Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 493 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
If that thou gape so greedily a Kingly Crown to wear: And that thou canst not rest content, till thou a Sceptre bear: Behold each quarter of the world affordeth kingdoms store. No doubt thou mayst win some of them, if that thou seek therefore. On one side here, lies Tmolus' mount, a soil bethwact with Vines: There runs Pactolus' noble stream with golden Sand and mines. On that side crooked Maeander glides through midst of Phrygia fields: On this side Hebrus swift of course much fruit to Thracia yields. Near thereunto lies Gargarus, renowned each where for Corn, And Trojan Xanthus swelling flood, that prick and price hath borne. There Sestos and Abydos stand in mouth of Ionian Sea, Which now is called Hellespont: and here another way Are countries, which more Eastward lie. There Lycia full of Creeks And havens strong is situate: these kingdoms, he that seeks, Is like to win: these would I have thee conquer with thy Sword: These, these to win let King Adrast to thee his aid afford. In some of these, let him thee make a King: in Thebes as yet, Suppose thy father Oedipus in seat of King to sit. Thy banishment much better is to thee, than this return, Sith all thy drift is cruelly to waste, to spoil, and burn. Thy banishment reputed is to grow through other crime: This thy return, in such a sort to Kingly state to climb, Is ill and faulty every way: with this thy warlike crew Thou shalt do better Realms to seek, where bloody guilt ne grew. Yea, this thy Brother, whom thou dost pursue with deadly hate Whose life, whose health, whose house thou dost with curses dire rahate Will aid thee with all power he can: himself will also go And serve in field for thine avail, 'gainst him that is thy foe. Advance thy power, march boldly forth to take this war in hand. Wherein thy parents wish thee good, and will thy helpers stand. A Kingdom got mischievously, and snatched with grudge of mind, More grievous is then exiles all, of whatsoever kind. Of war, the doubtful hazards all set down before thy sight, And thoroughly weigh thuncertain chance, that longs to martial fight. Though all the power of Greece thou bring thy quarrel to maintain, And though great armed multitudes of Soldiers thou remain: Yet chance of war still doubtful hangs, and hard it is to know, Who carry shall the victory, thou or thy vowed foe. Mars to no party tied in: what he decrees, shall be, As chance allots, so falls it out: this doom abideth free. Sword, hope and fear makes equal those, between whom otherwise Great odds there is: blind Fortune's lot the case between them tries. Thy rash attempt with crime begun, gropes after doubtful gain: And fond devices enterprised oft reap deserved pain. Admit that all the Gods in heaven did further thy request,
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)
If that thou gape ſo greedely a Kingly Crowne to weare: And that thou canſt not reſt content, till thou a Scepter beare: Behold ech quarter of the world affoordeth Kingdomes ſtore. No doubt thou mayſt winne ſome of them, if that thou ſeke therfore. On one ſyde here, lies Tmolus mount, a ſoyle bethwact with Vines: There runnes Pactols noble ſtreame with golden Send and mynes. On that ſyde crookt Maeander glydes through midſt of Phrygia fieldes: On this ſyde Hebrus ſwift of courſe much fruict to Thracia yeldes. Nere thereunto lies Gargarus, renoumd each where for Corne, And Troian Xanthus ſwelling floud, that pricke and price hath borne. There Seſtos and Abidus ſtand in mouth of Ionian Sea, Which now is called Helleſpont: and here an other waye Are countreys, which more Eaſtward lye. There Lycia full of Creekes And Hauens ſtrong is ſituate: theſe kingdomes, he that ſeekes, Is like to winne: theſe would I haue thee conquere with thy Sword: Theſe, theſe to winne let King Adraſt to thee his ayd affoorde. In ſome of theſe, let him thee make a King: in Thebes as yit, Suppoſe thy father Oedipus in ſeat of King to ſit. Thy baniſhment much better is to thee, then this returne, Sith all thy drift is cruelly to waſt, to ſpoyle, and burne. Thy baniſhment reputed is to grow through others crime: This thy retourne, in ſuch a ſort to Kingly ſtate to clyme, Is ill and faulty euery way: with this thy warlicke crue Thou ſhalt do better Realms to ſeeke, where bloudy guilt ne grue. Yea, this thy Brother, whom thou doſt purſue with deadly hate Whoſe life, whoſe health, whoſe houſe thou doſt with curſes dire rahate Wil ayde thee with all pwre he canne: himſelfe will alſo goe And ſerue in field for thyne auayle, gaynſt him that is thy foe. Aduaunce thy powre, march boldly forth to take this warre in hand. Wherein thy parentes wiſh thee good, and wil thy helpers ſtand. A Kingdome got miſchieuouſly, and ſnatcht with grudge of mynd, More greeuous is then exiles al, of what ſoeuer kind. Of warre, the doubtful hazardes all ſet downe before thy ſyght, And throughly waigh thuncertayne chaūce, that longes to martial ight. Though al the power of Grece thou bring thy quarel to mayntayne, And though great armed multitudes of Souldiours thou reayne: Yet chaunce of warre ſtil doubtful hanges, and hard it is to know, Who cary ſhal the victory, thou or thy vowed foe. Mars to no party tyed in: what he decrees, ſhal be, As chaunce allots, ſo falles it out: this dome abydeth free. Sword, hope and feare makes equall thoſe, betw ene whom otherwyſe Great oddes there is: blynd Fortunes lot the caſe betweene them tryes. Thy raſh attempt with cryme begonne, gropes after doubtful gayne: And fond deuyſes enterpriſd oft reape deſerued payne. Admit that all the God s in heauen did further thy requeſt,