Let Israel's foes suspect his heavenly call, And rashly judge his wit apocryphal; Our laws for such affronts have forfeits made; He takes his life who takes away his trade. Were I myself in witness Corah's place, The wretch who did me such a dire disgrace, Should whet my memory, though once forgot, 670 To make him an appendix of my plot. His zeal to heaven made him his prince despise, And load his person with indignities. But zeal peculiar privilege affords, Indulging latitude to deeds and words: And Corah might for Agag's murder call, In terms as coarse as Samuel used to Saul. What others in his evidence did join, The best that could be had for love or coin, In Corah's own predicament will fall: 680 For witness is a common name to all. Surrounded thus with friends of every sort, Deluded Absalom forsakes the court: Impatient of high hopes, urged with renown, And fired with near possession of a crown. The admiring crowd are dazzled with surprise, And on his goodly person feed their eyes. His joy conceal'd he sets himself to show; On each side bowing popularly low: His looks, his gestures, and his words he frames, 690 And with familiar ease repeats their names. Thus form'd by nature, furnish'd out with arts, He glides unfelt into their secret hearts. Then, with a kind compassionating look, And sighs, bespeaking pity ere he spoke, Few words he said; but easy those and fit, More slow than Hybla-drops, and far more sweet. I mourn, my countrymen, your lost estate; Though far unable to prevent your fate: Behold a banish'd man for your dear cause 700 Exposed a prey to arbitrary laws! Yet oh! that I alone could be undone, Cut off from empire, and no more a son! Now all your liberties a spoil are made; Egypt and Tyrus intercept your trade, And Jebusites your sacred rites invade. My father, whom with reverence yet I name, Charm'd into ease, is careless of his fame; And bribed with petty sums of foreign gold, Is grown in Bathsheba's embraces old; 710 Exalts his enemies, his friends destroys, And all his power against himself employs. He gives, and let him give, my right away: But why should he his own and yours betray? He, only he, can make the nation bleed, And he alone from my revenge is freed. Take then my tears (with that he wiped his eyes), 'Tis all the aid my present power supplies: No court-informer can these arms accuse; These arms may sons against their fathers use: 720 And 'tis my wish, the next successor's reign, May make no other Israelite complain.