Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
You came like Mars himself in threatning arms To ruin me, and my poor Country then. I took that shape, because I knew no strength No power on earth was able to resist The conquering fury of Antonius. That face of thine resisted me, and did So sweetly conquer, I was proud to yield; And more rejoiced in that captivity, Than any Roman in a triumph did. How now, what news with thee? Letters from Rome, my Lord. From whom? Geminius. Tomorrow we'll peruse them. No affairs Of what import or height soe'er, shall have Power to disturb the pleasures of this night. Our theme tonight is love, which oft has made The Thunderer himself a while lie by The weary burden of his government. Come lead away. 'Twere fit to read them now. None knows what gain a little time may be You may peruse them Titius; lead away. Can no affairs of what import soe'er Break one nights pleasure? well Antonius, The tottering state thou hold'st, must be supported By nobler virtues, or it cannot stand. Cyprus, Phoenice, Coelosyria, Three wealthy Kingdoms got with Roman blood, And our forefather's valour, given away As the base hire of an adulterous bed. Was Cyprus conquered by the sober virtue Of Marcus Cato, to be thus bestowed? This act will please young Caesar. 'Twill displease The Senate, Marcus, and Antonius friends. Alas, he knows not what true friendship means, But makes his friends his slaves, and which is worse Slaves to his lusts and vices; could he else Slight our advice so? men, whom Rome has seen Wearing her highest honours, and of birth As great as his. Unless he change his mind I shall believe my friendship was ill placed, And strive to place it better. This last act Will quickly be at Rome. They have enough Already, noble Plancus; think you not It will be censured that the Roman name Was much dishonoured by that base surprise Of Artavasdes the Armenian King? Whom through the streets of Alexandria He led in triumph bound with golden chains Forcing the captive King, (if all his threats Could have enforced so much) prostrate t' adore Proud Cleopatra, as if all his acts, And all the honour of his arms were due To her and not to Rome. Calvisius too In Senate late accused him for bestowing On Cleopatra that so far renowned And famous Library of Pergamus, In which there were two hundred thousand Books. How many such wild actions have her charms enforced his weakness to? His Testament, Which now at Rome the Vestal Virgins keep, Of which we two are privy to the sealing, Should it be known, would stir all Romans hate, Willing his body, though he died at Rome, To be interred at Alexandria. But if a war twixt him and Caesar grow (As needs it must, although not yet declared) For Caesar now is levying men and money Through Italy, Spain, France and Germany, Against what foe can his design be bent But our Antonius? if a war I say Twixt them should happen, tell me, noble Titius, What should we do? Fight for Antonius.
seed 43: T1 · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
You came like Mars himſelf in threatning arm To ruine me, and my poor Country then. I took that ſhape, becauſe I knew no ſtrength No power on earth was able to reſiſt The conquering fury of Antonius. That face of thine reſiſted me, and did So ſweetly conquer, I was proud to yield; And more rejoyc'd in that captivity, Then any Roman in a triumph did. How now, what news with thee? Letters from Rome, my Lord. From whom? Geminius. To morrow wee'll peruſe them. No affairs Of what import or height ſo ere, ſhall have Power to diſturbe the pleaſures of this night. Our theam to night is love, which oft has made The Thunderer himſelf a while lay by The weary burden of his government. Come lead away. 'Twere fit to read them now. None knows what gain a little time may be You may peruſe them Titius; lead away. Can no affairs of what import ſo ere Break one nights pleaſure? well Antonius, The tottering ſtate thou holdſt, muſt be ſupported By nobler vertues, or it cannot ſtand. Cyprus, Phoenice, Coeloſyria, Three wealthy Kingdoms got with Roman bloud, And our forefathers valour, given away As the baſe hire of an adulterous bed. Was Cyprus conquer'd by the ſober vertue Of Marus Cato, to be thus beſtow'd? This act will pleaſe yong Caeſar. 'Twill diſpleaſe The Senate, Marcus, and Antonius friends. Alas, he knows not what true friendſhip means, But makes his friends his ſlaves, and which is worſe Slaves to his luſts and vices; could he elſe Slight our adviſe ſo? men, whom Rome has ſeen Wearing her higheſt honours, and of birth As great as his. Unleſſe he change his minde I ſhall believe my friendſhip was ill plac'd, And ſtrive to place it better. This laſt act Will quickly be at Rome. They have enough Already, noble Plancus; think you not It will be cenſur'd that the Roman name Was much diſhonour'd by that baſe ſurprize Of Artuvaſes the Armenian King? Whom through the ſtreets of Alexandria He led in triumph bound with golden chains Forcing the captive King, (if all his threats Could have enforc'd ſo much) proſtrate t' adore Proud Cleopatra, as if all his acts, And all the honour of his armes were due To her and not to Rome. Calviſius too In Senate late accus'd him for beſtowing On Cleopatra that ſo farre renown'd And famous Library of Pergamus, In which there were two hundred thouſand Books. How many ſuch wilde actions have her charms Enforc'd his weakneſſe to? His Teſtament, Which now at Rome the Veſtall Virgins keep, Of which we two are privy to the ſealing, Should it be known, would ſtirre all Romans hate, Willing his bodie, though he dy'd at Rome, To be interr'd at Alexandria. But if a warre 'twixt him and Caeſar grow (As needs it muſt, although not yet declar'd) For Caeſar now is levying men and money Through Italy, Spain, France and Germany, Againſt what foe can his deſigne be bent But our Antonius? if a warre I ſay Twixt them ſhould happen, tell me, noble Titius, What ſhould we do? Fight for Antonius.