Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T11 Siblings, kin and confidants · 489 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T11: sister, brother, love, friend, heart, father, mother, woman, lord, hear.
Who being mother, here oppose myself between you twain: Ere you do one another kill, I needs must first be slain. Take either therefore quite away this strange ungodly jar. Or if you will not: me dispatch, who stay your wished war? alas in this my pensive plight to whom should I direct My piteous plaint, and earnest suit? to whom might I detect Mine inward grief and throbbed heart? which of them were I best T'encounter first and fast embrace, to breed my surest rest? I love them both even equally, affection like I bear To either party: mother fond and partial else I wear. The one of them these three years space bath lived in banishment. But it all covenants may be kept, as at the first was meant, The other now as turn doth fall, must trudge an otherwhile, And learn to know what 'tis to live so long in like exile. Wae worth this happiness heavy hap: shall I not live the day, To see my sons together once in one self place to stay? Shall never I behold them both to better concord bent? Is all affection natural within them both so spent? Then, Polynices, come thou first, embrace thy Mother dear? Thou that hast travailed many a mile, and languished many a year. That many a storm abidden haste, and many a brunt sustained, And wearied long with sharp exile, from Mother's sight been weaned: Come unto me, and nearer stand, put up thy Sword again Into thy sheath: thy shivering Spear (that out of hand so feign Would be discharged at Brother's throat) within this ground stick fast. This Shield of thine lay also down. It makes me sore aghast. It is so big, it will not let this loving breast of mine. To join and debonairely meet with that sweet heart of thine: Take of thy helmet from thine head, the Thong thereof vuty. That I thy Vifuge may behold, and all thy face descry. Why dost thou backward turn thy head? and glancest still thine Eye, And takèst keep of brother's hand for fear of villainy? Thy body all with these mine Arms I will defend and hide? If he attempt thy blood to spill, his murderous blade shall glide First through these tender sides of mine: why standst thou so amazed? Dost thou distrust thy Mother's love? thinkst thou her kindness razed? Poly. I fear in deed, distrusting sore, Sire, Dam & all my kin: And think that truthless treachery in hearts of all hath been. Dame Nature's lewes are flung at heel, and nought esteemed be: No faith in kindred planted is, ne true sincerity. Since I by proof have seen and felt what hurly-burly grows Betwixt us Brethren: and from thence what Sea of mischief flows: I may suspect no faster faith in Mother to remain: It's not unlike, but she likewise will pranks as bad maintain.
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)
Who beeing mother, heere oppoſe my ſelfe betwene you twayne: Ere you do one an other kill, I needes muſt firſt be ſlayne. Take either therefore quight away this ſtraunge vngodly iarre. Or if you will not: mee diſpatch, who ſtay your wiſhed warre? Ahlas in this my penſiue plight to whom ſhould I dyrect My piteous plaint, and earneſt ſuyte? to whom might I detect Myne inward griefe and throubed heart? which of them were I beſt T'encounter firſt and faſt embrace, to breede my ſureſt reſt? I loue them both euen equally, affection like I beare To either party: mother fond and parciall els I weare. The one of them theſe three yeares ſpace bath liu'de in baniſhment. But it all couenaunts may be kept, as at the firſt was ment, The other now as turne doth fall, muſt trudge an otherwhile, And learne to know what tis to liue ſo long in like exile. Wae worth this hapieſſe heauy hap: ſhall I not liue the day, To ſee my ſonnes together once in one ſelfe place to ſtay? Shall neuer I behold them both to better concord bent? Is all affection naturall within them both ſo ſpent? Then, Polynices, come thou fyrſt, embrace thy Mother deare? Thou that haſt trauaild many amyle, and languiſht many a yeare. That many a ſtorme abidden haſte, and many a brunt ſuſtainde, And wearied long with ſharpe exile, from Mothers ſight bene waide: Come vnto mee, and neerer ſtand, put vp thy Sword againe Into thy ſhrath: thy ſhyuering Speare (that out of hand ſo faine Would be diſchargd at Brothers throate) within this groūd ſticke faſt. This Shielde of thine lay alſo downe. It makes mee ſore agaſt. It is ſo bigge, it will not let this louing breaſt of myne. To ioyne and debonairely meete with that ſweete heart of thine: Take of thy hemet from thine head, the Thonge thereof vuty. That I thy Vifuge may behold, and all thy face deſcry. Why doſt thou backward turne thy head? and glaunceſt ſtill thine Eye, And takèſt keepe of brothers hand for feare of villany? Thy body all with theſe myne Armes I will defend and hyde? If hee attempt thy to ſpill, his murthrdus blade ſhall glyde Firſt through theſe tender ſydes of myne: why ſtandſt thou ſo amazd? Doſt thou diſtruſt thy Mothers loue? thinkſt thou her kindnes razd? Poly. I feare in deede, diſtruſting ſore, Syre, Damme & all my kinne: And thinke that truthles treachery in hartes of all hath bin. Dame Natures lewes are flung at heele, and naught eſteemed be: No fayth in kinred planted is, ne true ſyncerity. Synce I by proofe haue ſeene and felt what hurly burly growes Betwixt vs Brethren: and from thence what Sea of miſchiefe flowes: I may ſuſpect no faſter fayth in Mother to remayne: Its not vnlike, but ſhee likewyſe wil prankes as bad mayntaine.