Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
'tis fit they suffer for their usurpation; But where lurks Oroondates since his flight In our last battle, no news yet of him? Fame gives it out, he is within this town Of Syene with the remnant of his army. Will not the Town yet come to composition? Will it hold out yet longer notwithstanding Our waterworks to drown them? Royal sir, As soon as we had cut the banks of Nile And let the river in upon the town, Th'inhabitants began to see and feel Their misery, for suddenly the water Encompassed fair Syene round about That it became an Island, and by sinking Into the earth below the walls foundation, The weight above began to shake as if It would have fallen down in every place; Then suddenly arose a piteous cry Amongst the people of the town, imploring The God's assistance, and the Deputy It seems by this extremity constrained First caused letters tied to a stone As messengers to be shot to our camp Out of a sling, and archers from their bows Sent their swift winged arrows to speak for them, But both fell short and perished in the water; At last when we by signs perceived their minds, As holding up their hands in token of Submission, and sometimes behind their backs, In token they were ready to receive Bands so they might find mercy, we sent out Some boots to talk with them, who brought us word They would surrender to your royal hands The town of Syene, if you would be pleased To grant some poor conditions. What are they? First Oroondates makes request that he And all his soldiers without interruption May march forth as best suiteth their profession, With all their martial habiliments And arms about them, next to be convoyed to Elyphantina with your royal guard; Else he would rather die than live to be Condemned as a traitor to his king, For yielding up the City and betraying The army, and besides be put to death With racks and tortures. What a fool is he To make his own conditions, or to argue Of such a matter? doth he not conceive He is not in his own power, but in ours, To live or die, why what a madness is it For conquered men to argue of conditions? But 'tis not noble to destroy a number For one man's folly, go Sysimethres, Take here our seal and sign their articles, For pity works upon a noble spirit. If I could entertain ambitious sparks Within my royal breast, or never enter Into examination with myself Of right or wrong, (as many politicians And proud usurpers do not) what should let me From adding this large kingdom to my own, Stretching my Empire to the mouth of Nile; But justice sets down limits to my thoughts, Bounds my ambition in, so that I dare not Advance one foot beyond it, sacred goddess, Divine Astrea, though all kings rebel And pay no reverence to thy deity, Hydaspes shall adore thee, and his might shall never be more potent than his right.
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)
Tis fit they ſuffer for their uſurpation; But where lurkes Oroondates ſince his flight In our laſt battaile, no newes yet of him? Fame gives it out, he is within this towne Of Syene with the remnant of his army. Will not the Towne yet come to compoſition? Will it hold out yet longer notwithſtanding Our water-workes to drowne them? Royall ſir, As ſoone as we had cut the banks of Nile And let the river in upon the towne, Th'inhabitants began to ſee and feele Their miſery, for ſuddenly the water Encompaſſed faire Syene round about That it became an Iland, and by ſinking Into the earth below the walls foundation, The weight above began to ſhake as if It would have fallen downe in every place; Then ſuddenly aroſe a piteous cry Amongſt the people of the towne, imploring The gods aſſiſtance, and the Deputy It ſeemes by this extreamity conſtrained Firſt cauſed letters tyed to a ſtone As meſſengers to be ſhot to our campe Out of a ſling, and archers from their bowes Sent their ſwift winged arrows to ſpeak for them, But both fell ſhort and periſh'd in the water; At laſt when we by ſignes perceiv'd their mindes, As holding up their hands in token of Submiſſion, and ſometimes behinde their backes, In token they were ready to receive Bandes ſo they might finde mercie, we ſent out Some bootes to talke with them, who brought us word They would ſurrender to your royall hands The towne of Syene, if you would be pleaſ'd To grant ſome poore conditions. What ae they? Firſt Oroondates makes requeſt that he And all his ſouldiers without interruption May march forth as beſt ſuiteth their profeſſion, With all their martiall habiliments And armes about them, next to be convoy'd to Elyphantina with your royall guard; Elſe he would rather die then live to be Condemned as a traitor to his king, For yielding up the City and betraying The armie, and beſides be put to death With rackes and tortures. What a foole is he To make his owne conditions, or to argue Of ſuch a matter? doth he not conceive He is not in his owne power, but in ours, To live or die, why what a madnes is it For conquered men to argue of conditions? But tis not noble to deſtroy a number For one mans folly, goe Syſimethres, Take heere our ſeale and ſigne their articles, Fr pitty workes upon a noble ſpirit. If I could entertaine ambitious ſparkes Within my royall breaſt, or never enter Into examination with my ſelfe Of right or wrong, (as many politicians And proud uſurpers doe not) what ſhould let me From adding this large kingdome to my owne, Stretching my Empire to the mouth of Nile; But iuſtice ſets downe limits to my thoughts, Boundes my ambition in, ſo that I dare not Advance one foote beyond it, ſacred goddeſſe, Divine Aſtrea, though all kings rebell And pay no reverence to thy deitie, Hydaſpes ſhall adore thee, and his might ſhall never be more potent then his right.