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 0.82 · 469 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.
This good success was lucky sure, and such, As for my part I little looked for: To save the town and eke to have my sons (As you report) preserved yet alive. But yet proceed, and further let me know The final end that they agreed upon. Not more (O queen) let this for now suffice, Sigh hitherto your state is safe enough. These words of tdine, do whelm my jealous mind With great suspect of other mischiefs hid. What would you more, already being sure That both your sons in safety do remain? I long to know the rest, or good or bad. O let me now return to Eteocles, That of my service greatly stands in need. Right well I see, thou dost conceal the worst. O force me not, the good now being past, To tell the ill. Tell it I say, on pain of our displeasure. Since thus ye seek to hear a doleful tale, I will no longer stay: wit ye therefore, Your desperate sons together be agreed For to attempt a wicked enterprise: To private fight they have betrothed themselves, Of which conflict, the end must needs be this, That one do live, that other die the death. Alas, alas, this did I ever fear. Now, sith in sum I have revealed that, Which you have heard with great remorse of mind, I will proceed, at large to tell the whole. When your victorious son, with valiant force Had chaste his foes into their joining tents, Even there he staid, and strait at sound of trump With stretched voice the herald thus proclaimed: You princely Greeks, that hither be arrived To spoil the fruit of these our fertile fields, And us to drive from this our Native soil, O suffer not so many guiltless souls By this debate descend in Stygian lake, For private cause of wicked Polynices, But rather let the brethren, hand to hand, By mutual blows appease their furious rage, And so to cease from shedding further blood: And, to the end you all might understand The profit that to every side may fall, Thus much my Lord thought good to proffer you, This is his will, if he be overcome, Then Polynices to rule this kingly realm: If so it hap (as reason would it should) Our rightful prince to conquer Polynices, That then no one of you make more ado, But strait to Argos I'll hast home again. This, thus pronounced unto the noble Greeks, Not sooner did the sound of trumpet cease, But Polynices stepped forth before the host, And to these words this answer did he make: O thou, (not brother) but my mortal foe, Thy proffer here hath pleased me so well, As presently, without more long delay, I yield myself prepared to the field.
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)
This good ſucceſſe was luckie ſure, and ſuch, As for my parte I little loked for: To ſaue the towne and eke to haue my ſonnes (As you report) preſerued yet aliue. But yet procéede, and further let me know The finall ende that they agréed vpon. No more (O quéene) let this for now ſuffiſe, Sith hitherto your ſtate is ſafe inough. Theſe words of tdine, do whelme my iealous mind With great ſuſpecte of other miſchiefes hidde. What would you more, alredy being ſure That both your ſonnes in ſafetie do remaine? I long to know the reſt, or good or bad. O let me now retourne to Eteocles, That of my ſeruice greatly ſtands in néede. Right well I ſée, thou doeſt conceale the woorſt. Oh force me not, the good now béeing paſt, To tell the yll. Tell it I ſay, on paine of our diſpleaſure. Since thus ye ſéeke to heare a dolefull tale, I will no longer ſtay: witte ye therefore, Your deſperate ſonnes togither be agréed For to attempt a wicked enterpriſe: To priuate fight they haue betroutht themſelues, Of which conflicte, the ende muſt néedes be this, That one do liue, that other die the death. Alas, alas, this did I euer feare. Now, ſith in ſumme I haue reuealed that, Which you haue heard with great remorſe of mind, I will procéede, at large to tell the whole. When your victorious ſonne, with valiant force Had chaſt his foes into their ioyning tents, Euen there he ſtaide, and ſtraight at ſound of trumpe With ſtretched voice the herault thus proclaimde: You princely Gréekes, that hither be arriued To ſpoile the fruite of theſe our fertile fields, And vs to driue from this our Natiue ſoile, O ſuffer not ſo many giltleſſe ſoules By this debate deſcend in Stygian lake, For priuate cauſe of wicked Polynice, But rather let the brethren, hand to hand, By mutuall blowes appeaſe their furious rage, And ſo to ceaſe from ſheding further bloud: And, to the end you all might vnderſtand The profite that to euery ſide may fall, Thus much my Lord thought good to profer you, This is his will, if he be ouercome, Then Polynice to rule this kingly realme: If ſo it happe (as reaſon would it ſhould) Our rightfull prince to conquere Polynice, That then no one of you make more adoo, But ſtraight to Argos Ile haſt home againe. This, thus pronounſt vnto the noble Gréeks, No ſoner did the ſound of trumpet ceaſe, But Polynice ſtept forth before the hoſt, And to theſe words this anſwere did he make: O thou, (not brother) but my mortall foe, Thy profer here hath pleaſed me ſo well, As preſently, without more long delay, I yeld my ſelfe prepared to the field.