Hercules Oetaeus (Hercules on Mount Oeta) (Seneca's Tenth Tragedy) · chunk 40 of 44
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.85 · 494 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
It boisterous giant Typhus had amid this fire been thrown, These torments would have strained his tears & forced him sigh & groan. Or tough Enceladus that tossed a mountain on his back. But Hercles' lifted up himself amid his fires all black, With smoke besmeared his corpse half burnt in shivers, gube & flaws, And down the throat his gasping breath & flames at once he draws Then to Alemen he turned himself: O mother mine (quoth he) Should ye so stand at Hercles' death? should you thus wail for me? And thus between the fire and smoke, upright and stiff he stands. And neither stoops nor leans awry, but moves and stirs his hands, With all his lively gestures still, and thus he doth persuade. His mother leave the languishing, and mourning that she made. And did encourage all his men t'increase the fire than As though he were not burning, but would burn some other man. The people stood astonished, and scant they would believe That fire had any force on him, or that it did him grieve. Because his cheerful look had such a majesty and grace. And never wild us move the fire that he might burn apace, (And now whenas he thought, he had endured pangs enough,) And stoutly bode the brunt of death, the blocks he doth remove, That smothering lay, to make them burn: then downward doth he shove And where the stewing heat did chiefly scorch, and burn most hot, That way he thrusts his frying limbs, and thither hath he got. (With steaming countenance unappalled his mouth now doth he fill) With burning coals, his comely Beard then blazed about his cheeks: And now whenas the sparkling fire unto his visage seeks, The flame licked up his singed hair, and yet he did not wink: But open kept his staring eyes But what is this? my think Alomene cometh yonder as a woeful wight forlorn, With sighs and sobs, and all her hair befrounced rent, and torn. And bears the remnant in her Lap, of Hercules the great. Learn Lordings, learn to fear and dread th'unwieldy fatal force. This little dust is all that's left of Hercles' hugy corpse. That boisterous Giant is consumed unto these ashes small O Titan what a mighty mass is come to nought at all. ay me an aged woman's lap all Hercules doth shroud, her lap doth serve him for a grave, and yet the champion proud, With all his lump stills not the room. ay me a burden small I feel of him to whom whole heaven no burden was at all. O Hercules, bear child, O son the season whilom was, That thou to Tartar pits, and sluggish deus aloof didst pass For to repass: from deep of hell when wilt thou come again? For to put loin the spoils thereof, or bring from captive chain To life thy friendly Theseus. But when wilt thou return
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)
It boyſteous gyant Typhus had amid this fire bene throwne, Theſe torments would haue ſtraind his teares & forſt him ſigh & grone. Or tough Euceladus that toſt a mountayne on his backe. But Hercles lifted vp himſelfe amid his fyres all blacke, With ſmoake beſmeard his corps halfe burnt in ſhiuers, gube & flawes, And downe the throate his gaſping breath & flames at once he drawes Then to Alemen he turnd himſelfe: O mother myne (quoth hee) Should ye ſo ſtand at Hercles death? ſhould you thus wayle for me? And thus betwene the fire and ſmoke, vpright and ſtiffe he ſtandes. And neyther ſtoupes nor leanes awrye, but moues and ſtirs his hands, With al his liuely geſtures ſtill, and thus he doth perſwade. His mother leaue the languſſhing, and mourning that ſhe made. And did encourage all his men t'encreaſe the fyre than As though he were not burning, but would burne ſome other man. The people ſtoode aſtoniſhed, and ſcant they would beleeue That fire had any force on him, or that it did him greeue. Becauſe his chereful looke had ſuch a maieſty and grace. And neuer wilde vs meue the fyre that he might burne apace, (And now when as he thought, he had endured pangues ynough,) And ſtoutly bode the brunt of death, the blocks hee doth remoue, That ſmothering lay, to make thē burne: then downward doth he ſhoue And where the ſtewing heate did chiefely ſcorch, and burne moſt hot, That way he thruſts his frying lims, and thether hath hee got. (With ſteaming countnaunce vnapaulde his mouth now doth he fill) With burning coales, his comely Bearde thē blazde about his cheekes: And now when as the ſparkling fier vnto his viſage ſeekes, The flame lickt vp his ſged hayre, and yet he did not winke: But open kept his ſtaring eyes But what is this? my thinke Alomene cometh yonder as a woefull wight forlorne, With ſighes and ſobs, and all her hayre befrounced rent, and torne. And beares the remnaunt in her Lap, of Hercules the great. LEarne Lordings, learne to feare and dread th'unwelldy fatall force. This little duſt is all thats lef of Hercles hugy coarſe. That boyſteous Giaunt is conſumde vnto theſe aſhes ſmall O Titan what a mighty maſſe is come to nought at all. Aye me an aged womans lappe all Hercules doth ſhrowde, her lap doth ſerue him for a graue, and yet the champion prowde, With all his lumpe ſtils not the roome. Aye mee a burthen ſmall I eele of him to whom whole heauen no burthen was at all. O Hercules, beare chylde, O ſonne the ſeaſon whilom was, That thou to Tartar pits, and ſluggiſh deus aloofe didſt paſſe For to repaſſe: from deepe of hell when wilt thou come agayne? For to put loyne the ſpoyles thereof, or bring from captiue chayne To life thy friendly Theſeus. But when wilt thou returne