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 0.84 · 512 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
" That from his hands we did the same receive: There nothing is so firm and stayed to man, " But whirls about with wheels of restless time. Now if I should this one thing thee demand, Which of these two thou wouldest choose to keep, The town quiet or unquiet tyranny? And wouldest thou say I choose my kingly cheer? O witless answer sent from wicked heart, For if so fall (which mighty Gods defend) Thine enemies hand should overcome thy might, And thou shouldst see them sack the town of Thebes, The chastest virgins ravished for wreck, The worthy children in captivity, Then shouldest thou feel that sceptre, crown, & wealth " Yield deeper care to see them ta'en away, Than to possess them yieldeth deep content. Now to conclude, my son, Ambition Is it that most offends thy thought, Blame not thy brother, blame ambition From whom if so thou not redeem thyself, I fear to see thee buy repentance dear. Yea dear, too dear when it shall come too late, And now to thee my Polynices dear, I say that silly was Adrastus read, And thou God knows a simple silly soul, He to be ruled by thy heady will, And thou, to war against the Theban walls, These walls I say whose gates thyself should guard: Tell me I pray thee, if the City yield, Or thou it take by force in bloody fight, (Which never grant the Gods I them beseek) What spoils? what Palms? what sign of victory Canst thou set up to have thy country won? What title worthy of immortal fame, Shall blazed be in honour of thy name? O son, dear son, believe thy trusty dame, The name of glory shall thy name refuse, And fly full far from all thy fond attempts. But if so fall thou shouldst be overcome, Then with what face canst thou return to Greece, That here hast left so many Greeks on ground? Each one shall curse and blame thee to thy face, As him that only caused their decay, And eke condemn Adrastus simple head, That such a fere had chosen for his child. So may it fall, in one accursed hour, That thou mayst lose thy wife and country both, Both which thou mayst with little toil attain, If thou canst leave high mind and dark disdain. O mighty Gods of goodness, never grant Unto these evils, but set desired peace Between the hearts of these two friendly foes. The question that betwixt us two is grown, Believe me mother, can not end with words: You waste your breath, and I but lose my time, And all your travel lost and spent in vain: For this I swear, that peace you never get Between us two, but with condition, That whilst I live, I will be Lord of Thebes. Then set aside these vain forewasted words, And yield me leave to go where need doth press: And now good sir, get you out of these walls, Unless you mean to buy abode with blood.
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)
"That from his handes we did the same receiue: "Ther nothing is so firme and stayde to man, "But whyrles about with whéeles of restlesse time. Now if I should this one thing thée demaunde, Which of these two thou wouldest chuse to kéepe, The towne quiet or vnquiet tyrannie? And wouldest thou saye I chuse my kingly cheare? O witlesse answere sent from wicked heart, For if so fall (which mightie Gods defende) Thine enimies hand should ouercome thy might, And thou shouldst sée them sacke the towne of Thebes, The chastest virgins rauished for wrecke, The worthy children in captiuitie, "Then shouldest thou féele that scepter, crowne, & wealth "Yéelde déeper care to sée them tane away, "Than to possesse them yeldeth déepe content. Now to conclude, my sonne, Ambition Is it that most offendes thy thought, Blame not thy brother, blame ambition From whome if so thou not redéeme thy selfe, I feare to sée thée buy repentance deare. Yea deare, too deare when it shal come too late, And nowe to thée my Polinices deare, I say that sillie was Adrastus reade, And thou God knowes a simple sillie soule, He to be ruled by thy heady will, And thou, to warre against the Thebane walls, These walls I say whose gates thy selfe should garde: Tell me I praye thée, if the Citie yéelde, Or thou it take by force in bloudie fight, (Which neuer graunt the Gods I them beséeke) What spoyles? what Palmes? what signe of victori Canst thou set vp to haue thy countrie woonne? What title worthy of immortall fam, Shall blased be in honor of thy name? O sonne, deare sonne, beléeue thy trustie dame, The name of glorie shall thy name refuse, And flie full farre from all thy fonde attemptes. But if so fall thou shouldst be ouercome, Then with what face canst thou returne to Greece, That here hast lefte so many Greekes on grounde? Eache one shall curse and blame thée to thy face, As him that onely caused their decaye, And eke condemne Adrastus simple heade, That such a phéere had chosen for his childe. So may it fall, in one accursed houre, That thou mayst loose thy wife and countrie both, Both which thou mayst with little toyle attaine, If thou canst leaue high minde and darke disdaine. O mightie Gods of goodnesse, neuer graunt Unto these euills, but set desired peace Betwéene the hearts of these two friendly foes. The question that betwixt vs two is growen, Beléeue me mother, can not ende with wordes: You waste your breath, and I but loose my time, And all your trauell lost and spent in vaine: For this I sweare, that peace you neuer get Betwéene vs two, but with condition, That whilst I liue, I wil be Lord of Thebes. Then set aside these vaine forewasted wordes, And yéelde me leaue to go where néede doth presse: And now good sir, get you out of these walles, Unlesse you meane to buy abode with bloude.