Gascoigne, George / Kinwelmershe, Francis / Yelverton, ChristopherEuripides / Dolce, Lodovico · published 1573 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi typicality 0.82 · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
Dear Citizens, behold your lord and king That Thebes set in quiet government, Now as you see, neglected of you all, And in these ragged ruthful weeds bewrapt, Ychased from his native country soil, Betakes himself (for so this Tyrant will) To everlasting banishment: but why Do I lament my luckless lot in vain? " Since every man must bear with quiet mind, The fate that heavens have erst to him assigned. EXample here, lo take by Oedipus, You kings and princes in prosperity, And every one that is desirous To sway the seat of worldly dignity, How fickle is to trust in fortune's wheel: For him, whom now she hoisteth up on high, If so be chance on any side to reel, She hurls him down in twinkling of an eye: And him again, that growleth now on ground, And lieth low in dungeon of despair, Her whirling wheel can heave up at a bound, And place aloft in stay of stately chair. As from the Sun the Moon withdraws her face, So might of man doth yield dame fortune place, LO here the fruit of high aspiring mind, Who weens to mount above the moving skies: Lo here the trap that titles proud do find, See, ruin grows when most we reach to rise: Sweet is the name, and stately is the reign Of kingly rule, and sway of royal seat, But bitter is the taste of PRINCE's gain, When climbing heads do hunt for to be great. Who would forecast the bank of restless toil, Ambitious wights do freight their breasts withal, The growing cares, the fears of dreadful foil, The evil success that on such flight's do fall, He would not stain his practice to achieve The largest limits of the mightiest states. But oh, what fancies sweet do still relieve The hungry humour of these swelling hates? What poison sweet inflameth high desire? How soon the haughty heart is puffed with pride? How soon is thirst of sceptre set on fire? How soon in rising minds doth mischief slide? What bloody stirs doth glut of honour breed? th'ambitious son doth oft surpress his sire: Where nature's power unfeigned love should spread, There malice reigns and reacheth to be higher. O blind unbridled search of Sovereignty, O tickle train of evil attained state, O fond desire of princely dignity, Who climbs too soon, he oft repents too late. The golden mean the happy doth suffice, They leave the posting day in rare delight, They fill (not feed) their uncontended eyes, They reap such rest as doth beguile the might, They not envy the pomp of haughty reign, Ne dread the dint of proud usurping sword, But placed allow, more sugared joys attain, Than sway of lofty Sceptre can afford. Cease to aspire then, cease to soar so high, And shun the plague that pierceth noble breasts: To glittering courts what fondness is to flee, When better state in baser Towers rests?
seed 43: T25 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Deare Citizens, beholde your lorde and king That Thebes set in quiet gouernement, Nowe as you sée, neglected of you all, And in these ragged ruthfull wéedes bewrapt, Ychased from his natiue countrey soyle, Betakes him selfe (for so this Tyraunt will) To euerlasting banishment: but why Do I lament my lucklesse lotte in vayne? "Since euery man must beare with quiet minde, "The fate that heauens haue earst to him assignde. EXample here, lo take by Oedipus, You kings and princes in prosperitie, And euery one that is desirous To sway the seate of worldly dignitie, How fickle is to trust in fortunes whéele: For him, whom now she hoyseth vp on hye, If so be chaunce on any side to reele, She hurles him downe in twinkling of an eye: And him agayne, that grouleth now on grounde, And lyeth lowe in dungeon of dispaire, Hir whirling whéele can heaue vp at a bounde, And place aloft in stay of stately chaire. As from the Sunne the Moone withdrawes hir face, So might of man dothe yéelde dame fortune place, LO here the fruite of high aspiring minde, Who wéeues to mount aboue the mouing skies: Lo here the trappe that titles proud do finde, Sée, ruine growes when most we reache to ryse: Swéete is the name, and stately is the raigne Of kingly rule, and sway of royall seate, But bitter is the taste of Princes gayne, When climbing heads do hunte for to be great. Who would forecast the banke of restlesse toyle, Ambitious wightes do fraight their brestes withall, The growing cares, the feares of dreadfull foyle, The euill successe that on suche flightes do fall, He would not stayne his practise to atchiue The largest limites of the mightiest states. But oh, what fansies swéete do still relieue The hungry humor of these swelling hates? What poyson swéete inflameth highe desire? How soone the hawty heart is puft with pride? How soone is thirst of scepter set on fire? How soone in rising mindes doth mischiefe slyde? What bloudy sturres doth glut of honour bréede? Thambitious sonne doth ofte surpresse his syre: Where natures power vnfayned loue should spread, There malice raynes and reacheth to be higher. O blinde vnbridled searche of Soueraintie, O tickle trayne of euill attayned state, O fonde desire of princely dignitie, Who climbs too soone, he ofte repents too late. The golden meane the happie dothe suffise, They leaue the posting day in rare delight, They fill (not féede) their vncontended eyes, They reape suche rest as dothe begile the might, They not enuie the pompe of haughtie reigne, Ne dreade the dinte of proude vsurping swoorde, But plaste alowe, more sugred ioyes attaine, Than swaye of loftie Scepter can afoorde. Cease to aspire then, cease to soare so high, And shunne the plague that pierceth noble breastes: To glittring courtes what fondnesse is to flée, When better state in baser Towers rests?