Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 509 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
If life in show more pleasant seem, if so you rather choose, I am to wait upon you still and never will refuse. But change this mind wherein you rest, take heart a grace, and show The noble magnanimity that erst in you did flow: Resist these pangs, subdue these dumps by valour of the mind, Let manly courage qualify these your affections blind. 'tis great dishonour thus to yield yourself to dolour thrall, No storm of adverse hap thus ought a PRINCE's heart t'appall. This gear surmounteth far the reach of my capacity: I am astoned, I feel myself rapt with an ecstasy, Is this not wonder of so lewd, and of so cursed a tree Such fruit to grow? of graceless Sire so good a child to see? Is it not strange that in a house distained in villainy Such noble show of towardness and virtuous gifts should lie? Let me some speech to thee direct, dame Fortune: how haps this That here my daughter so unlike to wretched father is? Degenerating from his steps, and with such virtue fraught, As in her Father's cursed house she never yet was taught? Is it (I pray thee) credible, that out of me should spring Such issue, as should given be to any honest thing? No truly, no: it cannot be (my fates full well I know) None such, (unless to do me scart and mischief) would be so. T'increase the heap of mine annoy no strange effect shall want. Dame Nature in her Creatures will new affects emplant. The River shall return his course to Fountain back again, Dan Phoebus' Lamp shall bring the Night, and Night shall day remain, So that my grievous miseries with surplusage may grow. But be as 'tis: I for a while will play my part also, And show some spark of piety, my fault to countervail: With murderous knife, my woeful days to end I will not fail. The only help for Oedipus, the only safety is To rid himself, and so redeem that Hellish fact of his. Let me take vengeance on myself for wrongs to father done, Whose Death is yet unexpiate, by me his cursed son. Why dost thou shake and tremble thus thou hand, not good for aught? Why flaggrest thou to stab him in, who Sire to spoil hath brought? That punishment which hither to by pulling out mine eyes Thou hast inflicted on me, is but as a sacrifice, Or guerdon due for villainy which I committed have With mother mine. Now Daughter sloute, leave of pretences brave, Allege no glosses: but with speed let go thy Father's hand: Thou mak'st me die a lingering death within this loathed land. Thou thinkst I am alive, but I am dead long while ago: To this my hateful Corpse at length the rites of Burial show. Thou meanest well, (I know) but yet therein thou dost offend: Though colour for thy piety I see thou dost pretend. But piety it cannot be, to drag thus up and down
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)
If life in ſhew more pleaſaunt ſeme, if ſo you rather chuſe, I am to wayte vpon you ſtill and neuer will refuſe. But chaunge this mynde wherein you reſt, take hart a grace, and ſhow The noble magnanimity that earſt in you did flow: Reſiſt theſe panges, ſubdue theſe dumpes by valour of the mynd, Let manly courage qualify theſe your affections blynd. Tis great diſhonor thus to yeeld your ſelfe to dolor thrall, No ſtorme of aduerſe hap thus ought a Princes hart t'appall. This geare ſurmounteth far the reach of my capacity: I am aſtonn'd, I feele my ſelfe rapt with an extaſie, Is this not wonder of ſo lewd, and of ſo curſt a tree Such fruite to grow? of graceles Syre ſo good a child to ſee? Is it not ſtraunge that in a houſe diſtaynd in villany Such noble ſhew of towardnes and vertuous gyftes ſhould lye? Let me ſome ſpeach to thee direct, dame Fortune: how haps this That here my daughter ſo vnlike to wretched father is? Degenerating from his ſteps, and with ſuch vertue fraught, As in her Fathers curſed houſe ſhe neuer yet was taught? Is it (I pray thee) credible, that out of ie ſhould ſring Such yſſue, as ſhould geuen be to any honeſt thinge? No truely, no: it cannot bee (my fates ful well I know) None ſuch, (vnleſſe to doe me ſcart and miſchiefe) would be ſo. T'encreaſe the heape of myne annoy no ſtraunge effect ſhall want. Dame Nature in her Creatures wil new affectes emplant. The Ryuer ſhall returne his courſe to Fountayne backe agayne, Dan Phoebus Lamp ſhall bring the Night, and Night ſhal day remain, So that my grieuous miſeryes with ſurpluſage may grow. But be as tis: I for a whyle wil play my part alſo, And ſhew ſome ſparke of piety, my fault to counteruayle: With murtdroue knife, my woeful dayes to end I wil not fayle. The onely helpe for Oedipus, the onely ſafey is To ridde himſelfe, and ſo redeeme that Helliſh fact of his. Let mee take vengeance on my ſelfe for wronges to father donne, Whoſe Death is yet vnexpate, by mee his curſed ſonne. Why doſt thou ſhake and tremble thus thou hand, not good for ought? Why flaggreſt thou to ſtabbe him in, who Syre to ſpoyle hath brought? That puniſhment which hether o by pulling out myne eyes Thou haſt inflicted on me, is but as a ſacrifyce, Or guerdon due for villany which I committed haue With mother myne. Now Daughter ſloute, leaue of pretences braue, Alledge no goſes: but with ſpeede let goe thy Fathers hand: Thou mak'ſt me die a lingring death within this loathed land. Thou thinkſt I am aliue, but I am dead long while agoe: To this my hateful Corps at length the rytes of Buriall ſhow. Thou meaneſt well, (I know) but yet therin thou doſt offend: Though colour for thy piety I ſee thou doſt pretend. But piety it canot be, to dragge thus vp and downe