Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.85 · 533 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
myself yet do I wretched think, that done so near it was. By all the throws for ten months' space, in womb when I thee bare, And for thy sister's sake both twain, which shine in virtue rare: And by those Eyeholes of thy Sire, for which with wreakful Paw He pulled his Eyes, because (unwares) he stained Nature's law, I thee beseech from Theban Walls sent back these armed Bands, Which threatening all our throats to cut, against our Country stands: Yea though you presently depart: yet are you much to blame, And there is due unto you both, a lot of during shame: Because this Country round about hath pestered been with power, And troops of Soldiers stout and brave, it ready to devour. With pensive hearts a mourning minds, these Eyes of ours have seen Your prancing couriers with their Feet, spoil Theban Meadows green. we oft have seen your houlty Peers in warlike Chariot ride: And oft our houses to have brunt with wildfire have been spied. And last of all. An act we saw (which even to Thebes is strange.) Two Brethren warring mortally, all Nature's bonds to change. Each one in th'Army saw this sight, the people witness be. Your Sisters two, and Mother I this all did plainly see. Your Father, he may thank himself: that he did not behold This lamentable spectacle and havocs manifold. Call now to thy remembrance here, thy Father OEdipus, Whose doom, did Facts (by error done) even plague, & punish thus. With Fire, & sword subvert not clean (good Son) thy country dear, And Thebes whereof thou wouldst be king) surcease with force to tear. What Bedlam pang enchants thy mind? what might thy meaning be? Thou claim'st a Realm, which to subvert thou givest licence free. In seeking thus a countries rule: a country thou destroyest: Which thou thine own would make, thou marrest, & (as 'twere none) annoyest. Hereby thou hind'rest much thyself, in that thou makest spoil, And burnest up both Corn and Grass, and keep'st a shameful coil, In chasting men out of their homes: (O desperate witless part) What man alive, to waste his own, can thus find in his heart? These things that thou commandest thus by rage of sword & flame To be consumed: another man thou thinkst doth owe the same. If thus for princely Chair you twain by th'ears your title try: The state of Realm and Commonwealth will totter soon awry. Seek it, while yet your Country stands unblemished by decay: It so t'enjoy, and so to reign, I count the better way. Ah, canst thou find in heart to burn, and spoil these houses brave? The like whereof in all the world besides, thou canst not have: Canst thou destroy and ruinate the noble Theban wall, To whose first building stones apace at Dan Amphion's call Came dancing of their own accord, through tunes of warbling harp: And couched themselves in order right upon the turret's sharp, Without all help of workman's hand, or Pully up to draw Such pieces as most weighty were? Wilt thou by lawless law Throw down these worthy Monuments? wilt thou from hence convey
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)
My ſelfe yet doe I wretched thincke, that done ſo neere it was. By all the throwes for tenne months ſpace, in wombe whē I thee bare, And for thy Siſters ſake both twaine, which ſhine in verie rare: And by thoſe Eyehoales of thy Syre▪ for which with wrekefull Pawe Hee pulld his Eyes, becauſe (vnwares) hee ſtained Natures lawe, I thee beſeech from Thebane Walles ſent backe theſe armed Bandes, Which threatning all our throates to cut, againſt our Countrey ſtands: Yea though you preſently depart: yet are you much to blame, And there is due vnto you both, a lot of during ſhame: Becauſe this Countrey round about hath peſtred bene with powre, And troupes of Souldiours ſtout and braue, it ready to deuowre. With penſiue hearts a mourning minds, theſe Eyes of ours haue ſeene Your praūcing couriers wt their Feete, ſpoile Theban Medowes greene. Wee oft haue ſeene your houlty Peeres in warlike Chariot ride: And oft our houſes to haue brunt with wildfier haue bene ſpide. And laſt of all▪ An act wee ſawe (which euen to Thebes is ſtraung.) Two Brethren warring mortally, all Natures bondes to chaung. Ech one in th'Army ſawe this ſight, the people witneſſe bee. Your Syſters two, and Mother I this all did plainly ſee. Your Father, hee may thanke himſelfe: that he did not behold This lamentable ſpectacle and hauockes manifold. Call now to thy remembraunce heere, thy Father OEdipus, Whoſe doome, did Facts (by errour done) euen plague, & puniſhe thus. With Fyre, & ſword ſubuert not cleane (good Sonne) thy coūtrey deare, And Thebes whereof thou wouldſt be king) ſurceaſe with force to teare. What Bedlem pang enchaunts thy mind? what might thy meaning bee? Thou claymſt a Realme, which to ſubuert thou geeueſt lycence free. In ſeeking thus a countryes rule: a countrey thou deſtroyeſt: Which thou thine own would make, thou marr'ſt, & (as twere none) annoyeſto. Heereby thou hindreſt much thy ſelfe, in yt thou makeſt ſpoyle, And burneſt vp doth Corne and Graſſe, and keep'ſt a ſhamefull coyle, In chaing men out of their homes: (O deſprate witleſſe parte) What man aliue, to waſte his owne, can thus find in his harte? Theſe thinges that thou cōmaundeſt thus by rage of ſword & flame To bee conſum'de: an other man thou thinkſt doth owe the ſame. If thus for princely Chayre you twayne by th'Eares your title try: The ſtate of Realme and Commonwealth will totter ſoone awry. Seeke it, while ye your Countrey ſtandes vnblemiſht by decay: It ſo t'enioy, and ſo to raigne, I coumpt the better way. Ah, canſt thou fde in heart to burne, and ſpoyle theſe houſes braue? The lyke whereof in all the worlde beſides, thou canſt not haue: Canſt thou deſtroy and ruinate the noble Thebane wall, To whoſe firſt building ſtones apace at Dan Amphions call Came dauncing of their owne accord, through tunes of warbling harpe: And oucht themſelues in order right vpon the Turrets ſharpe, Without all helpe of worckmans hand, or Pully vp to draw Such pieces as moſt waighty were? Wilt thou by lawleſſe law Throw downe theſe worthy Monuments? wilt thou from hence conuay