Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.80 · 527 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
And could not do such nuptial Rites as tell for such a day. Into thy wedding Chamber she brought thee, ne yet thy Bride, Ne yet in solemn sort the house with herbs and odours plied: Ne yet did with a Ribbon white the wedding Torches tie, As use and custom wills to be at such solemnity. Adrastus, Father to thy Wife, and father in law to thee, With Daughter his, hath not defrayed much store of gold or Fee. No Dower hath he bestowed on her, her wealth was very small, Of Cities, Lands, and Revenues he gave her none at all. War, War: is it thou only hadst, by taking her to Wife: In lieu of other gifts, he helps to kindle all this Strife. Thou Son in law art unto him, that is our countries Foe: Thy Native soil thou leavest, and to foreign Courts dost go. Thou feedest now at Strangers board, and makest more account Of new acquaintance got abroad; as though it did surmount The friendship of thy country here: thou art a banished wight, And liv'st in exile, for no fault, but through thy brother's spite. In thee appears resemblance plain of all thy Father's Fate, In which there lacketh not so much as those of wedded Mate. Whom with as ill mischance and hap as ever Fathers was, Thou haste in luckless hour and time of marriage brought to pass. O Son, thy mother's only hope, for whom such care I take: Whose sight, now after many years, doth me most joyful make. For whom I have full many a time to Gods devoutly prayed: Whereas in deed, thy new return to me, may well be said To take away as great a joy, and bring as great a grief, As it to these mine aged years is comfort and relief. I prostrate at the Oracle, besought Apollo's Grace To tell me, when I should not need to further fear thy case. Who flouting this my fond demand, anon did flatly tell, And spoke these words, which yet (I trow) I do remember well. Thou fearest thy son, lest harm he take, as is a mother's guise: But thou I say more cause shalt have, to fear him otherwise. For if this war unraised had been I should thy presence lack: And if thou wert not, Theban Land might free remain from Sack. The sight of thee doth cost us all a hard and nipping price, Yet doth it like thy mother well: so that her sound advice In this one thing thou follow will. Dispatch these Armies hence: Even presently, while yet of blood there hath not been expense. So foul a Fact to be so near, is heinous out of doubt: I shake, I quake to think thereon, in every joint throughout. My hair stands upright even for fear, two brethren thus to see Aloof, and ready one to chop at th'other, cruelly. How near was I (poor Mother theirs, a bloodier act t'have seen.) Then father blind yet ever saw, or ever yet would ween? And though my fear be overpast and th'act unbrought to pass:
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)
And could not doe ſuch nuptiall Rytes as tell for ſuch a day. Into thy wedding Chamber ſhee brought thee, ne yet thy Bryde, Ne yet in ſolemne ſorte the houſe with herbes and odours plide: Ne yet did with a Ryband white the wedding Torches tye, As vſe and cuſtome willes to bee at ſuch ſolemynitie. Adraſtus, Father to thy Wife, and father in lawe to thee, With Daughter his, hath not defraide much ſtore of golde or Fee. No Dower hath he beſtowde on her, her wealth was very ſmall, Of Citties, Landes, and Reuenewes hee gaue her none at all. Warre, Warre: is it thou onely hadſt, by taking her to Wyfe: In lew of other gyfts, hee helpes to kindle all this Stryfe. Thou Sonne in lawe arte vnto him, that is our Countreyes Foe: Thy Natiue ſoyle thou leaueſt, and to forraigne Courts doſt goe. Thou feedeſt now at Straungers boarde, and makeſt more accoumpt Of new acquaintaunce got abroade; as though it did ſurmount The friendſhip of thy countrey heere: thou art a baniſht wight, And liu'ſt in exile, for no fault, but through thy brothers ſpight. In thee appeares reſemblaunce playne of all thy Fathers Fate, In which there acketh not ſo much as thoyſe of wedded Mate. Whom with as ill miſchaunce and hap as euer Fathers was, Thou haſte in luckleſſe houre and time of mariage brought to paſſe. O Sonne, thy mothers onely hope, for whom ſuch care I take: Whoſe ſight, now after many yeares, doth mee moſt oyfull make. For whom I haue full many a time to Gods deuoutly praide: Whereas in deede, thy new retourne to mee, may well bee ſaide To take away as great a ioye, and bring as great a griefe, As it to theſe myne aged yeares is comfort and reliefe. I proſtrate at the Oracle, beſought Apollos Grace To tell mee, when I ſhould not neede to further feare thy caſe. Who flowting this my fond demaund, anone did flatly tell, And ſpake theſe words, which yet (I trow) I doe remember well. Thou fearſt thy ſon, leaſt harme he take, as is a mothers guiſe: But thou I ſay more cauſe ſhalt haue, to feare him otherwiſe. For if this warre vnraiſde had bene I ſhould thy preſence lacke: And if thou wert not, Thebane Land might free remayne from Sacke. The ſight of the doth coſt vs all a hard and nipping price, Yet doth it like thy mother well: ſo that her ſound aduice In this one thing thou follow will. Diſpatch theſe Armies hence: Euen preſently, whyle yet of bloud there hath not bene expence. So foule a Fact to bee ſo neere, is haynous out of doubt: I ſhake, I quake to thinke thereon, in euery Ioynt throughout. My hayre ſtands vpright euen for feare, two brethren thus to ſee Aloofe, and ready one to chop at th'other, cruelly. Howneere was I (poore Mother theirs, a bloudier act t'haue ſeene.) Then father blind yet euer ſaw, or euer yet would weene? And though my feare be ouerpaſt and th'act vnbrought to paſſe: