Gascoigne, George / Kinwelmershe, Francis / Yelverton, ChristopherEuripides / Dolce, Lodovico · published 1575 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.81 · 506 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
As both my brethren be, so both I bear As much good will as any sister may, But yet the wrong that unto Polynices This trothless tyrant hath unjustly showed, Doth lead me more, to wish the prosperous life Of Polynices, than of that cruel wretch, Besides that, Polynices whiles he remained In Thebes here, did ever love me more, Than did Eteocles, whose swelling hate Is towards me increased more and more: Whereof I partly may assure myself, Considering he disdains to visit me, Yea, haply he intends to reave my life, And having power he will not stick to do it. This therefore makes me earnestly desire Often times to see him: yet ever as I think For to discharge the duty of a sister, The fear I have of hurt, doth change as fast My doubtful love into disdainful spite. Yet daughter, must ye trust in mighty Ioue, His will is not, that for th'offence of one So many suffer undeserved smart: I mean of thee, I mean of Polynices, Of Iocasta thy woeful aged mother, And of Ismena thy beloved sister, Who though for this she doth not outwardly For dreary eyen distill lamenting tears, Yet do I think, no less aflicting grief Doth inwardly torment her tender breast. Besides all this, a certain jealousy, Lately conceived (I know not whence it springs) Of Creon, my mother's brother, appalls me much, Him doubt I more than any danger else. Dear daughter, leave this foolish jealousy, And seeing that thou shalt here shortly find Thy brother Polynices, go in again. O joyful would it be to me therewhile, To understand the order of the host, Whether it be such as have sufficient power To overthrow this mighty town of Thebes. What place supplies my brother Polynices? Where found ye him? what answer did he give? And though so great a care pertaineth not Unto a maid of my unskill years, Yet, forbecause myself partaker am Of good and evil with this my country soil, I long to hear thee tell those fearful news, Which otherwise I cannot understand. So noble a desire (O worthy dame) I much commend: and briefly as I can, Will satisfy thy hungry mind herein. The power of men that Polynices hath brought, (Whereof he, (being Adrastus' son in law) Takes chiefest charge) is even the flower of Grece, Whose hugy train so mighty seems to be, As I see not, how this our drooping town Is able to withstand so strong a siege. Entering the field their army did I find So orderly in form of battle set, As though they would forthwith have given the charge: In battles seven the host divided is, To each of which, by order of the king, A valiant knight for captain is assigned: And as you know this city hath seven gates, So every captain hath his gate prescribed, With fierce assault to make his entry at. And further, passing through our frowning foes (That gave me countenance of a messenger)
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)
As both my brethren be, ſo both I beare As much good will as any ſiſter may, But yet the wrong that vnto Polynice This trothleſſe tyrant hath vniuſtlie ſhewd, Doth lead me more, to wiſhe the proſperous life Of Polynice, than of that cruell wretch, Beſides that, Polynice whiles he remainde In Thebes here, did euer loue me more, Than did Eteocles, whoſe ſwelling hate Is towards me increaſed more and more: Wherof I partely may aſſure my ſelfe, Conſidering he diſdaynes to viſite me, Yea, happly he intends to reaue my life, And hauing power he will not ſticke to doe it. This therefore makes me earneſtly deſire Oft tymes to ſee him: yet euer as I thinke For to diſcharge the duetie of a ſiſter, The feare I haue of hurt, doth chaunge as faſt My doubtfull loue into diſdainefull ſpight. Yet daughter, muſt ye truſt in mightie Ioue, His will is not, that for thoffence of one So many ſuffer vndeſerued ſmarte: I meane of thée, I meane of Polynice, Of Iocaſta thy wofull aged mother, And of Iſmena thy beloued ſiſter, Who though for this ſhe doth not outwardly For drearie eyen diſtill lamenting teares, Yet do I thinke, no leſſe aflicting griefe Doth inwardly torment hir tender breſt. Beſides all this, a certaine ielouſie, Lately conceyude (I know not whence it ſprings) Of Creon, my mothers brother, appaules me much, Him doubt I more than any danger elſe. Deare daughter, leaue this fooliſhe ielouſie, And ſéeing that thou ſhalt héere ſhortly finde Thy brother Polynice, go in agayne. O ioyfull would it be to me therwhile, To vnderſtande the order of the hoſte, Whether it be ſuch as haue ſufficient power To ouerthrowe this mightie towne of Thebes. What place ſupplies my brother Polynice? Where founde ye him? what anſwere did he giue? And though ſo great a care perteineth not Vnto a mayde of my vnſkill yeres, Yet, forbicauſe my ſelfe partaker am Of good and euill with this my countrey ſoyle, I long to heare thée tell thoſe fearefull newes, Which otherwiſe I cannot vnderſtand. So noble a deſire (O worthy dame) I much commende: and briefly as I can, Will ſatiſfie thy hungry minde herein. The power of men that Polynice hath brought, (Wherof he, (being Adraſtus ſonne in lawe) Takes chiefeſt charge) is euen the floure of Grece, Whoſe hugie traine ſo mightie ſéemes to be, As I ſée not, how this our drouping towne Is able to withſtand ſo ſtrong a ſiege. Entring the fielde their armie did I finde So orderly in forme of battaile ſet, As though they would forthwith haue giuen the charge: In battailes ſeauen the hoſt deuided is, To eche of which, by order of the king, A valiant knight for captaine is aſſignde: And as you know this citie hath ſeuen gates, So euerie captaine hath his gate preſcribde, With fierce aſſault to make his entrie at. And further, paſſing through our frouning foes (That gaue me countnaunce of a meſſanger)