The Sophister (Fallacy, or The Troubles of Great Hermenia) · chunk 1 of 32
Zouche, Richard · published 1639 · first performed or written 1614 [c.1614-1620] (Annals) comedy unassigned nearest T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses · 479 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
TO greet this fair Assembly Hermes comes, The winged Herald twixt the gods and men, And helps an Infant-Muse, who not admires His own, nor envieth others clearer fires: Whose modest Venus everywhere forbears To speak what may offend your Attic ears. His chiefest aim and Art is for to fit Unto this Place, (the Vatican of Wit) His Lines, that this fair Confluence may allow, What his Minerva hath contrived now. He to no foreign parts for plot doth roam, But speaks such Language as he learned at home. The Scene Parrhesia is, the chiefest State Of great, but much disturbed Hermenia: Discourse fallen mad, and troubled Method fled; Young Intellect surprised, Invention Parts from Judicium; all that is amiss, Is rectified by Analysis. This, and what else we shall present tonight Unto this Round, we offer as a Rite: For you can truly judge, and give report Of what you hear above the Vulgar sort. But here the Sophister, how to commence, Or take's Degree, as yet is in suspense: By keeping of his Acts, he now will try To get your Placet by his Fallacy. NOt yet begins the East-disturbing Morn To draw aside night's fable Canopy, (plays Nor heavens great Spy, whose curious search dis- The world's close errors, yet o'erlooks the earth, When now long since lazy & slow-paced sleep Hath posted by my scarce-saluted eyes: And let him pass; he's not that powerful God, Whom everwaking Fallacy adores. Sacred Deceit, to thee be consecrate My Temples, aid thou Goddess mine attempt, I soon will free me. Here comes my servant Ambiguity. I am in doubt, and I think cannot easily be resolved, whether it were better living in Hell, where there is no day; or at my Masters, where there is no night: I cannot tell what any young Gentlewoman would answer to the blind philosopher's question. I am sure to me, Nulla videtur voluptas nocturna: There cannot the least sleep harbour under my brows, but it is presently started with the loud cries of my Master. Melancholy keeps him always waking, and his envy will not suffer me to take any rest: Then my head hath scarce forgot my pillow, when his buzzing Suitors swarming about me, sting my ears like Hornets: like ghosts on this side Cocytus, they flock thither in infinite multitudes, to be wafted over to Hell: I would they were all once shipped thither, and dispatched; they are so importunate, that I could curse Nature who hath given me two ears to hear them, and but one tongue (though that indifferent double) to answer them. But at length I bethought me, she hath given me two legs to convey me from them. 'Twere good she had given you more eyes to see your Master. I would she had given me yours, you might not have seen your man.
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)
TO greet this faire Assembly Hermes comes, The winged Herald 'twixt the gods and men, And helps an Infant-Muse, who not admires His owne, nor envieth others clearer fires: Whose modest Venus every where forbeares To speake what may offend your Attick eares. His chiefest ayme and Art is for to fit Unto this Place, (the Vatican of Wit) His Lines, that this faire Confluence may allow, What his Minerva hath contrived now. He to no forraigne parts for plot doth roame, But speakes such Language as he learnt at home. The Sceane Parrhesia is, the chiefest State Of great, but much disturb'd Hermenia: Discourse fallen mad, and troubled Method fled; Young Intellect surpriz'd, Invention Parts from Judicium; all that is amisse, Is rectified by Analysis. This, and what else we shall present to night Unto this Round, we offer as a Rite: For you can truely judge, and give report Of what you heare above the Vulgar sort. But here the Sophister, how to commence, Or take's Degree, as yet is in suspence: By keeping of his Acts, he now will try To get your Placet by his Fallacy. NOt yet begins the East-disturbing Morne To draw aside Nights fable Canopie, (playes Nor heavens great Spy, whose curious search dis- The worlds close errors, yet o'relooks the earth, When now long since lazy & slow-pac't sleepe Hath posted by my scarce▪saluted eyes: And let him passe; hee's not that powerfull God, Whom ever-waking Fallacy adores. Sacred Deocit, to thee be consecrate My Temples, aid thou Goddesse mine attempt, I soone will free me. Here comes my servant Ambiguity. I am in doubt, and I thinke cannot easily be resolved, whether it were better living in Hell, where there is no day; or at my Masters, where there is no night: I cannot tell what any yong Gentlewoman would answer to the blind Philosophers question. I am sure to me, Nulla videtur voluptas nocturna: There cannot the least sleepe harbour under my browes, but it is presently started with the loud cryes of my Master. Melancholy keeps him alwayes waking, and his envy will not suffer me to take any rest: Then my head hath scarce forgot my pillow, when his buzzing Suitors swarming about me, sting my eares like Hornets: like ghosts on this side Cocytus, they flock thither in infinite multitudes, to be wafted over to Hell: I would they were all once shipt thither, and dispatched; they are so importunate, that I could curse Nature who hath given me two eares to heare them, and but one tongue (though that indifferent double) to answer them. But at length I bethought me, she hath given me two leggs to convey me from them. 'Twere good she had given you more eyes to see your Master. I would shee had given me yours, you might not have seene your man.