Hippolytus (Seneca's Fourth Tragedy) · chunk 20 of 30
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1567 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm · 475 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
AT length I scaped the glowing glades of grim eternal Night, And eke the underpropping pole, that each infernal sprite Doth muffle in, shut up in shades lo how my dazzled eyes Can scant abide the long desired light of Marble Skies. Eleusis now four offerings of Triptolemus divides, And counterpoised Day with Night now four times Libra hides. I earnest in my Perilous toil in doubt what luck to have Twixt dread of ghastly Death, and hope my feeble life to save, Some spark of life still in my breathless limbs abiding was, whenas embarked on irksome Styx Alcides down did pass, To succour me in dire distress, who when the hell-like hound From Tartares grisly gates in Chains he dragged above the ground, And also me he carried up into the World again My tired limbs doth sappy pith of former strength restrain, My feeble faltering legs do quake, what lugging toil it was From bottom deep of Phlegethon to world aloof to pass? What dreary dole & mourning noise is this that beats mine ears? Let some declare it unto me: who blubbered so with tears Lamenting loud and languishing within our gates appears? This entertainment sit is for a guest that comes from Hell. A stubborn heart and obstinate in Phaedra's breast doth dwell, With desperate mind to slay herself our tears she doth despise, And giving up the gasping Ghost, alas my Lady dies. Why should she kill herself? why die, her spouse being come again For this (my Lord) with hasty death she would her selfe haue slame. These troublous words some perilous thing I wot not what to tell Speak plain: what lump of glutting grief her laded heart doth quei She doth complain her case to none, but pensively and sad She keeps it secret to herself, determined thus she had, To bear about with her the bane, wherewith she means to die. Hie, hie thee fast, I pray thee now, now have we need to high. Our Palace locked with stately stoulpes set open by and by. O Madame Mate of Spousal bed thus dost thou entertain The coming of thy loving Spouse? and welcome home again Thy long desired Husband's face? why takes thou not away My Sword out of my hand, and dost not cheer my Sprites (I say) Nor showest me what doth the breath out of the body chase? Alas my valiant Theseus even for thy royal mace, Wherewith thy Kingdom thou dost wield, and by the noble reign Of thy belo'ud posterity, and coming home again, And for the worship that is due unto my fatal grave, O let me die and suffer me, deserved death to have. What cause compelleth thee to die? If I the cause of death Disclose, then shall I not obtain the losing of my breath:
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)
AT length I ſcapt the glowinge glades of grim eternall Night, And eake the vnderpropping poale, that each infernall Spright Doth muffie in, ſhut vp in ſhades loe how my dazelled eyes Can ſcant abyde the long deſſred light of Marble Skies. Eleusis now fowre offringes of Triptolemus deuydes, And counterpayſed Day with Night now foure tymes Libra hydes. I earneſt in my Parlous toyle in doubt what lucke to haue Twixt dread of gaſtly Death, and hope my feeble life to ſaue, Some ſparke of life ſtil in my breahles limmes abyding was, When as embarkt on erkeſome Stix Alcides downe did paſſe, To ſuccour me in dire diſtreſſe, who when the hellicke hound From Tartares grieſly gates in Chaynes he dragd aboue the ground, And alſo me he caryed vp into the World agayne My tyred limmes doth fappy pith of former ſtrength reſtrayne, My feble faltring legges do quake, what lugging toyle it was From bottom deepe of Phlegethon to world aloofe to paſſe? What dreary dole & mourning noyſe is this that beates myne eares? Let ſome declare it vnto mee: who blubbred ſo with teares Lamenting loud and languiſhing within our gates appeares? This entertaynment ſit is for a gueſt that comes from Hell. A ſtubburne heart and obſtinate in Phaedras breaſt doth dwell, With deſpret mind to ſlay her ſelfe our teares ſhe doth deſpyſe, And giuing vp the gaſping Ghoaſt, alas my Lady dyes. Why ſhould ſhe kill herſelfe? why die, hir ſpouſe being come againe For this (my Lord) with haſty death ſhe would her ſelfe haue ſlame. Theſe troblous wordes ſome perlous thing I wot not what to tell Speake plain: what lumpe of glutting griefe her laded heart doth quei She doth complayne her caſe to none, but penſluely and ſad She keepes it ſecrete to hir ſelfe, determind thus ſhee had, To beare aboute with her the bane, wherewith ſhe meanes to die. Hie, hie thee faſt, I pray thee now, now haue wee neede to hye. Our Pallace lockt with ſtately ſtoulpes ſet open by and by. O Madame Mate of Spouſall bedde thus doſt thou entertayne The comming of thy louing Spouſe? and welcom home agayne Thy long deſyred Hoſbandes face? why takes thou not away My Sword out of my hand, and doſt not cheare my Sprites (I ſaye) Nor ſheweſt me what doth the breath out of the body chaſe? Alas my valiant Theſeus euen for thy royall mace, Wherwith thy Kingdome thou doſt weild, and by the noble raygne Of thy belo'ud poſterity, and comming home agayne, And for the worſhip that is due vnto my fatall graue, O let me die and ſuffer me, deſerued death to haue. What cauſe compelleth thee to die? If I the cauſe of death Diſcloſe, then ſhall I not obtayne the looſyng of my breath: