My father, as thou biddest! (She turns to David.)
Sir, I crown thee,
The sweetest singer in all Israel. (Crowns him.)
(Loud shouting to the left. Prince Jonathan enters running.)
Jonathan:
Where is my father? O my father, hear:
The army of the Philistines is at hand.
And thy people fear, O father.
For lo, one of the Philistines,
A champion among them,
And a giant for strength,
He sendeth a challenge to the people of Israel.
Saul: Admit the challenger. (Enter from the left the Challenger of Goliath of Gath. He surveys the people sneeringly.)
Challenger:
Give ear, O ye Israelites,
Hear the words of Goliath of Gath:
"Choose ye a man for your champion
And let him come down to me.
If he be able to fight with me and kill me,
Then will we be your servants;
But if I prevail against him,
Then shall ye be our servants and serve us.
I defy the armies of Israel this day."
(The Israelites sway forward murmuring: Ho! Indeed! Swaggerer!)
Saul: We will consider. Go! (The Challenger goes.)