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 0.89 · 481 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 that right soon the proof shall plainly show. O say not so, yet say not so dear sons. O royal race of Thebes now take thine end. God shield. O slow & sluggish heart of mine, Why do I stay t'embrew these slothful hands? But for his greater grief I will depart, And at return if here I find my foe, This hasty hand shall end our hot debate. Dear Citizens, and you eternal Gods, Bear witness with me here before the world, How this my fierce and cruel enemy, Whom causeless now my brother I do call, With threats of death my lingering steps doth drive Both from my right and from my country soil, Not as beseems the son of Oedipus, But as a slave, an abject, or a wretch: And since you be both pitiful and just, Vouchsafe O Gods, that as I part with grief, So may I yet return with joyful spoil Of this accursed tyrant and (he slain) I may recover quietly mine own. O wretched wretch Iocasta, where is found The misery that may compare to thine? O would I had nor gazing eyes to see, Nor listening ears to hear that now I dread: But what remains, save only to entreat That cruel dole would yet so courteous be To reave the breath out of this woeful breast, Before I hearken to some woeful news. Rest you here dames, and pray unto the Gods For our redress, and I in that mean while Will shut myself from sight of loathsome light. O mighty God, the governor of Thebes pity with speed the pain Iocasta bides, And eke our needs O mighty Bacchus help, Bend willing ear unto our just complaint: Leave them not comfortless that trust in thee, We have no gold nor silver thee to give, Ne sacrifice to those thine altars due, In steed whereof we consecrated our hearts To serve thy will, and hests for to obey. SInce I have rid mine enemy out of sight, The best shall be for Creon now to send, (My mother's brother) that with him I may Reason, consult, confer, and counsel both, What shall be best to use in our defence, Before we venture forth into the field. But of this travail, lo, he me acquits That comes in haste towards these royal towers. O mighty king, not causeless now I come, To find, that long have sought your majesty. So to discharge the duty that I own To you, by comfort and by counsel both. Not less desire this heart of mine did press, To sand for thee Creon, since that in vain My mother hath her words and travail spent, To reconcile Polynices and me: For he (so dull was his caparitie) Did think, he could by dread of danger, win My princely heart to yield to him his realm.
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 that right ſoone the proofe ſhall playnely ſhew. Oh ſay not ſo, yet ſay not ſo deare ſonnes. O royall race of Thebes now take thine ende. God ſhield. O ſlow & ſluggiſh heart of mine, Why do I ſtay t'embrew theſe ſlothfull hands? But for his greater griefe I will departe, And at returne if here I finde my foe, This haſtie hande ſhall ende our hote debate. Deare Citizens, and you eternall Gods, Beare witneſſe with me here before the worlde, How this my fierce and cruell enimie, Whom cauſeleſſe now my brother I do call, With threates of death my lingring ſteps doth driue Both from my right and from my countrey ſoyle, Not as beſéemes the ſonne of Oedipus, But as a ſlaue, an abiect, or a wretche: And ſince you be both pitifull and iuſte, Vouchſafe O Gods, that as I part with griefe, So may I yet returne with ioyfull ſpoyle Of this accurſed tyraunt and (he ſlayne) I may recouer quietly mine owne. O wretched wretch Iocaſta, wher is founde The miſerie that may compare to thine? O would I had nor gaſing eyes to ſée, Nor liſtning eares to heare that now I dread: But what remaines, ſaue onely to entreate That cruell dole wold yet ſo curteous be To reaue the breath out of this wofull breſt, Before I harken to ſome wofull newes. Reſt you here dames, and pray vnto the Gods For our redreſſe, and I in that meane while Will ſhut my ſelfe from ſight of lothſome light. O mightie God, the gouernour of Thebes Pitie with ſpéede the payne Iocaſta bydes, And eke our néedes O mightie Bacchus helpe, Bende willing eare vnto our iuſt complaint: Leaue them not comfortleſſe that truſt in thee, We haue no golde nor ſiluer thée to giue, Ne ſacrifice to thoſe thine aultars due, In ſtéede wherof we conſecrate our harts To ſerue thy will, and heſtes for to obey. SInce I haue ridde mine enmie out of ſight, The beſt ſhall be for Creon now to ſende, (My mothers brother) that with him I may Reaſon, conſulte, conferre, and counſell bothe, What ſhall be beſt to vſe in our defence, Before we venter forth into the fielde. But of this trauayle, loe, he me acquites That comes in haſte towards theſe royall towres. O mightie king, not cauſeleſſe nowe I come, To finde, that long haue ſought your maiſtie. So to diſcharge the duetie that I owe To you, by comforte and by counſell bothe. No leſſe deſire this harte of mine did preſſe, To ſend for thée Creon, ſince that in vaine My mother hath hir words and trauayle ſpent, To reconcile Polynices and me: For he (ſo dull was his caparitie) Did thinke, he could by dread of daunger, winne My princely heart to yéeld to him his realme.