Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.79 · 527 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Thy sword in hand fast clasped keep: On head thy Basnet tie: On Left Atme hold thy target sure, and on thy Guard rely. At all points armed prepared stand: all future doubts prevent: Be sure to see thy Brother first t'unarm himself content. And now to thee Eteocles some speech I am to use: Thou first wast cause of all this war, do not therefore refuse down first to lay thy brawling Blade, and yield to reason's lore: If name of peace so hateful be, if that thou any more intend'st this war to prosecute, in this so savage sort, Let mother yet this courtesy from thee (her son) extort That some small time of trusty truce thou wilt with willing mind Consent unto: till I my Son thy Brother most unkind May after flight go kiss end oel, now first or last of all. While I for peace entreaty make, you men unarmed I call To listen unto that I say: thy Brother feareth thee: And thou fearest him: and I fear both. But this my fear you see Is nothing for myself at all, but for th'avail of both. Why seemest thou thy naked sword to put in sheath so loath? Be glad to take the benefit of any little stay: In matters lewd 'tis wisdom good to stand upon delay. You enter into such a war, wherein he speedeth best That vanquished is: both of you fear to be by fraud distressed Through practised means and subtle plois of Brothers spiteful drift, Or overreached by policy of some devised shift. But if deceive or be deceived by him that is our Friend we needs must be: in such a case we shall the less offend In suffering wrong then doing harm: But fear thou not a whit, You both from ambushed treacheries your Mother will acquit. What say you Sons: shall this request of mine with you prevail. Or shall I curse my luckless fate, and on my Fortune rail. And judge your Sire an happy man, in that he liveth blind And cannot see the thing which I behold with pensive mind? In coming unto you, did I bring with me this intent, To end these broils? or did I come to see some dire event? Eteocles, some what appeased, hath pitched his Spear in ground, And not a weapon blood to she'd, in hand of his is found. Now Polynices, unto thee my former suit I bring, Regard thy Mother's mournful plight, and yield unto the thing That she with tears entreats to have. O Son, at length I see, I hold with hands, I kiss with mouth, I touch with joyful glee This Face of thine, the sight whereof I wanted have so long: And have more often wished for, then can be told with tongue. Thou hast from native Soil been chased to Coast of foreign king, And crossed been with trouncing force of frowning Fortunes sting. Thou many a Storm, and many a brunt in many a foaming Sea, In wandering sort and banished guise, didst oftentimes assay. Thy Mother at thy spousal feast was absent far away,
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 ſword in hand faſt claſped keepe: On heade thy Baſnet tye: On Left Atme holde thy Targat ſure, and on thy Gard relye. At all poyntes armd prepared ſtand: all future doubtes preuent: Be ſure to ſee thy Brother firſt t'vnarme himſelfe content. And now to thee Etheocles ſome ſpeech I am to vſe: Thou firſt waſt cauſe of all this warre, doe not therfore refuſe Downe firſt to lay thy brawling Blade, and yeld to Reaſons lore: If name of peace ſo hateful be, if that thou any more Entendſt this warre to proſecute, in this ſo ſauage ſort, Let mother yet this curteſy from thee (her ſonne) extort That ſome ſmall tyme of truſty truce thou wilt with willing mynd Conſent vnto: til I my Sonne thy Brother moſt vnkind May after flight goe kiſſe end oel, now firſt or laſt of all. Whyle I for peace entreaty make, you men vnarmd I call To liſten vnto that I ſay: thy Brother feareth thee: And thou fearſt him: and I feare both. But this my feare you ſee Is nothing for my ſelfe at all, but for th'auayle of both. Why ſeemeſt thou thy naked ſword to put in ſheath ſo loth? Be glad to take the benefyte of any litle ſtay: In matters lewde tis wyſedome good to ſtand vpon delay. You enter into ſuch a warre, wherein he ſpeedeth beſt That vanquiſht is: both of you feare to be by fraud diſtreſt Through practiſd meanes and ſubtil plois of Brothers ſpitefull drift, Or ouerteacht by pollicy of ſome deuyſed ſhift. But if deceiue or be deceyu'd by him that is our Frend Wee needes muſt be: in ſuch a caſe wee ſhall the leſſe offend In ſuffring wrong then doyng harme: But feare thou not a whit, You both from ambuſht treacheryes your Mother wil acquit. What ſay you Sonnes: ſhall this requeſt of myne with you preuayl. Or ſhall I curſe my luckeleſſe faie, and on my Fortune rayle▪ And iudge your Sire an happy man, in that he liueth blinde And cannot ſee the thing which I beholde with penſiue minde? In comming vnto you, did I bring with mee this intent, To ende theſe broyles? or did I come to ſee ſome dyre euent? Etheocles, ſome what appeaſde, hath pitcht his Speare in ground, And not a weapon bloud to ſheed, in hand of his is found. Now Polynices, vnto thee my former ſuite I bring, Regard thy Mothers mournefull plight, and yeelde vnto the thing That ſhee with teares entreates to haue. O Sonne, at length I ſee, I hold with hands, I kiſſe with mouth, I touch with ioyfull glee This Face of thyne, the ſight whereof I wanted haue ſo longe: And haue more often wiſhed for, then can bee tolde with tonge. Thou haſt from natiue Soyle bene chſde to Coaſte of forraigne king, And croſſed bene with trouncing force of frowning Fortunes ſting. Thou many a Storme, and many a brunt in many a foming Sea, In Wandring ſort and baniſht guiſe, didſt oftentimes aſſay. Thy Mother at thy Spouſal feaſt was abſent farre away,