Gascoigne, George / Kinwelmershe, Francis / Yelverton, ChristopherEuripides / Dolce, Lodovico · published 1573 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.81 · 492 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Small space god wot, to stint so great a strife. And even right now, a trusty man of mine, Returned from the camp, informing me That Polynice will straight to Thebes come, Thus of my woe, this is the wailful sum. And for because, in vain and bootless plaint I have small need to spend this title time, Here will I cease, in words more to bewray The restless state of my afflicted mind, Desiring thee, thou go to Eteocles, Heartily on my behalf beseeching him, That out of hand according to his promise, He will vouchsafe to come unto my court, I know he loves thee well, and to thy words I think thou know'st he will give willing ear. (O noble Queen) sith unto such affairs My speedy diligence is requisite, I will apply effectually to do What so your highness hath commanded me. I will go in, and pray the Gods therewhile, With tender pity to appease my grief. " THe simple man, whose marvel is so great At stately courts, and princes regal seats, " With gazing eye but only doth regard The golden gloss that outwardly appears, " The crowns bedecked with pearl and precious stones, The rich attire embossed with beaten gold, " The glittering mace, the pomp of swarming train, The mighty halls heaped full of flattering friends, " The huge chambers, the goodly gorgeous beds, The gilted roofs, embowed with curious work, " The sweet faces of fine disdaining dames, The vain suppose of wanton reign at lust: " But never views with eye of inward thought, The painful toil, the great and grievous cares, " The troubles still, the new increasing fears, That princes nourish in their jealous breasts: " He weigheth not the charge that Ioue hath laid On princes, how for themselves they reign not: " He weens, the law must stoop to princely will, But princes frame there noble wills to law: " He knoweth not, that as the boisterous wind Doth shake the tops of highest reared towers, " So doth the force of froward fortune strike The wight that highest sits in haughty state. Lo Oedipus, that sometime reigned king Of Theban soil, that wonted to suppress The mightiest Prince, and keep him under check, That fearful was unto his foreign foes, Now like a poor afflicted prisoner, In dungeon dark, shut up from cheerful light, In every part so plagued with annoy, As he abhors to lead a longer life, By means whereof, the one against the other His wrathful sons have planted all their force, And Thebes here, this ancient worthy town, With threatening siege girt in on every side, In danger lies to be subverted quite, If help of heavenly Ioue uphold it not, But as dark night succeeds the shining day, So lowering grief comes after pleasant joy. Well now the charge her highness did command I must fulfil, though haply all in vain.
seed 43: T30 · seed 44: T33 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Small space god wot, to stint so great a strife. And euen right now, a trustie man of mine, Returned from the campe, enforming me That Polynice will straight to Thebes cōme, Thus of my woe, this is the wailefull sōme. And for bycause, in vaine and bootelesse plainte I haue small néede to spend this title time, Here will I ceasse, in wordes more to bewray The restlesse state of my afflicted minde, Desiring thée, thou goe to Eteocles, Hartly on my behalfe beseching him, That out of hand according to his promise, He will vouchsafe to come vnto my courte, I know he loues thée well, and to thy wordes I thinke thou knowst he will giue willing eare. (O noble Quéene) sith vnto such affayres My spedie diligence is requisite, I will applie effectually to doe What so your highnesse hath commaunded me. I wil goe in, and pray the Gods therwhile, With tender pitie to appease my griefe. "THe simple man, whose meruaile is so great "At stately courts, and princes regall seates, "With gasing eye but onely doth regarde "The golden glosse that outwardly appeares, "The crownes bedeckt with pearle and precious stones, "The riche attire imbost with beaten golde, "The glittering mace, the pompe of swarming traine, "The mightie halles heapt full of flattering frendes, "The huge chambers, the goodly gorgeous beddes, "The gilted roofes, embowde with curious worke, "The swéete faces of fine disdayning dames, "The vaine suppose of wanton raigne at luste: "But neuer viewes with eye of inward thought, "The painefull toile, the great and greuous cares, "The troubles still, the newe increasing feares, "That princes nourish in their iealous brestes: "He wayeth not the charge that Ioue hath laid "On princes, how for themselues they raigne not: "He wéenes, the law must stoope to princely will, "But princes frame there noble wills to lawe: "He knoweth not, that as the boystrous winde "Doth shake the toppes of highest reared towres, "So doth the force of frowarde fortune strike "The wighte that highest sits in haughtie state. Lo Oedipus, that sometime raigned king Of Theane soyle, that wonted to suppresse The mightiest Prince, and kepe him vnder checke, That fearfull was vnto his forraine foes, Now like a poore afflicted prisoner, In dungeon darke, shut vp from chéerefull light, In euery part so plagued with annoy, As he abhorres to leade a longer life, By meanes wherof, the one against the other His wrathfull sonnes haue planted all their force, And Thebes here, this auncient worthy towne, With threatning siege girt in on euerie ide, In daunger lyes to be subuerted quite, If helpe of heauenly Ioue vpholde it not, But as darke night succedes the shining day, So lowring griefe comes after pleasant ioy. Well now the charge hir highnesse did commaund I must fulfill, though haplie all in vaine.