May, Thomas · published 1639 · first performed or written 1626 (Annals) tragedy · Unknown unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 481 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
Corruption now, and rottenness must seize This once admired fabric, and dissolve This flesh to common elements again: When skilful nature, were she strictly bound To search through all her store-house would be posed To tell which piece was Cleopatra once. Sweet Asp, I feel thy touch, and life begins From these cold limbs to take her gentle flight. A slumber seizes me; farewell my girls. Thus let the Romans find me dead, and know Maugre the power of Rome, and Caesar's spleen That Cleopatra lived, and died a Queen. She's dead, and Eira too. I hear a noise. There is no dallying now; I must be speedy, And use the common and sure way to death. We come too late, and all in vain I fear Our care has been. Here lies her servant bleeding, Not dead: speak Charmio, how died the Queen? A death that well beseemed her royal birth. See Caesar, see; the mark upon her breast, And here the fatal author. 'Twas the Asp. Be speedy now, and use your utmost power You skilful Psyls, call back this royal soul To her fair seat, and take from Caesar's bounty Above your wish: suck thou the wounded place, And mutter thou thy strongest charms to fright Pale death from thence, and you infernal Gods, If ere to humane prayers you could lend An exorable ear, 'tis Caesar begs, Caesar, whose sword has sent to your black shades A hundred thousand souls, and still has power T'enlarge your Empire, begs in lieu of all But restitution of one soul alone. How royally she died? No conquered Prince. Did ever find a nobler way to death. Had feeble Perseus known so brave a course, He had redeemed his captive life from shame. And not deprived the Conqueror of fame. Is there no hope? She's gone past all recovery. We will no longer strive 'gainst destiny. Though thou art dead, yet live renowned for ever; And let this action speak thee to the world A foe not shaming Caesar's victory. No other Crown or Sceptre after thine Shall Egypt honour: thou shalt be the last Of all the reigning race of Ptolomey: And all, and more than what thy letter craved Will Caesar grant with dead Antonius In richer state than ere proud Memphis saw Her Kings interred shall Cleopatra lie. Thy dying figure carved in fairest stone Shall my triumphant chariot wear, for all To gaze and wonder at thy form and worth. Egypt no more a Kingdom, now a Province Cornelius Gallus, is thy government. And here let Caesar sheath the civil sword, Whose fatal edge these twenty years has ripped The bleeding entrails of afflicted Rome. here let our labours end: advance brave friends Our prosperous Eagles home to Italy, To reap the fruit of all our wars and toils, And fill great Rome with conquered Egypt's spoils.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Corruption now, and rottenneſſe muſt ſeize This once admired fabrick, and diſſolve This fleſh to common elements again▪ When skilfull nature, were ſhe ſtrictly bound To ſearch through all her ſtore-houſe would be pos'd To tell which piece was Cleopatra once. Sweet Aſpe, I feel thy▪ touch, and life begins From theſe cold limbs to take her gentle flight. A ſlumber ſeizes me; farewell my girles. Thus let the Romans finde me dead, and know Maugre the power of Rome, and Caeſar's ſpleen That Cleopatra liv'd, and di'd a Queen. She's dead, and Eira too. I heare a noiſe. There is no dallying now; I muſt beſpeedy, And uſe the common and ſure way to death. We come too late, and all in vain I fea Our care has been. Here lies her ſervant bleeding, Not dead: ſpeak Charmio, how dy'd the Queen? A death that well beſeem'd her royall birth. See Caeſar, ſee; the mark upon her breſt, And here the fatall authour. 'Twas the Aſpe. Be ſpeedie now, and uſe your utmoſt power You skilfull Pſyls, call back this royall ſoul To her fair ſeat, and take from Caeſar's bounty Above your wiſh: ſuck thou the wounded place, And mutter thou thy ſtrongeſt charms to fright Pale death from thence, and you inernall Gods, If ere to humane prayers you could lend An exorable eare, 'tis Caeſar begs, Caeſar, whoſe ſword has ſent to your black ſhades A hundred thouſand ſouls, and ſtill has power T'enlarge your Empire, begs in lieu of all But reſtitution of one ſoul alone. How royally ſhe dy'd? No conquer'd Prince. Did ever finde a nobler way to death. Had feeble Perſeus known ſo brave a courſe, He had redeem'd his captive life from ſhame. And not depriv'd the Conquerour of fame. Is there no hope? She's gone paſt all recoverie. We will no longer ſtrive 'gainſt deſtiny. Though thou art dead, yet live renowm'd for ever; And let this action ſpeak thee to the world A fo not ſhaming Caeſar's victory. No other Crown or Scepter after thine Shall Aegypt honour: thou ſhalt be the laſt Of all the raigning race of Ptolomey: And all, and more then what thy letter crav'd Will Caeſar grant with dead Antonius In richer ſtate then ere proud Memphis ſaw Her Kings inter'd ſhall Cleopatra lye. Thy dying figure carv'd in faireſt ſtone Shall my triumphant chariot wear, for all To gaze and wonder at thy form and worth. Aegypt no more a Kingdome, now a Province Cornelius Gallus, is thy government. And here let Caeſar ſheath the civill ſword, Whoſe fatall edge theſe twenty years has ripp'd The bleeding ntrails of afflicted Rome. Heer let our labours end: advance brave friends Our proſperous Eagles home to Italy, To reap the fruit of all our wars and toils, And fill great Rome with conquer'd Aegypts ſpoils.