Lyly, John · published 1584 · first performed or written c.1583 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) · before the Court unassigned nearest T12 Olympian gods: Jupiter, Juno, Venus and · 530 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T12: iupiter, saturn, iuno, venus, gods, mars, earth, titan, love, fair.
THou art a ferry-man, Phao, yet a free man, possessing for riches content, and for honours quiet. Thy thoughts are no higher than thy fortunes, nor thy desires greater than thy calling. Who climbeth, standeth on glass, and falleth on thorn. Thy heart's thirst is satisfied with thy hands thrift, and thy gentle labours in the day, turn to sweet slumbers in the night. As much doth it delight thee to rule thine oar in a calm stream, as it doth Sapho to sway the Sceptre in her brave court. Envy never casteth her eye low, ambition pointeth always upward, and revenge barketh only at stars. Thou farest dilicately, if thou have a fare to buy any thing. Thine angle is ready, when thine oar is idle, and as sweet is the fish which thou gettest in the river, as the fowl which other buy in the market. Thou needst not fear poison in thy glass, nor treason in thy guard. The wind is thy greatest enemy, whose might is withstood with policy. O sweet life seldom found under a golden covert, often under a thatched cottage. But here cometh one, I will withdraw myself aside, it may be a passenger. It is no less unseemly than unwholesome for Venus, who is most honoured in PRINCE's courts, to sojourn with Vulcan in a smiths forge, where bellows blow in steed of sighs, dark smokes rise for sweet perfumes, & for the panting of loving hearts, is only heard the beating of steeled hammers. Unhappy Venus, that carrying fire in thine own breast, thou shouldest dwell with fire in his forge. What doth Vulcan all day but endeavour to be as crabbed in manners, as he is crooked in body? driving nails, when he should give kisses, and hammering hard armours, when he should sing sweet amours. It came by lot, not love, that I was linked with him. He gives thee bolts, Cupid, instead of arrows, fearing belike (jealous fool that he is) that if he should give thee an arrow head he should make himself a broad head. But come, we will to Syracusa, where thy deity shall be shown, and my disdain. I will yoke the neck, that yet never bowed, at which, if Ioue repine, Ioue shall repent. Sapho shall know, be she never so fair, that there is a Venus, which can conquer, were she never so fortunate. If Ioue espy Sapho, he will devise some new shape to entertain her. Strike thou Sapho, let Ioue devise what shape he can. Mother, they say she hath her thoughts in a string, that she conquers affections, and sendeth love up and down upon errands, I am afraid she will yerk me, if I hit her. Peevish boy, can mortal creatures resist that, which the immortal God's cannot redress? The Gods are amorous and therefore willing to be pierced. And she amiable, & therefore must be pierced. I dare not. Draw thine arrow to the head, else I will make thee repent it at the heart. Come away and behold the ferry boy ready to conduct us. Pretty youth, de you keep the ferry that bendeth to Syracusa?
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)
THou art a Ferriman, Phao, yet a free man, possessing for riches content, and for honors quiet. Thy thoughts are no higher thē thy fortunes, nor thy desires greater then thy calling. Who climeth, standeth on glasse, and falleth on thorne. Thy hearts thirste is satisfied with thy hands thrift, and thy gentle labours in the day, turne to sweete slumbers in the night. As much doth it delight thee to rule thine oare in a calme streame, as it dooth Sapho to swaye the Scepter in her braue court. Enuie neuer casteth her eie lowe, ambition pointeth alwaies vpwarde, and reuenge barketh onely at starres. Thou farest dilicately, if thou haue a fare to buy any thing. Thine angle is ready, when thine oar is idle, and as sweet is the fish which thou gettest in the ryuer, as the fowle which other buye in the market. Thou needst not feare poyson in thy glasse, nor treason in thy garde. The winde is thy greatest enemy, whose might is withstoode with pollicy. O sweete life seldom found vnder a goldē couert, oftē vnder a thached cotage. But here commeth one, I will withdrawe my selfe aside, it may be a passenger. It is no lesse vnseemely then vnwholsom for Venus, who is most honoured in Princes courtes, to soiourne with Vulcan in a smithes forge, where bellowes blow in steede of sighes, dark smokes rise for sweet perfumes, & for the panting of louing hearts, is only heard the beating of steeled hāmers. Vnhappy Venus, yt cariing fire in thine own breast, thou shouldest dwel with fire in his forge. What doth Vulcan all day but endeuour to be as crabbed in maners, as he is crooked in body? driuing nailes, when he should giue kisses, and hammering hard armours, when he should sing sweete Amors. It came by lot, not loue, that I was lincked with him. He giues thee bolts, Cupid, in steed of arrowes, fearing belike (iealous foole that he is) that if he shuld giue thee an arrow head he should make himself a broad head. But come, we wil to Syracusa, where thy deitie shal be shown, and my disdaine. I will yoke the necke, that yet neuer bowed, at which, if Ioue repine, Ioue shal repent. Sapho shal know, be she neuer so faire, that there is a Venus, which can cō quer, were she neuer so fortunate. If Ioue espie Sapho, he wil deuise some new shape to entertaine her. Strike thou Sapho, let Ioue deuise what shape he can. Mother, they say she hath her thoughtes in a string, that she conquers affections, and sendeth loue vp and downe vpon arrandes, I am afraid she wil yerke me, if I hit her. Peeuish boy, can mortal creatures resist that, which the immortall Gods cannotredresse? The Gods are amorous and therefore willing to be pearsed. And she amiable, & therefore must be pearsed. I dare not. Draw thine arrow to the head, els I wil make thee repent it at the heart. Come away and behold the ferry boy ready to conduct vs. Prety youth, de you keep the ferry that bendeth to Syracusa?