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 0.85 · 518 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.
What I would have of thee Tiresias Is not a thing so soon for to be said. But rest a while thy weak and weary limbs And take some breath now after weary walk, And tell I pray thee, what this crown doth mean, That sits so kingly on thy skilful head? Know this, that for I did with grave advise, Foretell the Citizens of Athens town, How they might best with loss of little blood, Have victories against their enemies, Hath been the cause why I do wear this Crown, As right reward and not unmeet for me. So take I then this thy victorious crown, For our avail in token of good luck, That knowest, how the discord and debate Which late is fallen between these brethren twain, Hath brought all Thebes in danger and in dread. Eteocles our king, with threatening arms, Is gone against his greekish enemies, Commanding me to learn of thee (who art A true divine of things that be to come) What were for us the safest to be done, From peril now our country to preserve. Long have I been within the town of Thebes, Since that I tied this trusty tongue of mine From telling truth, fearing Eteocles: Yet, since thou dost in so great need desire I should reveal things hidden unto thee, For common cause of this our common weal, I stand content to pleasure thee herein. But first (that to this mighty God of yours There might some worthy sacrifice be made) Let kill the fairest goat that is in Thebes Within whose bowels when the Priest shall look, And tell to me what he hath there espied, I trust t'advise thee what is best to doen. Lo here the temple, and ere long I look To see the holy priest that hither comes, Bringing with him the pure and fair offerings, Which thou requirest: for not long since, I sent For him, as one that am not ignorant Of all your rites and sacred ceremonies: He went to choose amid our herd of goats, The fattest there: and look where now he comes. O famous Citizens, that hold full dear Your quiet country: Lo where I do come Most joyfully, with wonted sacrifice, So to beseech the supreme Citizens, To stay our state that stagg'ringly doth stand, And plant us peace where war and discord grows: Wherefore, with heart devout and humble cheer, While I break up the bowels of this beast, (That often thy veneyarde Bacchus hath destroyed,) Let every wight crave pardon for his faults, With bending knee about his altars here. Take here the salt, and sprinkle therewithal About the neck: that done, cast all the rest Into the sacred fire, and then anoint The knife prepared for the sacrifice. O mighty Ioue, preserve the precious gift That thou me gave, when first thine angry Queen, For deep disdain did both mine eyes do out, Grant me, I may foretell the truth in this, For, but by thee, I know that I ne may, Ne will, ne can, one trusty sentence say.
seed 43: T30 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
What I would haue of thée Tyreſias Is not a thing ſo ſoone for to be ſayde. But reſt a whyle thy weake and weary limmes And take ſome breath now after wearie walke, And tell I pray thée, what this crowne doth meane, That ſits ſo kingly on thy ſkilfull heade? Know this, that for I did with graue aduiſe, Foretell the Citizens of Athens towne, How they might beſt with loſſe of litle bloude, Haue victories againſt their enimies, Hath bene the cauſe why I doe weare this Crowne, As right rewarde and not vnméete for me. So take I then this thy victorious crowne, For our auaile in token of good lucke, That knoweſt, how the diſcord and debate Which late is fallen betwene theſe brethren twaine, Hath brought all Thebes in daunger and in dreade. Eteocles our king, with threatning armes, Is gone againſt his greekiſh enimies, Commaunding me to learne of thée (who arte A true diuine of things that be to come) What were for vs the ſafeſt to be done, From perill now our countrey to preſerue. Long haue I bene within the towne of Thebes, Since that I tyed this truſtie toung of mine From telling truth, fearing Eteocles: Yet, ſince thou doeſt in ſo great néede deſire I ſhould reueale things hidden vnto thée, For common cauſe of this our common weale, I ſtand content to pleaſure thée herein. But firſt (that to this mightie God of yours There might ſome worthie ſacrifice be made) Let kill the faireſt goate that is in Thebes Within whoſe bowelles when the Préeſt ſhall loke, And tell to me what he hath there eſpyed, I truſt t'aduiſe thée what is beſt to doen. Lo here the temple, and ere long I looke To ſée the holy préeſt that hither cōmes, Bringing with him the pure and faire offrings, Which thou requireſt: for not long ſince, I ſent For him, as one that am not ignorant Of all your rytes and ſacred ceremonyes: He went to chooſe amid our herd of goates, The fatteſt there: and loke where now he commes. O famous Citizens, that holde full deare Your quiet country: Loe where I doe come Moſt ioyfully, with wonted ſacrifice, So to beſéeche the ſupreme Citizens, To ſtay our ſtate that ſtaggringly doth ſtand, And plant vs peace where warre and diſcord growes: Wherfore, with hart deuoute and humble chéere, Whiles I breake vp the bowels of this beaſt, (That oft thy veneyarde Bacchus hath deſtroyed,) Let euery wight craue pardon for his faults, With bending knee about his aultars here. Take here the ſalt, and ſprincle therwithall About the necke: that done, caſt all the reſt Into the ſacred fire, and then annoynte The knife prepared for the ſacrifice. O mightie Ioue, preſerue the precious gifte That thou me gaue, when firſt thine angrie Quéene, For deepe diſdayne did both mine eyes do out, Graunt me, I may foretell the truth in this, For, but by thée, I know that I ne may, Ne wil, ne can, one truſtie ſentence ſay.