Yonder!
Adriel. The king?
Ishui. And Samuel
With prophecy or some refusal tears him!
(They step aside. Saul, followed by Samuel, strides in and mounts the throne.)
Saul. You threat, and ever thunder threatening!
Pour seething prophecy into my veins,
Till a simoon of madness in me moves.
Am I not king, the king? chosen and sealed?
Who've been anathema and have been bane
Unto the foes of Israel, and filled
The earth with death of them?
And do you still forbid that I bear gold
And bribe away this Philistine array
Folded about us, fettering with flame?
Samuel. Yes,—yes! While there is air—and awe of Heaven
Do I forbid! A champion must rise
To level this Goliath. Thus may we
Loose on them pest of panic and of fear.
Saul. Are forty days not dead? A champion!
None will arise—'tis vain. And I'll not wait
On miracle.
Samuel. Offer thy daughter, then,
Michal, thy fairest, to whoever shall.
Saul. Demand and drain for more! without an end.
Ever vexation! No; I will not.
Samuel. Then,
Out of Jehovah and a vast foreseen
I tell thee again, thou perilous proud king,
The sceptre shall slip from thee to another!