Lyly, John · published 1584 · first performed or written c.1583 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) · before the Court T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs typicality 0.78 · 484 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
My mother will make much of you, when there are no more men than Vulcan. Come Cupid, receive with thy father's instruments, thy mother's instructions: for thou must be wise in conceit, if thou wilt be fortunate in execution. This arrow is feathered with the wings of Aegitus, which never sleepeth for fear of his hen: the head touched with the stone Perillus, which causeth mistrust and jealousy. Shoot this, Cupid, at men that have fair wives, which will make them rub the brows, when they swell in the brains. This shaft is headed with Lydian steel, which striketh a deep disdain of that which we most desire, the feathers are of turtle, but dipped in the blood of a Tigress, draw this up close to the head at Sapho, that she may despise, where now she dotes. Good my boy, gall her on the side, that for Phaos' love she may never sigh. This arrow is feathered with the Phoenix wing, and headed with the eagle's bill, it maketh men passionate in desires, in love constant, and wise in conveyance, melting as it were their fancies into faith: this arrow, sweet child, and with as great aim as thou canst, must Phao be stricken withal, and cry softly to thyself in the very loose, Venus. Sweet Cupid mistake me not, I will make a quiver for that by itself. The fourth hath feathers of the Peacock, but glued with the gum of the Myrtle tree, headed with fine gold, and fastened with brittle Chrysocoll: this shoot at dainty and coy Ladies, at amiable and young Nymphs, choose no other white but women: for this will work liking in their minds, but not love affability in speech, but no faith, courtly favours, to be Mistresses over many, but constant to none: sighs to be fetched from the longs, not the heart, and tears to be wrong out with their fingers, not their eyes, secret laughing at men's pale looks and neat attire, open rejoicing at their own comeliness and men's courting. Shoot this arrow among the thickest of them, whose bosoms lie open, because they would be stricken with it. And seeing men term women Jupiter's fools, women shall make men Venus' fools. This shaft is lead in the head, and whose feathers are of the night Raven, a deadly and poisoned shaft, which breedeth hate only against those which sue for love. Take heed Cupid thou hit not Phao with this shaft: for then shall Venus perish. This last is an old arrow, but newly mended, the arrow which hit both Sapho and Phao, working only in mean minds an aspiring to superiors, & in high estates a stooping to inferiors: with this Cupid I am galled myself, till thou have galled Phao with the other. I warrant you I will cause Phao to languish in your love and Sapho to disdain his.
nodes 472–474 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 24 of 27 in this edition
Length
484 words · 642 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T21 — Cupid, Venus and the nymphscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.783 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T21 · seed 44: T24 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
My mother will make muche of you, when there are no more men then Vulcan. Come Cupid, receiue with thy fathers instruments, thy mothers instructions: for thou must be wise in conceite, if thou wilt be fortunate in execution. This arrow is feathered with the winges of Aegitus, which neuer sleepeth for feare of his hen: the heade toucht with the stone Perillus, which causeth mistruste and ielousie. Shoote this, Cupid, at men that haue faire wiues, which will make them rubbe the browes, when they swell in the braines. This shaft is headed with Lidian steel, which striketh a deepe disdain of yt which we most desire, ye feathers are of Turtel, but dipped in the bloud of a Tigresse, draw this vp close to the head at Sapho, that she may despise, where now she doates. Good my boye, gall her on the side, that for Phaos loue she may neuer sighe. This arrow is feathered with the Phoenix winge, and headed with the Eagles bill, it maketh mē passionate in desires, in loue constant, and wise in conueiaunce, melting as it were their fancies into faith: this arrowe, sweete childe, and with as great ayme as thou canst, must Phao be striken withall, and cry softly to thy selfe in the very loose, Venus. Sweete Cupid mistake me not, I wil make a quiuer for that by it selfe. The fourth hath feathers of the Peacocke, but glewed with the gum of the Mirtle tree, headed with fine golde, and fastened with brittle Chrysocoll: this shoote at daintie and coy Ladies, at amiable and young Nymphes, chuse no other white but women: for this will worke lyking in their mindes, but not loue affabilitie in speach, but no faith, courtly fauours, to bee Mistresses ouer many, but constant to none: sighes to be fetcht from the longes, not the heart, and teares to bee wronge out with their fingers, not their eies, secrete laughing at mens pale lookes and neate attire, open reioycinge at their owne comlinesse and mens courtinge. Shoote this arrowe among the thickest of them, whose bosomes lye open, because they woulde be striken with it. And seeing men tearme women Iupiters fooles, women shall make men Venus fooles. This shafte is leade in the head, and whose feathers are of the night Rauen, a deadly and poysoned shafte, which breedeth hate onely against those which sue for loue. Take heede Cupid thou hitte not Phao with this shafte: for then shall Venus perishe. This laste is an old arrow, but newlye mended, the arrow which hitte both Sapho and Phao, working onely in meane mindes an aspiring to superiours, & in high estates a stooping to inferiours: with this Cupid I am galled my selfe, till thou haue galled Phao with the other. I warrant you I will cause Phao to languishe in your loue and Sapho to disdaine his.