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 · 484 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.
And seemed this so grievous unto thee? What grief can greater be, than so constrained Slave-like to serve 'gainst right and reason both, Yea much the more, to him that noble is, By stately line, or yet by virtuous life, And hath a heart like to his noble mind. What helpeth most in such adversity? Hope helpeth most to comfort misery. Hope to return from whence he first was driven? Yea, hope that happeneth oftentimes to late, And many die before such hap may fall. And how didst thou before thy marriage son, Maintain thy life, a stranger so bestead? Sometime I found (though seldom so it were) Some gentle heart, that could for courtesy, Content himself to secure mine estate. Thy father's friends and thine, did they not help For to relieve that naked need of thine? Mother, he hath a foolish fantasy, That thinks to find a friend in misery. Thou mightest have help by thy nobility. Covered alas, in cloak of poverty? Well aught we then that are but mortal here, Above all treasure count our country dear: Yea let me know my son, what cause thee moved To go to Grece? The flying fame that thundered in mine ears, How king Adrastus, governor of Greece, Was answered by Oracle, that he Should knit in links of lawful marriage, His two fair daughters, and his only heirs, One to a Lion, th'other to a Boar: An answer such as each man wondered at. And how belongs this answer now to thee? I took my guess even by this ensign here, A Lion lo, which I did always bear: Yet think I not, but Ioue alonely brought These hands of mine to such an high exploit. And how yet came it to this strange effect? The shining day had run his hasted course, And dewy night bespread her mantel dark, When I that wandered after weary toil, To seek some harbour for mine irked limbs, 'Gan find at last a little cabin, close Adjoined fast unto the stately walls, Where king Adrastus held his royal towers. Scarce was I there in quiet well ycought, But thither came another exile eke, Named Tydeus, who strove perforce to drive Me from this sorry seat, and so at last, We settled us to fell and bloody fight, Whereof the rumour grew so great forthwith, That strait the king informed was thereof, Who seeing then the ensigns that we bore, To be even such as were to him foresaid, Choose each of us to be his son by law, And sithence did solemnize eke the same. Yet would I know, if that thy wife be such As thou canst joy in her? or what she is? O mother dear, fairer ne wiser dame Is none in Greece, Argia is her name. How couldst thou to this doubtful enterprise, So many bring, thus armed all at once?
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)
And ſéemed this ſo grieuous vnto thée? What griefe can greater be, than ſo conſtraynde Slauelike to ſerue gaynſt right and reaſon bothe, Yea muche the more, to him that noble is, By ſtately lyne, or yet by vertuous lyfe, And hath a heart lyke to his noble mynde. What helpeth moſte in ſuche aduerſitie? Hope helpeth moſte to comfort miſerie. Hope to returne from whence he fyrſt was driuen? Yea, hope that happeneth oftentymes to late, And many die before ſuch hap may fall. And howe didſt thou before thy mariage ſonne, Mainteyne thy lyfe, a ſtraunger ſo beſtad? Sometyme I founde (though ſeldome ſo it were) Some gentle heart, that coulde for curteſye, Contente himſelfe to ſuccour myne eſtate. Thy fathers friends and thyne, did they not helpe For to reléeue that naked néede of thyne? "Mother, he hath a fooliſhe fantaſie, "That thinkes to fynd a frende in miſerie. Thou mighteſt haue helpe by thy nobilitie. "Couered alas, in cloake of pouertie? "Wel ought we then that are but mortall héere, "Aboue all treaſure counte our countrey deare: Yea let me knowe my ſonne, what cauſe thée moued To goe to Grece? The flying fame that thundred in myne eares, How king Adraſtus, gouernour of Greece, Was anſwered by Oracle, that he Shoulde knitte in linkes of lawfull mariage, His two faire daughters, and his onely heires, One to a Lyon, th'other to a Boare: An anſwere ſuche as eche man wondred at. And how belongs this anſwere now to thée? I toke my geſſe euen by this enſigne héere, A Lyon loe, which I did alwayes beare: Yet thinke I not, but Ioue alonely brought Theſe handes of myne to ſuche an high exploite. And howe yet came it to this ſtraunge effect? The ſhining day had runne his haſted courſe, And deawie night beſpread hir mantell darke, When I that wandred after wearie toyle, To ſeke ſome harbrough for myne irked limmes, Gan fynde at laſt a little cabbin, cloſe Adioyned faſte vnto the ſtately walles, Where king Adraſtus held his royall towres. Scarce was I there in quiet well ycought, But thither came another exile eke, Named Tydeus, who ſtraue perforce to driue Mée from this ſorie ſeate, and ſo at laſte, We ſettled vs to fell and bloudie fight, Whereof the rumour grewe ſo great foorthwith, That ſtraight the king enformed was therof, Who ſéeing then the enſignes that wée bare, To be euen ſuch as were to him foreſayde, Choſe eche of vs to be his ſonne by lawe, And ſithens did ſolemnize eke the ſame. Yet woulde I know, if that thy wyfe be ſuche As thou canſt ioy in hir? or what ſhe is? O mother deare, fayrer ne wyſer dame Is none in Greece, Argia is hir name. Howe couldſt thou to this doubtfull enterpriſe, So many bring, thus armed all at once?