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 0.85 · 523 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Comfort thyself divine, Creon thy friend Lo standeth here, and came to meet with thee To ease the pain that thou mightest else sustain. " For unto eld each travel yields annoy: And thou his daughter and his faithful guide, Lo rest him here, and rest thou there withal Thy virgin's hands, that in sustaining him Dost well acquit the duty of a child. For crooked age and hoary silver hears " Still craveth help of lusty youthful years. Gramercy Lord, what is your noble will? What I would have of thee Tiresias Is not a thing so soon for to be said, But rest a while thy weak and weary limbs And take some breath now after weary walk, And tell I pray thee, what this crown doth mean, That sits so kingly on thy skilful head? Know this, that for I did with grave advise, Foretell the Citizens of Athens town, How they might best with loss of little blood, Have victories against their enemies, Hath been the cause why I do wear this Crown, As right reward and not unmeet for me. So take I then this thy victorious crown, For our avail in token of good luck, That knowest, how the discord and debate Which late is fallen between these brethren twain, Hath brought all Thebes in danger and in dread. Eteocles our king, with threatening arms, Is gone against his greekish enemies, Commanding me to learn of thee (who art A true divine of things that be to come) What were for us the safest to be done, From peril now our country to preserve. Long have I been within the town of Thebes, Since that I tied this trusty tongue of mine From telling truth, fearing Eteocles: Yet, since thou dost in so great need desire I should reveal things hidden unto thee, For common cause of this our common weal, I stand content to pleasure thee herein. But first, that to this mighty God of yours There might some worthy sacrifice be made, Let kill the fairest goat that is in Thebes, Within whose bowels when the Priest shall look, And tell to me what he hath there espied, I trust t'advise thee what is best to doen. Lo here the temple, and ere long I look To see the holy priest that hither comes, Bringing with him the pure and fair offerings, Which thou requirest, for not long since, I sent For him, as one that am not ignorant Of all your rites and sacred ceremonies: He went to choose amid our herd of goats, The fattest there: and look where now he comes. O famous Citizens, that hold full dear Your quiet country: Lo where I do come Most joyfully, with wonted sacrifice, So to beseech the supreme Citizens, To stay our state that stagg'ringly do stand, And plant us peace where war and discord grows: Wherefore, with heart devout and humble cheer, Whiles I break up the bowels of this beast, That oft thy vineyard Bacchus hath destroyed, Let every wight crave pardon for his faults, With bending knee about his altars here.
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)
Comfort thy selfe deuine, Creon thy frend Loe standeth here, and came to méete with thée To ease the payne that thou mightest else sustaine. "For vnto elde eche trauell yeldes annoy: And thou his daughter and his faithfull guide▪ Loe rest him here, and rest thou there withall Thy virgins hands, that in sustayning him Doest well acquite the duetie of a childe. "For crooked age and hory siluer heares "Still craueth helpe of lustie youthfull yeares. Gramercie Lord, what is your noble will? What I would haue of thée Tyresias Is not a thing so soone for to be sayde, But rest a whyle thy weake and weary limmes And take some breath now after wearie walke, And tell I pray thée, what this crowne doth meane, That sits so kingly on thy skilfull heade? Know this, that for I did with graue aduise, Foretell the Citizens of Athens towne, How they might best with losse of litle bloude, Haue victories against their enimies, Hath bene the cause why I doe weare this Crowne, As right rewarde and not vnméete for me. So take I then this thy victorious crowne, For our auaile in token of good lucke, That knowest, how the discord and debat Which late is fallen betwene these brethren twaine, Hath brought all Thebes in daunger and in dreade. Eteocles our king, with threatning armes, Is gone against his gréekish enemies, Commaunding me to learne of thée (who arte A true deuine of things that be to come) What were for vs the safest to be done, From perill now our country to preserue. Long haue I bene within the towne of Thebes, Since that I tyed this trustie toung of mine From telling truth, fearing Eteocles: Yet, since thou doest in so great néede desire I should reueale things hidden vnto thée, For common cause of this our common weale, I stand content to pleasure thée herein. But first, that to this mightie God of yours There might some worthy sacrifice be made, Let kill the fairest goate that is in Thebes, Within whose bowells when the Préest shall loke, And tell to me what he hath there espyed, I trust t'aduyse thée what is best to doen. Lo here the temple, and ere long I looke To sée the holy préest that hither cōmes, Bringing with him the pure and faire offrings, Which thou requirest, for not long since, I sent For him, as one that am not ignorant Of all your rytes and sacred ceremonyes: He went to choose amid our herd of goates, The fattest there: and loke where now he commes. O famous Citizens, that holde full deare Your quiet country: Loe where I doe come Most ioyfully, with wonted sacrifice, So to beséeche the supreme Citizens, To stay our state that staggringly do stand, And plant vs peace where warre and discord growes: Wherfore, with harte deuoute and humble chéere, Whiles I breake vp the bowels of this beast, That oft thy vyneyarde Bacchus hath destroyed, Let euery wight craue pardon for his faultes, With bending knée about his aultars here.