Campaspe (Alexander, Campaspe, and Diogenes) · chunk 13 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 T12 Olympian gods: Jupiter, Juno, Venus and typicality 0.77 · 508 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T12: iupiter, saturn, iuno, venus, gods, mars, earth, titan, love, fair.
A fair woman, but a foul deceit. This is Alcmena, unto whom Iupiter came in shape of Amphitrion her husband, and begat Hercules. A famous son, but an infamous fact. He might do it, because he was a God. Nay, therefore it was evil done, because he was a God. This is Danae, into whose prison Iupiter drizzled a golden shower, and obtained his desire. What gold can make one yield to desire? This is Europa, whom Iupiter ravished, this Antiopa. Were all the Gods like this Iupiter? There were many Gods in this like Iupiter. I think in those days love was well ratified among men on earth, when lust was so full authorised by the Gods in heaven. Nay, you may imagine there were women passing amiable, when there were Gods exceeding amorous. Were women never so fair, men would be false. Were women never so false, men would be fond. What counterfeit is this Apelles? This is Venus, the Goddess of love. What, be there also loving Goddesses? This is she that hath power to command the very affections of the heart. How is she hired, by prayer, by sacrifice, or bribs? By prayer, sacrifice and bribes. What prayer? Vows irrevocable. What sacrifice? Hearts ever sighing, never dissembling. What bribes? Roses and kisses? but were you never in love? No, nor love in me. Then have you injuried many. How so? Because you have been loved of many. Flattered perchance of some. Is it not possible that a face so fair, and a wit so sharp, both without comparison, should not be apt to love. If you begin to tip your tongue with cunning, I pray dip your pencil in colours, and fall to that you must do, not that you would do. Parmenio I cannot tell how it cometh to pass, that in Alexander now a days there groweth an unpatient kind of life, in the morning he is melancholy, at noon solemn, at all times either more sour or severe, than he was accustomed. In kings causes I rather love to doubt then conjecture and think it better to be ignorant then inquisitive: they have long ears and stretched arms, in whose heads suspicion is a proof, and to be accused is to be condemned. Yet between us there can be no danger to find out the cause: for that there is no malice to withstand it. It may be an unquenchable thirst of conquering maketh him unquiet: it is not unlikely his long ease hath altered his humour: that he should be in love, it is not impossible. In love Clytus, no, no, it is as far from his thought, as treason in ours: he, whose ever waking eye, whose never tired heart, whose body patient of labour, whose mind unsatiable of victory hath always been noted, cannot so soon be melted into the weak conceits of love: Aristotle told him there were many worlds, and that he hath not conquered one that gapeth for all, galleth Alexander. But here he cometh.
seed 43: T28 · seed 44: T22 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
A faire woman, but a foule deceit. This is Alcmena, vnto whō Iupiter came in shape of Amphitriō her husband, and begate Hercules. A famous sonne, but an infamous fact. He might do it, because he was a God. Nay, therefore it was euil done, because he was a God. This is Danae, into whose prison Iupiter drisled a golden shewre, and obtained his desire. What gold can make one yeelde to desire? This is Europa, whom Iupiter rauished, this Antiopa. Were al the Gods like this Iupiter? There were many Gods in this like Iupiter. I thinke in those daies loue was well ratified among men on earth, when lust was so full autorised by the Gods in heauen. Nay, you may imagine there were womē passing amiable, whēther were Gods exceding amorous. Were women neuer so faire, men would be false. Were women neuer so false, men wold be fond. What counterfeit is this Apelles? This is Venus, the Goddesse of loue. What, be there also louing Goddesses? This is she that hath power to commaunde the very affections of the heart. How is she hired, by praier, by sacrifice, or bribs? By praier, sacrifice and bribes. What praier? Vowes irreuocable. What sacrifice? Hearts euer sighing, neuer dissembling. What bribes? Roses and kisses? but were you neuer in loue? No, nor loue in me. Then haue you iniuried many. How so? Because you haue beene loued of many. Flattered perchance of some. Is it not possible that a face so faire, and a wit so sharp, both without comparison, shulde not bee apte to loue. If you begin to tip your tong with cunninge, I pray dip your pensil in colours, and fall to that you must doe, not that you would doe. Parmenio I cannot tell howe it cōmeth to passe, that in Alexander now a daies there groweth an vnpaciēt kinde of life, in the morning he is melācholye, at noone solomne, at all times either more sower or seuere, then he was accustomed. In kinges causes I rather loue to doubte then coniecture and thinke it better to be ignoraunt then inquisitiue: they haue long eares and stretched armes, in whose heades suspition is a proofe, and to bee accused is to be condemned. Yet betweene vs there canne be no daunger to finde out the cause: for that there is no malice to withstand it. It may be an vnquenchable thirste of conquering maketh him vnquiet: it is not vnlikely his long ease hath altred his humour: that hee shoulde be in loue, it is not impossible. In loue Clytus, no, no, it is as farre from his thought, as treason in ours: hee, whose euer waking eye, whose neuer tired heart, whose body pacient of labour, whose mind vnsatiable of victorie hath alwaies bin noted, cannot so soone be melted into the weake conceites of loue: Aristotle told him there were many worlds, and that he hath not conquered one that gapeth for all, galleth Alexander. But here he commeth.