Hercules Oetaeus (Hercules on Mount Oeta) (Seneca's Tenth Tragedy) · chunk 37 of 44
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.76 · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
OF Hercules' most heavy haps Good young man make report How did he bear it at his death? In such a cheerful sort As no man lives. And could he with so sweet and merry look, The scorching pangs and torments of his ending fire brook? That there was any heat at all his face did not bewray, Who proved that power might force all things to stoop and to obey, That under son untamed be. Where did the noble knight, Among the wrestling waves of sea display his matchless might: That mischief witch all only yet the world knew not before, Even fire hath been conquered as beasts, and monsters more Among the toils of Hercules the fire is crept in. Declare us how the flaming force of fire could he win. As soon as he with smarting hand the Oeta hill had gripped, And forthwith from the branched beech the shrinking shade was wiped: And felled from the stump it lies, a Pine tree hard he bends, That cracks the clouds, & down from skies his haughty head he sends The Rock did totter ready for to reel, and with the sway It tumbleth down, a little grove withal it bears away. A spreading Oak of Chaon big, whose leaves did ever rush, And dimmed the sun, and did beyond the wood his branches push. It being hued doth crack, and eke in twain the wedges knaps: The steel starts back and thus the tool of Iron bides the raps, And flies out of the Log, at length at roar it shogged and shook, And falling down full lythly the overthrow it took. Forthwith the place lost all his light, the birds scared fro their nest Do soar about the cropped wood, and holes wherein to rest, And chirping with their weary wings about the plot they flicker In every tree the ringing strokes were multiplied thicker. The holy Oaks in hugy hand the Iron Axe did feel. No timber on the stallen stocks might scape the hewing steel, Thus all the wood upon a pile is heaped, and one by one The Logs are laid as high as heaven that Hercules thereon Might have a narrow room: his burning bones for to bestow. On pinetree top, and toughest Oak the fire begins to glow. And on the stumped willow flam'th, and thus the forest wide Doth make the Kill: the Poplar wood all Hercles' blocks doth hide. But as the puissant Lion when his fits do vex him sore, Lies wallowing on his back, and through the forest loud doth roar. So fareth he, who would have thought he had to burning gone? As one that climbs to heaven, not fire, he was to look upon When up he stepped on Oera mount and gazed on his Kill. Being laid aloft he broke the block, so heavy was he still. The shines yet could not bear his weight he calling for his bow
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)
OF Hercules moſt heauy haps Good youngman make reporte How did hee beare it at his death? In ſuch a chearefull ſorte As no man liues. And could he with ſo ſweete and merry looke, The ſcorching panges and torments of his ending fier brooke? That there was any heate at all his face did not bewray, Who prou'de that power might force al things to ſtoupe and to obay, That vnder ſonne vntamed be. Where did the noble knight, Among the wraſtling waues of ſea diſplay his matchleſſe might: That miſchiefe witch all only yet the worlde knew not before, Euen fier hath bin conquered as beaſtes, and monſters more Among the toyles of Hercules the fier is crept in. Declare vs how the flaming force of fier coulde hee win. As ſoone as hee with ſmarting hand the Oeta hill had grypte, And forthwith from ye braunched Beeche ye ſhrinking ſhade was wipte: And felled from the ſtump it lyes, a Pyne tree hard hee bendes, That crakes the clowdes, & down from ſkyes his hawty head he ſende The Rocke did totter ready for to reele, and with the ſway It tumbleth downe, a little groue withall it beares away. A ſpreading Oake of Chaon big, whoſe leaues did euer ruſh, And dimde the ſunne, and did beyonde the woode his braunches puſh. It being hewde doth crack, and eake in twayne the wedges knappes: The ſteele ſtartes back and thus the toole of Iron bides the rappes, And flyes out of the Logge, at length at roore it ſhogde and ſhooke, And falling downe full lythly the ouerthrow it tooke. Forthwith the place loſt all his light, the byrds ſcaard fro their neſt Doe foare about the cropped wood, and holes wherein to reſt, And chirping with their weary winges about the plot they flicker In euery tree the ringing ſtrokes were multiplied thicker. The holy Oakes in hugy hand the Iron Axe did feele. No timber on the ſtallen ſtocks might ſcape the hewing ſteele, Thus all the wood vpon a pile is heapt, and one by one The Logges are layde as hygh as heauen that Hercules thereon Might haue a narrow roome: his burning bones for to beſtow. On Pynetree top, and towgheſt Oake the fler begins to glowe. And on the ſtumped willowe flamth, and thus the forreſt wyde Doth make the Kill▪ the Popler wood all Hercles blocks doth hyde. But as the puiſſaunt Lyon when his fits doe vexe him ſore, Lies wallowing on his back, and through the forreſt lowde doth rore. So fareth hee, who woulde haue thought hee had to burning gon? As one that climbs to heauen, not fier, he was to looke vpon When vp he ſtept on Oera mount and gazed on his Kill. Being layde aloft he brake the blocke, ſo heauy was hee ſtill. The ſhyues yet coulde not beare his wayght he calling for his bow