Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.84 · 514 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Though other causes none there were to move you (sic) to live, Yet is this one sufficient, that you by awe may drive Your sons my Brethren taring thus to unity and peace: For you their Father only may their Fury's cause to tease. You and none else may turn away th'occasions of this war: These brainsick youths from further rage you only may debar. By this your means the country shall their quiet peace enjoy And Brethren jointly reconciled shall work no more annoy. If you therefore this mortal life thus to yourself deny: You many thousands shall undo, whose states on you rely. What? canst thou make me to believe, that any spark of grece Or love to Sire, or honesty in them hath any place, Which thirst for one on other's blood, which after kingdoms gape, Whose whole delight is villainy, were, murder, guile and rape? Such hateful imps on mischief set, such wicked Termagosites, As to be sons of such a Sire with shame may wake their vaunts. At one bare word to tell thee all: thy brethren two are bent Upon all mischief, weighing not what looseness they frequent. When fling-brain rage ensots their heads, they care not they a rush Upon what Devilish vile attempts they give the desperate push. And as they are conceived and borne in most abhorred sort, So still devoid of Grace they think all villainy but sport. Their Father's shame and wretched state moves them no whit at all, To Country they no reckoning make what massacre befall. Their minds are ravished with desire ambitiously to reign. I know their drifts, and what they hope at length by shifts to gain. And therefore sith the case so stands I liefer had to die With posting speed while in my house there is none worse than I. alas, dear Daughter what ado dost thou about me make? Why liest thou prostrate at my knees? why dost thou travail take, To conquer my resolved mind with this thy spiced phrase Of fair entreaty? these thy words my flinty heart amaze. Dame Fortune hath none other bait to bring me to her lure Then this alone: till now I still unvanquished did endure. No Creatures words but thine alone could pierce this heart of mine, Ne from a purpose resolute my settled mind butwyne. Thou conquer canst thaffections fond that in my breast do boil, Thou teachest grace to father's house, and zeal to native soil. Each thing to me delightful is which jumpeth with thy will: Command me (Daughter) I thy hests am ready to fulfil. Old Oedipus if thou enjoin, will pass th' Aegaean Sea: And flashing flakes of Aetna Mount, with mouth he dare assay. He boldly dare object himself to romping Dragons claw Which raged, & swelled and venom spit apace, whenas he saw Dan Hercules away to steal his golden Apples all In Gardens of Hesperides. At thy command, he shall His Entrails offer unto job of greedy vultures Bill: At thy command, content he is in life to linger still.
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)
Though other cauſes none there were to moue you (ſic) to liue, Yet is this one ſufficient, that you by awe may dryue Your ſonnes my Brethren tarring thus to vnity and peace: For you their Father only may theyr furies cauſe to teaſe. You and none els may turne away thoccaſſons of this warre: Theſe branſicke youthes from further rage you onely may dibarre. By this your meanes the countrey ſhall their quiet peace enioy And Brethren ioyntly reconcild ſhal worke no more ennoy. If you therefore this mortall life thus to your ſelfe eny: You many thouſandes ſhal vndge, whoſe ſtates on you relye. What? canſt thou make me to beleue, that any ſparke of grece Or loue to Syre, or honeſty in them hath any place, Which thirſt for one on others bloud, which after kingdomes gape, Whoſe whole delight is villany, werre, wurther, guile and rape? Such hateful ympes on miſchiefe ſet, ſuch wicked Termagoſites, As to be ſonnes of ſuch a Syre with ſhame may wake their vauntes. At one bare woord to tel thee all: thy brethren two are bent Vppon all miſchiefe, wayghing not what looſenes they frequent. When flingbrayne rage enſots their heades, they care not they a ruſh Vpon what Deueliſh vile attemptes they geue the deſprat puſh. And as they are conceau'd and borne in moſt abhorred ſort, So ſtill deuoyde of Grace they thincke all villany but ſport. Theyr Fathers ſhame and wretched ſtate moues them no whit at all, To Countrey they no reckning make what maſſacre befall. Their myndes are rauiſht with deſyre ambitiouſly to raygne. I know their driftes, and what they hope at length by ſhiftes to gayne. And therfore ſith the caſe ſo ſtandes I leyſer had to die With poaſting ſpeede whyle in my houſe there is none worſe then I. Ahlas, deare Daughter what adoe doſt thou about me make? Why lieſt thou proſtrate at my knees? why doſt thou trauaile take, To conquere my reſolued mynd with this thy ſpiced phraze Of fayre entreatie? theſe thy wordes my flynty hart amaze. Dame Fortune hath none other bayte to bryng me to her lure Then this alone: til now I ſtill vnbanquiſht did endure. No Creatures words but thyne alone could pearce this hart of myne, Ne from a purpoſe reſolute my ſetled mynd butwyne. Thou conquere canſt thaffections fond that in my breaſt do boyle, Thou teacheſt grace to fathers houſe, and zeale to natiue ſoyle. Each thing to me delightful is which iumpeth with thy wil: Commaund me (Daughter) I thy heſtes am ready to fufill. Old Oedipus if thou enioyne, wil paſſe th' Aegaean Sea: And flaſhing flakes of Aetna Mount, with mouth he dare aſſay. He boldly dare obiect himſelfe to raumping Dragons claw Which rag'd, & ſweld and venime ſpit apace, when as he ſaw Dan Hercules away to ſteale his golden Aples all In Gardens of Heſperides. At thy commaund, he ſhall His Entrails offer vnto iobbe of greedy Vulturs Byll: At thy commaund, content he is in life to linger ſtill.