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.
And grudge of mind sustained I there? in thinking on the same, To tell our wicked wedlock Yoke, I loathe, I blush, I shame. I may not well this gear conceal, I'll tell it: out it shall: Though to my shame it much redound, it may augment my thrall. I will display strange villainies, and them in number many, Most beastlike parts, most lewd attempts, to be abhorred of any. So filthy, and so monstrous, that (sure I think) no Age Will them believe to have been done: so cruel was my rage, That even each cutthroat Patricide thereat may be ashamed To hear it named: and with disdain straight ways will be inflamed. My hands in Father's blood imbrued to Father's Bed I brought. And have with Mother mine, his Wife, incestuous practise sought. To mischief adding mischief more: I wis my fault to Sire, Is slender in comparison: my graceless fond desire Could not be staid, till solemnly the marriage Knot was knit Twixt me and Mother mine, alas for want of grace and wit. How plunged am I in mischief still? how is the measure full Of horrors vile, which do my mind and heart asunder pull? And lest the heap of these my woes might seem to be too scant, My Mother (she my Wife that is) young issue doth not want. Can any crime in all the World more heinous be surmised? If any may: by wicked Imps the same I have devised. My Realm and Crown I have resigned, which I received as hire For murdering most unnaturally the king, my Lord, and Sire, Which Crown now since, twixt both my sons hath kindled mortal war. And all the country by the ears remains at deadly jar. I know full well what destinies to this same Crown belongs. None without Blood the same shall wear, and most accursed wrongs. This mind of mine (who Father am) presageth many ills: And gloomy days of slaughter dire: the plot that murder wills. Already is contrived and cast: all truth of word and deed Is quite exiled, all promise broke of pacts afore decreed. Eteocles, th'one of my sons who now in princely throne Beats all the sway, means still to keep the Diadem alone. Poor Polynices the other son, thus being dispossessed, And kept by force from Kingly rule his humble suit addressed Unto the Gods this wrong to wreak, this breach of league and oath T'avenge and plague: he Argos soil end Greekish Cities both Persuades t'assist him in this wary, this quarrel to maintain: That he in Thebes (as promise was) might have his turn to reign. The ruin that to wearied Thebes shall grievously befall And bring the pompous state thereof adown, shall not be small. Fire, sword, glaive, wounds, & thwacking thumps, shall light unto their share, And that ere long: and mischiefs worse (it any worse there are) And this shall hap, that all the world may know it is the race And issue of a curied Sire that darraygnes such a case.
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)
And grudge of minde ſuſtaynde I there? in thinking on the ſame, To tell our wicked wedlocke Yoake, I loath, I bluſh, I ſhame. I may not well this geare conceale, Ile tell it: out it ſhall: Though to my ſhame it much redound, it may augment my thrall. I will diſplay ſtraunge villanies, and them in number many, Moſt beaſtlike parts, moſt lewde attempts, to bee abhorr'de of any. So filthy, and ſo monſtruous, that (ſure I thinke) no Age Will them belieue to haue bene done: ſo cruell was my rage, That euen ech cutthroate Partrcide thereat may be aſhamde To heare it nam'de: and with diſdaine ſtraight wayes will be enflamde. My handes in Fathers blud embrude to Fathers Bed I brought. And haue with Mother myne, his Wife, inceſtuous practyſe ſought. To myſchiefe adding miſchiefe more: I wis my fault to Sire, Is ſlender in compariſon: my graceleſſe fond deſire Could not bee ſtaide, till ſolemnely the mariage Knot was knit Twixt mee and Mother myne, alas for want of grace and wit. How plungde am I in myſchiefe ſtill? how is the meaſure full Of horrours vile, which doe my minde and heart aſunder pull? And leaſt the heape of theſe my woes might ſeeme to bee too ſkant, My Mother (ſhe my Wyfe that is) yong iſſue doth not want. Can any crime in all the World more haynous be ſurmiſde? If any may: by wicked Impes the ſame I haue deuiſde. My Realme and Crowne I haue reſignde, which I receiued as hyre For murdring moſt vunaturally the king, my Lord, and Syre, Which Crowne now ſince, twixt both my ſonnes hath kindled mortall war. And all the countrey by the ears remains at deadly iarre. I know ful wel what deſtenies to this ſame Crowne belonges. None without Bloud the ſame ſhall weare, and moſt accurſed wrongs. This mynd of myne (who Father am) preſageth many ills: And gloomy dayes of ſlaughter dyre: the plot that murther willes. Already is cou's and caſt: all truth of word and deede Is quight exild, al promiſe broke of pactes afore decreed. Etheocles, thone of my ſonnes who now in princely throne Beates all the ſway, meanes ſtil to keepe the Diademe alone. Poore Polynices th'o other ſonne, thus beyng diſpeſſeſt, And kept by force from Kingly rule his humble ſute addreſt Vnto the Gods this wrong to wreake, this breach of league and oth T'auenge and plague: he Argos ſoyle end Greekiſh Cttyes both Perſwades t'aſſiſt him in this warie, this quarel to mayntayne: That he in Thebes (as promiſe was) might haue his turne to raygne. The ruyne that to wearied Thebes ſhall greeuouſly befall And bring the pompous ſtate therof adowne, ſhal not be ſmall. Fire, ſword, glaue, woūds, & thwackīg thūps, ſhal light vnto their ſhare, And that ere long: and miſchieues worſe (it any worſe there are) And this ſhall hap, that all the worlde may know it is the rac And yſſue of a curied Syre that darraygnes ſuch a caſe.