenger Let’s away with all speed! My lord, let us abandon the town, and keep our shame to ourselves!

High Priest Accursed for ever be the race of the children of Israel! I would wipe them out utterly, steep them in bitterness! Cursed be their leader! I will crush underfoot his broken bones, his parched throat without trace of pity! Cursed be the womb of the woman who gave him birth! May in the end a worthless woman betray his love! Accursed be the god he worships, this god, his one hope, whose altar and whose power in my hatred I insult yet again! Messenger, First and Second Philistines Let us fly into the mountains, get away from here, abandon our houses, our women, and even our gods! High Priest May Israel be accursed by our gods! (They go out, taking Abimelech’s body with them. Enter the womenfolk and old men of the Hebrews.)

Scene Five

Old men of the Hebrews Hymn of joy, hymn of deliverance, rise up to the Eternal One! He hath deigned in his omnipotence to succour Israel! Through him the weak is become master of the mighty that oppressed him! He hath overthrown the proud and the traitor whose voice reviled him! (Led by Samson, the Hebrews come in.) An old Hebrew He chastised us in his wrath for we defied his laws. Later, our foreheads in the dust, we lifted up our voice to him. He saith to his beloved tribes: rise up, go forth to battle! I am the Lord of Hosts, I am the strength of your arms! Old men of the Hebrews, an old Hebrew He hath turned to us in our distress, for his sons are dear to him. Let all things leap for joy! He hath broken our bonds! Hymn of joy! Hymn of deliverance! Rise up to the Eternal One! He hath deigned in his omnipotence to succour Israel!

Scene Six

(The doors of the temple of Dagon open. Delilah comes out with the Philistine maidens, who carry garlands.)

Philistine Girls Behold the spring, bringing us flowers to adorn the brow of the conquering warriors! Mingle we our tones with the scent of rosebuds! Sing with the birds, my sisters! Beauty, gift of heaven, springtime of our days, charming to look upon, Love’s hope, enter our hearts, suffuse our souls with thy gentle flame! Play on, sisters, ever play on at love! Delilah (to Samson) I am come to rejoice in the victory of him who reigns in my heart. Delilah wishes her conqueror love even more than glory! O beloved, follow me to Sorek, the gentle valley, into that lonely dwelling where Delilah opens her arms to you! Samson (aside) O God! Thou who seest my weakness, take pity on thy servant! Close my eyes, shut my heart to the sweet voice tempting me! Delilah For thee I have crowned my brow with dark clusters of privet, and set roses of Sharon in my ebony hair!

An old Hebrew Turn aside, my son, from her way! Have nothing to do with this foreign girl! Samson Cover her charms whose beauty troubles my senses, vexes my spirit! And from her eyes put out the flame which robs me of my freedom! An old Hebrew Stop your ears to her deceitful voice, and avoid the serpent’s poison. Delilah Sweet is the scented lily-of-the-valley; my kisses are yet sweeter; and the juice of the mandrake is less soothing, o my beloved! Open your arms to your lover, and lay her on your heart like a sweet-scented sachet whose perfume is intoxicating! Ah! Come to me! Samson O passion which consumes me and which she rouses in me here, be stilled, be stilled before my God! Take pity, Lord, on him who cries unto thee! Ah! Take pity, Lord, on him who cries unto thee! Lord! An old Hebrew Woe unto you, if you heed the charms of that voice, of that voice sweeter than honey! Never will your eyes hold enough tears to assuage the wrath of heaven! Dance of the priestesses of Dagon (The maidens accompanying Delilah wave their garlands as they dance and seem to provoke the Hebrew warriors accompanying Samson. He, profoundly agitated, vainly seeks to avoid Delilah’s glances; in spite of himself, his eyes follow her every movement; she remains among the Philistine girls, joining in their voluptuous poses and dances.)

Delilah Spring, that comes in bringing hope to loving hearts, thy passing breath from the earth wipes away unhappy days. Our souls are afire, and thy gentle flame comes to dry our tears; thou restorest to the earth, by a sweet mystery, the fruits and flowers. Unavailing my beauty! My heart full of love, weeping for the unfaithful one, awaits his return! Living in hope, my disconsolate heart treasures the memory of past happiness! (to Samson) At nightfall, a sad lover, I shall go and sit down by the stream to await him in tears! Casting off my sadness should he come back one day, for him my tenderness and the sweet rapture that a burning love saves for his return! An old Hebrew The spirit of evil has led this woman across your path to disturb your peace of mind. Flee from her glances’ burning flame! It is a poison which consumes the very bones. Delilah Casting off my sadness should he come back one day, for him my tenderness... (While singing, Delilah regains the steps of the temple and glances provocatively at Samson; he seems completely under her spell. He hesitates, struggling with his feelings and betraying the turmoil in his soul.) ...for him my tenderness, and the sweet rapture that a burning love saves for his return!