Lyly, John · published 1591 · first performed or written 1588 [Feb 2(?)] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) · before the Court unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 491 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
I would you were so faithful, that your tears might make you fortunate. Yea father, if that my tears clear not this fountain, then may you swear it is but a mere mockery. So saith every one yet, that wept. Ah, I faint, I die. Ah sweet Semele let me alone, and dissolve by weeping into water. This affection seemeth strange, if he see nothing without doubt this dissembling passeth, for nothing shall draw me from the belief. Father, I plainly see the bottom, and there in white marble engraven these words, Ask one for all, and but one thing at all. O fortunate Eumenides, (for so have I heard thee call thyself) let me see, I cannot discern any such thing. I think thou dreamest. Ah Father thou art not a faithful lover, and therefore canst not behold it. Then ask that I may be satisfied by the event, and thyself blessed. Ask? so I will: and what shall I do but ask, and whom should I ask but Semele, the possessing of whose person, is a pleasure that cannot come within the compass of comparison, whose golden locks seem most curious, when they seem most careless, whose sweet looks seem most alluring, when they are most chaste: and whose words the more virtuous they are, the more amorous they be accounted. I pray thee fortune when I shall first meet with fair Semele, dash my delight with some light disgrace, least embracing sweetness beyond measure, I take a surfeit without recure: let her practise her accustomed coyness, that I may diet my self upon my desires: otherwise the fullness of my joys will diminish the sweetness, and I shall perish by them before I possess them. Why do I trifle the time in words? The least minute being spent in the getting of Semele, is more worth than the whole world: therefore let me ask. What now Eumenides? Whether art thou drawn? Hast thou forgotten both friendship and duty? Care of Endymion, and the commandment of Cynthia? Shall he die in a leaden sleep, because thou sleepest in a golden dream? ay, let him sleep ever, so I slumber but one minute with Semele. Love knoweth neither friendship nor kindred. Shall I not hazard the loss of a friend, for the obtaining of her for whom I would often lose myself? Fond Eumenides, shall the enticing beauty of a most disdainful Lady, be of more force than the rare fidelity of a tried friend? The love of men to women is a thing common, and of course: the friendship of man to man infinite, and immortal. Tush, Semele doth possess my love. I but Endymion hath deserved it. I will help Endymion. I found Endymion unspotted in his truth. I but I shall find Semele constant in her love. I will have Semele. What shall I do? Father thy grey hairs are Ambassadors of experience. Which shall I ask?
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)
I would you were so faithfull, that your teares might make you fortunate. Yea father, if that my teares cleare not this fountaine, then may you sweare it is but a meere mockerie. So saith euery one yet, that wept. Ah, I fainte, I dye. Ah sweete Semele let me alone, and dissolue by weeping into water. This affection seemeth straunge, if hee see nothing without doubt this dissembling passeth, for nothing shall drawe mee from the beleefe. Father, I plainelie see the bottome, and there in white marble engrauen these wordes, Aske one for all, and but one thing at all. O fortunate Eumenides, (for so haue I hearde thee call thy selfe) let me see, I cannot discerne any such thing. I thinke thou dreamest. Ah Father thou art not a faithfull louer, and therefore canst not beholde it. Then aske that I may be satisfied by the euent, and thy selfe blessed. Aske? so I will: and what shall I doo but aske, and whome should I aske but Semele, the possessing of whose person, is a pleasure that cannot come within the compasse of comparison, whose golden lockes seeme most curious, when they seeme most carelesse, whose sweete lookes seeme most alluring, when they are most chaste: and whose wordes the more vertuous they are, the more amorous they bee accounted. I pray thee fortune when I shall first meete with fayre Semele, dash my delight with some light disgrace, least imbracing sweetnesse beyond measure, I take a surfit without recure: let her practise her accustomed coynesse, that I may dyet my seife vpon my desires: otherwise the fulnesse of my ioyes will diminish the sweetnesse, and I shall perrish by them before I possesse them. Why doe I trifle the time in words? The least minute beeing spent in the getting of Semele, is more worth then the whole worlde: therefore let mee aske. What nowe Eumenides? Whether art thou drawn? Hast thou forgotten both friendship and duetie? Care of Endimion, and the commaundement of Cynthia? Shall hee dye in a leaden sleepe, because thou sleepest in a golden dreame? I, let him sleepe euer, so I slumber but one minute with Semele. Loue knoweth neither friendshippe nor kindred. Shall I not hazard the losse of a friend, for the obtayning of her for whome I woulde often loose my selfe? Fonde Eumenides, shall the intycing beautie of a most disdainfull Ladie, bee of more force then the rare fidelitie of a tryed friend? The loue of men to women is a thing common, and of course: the friendshippe of man to man infinite, and immortall. Tush, Semele dooth possesse my loue. I but Endimion hath deserued it. I will helpe Endimion. I founde Endimion vnspotted in his trueth. I but I shall finde Semele constant in her loue. I will haue Semele. What shall I doe? Father thy gray haires are Embassadours of experience. Which shall I aske?