Campaspe (Alexander, Campaspe, and Diogenes) · chunk 10 of 25
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 T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
My case were light Hephestion, and not worthy to be called love, if reason were a remedy, or sentences could salve, that sense cannot conceive, Little do you know, and therefore slightly do you regard the dead embers in a private person, or live coals in a great prince, whose passions and thoughts do as far exceed others in extremity, as their callings do in Majesty. An Eclipse in the Sun is more than the falling of a star, none can conceive the torments of a king, unless he be a king; whose desires are not inferior to their dignities. And then judge Hephestion if the agonies of love be dangerous in a subject, whether they be not more than deadly unto Alexander, whose deep and not to be conceived sighs, cleave the heart in shivers, whose wounded thoughts can neither be expressed nor endured. Cease then Hephestion with arguments to seek to refel that, which with their deity the Gods cannot resist, and let this suffice to answer thee, that it is a king that loveth and Alexander, whose affections are not to be measured by reason, being immortal, nor I fear me to be borne being intolerable. I must needs yield, when neither reason nor counsel can be heard. Yield Hephestion, for Alexander doth love, & therefore must obtain. Suppose she loves not you, affection cometh not by appointment or birth, and then as good hated as enforced. I am a king, and will command. You may, to yield to lust by force, but to consent to love by fear you cannot. Why, what is that, which Alexander may not conquer as he list? Why, that which you say the Gods cannot resist, Love. I am a conqueror, she a captive, I as fortunate, as she fair: my greatness may answer her wants, and the gifts of my mind, the modesty of hers: Is it not likely then that she should love? Is it not reasonable? You say that in love there is no reason, and therefore there can be no likelihood. No more Hephestion: in this case I will use mine own counsel, and in all other thine advice, thou mayst be a good soldier, but never good lover. Call my page. Sirrah, go presently to Apelles, and will him to come to me without either delay or excuse. I go. In the mean season to recreate my spirits, being so near, we will go see Diogenes. And see where his tub is, Diogenes. Who calleth? Alexander: how happened it that you would not come out of your tub to my palace? Because it was as far from my tub to your palace, as from your palace to my tub. Why then dost thou owe no reverence to kings? No. Why so? Because they be no Gods. They be Gods of the earth. Yea, Gods of earth. Plato is not of thy mind. I am glad of it. Why? Because I would have none of Diogenes' mind, but Diogenes
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)
My case were light Hephestion, and notworthy to be called loue, if reason were a remedie, or sentē ses could salue, that sense cannot conceaue, Litle do you know, and therefore sleightly doe you regard the dead embers in a priuate perso, or liue coles in a great prince, whose passions and thoughts do as farre exceede others in extremitie, as their callinges doe in Maiestie. An Eclipse in the Sunne is more then the fallinge of a starre, none can conceiue the tormentes of a king, vnlesse hee be a king; whose desires are not inferiour to their dignities. And then iudge Hephestion if the agonies of loue be dangerous in a subiect, whether they be not more then deadly vnto Alexander, whose deep and not to be conceiued sighes, cleaue the heart in shiuers, whose wounded thoughtes can neither be expressed nor endured. Cease then Hephestion with argumentes to seeke to refel that, which with their deitie the Gods cannot resist, and let this suffice to aunswere thee, that it is a king that loueth and Alexander, whose affections are not to be measured by reason, being immortall, nor I feare me to bee borne being intollerable. I must needes yeeld, when neither reason nor counsel can be heard. Yeelde Hephestion, for Alexander doth loue, & therefore must obtaine. Suppose she loues not you, affection cōmeth not by appointmente or birth, and then as good hated as enforced. I am a king, and wil commaund. You may, to yeelde to luste by force, but to consent to loue by feare you cannot. Why, what is that, which Alexander maye not conquer as he list? Why, that which you say the Gods cannot resiste, Loue. I am a conquerour, shee a captiue, I as fortunate, as she faire: my greatnes may answere her wants, and the giftes of my minde, the modestie of hers: Is it not likely then that shee should loue? Is it not reasonable? You say that in loue there is no reason, and therefore there can be no likelyhood. No more Hephestion: in this case I wil vse mine owne counsell, and in all other thine aduice, thou mayst be a good soldier, but neuer good louer. Call my page. Sirha, goe presentlye to Apelles, and will him to come to me without either delay or excuse. I goe. In the meane season to recreate my spirits, being so neere, we will goe see Diogenes. And see where his tub is, Diogenes. Who calleth? Alexander: how happened it that you woulde not come out of your tub to my pallace? Because it was as far from my tub to your pallace, as from your pallace to my tub. Why then doest thou ow no reuerēce to kings? No. Why so? Because they be no Gods. They be Gods of the earth. Yea, Gods of earth. Plato is not of thy mind. I am glad of it. Why? Because I would haue none of Diogenes minde, but Diogenes