Jonson, Ben · published 1641 · first performed or written 1618 [Jan 6] (Annals) masque · before the Court T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.76 · 488 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
REst still thou active friend of virtue; These Should not disturb the peace of Hercules. Earth's worms, and Honour's dwarves (at too great odds) Prove, or provoke the issue of the gods. See, here a Crown the aged Hill hath sent thee, My Grandsire Atlas, he that did present thee With the best sheep that in his fold were found, Or golden fruit in the Hesperian ground, For rescuing his fair Daughters, than the prey Of a rude Pirate as thou cam'st this way; And taught thee all the learning of the Sphere, And how like him thou mightst the heaven's upbeare; As that thy labours virtuous recompense He, though a Mountain now, hath yet the sense Of thanking thee for more, thou being still Constant to goodness, guardian of the hill; Antaeus by thee suffocated here, And the voluptuous Comus god of cheer Beat from his Grove, and that defaced, but now The time's arrived that Atlas told thee of, how B'unalterd law, and working of the Stars, There should be a cessation of all jars, Twixt Virtue and her noted opposite Pleasure; that both should meet here in the sight Of Hesperus, the glory of the West, The brightest star that from his burning crest Lights all on this side the Atlanticke-Seas, As far as to thy Pillars, Hercules, See where he shines, Justice, and Wisdom placed about his throne, and those with honour graced Beauty, and Love: It is not with his Brother Bearing the world, but ruling such another Is his renown, Pleasure, for his delight Is reconciled to Virtue, and this night Virtue brings forth, twelve Princes have been bred In this rough mountain, and near Atlas' head The hill of knowledge; one, and chief of whom Of the bright race of Hesperus is come, Who shall in time, the same that he is be, And now is only a less light than he; These now she trusts with Pleasure, and to these She gives an entrance to the Hesperides Fair beauty's garden; neither can she fear They should grow soft, or wax effeminate here; Since in her sight, and by her charge all's done, Pleasure the servant, Virtue looking on. OPEN aged Atlas, open than thy lap, And from thy beamy bosom strike a light, That men may read in the mysterious map All lines And signs Of royal education, and the right, See how they come and show, That are but borne to know. Descend Descend Though pleasure lead, Fear not to follow: They who are bred Within the Hill Of skill, May safely tread What path they will, No ground of good is hollow. BUT Hermes stay, a little let me pause, Who's this that leads? A guide that gives them laws To all their motions, Dedalus the wise; And doth in sacred harmony comprise His precepts? Yes. they may securely prove Than any labyrinth, though it be of love.
seed 43: T17 · seed 44: T19 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
REſt ſtill thou active friend of vertue; Theſe Should not diſturbe the peace of Hercules. Earths wormes, and Honors dwarfes (at too great ods) Prove, or provoke the iſſue of the gods. See, here a Crowne the aged Hill hath ſent thee, My Grand-ſire Atlas, he that did preſent thee With the beſt ſheepe that in his fold were found, Or golden fruit in the Heſperian ground, For reſcuing his faire Daughters, then the prey Of a rude Pirate as thou cam'ſt this way; And taught thee all the learning of the Sphere, And how like him thou might'ſt the heavens up-beare; As that thy labours vertuous recompence He, though a Mountaine now, hath yet the ſence Of thanking thee for more, thou being ſtill Conſtant to goodneſſe, guardian of the hill; Antaeus by thee ſuffocated here, And the voluptuous Comus god of cheere Beate from his Grove, and that defac'd, but now The time's arriv'd that Atlas told thee of, how B'unalterd law, and working of the Stars, There ſhould be a ceſſation of all jars, Twixt Vertue and her noted oppoſite Pleaſure; that both ſhould meet here in the ſight Of Heſperus, the glory of the Weſt, The brighteſt ſtarre that from his burning creſt Lights all on this ſide the Atlanticke-Seas, As farre as to thy Pillars, Hercules, See where he ſhines, Juſtice, and Wiſedome plac'd about his throne, and thoſe with honour grac'd Beauty, and Love: It is not with his Brother Bearing the world, but ruling ſuch another Is his renowne, Pleaſure, for his delight Is reconcil'd to Vertue, and this night Vertue brings forth, twelve Princes have beene bred In this rough mountaine, and neere Atlas head The hill of knowledge; one, and chiefe of whom Of the bright race of Heſperus is come, Who ſhall in time, the ſame that he is be, And now is onely a leſſe light then he; Theſe now ſhe truſts with Pleaſure, and to theſe She gives an entrance to the Heſperides Faire beauties garden; neither can ſhe feare They ſhould grow ſoft, or waxe effeminate here; Since in her ſight, and by her charge all's done, Pleaſure the ſervant, Vertue looking on. OPE aged Atlas, open then thy lappe, And from thy beamy boſome ſtrike a light, That men may read in the myſterious mappe All lines And ſignes Of royall education, and the right, See how they come and ſhow, That are but borne to know. Deſcend Deſcend Though pleaſure lead, Feare not to follow: They who are bred Within the Hill Of skill, May ſafely tread What path they will, No ground of good is hollow. BUT Hermes ſtay, a little let me pauſe, Who's this that leads? A guide that gives them lawes To all their motions, Dedalus the wiſe; And doth in ſacred harmonie compriſe His precepts? Yes. they may ſecurely prove Then any laborinth, though it be of love.