In which the valiant Samson recounts the impassioned choices of his heart and the grievous consequences thereof, lamenting both the failure of Israel’s leaders to recognise divine providence and the stubborn ingratitude of his countrymen. Together with his Chorus, he reflects upon the justice of God’s ways and the intricate troubles of mortal understanding, as well as the heavy burdens attendant on deliverance and the frailty of human counsel.