Hercules Oetaeus (Hercules on Mount Oeta) (Seneca's Tenth Tragedy) · chunk 17 of 44
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
For hasty climbers oft in haste do reel. Mean dames defy both peerless and glittering spangs, And golden chains with rubies rich beset, Nor at their ears do massy jewels hang With turky stones: nor pranked proud they jet Iu murrey gownes: nor doth the wooll they weare Of Crimson die the costly colour bear Neither in Tissue, nor silken garments wrought With needle, nor embroadred Robes they go: And yet this state is free from jealous thought, Their wedding is not unto them their woe. When thousand storms in ladies hearts do dwell By wedlock breach, that breeds their noisome hell. Who so he is that shuns the middle way, Shall never find fast footing anywhere. The wilful lad that needs would have a day. And weighty charge of Father's chariot bear: While he from wonted ways his jades doth lance, Among strange stars they pricking forward prance, Enforcing them with Phoebus flames to fry, Whose roaming wheels refuse the beaten rut: Thus both himself, and all the Crystal sky In peril of the smouldering fire he put. So haughty minds that climb above their skill, Do work their own decay, and others ill. While Daedalus in flying through the air Did keep the midst between the sky and ground He could in safe to Italy repair, And gave no gulf his name by being drowned. But Icarus presumes to mount on high, And strives above the feathered fowls to fly. And scorns the guiding of his father's train. And in his flight will cope to lofty son: Which molt his wings so down he drops again Into the seas, whereby his name they won Thus proud attempts of haughty climbing hire Receive shrewd falls to quit their fond desire. Let other mount aloft let other sore, As happy men in great estate to sit. By flattering name of Lord I set no store: For under shore my little keel shall flit: And from rough winds my sails fain would I keep, lest I be driven into the dangerous deep. Proud Fortune's rage doth never stoop so low As little roads, but them she overflies And seeks amid mayne seas her force to show On argosies, whose tops do reach the skies But lo, here comes our Lady Deianire, 'straught of her wits, and full of furious ire, ALas through all my quivering joints a running fear doth rest, My staring hair stands stiff upright and in my quaking breast Deep terror dwells, and eke my heart, with dread amazed doth pant, With swelling veins my liver beats, as when the wind doth want Assuaged in calmy day, and yet the raging Seas do roar Whose wrestling waves were raised aloft by Southern blasts before. So yet my wits be toxicate, although my fear be gone: Thus God turmoils us when he means to cloy th'unhappy one. Thus proud attempts bedashed at length, Oh wretch, O careful wight, What mischief may it be wherewith thou art so sore affright.
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)
For haſty climers oft in haſte doe reele. Meane dames defy both peareles and glittring ſpanges, And goulden chaynes with rubies ryche beſet, Nor at theyr eares doe maſſy Iewelles hange With turky ſtones: nor pranked prowde they iet Iu murrey gownes: nor doth the wooll they weare Of Crymſen dye the coſtly colour beare Neyther in Tiſſew, nor ſilken garments wrought With needle, nor embroadred Roabes they goe: And yet this ſtate is free from Iealous thought, Theyr wedding is not vnto them theyr woe. When thouſand ſtormes in Ladyes hearts doe dwell By wedlocke breach, that breedes their noyſom hell. VVho ſo he is that ſhunnes the middle waye, Shall neuer fynd faſt footing any where. The wilful lad that needes would haue a day. And wayghty charge of Fathers charyot beare: VVhile he from wonted wayes his Iades doth iaunce, Amonge ſtraunge ſtarres they pricking forward praunce, Enforcing them with Phoebus flames to frye, Whoſe roaming wheeles refuſe the beaten rutt: Thus both himſelfe, and all the Criſtall ſkye In peril of the ſoulthring fyre he put. So hawty myndes that clymbe aboue their ſkill, Do worke their owne decay, and others yll. While Daedalus in flying through the ayre Did keepe the midſt betweene the ſkie and grounde He could in ſafe to Italy repayre, And gaue no gulph his name by beyng dround. But Icarus preſumes to mount on hie, And ſtryues aboue the fethered foules to flye. And ſcornes the guyding of his fathers trayne. And in his flight wil coape to lofty ſonne: Which molt his winges ſo downe he droppes agayne Into the ſeas, whereby his name they woone Thus proud attemptes of hauty clyming hier Receiue ſhrewde falles to quit their fond deſyre. Let other mount aloft let other ſore, As happy men in great eſtate to ſitte. By flattring name of Lord I ſet no ſtore: For vnder ſhore my little keele ſhall flitt: And from rough wyndes my ſayles fayne would I kepe, Leaſt I be driuen into the daungerous deepe. Prowde Fortunes rage doth neuer ſtoupe ſo low As litle roades, but them ſhee ouerflyes And ſeekes amid mayne ſeas her force to ſhew On argoſies, whoſe toppes do reach the ſkyes But lo, here comes our Lady Deianire, Straught of her wits, and ful of furious yre, ALas through all my quiueryng ioyntes a running feare doth reſt, My ſtaryng hayre ſtandes ſtiffe vpright and in my quaking breaſt Deepe terrour dwelles, and eake my hart, with dread amazde doth pant, With ſwelling vaynes my liuer beates, as when the wynd doth want Aſſwagd in calmy day, and yet the raging Seas do rore Whoſe wraſtling waues were raiſ'd aloft by Southren blaſtes before. So yet my wits be tockſicate, although my feare be gone: Thus God turmoyles vs when he meanes to cloy th'unhappy one. Thus prowd attempts bedaſht at length, Oh wretch, O carefull wight, What miſchiefe may it be wherwith thou art ſo ſore affright.