Hercules Oetaeus (Hercules on Mount Oeta) (Seneca's Tenth Tragedy) · chunk 21 of 44
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.89 · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
When be full crank in fiery cart, about the heavens flew: For thus by slaying Hercules, eke Nations slain I have What need thou Deianire of Gods a tool of death to crave. Now trouble not thy stepster Ioue, think scorn may Hercles' wife To wish for death, for to her heart her hand shall set the knife Dispatch then quickly with the blade, yet let thy blade alone, For who with weapon ends their life 'tis long ere they be gone I willbe headlong hurled from a rock as high as skies. The Oeta hill this shallbe it, where first the son doth rise, Thence will I throw my body down, the edge of brasten rock Shall cleave my corpse, and every crag shall give a broosing knock. My hand shall hang torn by the way the rugged mountain side Shall with the gushing bubbles of my dropping blood be dyde On death were vengeance small, though small yet may it be delayed. What desperate death I should attempt it makes my heart dismayed: Alas, alas that Hercles' sword within my chamber stuck Then well were I if for to die on that it were my luck. It is enough if one right hand do bring us both to grave. Come near, come near ye Nations, now let all people have In readiness, both stone and fire the same to throw at me, Now hold your hands, and take ye to your tools for I am she That of your succour spoiled you now cruel Kaysars may All uncontrolled tyrantlike, in kingdoms wield the sway, Now every mischief may start up, and not rebuked be. The altars now shall up again that wonted were to see A bloody offering like himself in kind that offer should. Thus have I made the guilty gap to let in bloodshed bold I render you to tyrant's kings, bugs, beasts, and grisly devils. By taking him away that should revenge you of these evils. O spouse thou of the thunderer and can you yet forbear Wilt thou not fling thy flames from heaven as did thy brother dear? Dispatch me hence sent up to Ioue, wilt thou not me destroy The greatest praise that thou might win then shall thou not enjoy Nor lusty triumph: I am she that bear the name to be The daughter of the man that would in prows caape with thee. Why wilt thou stain thy stock which hath untainted been before, This ill proceeds of igorance although it be full sore: He is not guilty that commits the guilt not with his will. Well may he err of ignorance that favoureth his ill And spares himself: myself of death most worthy I do deem. He doth condemn himself to die that needs will guilty seem. Death can deceive no one but such as innocentes may be. Wilt thou forsake the glorious son? The son forsaketh me. Wretch will thou cast away thy life.
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)
When be full crancke in firy carte, about the heauens flew: For thus by ſlaying Hercules, eake Nations ſlaine I haue What neede thou Deianire of Gods a toole of death to craue. Now trouble not thy ſtepſter Ioue, thinke ſcorne may Hercles wyfe To wiſhe for death, for to her heart her hand ſhall ſet the knyfe Diſpatch then quickly with the blade, yet let thy blade alone, For who with weapon endes their lyfe tis long ere they be gon I wilbe headlong hurled from a rocke as hie as ſkies. The Oeta hill this ſhalbe it, where firſt the ſonne doth ryſe, Thence will I throwe my body downe, the edge of braſten rocke Shal cleaue my corps, and euery crag ſhall geue a brooſing knock. My hand ſhall hang torne by the way the rugged mountayne ſide Shall with the guſhing bubbles of my dropping bloud be dyde On death wre vengeaunce ſmall, though ſmall yet may it be delayde. What deſpret death I ſhould attempt it makes my heart diſmayde: Alas, alas that Hercles ſwerd within my chamber ſtucke Then well were I if for to dye on that it were my lucke. It is inough if one right hand doe bring vs both to graue. Come neare, come neare yee Nations, now let all people haue In redineſſe, both ſtone and fier the ſame to throw at mee, Now holde your hands, and take yee to your tooles for I am ſhee That of your ſuccour ſpoyled you now cruell Kayſars may All vncontrolled tyrantlike, in kingdomes weilde the ſway, Now euery miſchiefe may ſtart vp, and not rebuked bee. The alters now ſhall vp agayne that wonted wers to ſee A bloudy offring like him ſelfe in kinde that offer ſhould. Thus haue I made the guilty gap to let in bloudſhed boulde I render you to tyrants kings, bugges, beaſts, and gryſely diuells. By taking him away that ſhould reuenge you of theſe euilles. O ſpouſe thou of the thunderer and can you yet forbeare Wilt thou not fling thy flames from heauen as did thy brother deare? Diſpatch me hence ſent vp to Ioue, wilt thou not me deſtroye The greateſt prayſe that thou might winne then ſhall thou not enioy Nor luſty tryumphe: I am ſhe that beare the name to be The daughter of the man that would in prowes caape with thee. Why wilt thou ſtayne thy ſtocke which hath vntaynted bene before, This il procedes of ygnorance although it be ful ſore: Hee is not gylty that committes the gylte not with his will. Wel may hee erre of ignorance that fauoreth his ill And ſpares himſelfe: my ſelfe of death moſt worthy I do deeme. He doth condemne himſelfe to dye that needes wil guylty ſeeme. Death can deceiue no one but ſuch as innocentes may bee. Wilt thou forſake the gloryous ſonne? The ſonne forſaketh mee. Wretch wil thou caſt away thy life.