Hercules Oetaeus (Hercules on Mount Oeta) (Seneca's Tenth Tragedy) · chunk 9 of 44
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.78 · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
I grant it desperate deed, whereto despair now doth me drive. Die sure thou shall. And die I will, (as presently I live) The loyal spouse of Hercules. And ere this night do pass, Day shall not see that Deianire a living Widow was. Nor of my spousal head an whore shall get the interest. The dawning day shall sooner make the morning peer in West, Unto the eastward Indians the icy pole shall melt, And freezing Scythian first shall fry with flames that he hath felt Of Phoebus fervent wheel: ere me Thessalia Trulls shall see divorced: my bridal blaze shall with my blood quench be: And either let him murdered be, or take away my Life. So soothly let him count among the foiled fiends his Wife. Among Alcides' labours let me reckoned be as on. His love in heart I hold, until the utter gasp be gone. Thus undivorced (not unrevenged) I will to Hercles' tomb. It Iole be with child by him, I'll tear it from her womb, And rent it with these paws of mine. Yea in the wedding place, I flying at her fierce will set my talons in her face: Let him not spare in romping rage a sacrifice to make Of me upon his wedding day, when he his Trull doth take, So that I falling down may light on Iones senseless corpse He dies a happy man, that first hath quelled his foes by force. O wretched might why dost thou thus increase thy fuming heat: And feed thy fury wittingly lest hap should thee defeat. He loved Lady Iole, but while her father's crown Stood flourishing in royal state and were not bartered down, And as unto the daughter of a King be suitor was, But when from type of haughty pomp she did to thraldom pass He shook her of hot love was cold, and now her bitter bale Would not allow the wrecked keel to bear to high a sale: Unleeful things that should be shunned we greedily desire. But matters meeter for our state we seldom do require. The pytying of adversity doth oft enkindle more The fervent fits of love, and this perhaps doth urge him sore, To see her reaved of native soil, it may his fancy touch, Her hair not tucked with tresses trim, nor decked with golden ouche Perhaps the man with pity pricked doth love her for her care. Unto his noble heart to pity prisoners 'tis not rare. The sister dear of Priamus (fair Lady Hesyon) he Did cause to Telamon the Greek in wedlock knit to be: Account how many wives before, and maidens did he love, And ranged abroad to cool the rage that Venus' brand did move. Fair Auge maid of Arcady intentive set to lead Diana's drunce, by force of him did lose her maiden head. And yet no token could she show nor pledge of any ioue, What shall I speak of any more, or doth it me behove,
seed 43: T17 · seed 44: T19 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I graunt it deſpert deede, whereto diſpayre now doth me driue. Die ſure thou ſhall. And die I will, (as preſently I liue) The loyall ſpouſe of Hercules. And ere this night doe paſſe, Day ſhall not ſee that Deianire a liuing Wydow was. Nor of my ſpouſall hed an whoore ſhall get the intereſt. The dawning day ſhall ſooner make the morning peere in Weſt, Vnto the eaſtwarde Indians the yſy poale ſhall melt, And freezing Scithian firſt ſhall fry with flames that hee hath felt Of Phoebus feruent wheele: ere mee Theſſalia Trulls ſhall ſee Diuorſt: my brydall blaſe ſhall with my bloud iquenched bee: And eyther let him murdred bee, or take away my Lyfe. So ſoothly let him count among the foyled flendes his Wyfe. Among Alcides labours let mee reckned bee as on. His loue in heart I holde, vntill the vtter gaſpe bee gon. Thus vndiuorſt (not vureuengde) I will to Hercles tombe. It Iole be with chylde by him, ile teare it from her wombe, And rent it with theſe pawes of myne. Yea in the wedding place, I flying at her fearce will ſet my tallantes in her face: Let him not ſpare in raumping rage a ſacrifyce to make Of me vppon his wedding day, when he his Trull doth take, So that I fallyng downe may light on Iones ſenceles coarſe He dyes a happy man, that firſt hath quelde his foes by force. O wretched might why doſt thou thus increaſe thy fuming heate: And feede thy fury wittingly leaſt hap ſhould thee defeate. He loued Lady Iole, but whyle her fathers crowne Stoode floriſhyng in royall ſtate and were not bartred downe, And as vnto the daughter of a King bee ſuter was, But when from type of hawty pompe ſhe did to thraldome paſſe He ſhooke her of hot loue was coold, and now her bitter bale Would not allow the wrack kele to beare to hie a ſale: Vnleeful thinges that ſhould be ſhund we gredely deſyre. But matters meeter for our ſtate we ſeldome do require. The pytying of aduerſity doth oft enkindle more The feruent fittes of loue, and this perhappe doth vrge him ſore, To ſee her reaft of natyue ſoyle, it may his fancy touch, Her hayre not tuct with treſſes trimme, nor dect with golden ouche Perhap the man with pitty prickt doth loue her for her carc. Vnto his noble hart to pitty priſoners tis not rare. The ſiſter deare of Priamus (fayre Lady Heſyon) he Did cauſe to Thelamon the Greeke in wedlocke knit to bee: Account how many wyues before, and maydens did he loue, And raung'd abroade to coole the rage that Venus brand did moue. Fayre Auge mayde of Arcadye ententiue ſet to leade Dianas drunce, by force of him did leeſe her mayden hed. And yet no token could ſhe ſhew nor pledge of any ioue, What ſhall I ſpeake of any more, or doth it mee behoue,