Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 512 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Hale out of me this loathed soul that is so hard and stout: And thou dear father Laius stand up and look about: Behold wherever that thou standst: I Umpire do the make, And eyed judge of all my plagues that justly here I take. My Fact so lewd, so horrible, so loathsome to be told I never thought with any price or torments manifold Could have full expiation: ne thought I it enough To die this death: or in one part to be slashed through. By piecemeal I am well content to suffer torments all And even by piecemeal for to die: for plagues to plague me call. Exact the punishment that's due: I here most ready stand To satisfy with any death that law and right hath scanned. My former smarts, whenas mine eyes I raked out with paws, Were but as tastes of sacrifice, somewhat to help my cause. Come therefore (Father) near to me, and thrust this hand of mine More nearer into every wound. It sweru'de and did decline For fear, when first it took th'assay mine eyes to ransack out. I bear it still in memory, my eyes then stared about And seemed to dissuade the hand from doing of the charge Whereto it was enjoined tho, and had Commission large. Thou shalt well think that OEdipus dissembleth not a white But what his word hath warranted, his deed hath firmly quit. Thy stoutness then, was not so great when eyes thou pulledst out As was thy man aboden, when thou threw'st them from thee round about. Now, by those Eyeholes thrust thy hand into the very brain: That part where death attempted was, let death be sought again. Undaunted Prince, must noble Sire, with humble mind. I sue That I your Daughter may be bold to use some speech to you: And that you would with patience digest my poor advise: My suit is not to draw your mind to things, that erst in price You highly held, me to the view of glittering Palace old, Ne bravery of your noble Realm, scarce able to be told: But that you would these ireful fits, by trace of time now quailed, With patient mind sustain and bear: this virtue never failed I any Prynce of such a spright as in your noble Grace Appeareth bright: it fitteth not that such should once abase Themselves as thralls to sorrows check 〈◊〉 the conquest yield To adverse hap like 〈...〉 It is no praise, sir, though perhaps you so your reckoning cast To make of life so small account, and thus to be aghast At every wagging of a leaf, and cumbersome mischance: No, no, 'tis virtue in such case high courage to advance. And when things are at worst, to show true magnanimity: Not like a Mecock, cowardly at each alarm to flee. He that hath tried all fortune's spite and worldly wealth despised, And constantly hath borne all brunts that are to be devised, methinks no cause hath, why he needs to end his breathing days
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)
Hale ot of mee this loathed ſoule that is ſo hard and ſtout: And thou deare father Laius ſtand vp and looke about: Behold where euer that thou ſtandſt: I Vmpyre doe the make, And eyed Iudge of all my plagues that iuſtly heere I take. My Fact ſo lewde, ſo horrible, ſo loathſome to bee tolde I neuer thought with any pryce or tormentes manifolde Could haue full expiation: ne thought I it inough To die this death: or in one part to be beſlaſſhed through. By piecemeale I am well content to ſuffer tormentes all And euen by piecemeale for to die: for plagues to plague mee call. Exact the puniſhment that's due: I heere moſt ready ſtand To ſatiſe with any death that law and righte hath ſcand. My former ſmartes, when as mine eyes I raked out with pawes, Were but as taſtes of ſacrifice, ſomewhat to helpe my cauſe. Come therefore (Father) neare to mee, and thruſt this hand of myne More nearer into euery wound. It ſwru'de and did decline For feare, when firſt it tooke th'aſſay mine eyes to ranſacke out. I beare it ſtill in memory, my eyes then ſtar'de about And ſeemed to diſſwade the hand from doing of the charge Whereto it was enioyned tho, and had Commiſſion large. Thou ſhalt well thinke that OEdipus diſſembleth not a whit But what his word hath warranted, his deede hath firmely quit. Thy ſtoutnes then, was not ſo great when eyes thou pulledſt out As was thy man aoden, when thou threwſt them from thee round about. Now, by thoſe Gyeholes thruſt thy hand into the very braine: That part where death attempted was, let death be ſought againe. Vndaunted Prynce, muſt noble Syre, with humble mynde. I ſue That I your Daughter may be bolde to vſe ſome ſeech to you: And that you would with patience digeſt my poore duiſe: My ſuite is not to draw your minde to thinges, that earſt in price You highly , me to the view of glittring Pallace olde▪ Ne brauery of your noble Realme, ſcarce able to ee tolde: But that you would theſe yrefull fittes, by trace of time now quaild, Wth patient minde ſuſtayne and beare: this vertue neuer faylde I any Prynce of ſuch a ſpright as in your noble Grace Appeareth bryght: it ſth not that ſuch ſhould once abaſe Themſelues as thralles to Sorrowes checke the conqueſt yeelde To auerſe lyke It is no prayſe, ſyr, though perhappes you ſo your reckening caſt To make of lyfe ſo ſmall accoumpt, and thus to bee agaſt At euery wagging of a leafe, and comberſome myſchaunce: No, no, tis vertue in ſuch caſe high courage to aduaunce. And when thinges are at worſt, to ſhew true magnaniitie: Not lyke a Meycocke, cowardly at eche alarme to flee. Hee that hath tride all fortunes ſpight and worldly wealth deſpiſde, And conſtantly hath borne all bruntes that are to be deuiſde, Mee thinks no cauſe hath, why he needes to ende his beething ayes