Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 (Annals) tragedy T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.89 · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
And to promote thy hot desire both willing were, and priest: Yet all thy friends are fled away, and all recoiled back, And Soldiers here and there in Fields are come to deadly wrack. Although thou joy hereat receive, although the spoils thou take Of vanquished Brother, yet the palm of victory must slake, And not to thee be given whole. What kind of war (alas) Is this, thinkst thou? is't not more strange than ever any was? Wherein if he that victor is, joy therein any whit, Most execrable wickedness he (doubtless) doth commit. This Brother thine, whom now so feign thou wouldst bereave of breath, I wis, if he were once dispatched, thou wouldst bewail his death. And therefore make no more ado, but cease from wicked brawl, Rid country out of trembling fear, and parent's dole forestall. What, shall my Brother for this vile and shameful breach of pacie Go scotfree thus? shall he receive no guerdon for his fact? Fear not my Son, he shall be paid, and paid again, I trow: He shallbe King and reign in Thebes, his pain shall even be so. A pain in grain I warrant him. And if thou doubtful be, Let grandsire Laius and thy Sire examples be to thee. Sir Cadmus will the same display, and Cadmus' offspring all Can witness be that none in Thebes yet reigned without a fall. None yet the Theban Sceptre swayed, that hath not felt the whip. And promise breach made most of them from regal Crown to skip. Now if thou wilt, thou mayst insert within this bedroll here Thy Brother. marry, that I will, in shame hath he no peer. And unto me it seems a world of bliss to be a king And die with Kings. Thy case doth thee in rank of exiles bring. Reign King, but yet a loathed wight unto thy Subjects all. For that I neither reck ne care what shall to me befall. That Prince that fears disdainful hate, unwilling seems to range. The God that sways the Golden Globe, together hath these twain Conjoined and coupled Hate and Rule: and him do I suppose To be a noble King indeed, that can supplant his foes, And subjects cankered hate suppress. A King is often stayed From doing many things he would, when subjects love is weighed. But unto them that do repine to see him sit aloft, He may more rigour boldly show, and pare their pates more oft. He that will love of Subjects win, with Clemency must reign: A King that's hated, cannot long in Kingly seat remain. For kingdoms Kings can best describe, what precepts needful are. Mell thou in cases of Exile: for Kingdoms take no care. To be a King, I would engage to force of flaming Fire, Both Country, house, land, Wife, and Child, to compass my desire. No Fee, to purchase Princely seat, ne labour count I lost: A Kingly Crown is never dear, whatever price it cost.
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 to promote thy hoat deſyre both willing were, and preſt: Yet al thy frendes are fled away, and al recoyled backe, And Souldiours here and there in Fieldes are come to deadly wracke. Although thou ioy hereat receyue, although the ſpoyles thou take Of vanquiſht Brother, yet the palme of victory muſt ſlake, And not to thee be geuen whole. What kind of warre (alas) Is this, thinkſt thou? iſt not more ſtraunge then euer any was? Wherin if he that victor is, ioy therein any whyt, Moſt execrable wickednes he (doubtles) doth commit. This Brother thyne, whō now ſo faine thou wouldſt bereaue of breath, I wis, if he were once diſpatcht, thou wouldſt bewale his death. And therfore make no more adoe, but ceaſſe from wicked bral, Ridde countrey out of trembling feare, and parentes dole foreſtal. What, ſhal my Brother for this vyle and ſhamefull breach of pacie Goe ſkotfree thus? ſhal he receyue no guerdon for his fact? Feare not my Sonne, he ſhall be payd, and payd agayne, I trow: He ſhalbe King and raygne in Thebes, his payne ſhal euen be ſo. A payne in grayne I warrant him. And if thou doubtful be, Let Graundſyre Laius and thy Syre examples be to thee. Sir Cadmus wil the ſame diſplay, and Cadmus ofſpring all Can witnes be that none in Thebes yet raygnd without a fall. None yet the Theban Scepter ſwayd, that hath not felt the whippe. And promiſe breach made moſt of them from regall Crowne to ſkippe. Now if thou wilte, thou mayſt inſert within this bedroll heere Thy Brother. Mary, that I wil, in ſhame hath he no peere. And vnto mee it ſeemes a world of bliſſe to bee a king And dye with Kings. Thy caſe doth thee in rank of exiles bring. Raygne Kinge, but yet a loathed wight vnto thy Subiectes all. For that I neyther recke ne care what ſhall to me befall. That Prince that feares diſdaynful hate, vnwilling ſeemes to raynge. The God that ſwayes the Golden Globe, together hath theſe twayne Conioynd and coupled Hate and Rule: and him do I ſuppoſe To be a noble King indeede, that can ſupplant his foes, And Subiectes cancred hate ſuppreſſe. A King is often ſtayed From doyng many thinges he would, when Subiectes loue is wayed. But vnto them that do repyne to ſe him ſit aloft, He may more rigour boldly ſhew, and pare their ptes more oft. He that will loue of Subiectes winne, with Elemency muſt raygne: A King that's hated, cannot long in Kingly ſeate remayne. For Kingdomes Kinges can beſt deſcribe, what preceptes needfull are. Mell thou in caſes of Exile: for Kingdomes take no care. To be a King, I would engage to force of flaming Fire, Both Countrey, houſe, land, Wyfe, and Chyld, to compaſſe my deſyre. No Fee, to purchaſe Princely ſeate, ne labour coumpt I loſt: A Kingly Crowne is neuer deare, what euer price it coſt.