Hercules Oetaeus (Hercules on Mount Oeta) (Seneca's Tenth Tragedy) · chunk 15 of 44
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue · 501 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
Alas that faith to kings dwells not in houses of estate: Have Lycas here this shirt, the which my hands have spun of late, While Hercules at random roves, and overshot with wine Doth rudely dandle on his lap the Lydian Lady fine. Now dotes he after Iole: but this his boiling rage That burneth in his breast I will with courtesy assuage, For courtesy conquers cankered churls. See thou my spouse desire, He spare the Shirt, until he set the Frankincense on fire, And offer up his sacrifice, and wear his Garland grey Of Poplar boughs on wreathed locks. And I will go my way Toth' royal Gods, and will beseek the cruel Cupid's dame. Ye ladies and companions that with me heather came, Now force the fountains of your tears from watered eyes to run, To wail our Country Calydon on every side undone. O DEIANIRE dear daughter of our King OENEUS late, to see thy frowning fates Woe after woe thus down on thee to fling, It irks our hearts, that were thy foster mates. O woeful wight it pitieth us to see, Thy wedlock in this tickle state to be. we Lady, we, that with thee wonted were With flapping Oar on Acheloe to row, When having passed the spring time of the year, With Channel smooth he newly waxeth low, And makes again his swelling surges calm, And boobling runs at Ebb withouten walm. Through weal and woe we still with thee remain, And now what grief soever thou fear in mind, Account thou us as partners of thy pain, For commonly when Fortune turns the wind. And makes thee bear thy beaten Sail but low, Then friendship ebbs, where it before did flow. And who so guides the sway of golden mace, Though people thick do haunt his stately court, And in at hundred gates do press apace, Yea though that thou maintain so great a port, To guard thee with this garrison, yet shall Thou scarcely find one faithful heart of all. In painted porch, and gates of guilded bowers The lurking hag Eryn her tusks doth whet: And stirring strife with quarrelling face she lours. The portly doors no sooner ope are set, But treason black, pale envy deep deceit, With privy knife of murder step in straight. And when the Prince appears in open place, To show himself before his subjects sight, Swelling despite attendeth on his grace: As oft as dawning day removes the night, And every time the sun at West goes down, They look another man should claim the Crown. Few hearts love kings, not few their kingly might: The glorious show of courtly countenance Bewitcheth many: where one sets his delight How next the king he may himself advance. That through high streets he may as lord of rule With lofty looks, ride mounted on his Mule. Ambitious heat inflames his haughty breast. Another would his greedy hunger staunch With gobs of gold, (and though he it possessed)
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)
Alas that fayth to kinges dwells not in howſes of eſtate: Haue Lycas heere this ſhirt, the which my handes haue spun of late, Whyle Hercules at randon roues, and ouerſhot with wyne Doth rudely dandle on his lap the Lidiane Lady fyne. Now doates hee after Iole: but this his boyling rage That burneth in his breaſt I will with curteſy aſſwage, For curteſy conquers canckred churles. See thou my ſpouſe deſire, Hee ſpare the Shirt, vntill hee ſet the Franckinfence on fire, And offer vp his ſacrifice, and weare his Garlond gray Of Popler boughes on wreathed ckes. And I will goe my way To'th royall Gods, and will beſeeke the cruell Cupids dame. Yee ladies and companions that with mee heather came, Now force the fountaynes of your teares from watred eyes to roon, To wayle our Countrey Calydon on euery ſide vndoon. O DEIANIRE deare daughter of our King OENEVS late, to ſee thy frowning fates Woe after woe thus downe on thee to fling, It irks our heartes, that were thy foſter mates. O woefull wight it pitieth vs to ſee, Thy wedlock in this tickle ſtate to bee. Wee Lady, wee, that with thee wonted were With flapping Oare on Acheloe to rowe, When hauing paſt the ſpryng tyme of the yere, With Channell ſmoth hee newely wexeth lowe, And makes agayne his ſwelling ſurges calme, And boobling runnes at Ebbe withouten walme. Through weale and woe wee ſtill with thee remayne, And now what griefe ſo euer thou feare in mynde, Account thou vs as partners of thy payne, For commonly when Fortune turnes the wynde. And makes thee beare thy beaten Sayle but low, Then friendſhip ebbes, where it before did flow. And who ſo guydes the ſway of golden mace, Though people thicke doe haunte his ſtately courte, And in at hundred gates doe preace a pace, Yea though that thou mayntaine ſo great a porte, To gade thee with this garriſon, yet ſhall Thou ſcarcely finde one faithfull hearte of all. In paynted porche, and gates of guilded bowers The lurcking hagge Eryn her tuſkes doth whet: And ſturring ſrife with quarreling face ſhee lowers. The portly doar es no ſner ope are ſet, But treaſon black, pale enuy deepe deceight, With priuy knyfe of murther ſtep in ſtreight. And when the Prynce appeares in open place, To ſhew him ſelfe before his ſubiects ſight, Swelling deſpight attendeth on his grace: As oft as dawning day remoues the nyght, And euery time the ſunne at Weſt goes downe, They looke another man ſhould clayme the Crowne. Fewe heartes loue kinges, not few their kingly might: The glorious ſhew of courtly countenaunce Bewitcheth many: where one ſets his delight How next the king hee may him ſelfe aduaunce. That through high ſtreetes hee may as lorde of rule With lofty lookes, ryde mounted on his Mule. Ambitious heate enflames his hawty breaſt. Another would his greedy hunger ſtaunch With gubbes of goulde, (and though hee it poſſeſt)