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 0.84 · 505 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 how shall I the City then defend? Well-with the rest,, for one man sees not all. And shall I choose the boldest or the wisest? Nay both, for one without that other fails. Force without wisdom than is little worth. That one must be fast to that other joined. Creon I will thy counsel follow still, For why, I hold it wise and trusty both, And out of hand for now I will depart That I in time the better may provide Before occasion slip out of my hands, And that I may this Polynices quell: For well may I with bloody knife him slay That comes in arms my country for to spoil. But if so please to fortune and to fate That other end than I do think may fall, To thee my friend it resteth to procure The marriage twixt my sister Antigone And thy dear son Haemon, to whom for dower At parting thus I promise' to perform As much as late I did behest to thee: My mother's blood and brother dear thou art, Ne need I crave of thee to guard her well, As for my father care I not, for if So chance I die, it may full well be said His bitter curses brought me to my bane. The Lord defend, for that unworthy were. Of Thebes town the rule and sceptre lo I need nor aught it otherwise dispose Than unto thee, if I die without heir. Yet longs my lingering mind to understand, The doubtful end of this unhappy war: Wherefore I will thou sand thy son to seek Tiresias the divine, and learn of him, For at my call I know he will not come That often have his arts and him reproved. As you command, so aught I to perform. And last, I thee and city both command, If fortune friendly favour our attempts, And make our men triumphant victors all, That none there be so hardy ne so bold For Polynices' bones to give a grave: And who presumes to break my best herein, Shall die the death in penance of his pain: For though I were by blood to him conjoined I part it now, and justice goeth with me To guide my steps victoriously before. Pray you to Ioue he deign for to defend, Our City safe both now and evermore. Gramercy worthy prince, for all thy love And faithful trust thou dost in me repose, And if should hap, that I hope never shall, I promise' yet to do what best behoves, But chiefly this I swear and make a vow, For Polynices now our cruel foe, To hold the hest that thou dost me command. O Fierce and furious Mars, whose harmful heart, Rejoiceth most to shed the guiltless blood, Whose heady will doth all the world subvert, And doth envy the pleasant merry mood, Of our estate that erst in quiet stood. Why dost thou thus our harmless town annoy, Which mighty Bacchus governed in joy?
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 how ſhall I the Citie then defende? Well-with the reſt,, for one man ſées not all. And ſhall I chuſe the boldeſt or the wiſeſt? Nay both, for one without that other fayles. Force without wiſedome then is little worth. "That one muſt be faſt to that other ioynde. Creon I will thy counſell follow ſtill, For why, I hold it wiſe and truſty both, And out of hand for now I will departe That I in time the better may prouide Before occaſion ſlip out of my hands, And that I may this Polynices quell: For well may I with bloudy knife him ſlea That comes in armes my countrie for to ſpoyle. But if ſo pleaſe to fortune and to fate That other ende than I do thinke may fall, To thée my frend it reſteth to procure The mariage twixt my ſiſter Antygone And thy deare ſonne Haemone, to whom for dowre At parting thus I promiſe to performe As much as late I did beheſte to thée: My mothers bloude and brother deare thou arte, Ne néede I craue of thée to gard hir well, As for my father care I not, for if So chaunce I dye, it may full well be ſayd His bitter curſes brought me to my bane. The Lord defend, for that vnworthy were. Of Thebes towne the rule and ſcepter loe I néede nor ought it otherwiſe diſpoſe Than vnto thée, if I dye without heyre. Yet longs my lingring mynde to vnderſtand, The doubtfull ende of this vnhappie warre: Wherfore I will thou ſend thy ſonne to ſeke Tyreſias the deuine, and learne of him, For at my call I knowe he will not come That often haue his artes and him reprovde. As you commaund, ſo ought I to performe. And laſt, I thée and citie both commaund, If fortune frendly fauour our attemptes, And make our men triumphant victors all, That none there be ſo hardie ne ſo bolde For Polynices bones to giue a graue: And who preſumes to breake my beſte herein, Shall dye the death in penaunce of his paine: For though I were by bloud to him conioynde I pat it now, and iuſtice goeth with me To guide my ſteppes victoriouſly before. Pray you to Ioue he deigne for to defende, Our Citie ſafe both now and euermore. Gramercie worthie prince, for all thy loue And faithfull truſt thou doeſt in me repoſe, And if ſhould hap, that I hope neuer ſhall, I promiſe yet to doe what beſt behoues, But chieflie this I ſweare and make a vowe, For Polynices nowe our cruell foe, To holde the heſt that thou doeſt me commaunde. O Fierce and furious Mars, whoſe harmefull harte, Reioyceth moſt to ſhed the giltleſſe blood, Whoſe headie wil doth all the world ſubuert, And doth enuie the pleaſant mery moode, Of our eſtate that erſt in quiet ſtoode. Why doeſt thou thus our harmeleſſe towne annoye, Which mightie Bacchus gouerned in ioye?