Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.84 · 505 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Thy Father's Corpses unburied through City, Field, and Town. For be that doth enforce a man against his will to die: And he that stayeth him that would fain die, most willingly, Are both alike in equal fault, and stand in equal plight. To hinder one that would be dead is murdering him outright. Yet not so great as tother is. I would be more content To haue my death commaunded me, then from me to be ent. Desist from this thy purpose (Maid) my life and death both are To dispose at my liberty, with choice to spill or spare, I willingly resigned the Crown of Theban soil: yet I Do still retain upon myself the entire Sovereignty. If I may make account of thee as of a trusty fear, And true companion at assays: deliver even here Into thy Father's hand a Sword: but tell me, dost thou reach The Sword imbrued in father's blood, wherewith my sons impeach The course of Law, possessing it and kingdom all by force? Where so it is doubt is there none, but clean without remorse There be the Floudgates opened wide, to all licentious lust. And thriftless trades: I all my claim therein do rake in dust, And clean forsake. Let both my Sons by Legacy enjoy The same, wherewith they surely shall contrive none small annoy. For me pile rather up a stack of wood set all on fire, That I therein may thrust myself: that is my chief desire: And make an end at once of all this carrion Carcase vile. Where is the surging wavous Sea? why stay I all this while? Bring me to some steep breakneck fall: bring me where Ismene flood With swift and horned course doth run, bring me whereas my blood. With goring push of savage beasts may out be let at once. To some Gulf bring me, where the fall and tide may crush my Bones. If needs thou wilt my guide remain, as oft thou dost me tell) Bring me that am disposed to die, where Sphiox that Monster fell With double shape opposed them that passed by the way, Propounding Riddles intricate, and after did them slay. There would I be, that place I seek: thy Father thither bring Into that monster's Cabin dire thy Monstrous Father fling. That though that Monster be dispatched, the place may be supplied With one as bad or worse than be: there will I far and wide In terms obscure report and tell my heavy luckless lot. The mysteries whereof the bearers, understandeth not. Give ear to that which I shall speak, mark thou Assyrian borne, Consider this thou Theban, where Duke Cadmus men were torn And slain in wood by serpent's rage: where Dirce silly trull In humble sort at Altar lies: advert my tale at full Thou, that in Lacedaemon dwells, and honour'st Castor's grace, And Pollux eke, two brethren twins. Find out this doubtful case. Or thou that dwellest in Elis town or by Parnassus hill,
seed 43: T30 · seed 44: T33 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Thy Fathrs Corpes vnburied through City, Field, and Towne. For bee that doth enforce a man agaynſt his will to dye: And he that ſtayeth him that would fayne dye, moſt willingly, Are both alike in equall fault, and ſtand in egall plight. To hinder one that would be dead is mh bring hnouright. Yet not ſo great as thother is. I would be more content To haue my death commaunded me, then from me to be ent. Deſiſt from this thy purpoſe (Mayd) my lyfe and death both are To diſpoſe at my liberty, with choyſe to ſpill or ſpare, I willingly reſgnd the Crowne of Thebane ſoyle: yet I Do ſtill retaine vpon my ſelfe the entyre Soueraygntye▪ If I may make accompt of thee as of a truſty feare, And true compagnion at aſſayes: deliuer euen heere Into thy Fathers hand a Sweard: but tell me, doſt thou reach The Sword embrewd in fathers bloud, wherewith my ſonnes empeach The courſe of Law, poſſeſſing it and kingdome all by force? Where ſo it is doubt is there none, but cleane without remorſe There bee the Fdgates opned wyde, to al licencious luſt. And thriftleſſe trades: I al my clayme therein do rake in duſt, And cleane forſake. Let both my Sonnes by Legacy enioy The ſame, wherewith they ſurely ſhall contriue non ſmal annoy. For mee pyle rather vp a ſtacke of wood ſet all on fyre, That I therein may thruſt my ſelfe: that is my chiefe deſyre: And make an end at once of all this carrion Tarkaſſe vyle. Where is the ſurging waus Sea? why ſtay I all this whyle? Bring mee to ſome ſtiepe breaknecke fall: bring me where Iſmene flood With ſwift and horned courſe doth run, bring me wheras my blood. With goaryng puſh of ſauage beaſtes may out be let at once. To ſome Gulfe bring me, where the fall and tide may cruſh my Bones. If needes thou wilt my guyde remayne, as oft thou doſt me tell) Bring me that am diſpoſ'd to dye, where Sphiox that Monſter fell With double ſhape appoſed them that paſſed by the way, Propounding Riddles intricate, and after did them ſlay. There would I bee, that place I ſeeke: thy Father thyther bring Into that Monſters Cabin dire thy Monſtrous Father fling. That though that Monſter be diſpatcht, the place may bee ſupplyde With one as badde or worſe then bee: there wil I farre and wyde In tearmes obſcure report and tell my heauy luckleſſe lot. The miſteries whereof the bearers, vderſtandeth not. Geue eare to that which I ſhal ſpeake, marke thou Aſſyrian borne, Conſider this thou Thebane, where Duke Cadmus men were torne And ſlayne in wood by Serpentes rage: where Dirce ſeely trull In humble ſort at Aulter lies: aduert my tale at full Thou, that in Lacedaemon dwelles, and honorſt Caſtors grace, And Pollux eake, two brethren twynnes. Fynd out this doubtful caſe. Or thou that dwelſt in Elis towne or by Parnaſſus hill,