Davideis :: :: University of Virginia Library

TWICE had the restless and unwearied sun
His yearly course throughout the zodiack run,
Ere Absalom a season fit could find,
To execute the vengeance he design'd
On Amnon for the wickedness he wrought,
In the dishonour he on Tamar brought;
But now a sit occasion did present,
And he to take it too, was fully bent.

A great sheep-shearing, at his country seat,
Had Absalom, at which a noble treat
He meant to make, and thither to invite
The king and court, then Amnon there to smite.

To court he hastens, and acquaints the king,
In humble manner, with his sheep-shearing;
Entreats that he, at the set time and place,
His feast would with his royal presence grace.

To suit his state, and his retinue large,
The king consider'd, would enhance the charge;
He pleaded this, and handsomely refus'd,
And hop'd his son would hold the king excus'd.

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It suited well; and sure he lik'd it best,
Without the king, so Amnon were his guest;
Amnon, for whom the entertainment's made,
Whom to destroy, the subtle train is laid.
Yet crafty Absalom, the more to hide
His bloody purpose, still himself apply'd
With greater earnestness to gain the king
To come, and with him all his sons to bring,
But all in vain; the king will not be won
By his entreaties to oppress his son;
Yet, that he might his good acceptance show,
His blessing he upon him did bestow.

Then Absalom, by this embolden'd, prest
To let his brother Amnon be his guest.
Why Amnon? ask'd the king. Because, said he,
Amnon, in dignity, is next to thee.
The gentle king, from all suspicion free,
And overcome by importunity,
Yields, that not Amnon only, but the rest
Of the king's sons should go at his request.

The point thus gain'd, now Absalom doth part
From court, and hastes with unrelenting heart,
Unto his country seat, that he might there
The proper means to his design prepare.

Then of his servants, calling to him such,
As in his cause, he knew would never grutch.

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Their lives to lose; he thus the matter breaks,
And in such terms as these his purpose speaks:

‘Mark well (said he) when Amnon at the feast,
‘Shall have drunk high, and over-charg'd his breast
‘With gen'rous wine; when I say, Amnon smite,
‘Fall on, strike home, fear not, but kill him quite:
‘Remember, it is I that give command;
‘Be valiant then, and to your weapons stand.’

Accordingly, his brethren being come,
And all the guests, to feast with Absalom,
He, that he Amnon might the more beguile,
His hatred hiding with a feigned smile,
Embrac'd, caress'd him, and for special grace,
He straight preferr'd him to the chiefest place;
Ply'd him with sprightly wines, till he perceiv'd
The wine had him of sense well nigh bereav'd,
Then starting up, he gave the fatal word,
‘Smite Amnon.’ Forthwith each assassin's sword
Was sheathed in him, ev'ry one let fly
At Amnon, until Amnon dead did lie.

But oh! the dreadful tumult that it made
Among the guests! each held himself betray'd;
The royal stock were most of all perplex'd,
Of whom each fear'd his turn would be the next,
Which to prevent, all to their mules did hie,
And back to court, fear adding wings, did fly.

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But tho,' with utmost speed they cut their way,
Yet long-tongu'd Fame made greater haste than they,
The babbling dame before them got to court,
And of the sad disaster made report;
And as her nature is to magnify
Th'ill news she bears, not sticking at a lye,
She, to exaggerate the crime, did feign
That Absalom had all his brothers slain,
So that not one of them alive was left,
But of his sons the king was quite bereft.

Such doleful news sufficient was to shake
The strongest mind, and make the heart to ake;
The king with garments rent, upon the ground
Himself did cast, his sorrows did abound,
And all his servants, with their garments rent,
The loss of so much royal blood lament.

This Jonadab observing, he who gave
The counsel which brought Amnon to his grave,
He begg'd the king not to believe that all
His sons were slain, Amnon alone did fall;
That this which he related was most true,
He could assure him; for, said he, I knew,
Long since that Absalom, from the very hour
Wherein his brother Amnon did deflow'r
His sister Tamar, had his death design'd,
And only waited until he could find
A season for't, which since he now did gain,
He caus'd his brother Amnon to be slain,

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Thereby to sacrifice, to Tamar's honour,
Him that had brought so great reproach upon her.

By that time Jonadab his tale had told,
Which scarce as yet could gain belief, behold
The king's sons enter'd, in a frightful maze,
And on the king, as he on them, did gaze,
'Till he and they into loud weeping brake,
And in sad accents mutual sorrow spake.

Mean-while young Absalom, to save his head
From stroke of justice, for protection fled
Unto his grandfather's, king Talmai's court,
Where he might hope for safety and support:
But David long did Amnon's death bewail,
Which yet could not Uriah's countervail.

This is the second instance may be giv'n
Of the fulfiling that decree of heaven,
By God denounc'd on David, when he says,
“From thy own house, against thee divers ways,
“I'll evil bring.”—First, Amnon did deflow'r
His daughter Tamar, put into his pow'r
By him; than which, ah! what more foul dishonour,
Poor, harmless princess, could have come upon her?
What home-bred mischief on himself could fall,
Which could a worthy mind more deeply gall?

This seem'd the first; and scarcely two years after
His son and heir had thus defil'd his daughter,

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That injury her brother did repay,
And in revenge the wretched Amnon slay.
Had David justice upon Amnon done,
He might have mended, and not lost his son.
This was a cutting evil, and must need
Strike deep, and cause a father's heart to bleed:
This was the second stroke, by which that word
Was verify'd:—David, beware the third.