Hercules Oetaeus (Hercules on Mount Oeta) (Seneca's Tenth Tragedy) · chunk 33 of 44
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.87 · 532 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
O Dismal day, O anguish, O the heaper up of ill. Ioues Son is slain, his Daughter dies, his Nephew liveth still. First by the Stepdame's treason, is the Son to ruin brought. The Daughter likewise trapped in trains, and thereby come to nought. What hoary head in change of tunes, or tenor of his age Hath seen, that Fortune's frowning Face hath stirred such stormy rage. One doleful day bereaveth me (alas) of parents twain. But least I speak to spite the Gods, I will somewhat refrain. I lost a Father, Hercules this only I complain. O noble Imp of Hercules, (alas) my Nephew dear, That dost of wretched Alcmen's Son the lively feature bear. Refrain my child thy wailing words, this quiet sleep perhaps Will overcome these plunging fits. But lo? lo in my lap. He doth begin to strive again, his fits begin afresh. Sleep giving up the feeble ghost to rankle in the flesh. What meaneth Thrachin craggy crest to show before mine eyes? Or now forsaking man am I advanced above the skies. Why do the heavens provide for me? the father Ioue I see, And eke my stepdame Iuno dire appeased now with me. What heavenly harmony is this that soundeth in mine ear. Dame Iuno calls me son in law, I see the palace clear (Of crystal skies and beaten rakes of Phoebus flaming wheel) I see the dampish moary den of glooming lady night Here he commandeth darkness dim to show itself in sight. What meaneth this, who is it that the heavens against me spars? And am I thus O father mine brought down again from stars. even now Apollo's sultering car did fume about my face So nigh I passed the pinch of Death, lo Thrachin top in place Who brought me back to ground again, beneath me erst it lay And all the world was under me, thou smart wert worn away, Thou forcest me confess the same. Ah mercy, mercy now. In stead of farther vengeance do these humble words allow. Lo Hillus, lo thy mother's gifts such presents she prepared Ah, might my truncheon punch her puddings once as whilom fared The haughty Lady Amazon well trounced for her pride On th'edge of icy Caucasus affront the mountain side. O noble lady Megara were thou my wretched wife, When rapt in rage of frantic fits, I rest thee of thy life Give me my bat and bow in hand, my wrists I will embrew. And force ye all your brags on me with blemish black to rue. Thus let of Hercules' exploits a woman be the last. Forbear O Sire thy hateful threats, she hath it, all is past. The vengeance that ye seek on her already hath her sped. With wound received at your hand my mother lieth dead O blinded anguish: die she should of Hercles' furious hand) Thus Licas hath his marrow lost the heat of burning breast Will have me on the breathless corpse for to revenge the rest Why doth she not yet feel her force both let her want a grave And on her cursed flesh to feed let beasts her carcase have.
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)
O Diſmall day, O anguiſhe, O the heaper vp of ill. Ioues Sonne is flayne, his Daughter dyes, his Nephew lyueth ſtill. Firſt by the Stepdames treaſon, is the Sonne to ruin brought. The Daughter likewyſe trapt in traynes, and thereby come to nought. What hoary head in chaunge of tunes, or teanour of his age Hath ſeene, that Fortunes frowning Face hath ſturd ſuch ſtormy rage. One dolefull day bereaueth mee (alas) of parents twayne. But leaſt I ſpeake to ſpite the Gods, I will ſomewhat refrayne. I loſt a Father, Hercules this onely I complayne. O noble Impe of Hercules, (alas) my Nephew deare, That doſt of wretched Alcmens Sonne the liuely feature beare. Refrayne my chylde thy wayling woordes, this quiet ſleepe perhap Will ouercome theſe plonging fits. But loe? loe in my lap. Hee doth begin to ſtriue agayne, his fits begin a freſh. Sleepe gieuing vp the feeble ghoſt to ranckle in the fleſh. What meaneth Thrachin craggy creſt to ſhew before myne eyes? Or now forſaking man am I aduaunſt aboue the ſkies. Why do the heauens prouyde for me? the father Ioue I ſee, And eake my ſtepdame Iuno dire appeaſed now with me. What heauenly harmony is this that ſoundeth in myne eare. Dame Iuno calles me ſonne in law, I ſe the pallace cleare (Of chriſtal ſkies and beaten rakes of Phoebus flaming wheele) I ſee the dumpiſh moary denne of glowming lady night Here he commaundeth darknes dim to ſhew it ſelf in ſight. What meaneth this, who is it that the heauens agaynſt me ſparres? And am I thus O father myne brought downe againe from ſtarres. Euen now Appolloës ſowltring car did fume about my face So nie I paſt the pinch of Death, lo Thrachin top in place Who brought me backe to ground agayne, beneath me earſt it lay And al the world was vnder me, thou ſmart wert worne away, Thou forceſt me confeſſe the ſame. Ah mercy, mercy now. In ſtead of farther vengeance do theſe humble wordes allow. Lo Hillus, lo thy mothers giftes ſuch preſentes ſhee preparde Ah, might my trunchion punch her puddinges once as whilom farde The haughty Ladye Amazon wel trounſed for her pride On thedge of yſy Caucaſus afront the mountayne ſyde. O noble lady Megara were thou my wretched wyfe, When rapt in rage of franticke fittes, I reſt thee of thy life Geue me my batt and bow in hand, my wreſtes I wil imbrew. And force ye all your brages on me with blemiſh blacke to rue. Thus let of Hercules exployts a woman be the laſt. Forbeare O Syre thy hateful threates, ſhe hath it, all is paſt. The vengeance that ye ſeke on her already hath her ſpedd. With wound receiued at your hand my mother lieth dead O blynded anquiſh: dye ſhe ſhould of Hercles furious hand) Thus Licas hath his marrow loſt the heate of burning breſt Wil haue me on the breathleſſe coarſe for to reuenge the reſt Why doth ſhee not yet fele her force both let her want a graue And on her curſed fleſh to feede let beaſtes her carkaſſe haue.