Marlowe, Christopher · published 1590 · first performed or written 1587 [1587-1588] (Annals) tragedy · Admiral's (Nottingham's) Men T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so typicality 0.73 · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
How can you fancy one that looks so fierce, Only disposed to martial Stratagems? Who when he shall embrace you in his arms, Will tell how many thousand men he slew. And when you look for amorous discourse, Will rattle forth his facts of war and blood. Too harsh a subject for your dainty ears. As looks the sun through Nilus flowing stream, Or when the morning holds him in her arms. So looks my Lordly love, fair tamburlaine: His talk much sweeter than the muse's song, They sung for honour 'gainst Pierides. Or when Minerva did with Neptune strive, And higher would I rear my estimate, Than Iuno sister to the highest God. If I were matched with mighty tamburlaine, Yet be not so inconstant in your love, But let the young Arabian live in hope, After your rescue to enjoy his choice. You see though first the King of Persia (Being a Shepherd) seemed to love you much, Now in his majesty he leaves those looks, Those words of favour, and those comfortings, And gives no more than common courtesies. Thence rise the tears that so distain my checks, Fearing his love through my unworthiness. Betrayed by fortune and suspicious love. Threatened with frowning wrath and jealousy. Surprised with fear of hideous revenge. I stand aghast: but most astonished To see his choler shut in secret thoughts, And wrapped in silence of his angry soul. Upon his brows was portrayed ugly death, And in his eyes the fury of his heart. That shine as Comets, menacing revenge, And casts a pale complexion on his cheeks. As when the Seaman sees the Hyades Gather an army of Cemerian clouds, (Auster and Aquilon with winged Steads All sweating, tilt about the watery heavens, With shivering spears enforcing thunderclaps. And from their shields strike flames of lightning) All fearful folds his sails, and sounds the main, Lifting his prayers to the heavens for aid, Against the terror of the winds and waves. So fares Agidas for the late felt frowns That sent a tempest to my daunted thoughts, And makes my soul divine her overthrow. See you Agidas how the King salutes you. He bids you prophesy what it imports. I prophesied before and now I prove, The killing frowns of jealousy and love. He needed not with words confirm my fear, For words are vain where working tools present The naked action of my threatened end. It says, Agidas, thou shalt surely die. And of extremities elect the least, More honour and less pain it may procure, To die by this resolved hand of thine, Than stay the torments he and heaven have sworn. Then haste Agidas, and prevent the plagues: Which thy prolonged Fates may draw on thee: Go wander free from fear of tyrant's rage. Removed from the Torments and the hell: Wherewith he may excruciate thy soul. And let Agidas by Agidas die. And with this stab slumber eternally. Usumeasane, see how right the man Hath hit the meaning of my Lord the King.
seed 43: T18 · seed 44: T18 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
How can you fancie one that lookes so fierce, Onelie disposed to martiall Stratagems? Who when he shall embrace you in his armes, Will tell how many thousand men he slew. And when you looke for amorous discourse, Will rattle foorth his facts of war and blood. Too harsh a subiect for your dainty eares. As looks the sun through Nilus flowing stream, Or when the morning holds him in her armes. So lookes my Lordly loue, faire tamburlaine: His talke much sweeter than the Muses song, They sung for honor gainst Pierides. Or when Minerua did with Neptune striue, And higher would I reare my estimate, Than Iuno sister to the highest God. If I were matcht with mightie tamburlaine, Yet be not so inconstant in your loue, But let the yong Arabian liue in hope, After your rescue to eioy his choise. You see though first the King of Persea (Being a Shepheard) seem'd to loue you much, Now in his maiesty he leaues those lookes, Those words of fauour, and those comfortings, And giues no more than common courtesies. Thence rise the tears that so distain my checks, Fearing his loue through my vnworthynesse. Betraide by fortune and suspitious loue. Threatned with frowning wrath and iealousie. Surpriz d with feare of hideous reuenge. I stand agast: but most astonied To see his choller shut in secrete thoughtes, And wrapt in silence of his angry soule. Vpon his browes was pourtraid vgly death, And in his eies the furie of his hart. That shine as Comets, menacing reuenge, And casts a pale complexion on his cheeks. As when the Sea-man sees the Hyades Gather an armye of Cemerian clouds, (Auster and Aquilon with winged Steads All sweating, tilt about the watery heauens, With shiuering speares enforcing thunderclaps. And from their shieldes strike flames of lightening) All fearefull foldes his sailes, and sounds the maine, Lifting his prayers to the heauens for aid, Against the terrour of the winds and waues. So fares Agydas for the late felt frownes That sent a tempest to my daunted thoughtes, And makes my soule deuine her ouerthrow. See you Agidas how the King salutes you. He bids you prophesie what it imports. I prophecied before and now I prooue, The killing frownes of iealousie and loue. He needed not with words confirme my feare, For words are vaine where working tooles present The naked action of my threatned end. It saies, Agydas, thou shalt surely die. And of extremities elect the least, More honor and lesse paine it may procure, Tody by this resolued hand of thine, Than stay the torments he and heauen haue sworne. Then haste Agydas, and preuent the plagues: Which thy prolonged Fates may draw on thee: Go wander free from feare of Tyrants rage. Remooued from the Torments and the hell: Wherewith he may excruciate thy soule. And let Agidas by Agidas die. And with this stab slumber eternally. Vsumeasane, see how right the man Hath hit the meaning of my Lord the King.