Hercules Oetaeus (Hercules on Mount Oeta) (Seneca's Tenth Tragedy) · chunk 13 of 44
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.77 · 478 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
What may it be, that thou would have me keep so secretly? No broil of blades, no prive coat, no fiery force pardie: I you assure I can conceal, if mischief none be meant. For then the keeping close of it is sure a lewbe intent. Then look about, if none be here, our council to betray: Look round about, on all sides cast thy countenance every way. Behold the place is safe enough from any listening ear.) Beside the place of our estate there is a secret nook, A covert corner for our talk, that sunshine never took. Neither at morn, nor evening tide, when Titan's blaze doth quench. And he in ruddy western wave his fiery wheels doth drench. There secret lies the privy proof of Hercules amorous thought, I'll tell thee all dear foster dame: This witchcraft Nessus taught, Whom Ixion engendered of a misty growing cloud, Where Pindus' heavy hill his top among the stars doth shroud, And other stipe doth heave his Crest about the riding rack When Achelous over laid, with many a thumping thwack Of Hercles' club, did shift himself to every kind of shape, And trial made of all his sleights none served to escape, At length he turned himself into the likeness of Bull. And so was foully vanquished in form of horny skull. (While Hercules being Conqueror did me his Wife enjoy.) Returning home to Greece again, it happened Even lake To overflow the drowned marsh and channel to forsake, And strongly streamed to seas he runs, and swells above his banks. And Nessus used to pass the pool, and search the croaking cranks As Ferryman demands his fare, and bore me on his back, And wading forward broke the Waves, and surges of the lake. At length yet Nessus waded out unto the farther shore, Yet Hercules had swam but half the river and no more: And plied it hard to cut the stream: but when espied had he, That Hercules was far behind, Madam (quoth he) to me. (Be thou my booty, and my wife, and clasping me about) Away he flings, and Hercules' bestirs him maugre Wave: Though Ganges gulf and Ister stream (quoth he) thou traitor slave Might run in on, yet shift to scape them both, well could I make, And in thy haste a shaft shall soon they running over take: And ere he spoke the word, his arrow flew out of his bow, And wrought a wound in Nessus ribs, he could no farther go. It sped him sure, to look for death. He cried, well away. The baggage running from the wound reserved as he lay, And putting it into his hoof the which undoing, he In cutting it with his own hand, did give it unto me. And thus at latter gasp he said, the witches have me told,
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)
What may it be, that thou woulde haue me keepe ſo ſecretly? No broyle of blades, no priue cote, no fiery force perdye: I you aſſure I can conceale, if miſchiefe none be ment. For then the keeping cloſe of it is ſure a lewbe entent. Then looke about, if none be heere, our councell to betray: Looke rounde about, on all ſides caſt thy countnaunce euery way. Beholde the place is ſafe inough from any liſtning eare.) Beſide the place of our eſtate there is a ſecret nooke, A couert corner for our talke, that ſonneſhyne neuer tooke. Neyther at morne, nor euening tyde, when Titans blaze doth quench. And hee in ruddy weſterne waue his iry wheeles doth drench. There ſecret lyes the priuy proofe of Hercules amorous thought, Ile tell thee all deare foſter dame: This witchcraft Neſſus taught, Whom Ixion engendred of a myſty grouing clowde, Where Pindus hauiy hill his top among the ſtarres doth ſhrowde, And other ſtipe doth heaue his Creſt about the ryding rack When Achelous ouer layde, with many a thumping thwack Of Hercles club, did ſhift him ſelfe to euery kinde of ſhape, And triall made of all his ſleights none ſerued to eſcape, At length he turnde him ſelfe into the lykeneſſe of Bull. And ſo was fowly vanquiſhed in forme of horny ſcull. (While Hercules being Conquerour did me his Wyfe enioy.) Returning home to Greece agayne, it hapned Euen lake To ouerflow the drowned marſhe and channell to forſake, And ſtrongly ſtreamde to ſeas hee runns, and ſwells aboue his bankes. And Neſſu vſde to paſſe the poole, and ſearch the croking crankes As Ferryman demaundes his fare, and bare mee on his backe, And wading forward brake the Waues, and ſurges of the lake. At length yet Neſſus waded out vnto the farther ſhore, Yet Hercules had ſwam but halfe the riuer and no more: And plyde it hard to cut the ſtreame: but when eſpied had hee, That Hercules was farre behinde, Madam (quoth hee) to mee. (Be thou my booty, and my wyfe, and claſping mee about) Away he flings, and Hercules beſturres him mauger Waue: Though Ganges gulph and Iſter ſtreame (quoth he) thou traytour ſlaue Might roon in on, yet ſhi to ſcape them both, well coulde I make, And in thy haſt a ſhaft ſhall ſoone they running ouer take: And ere he ſpake the word, his arrow flew out of his bowe, And wrought a wounde in Neſſus ribbs, hee coulde no farther goe. It ſped him ſure, to looke for death. Hee cried, well away. The baggage running from the wounde reſerued as hee lay, And putting it into his hoofe the which vndoyng, hee In cutting yt with his owne hand, did geue it vnto me. And thus at latter gaſpe he ſayde, the witches haue me toulde,