Lyly, John · published 1592 · first performed or written 1585 [1583-1585] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) (?) · before the Court T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses typicality 0.74 · 516 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
The Monster is not come, and therefore I see Neptune is abused, whose rage will I fear me, be both infinite and intolerable: take in this Virgin, whose want of beauty hath saved her own life, and all yours. We could not find any fairer. Neptune will. Go deliver her to her father. Fortunate Hebe, how shalt thou express thy joys? Nay unhappy girl that art not the fairest. Had it not been better for thee to have died with fame, than to live with dishonour, to have preferred the safety of thy Country and rareness of thy beauty, before sweetness of life, & vanity of the world? But alas, destiny would not have it so, destiny could not, for it asketh the beautifullest, I would Hebe thou hadst been beautifullest. Come Hebe, here is no time for us to reason, it had been best for us thou hadst been most beautiful. We met the virgin that should have been offered to Neptune, belike either the custom is pardoned, or she not thought fairest. I cannot conjecture the cause, but I fear the event. Why should you fear, the God requireth no boy. I would he did, then should I have no fear. I am glad he doth not tho, because if he did, I should have also cause to fear. But soft, what man or God is this? Let us closely withdraw ourselves into the Thickets, And do men begin to be equal with Gods, seeking by craft to overreach them that by power oversee them? Do they dote so much on their daughters, that they stick not to dally with our deities, well shall the inhabitants see, that destiny cannot be prevented by craft, nor my anger be appeased by submission. I will make havoc of Diana's nymphs, my Temple shall be died with maidens blood, and there shall be nothing more vile than to be a Virgin. To be young and fair, shall be accounted shame & punishment, in so much as it shall be thought as dishonourable to be honest, as fortunate to be deformed. O Neptune, hast thou forgotten thyself, or wilt thou clean forsake me? Hath Diana therefore brought danger to her nymphs, because they be chaste? shall virtue suffer both pain and shame which always deserveth praise and honour? Praise and honour (Neptune) nothing less, except it be commendable to be coy, and honourable to be peevish. Sweet Neptune, if Venus can do any thing, let her try it in this one thing, that Diana may find as small comfort at thy hands, as Love hath found courtesy at hers. This is she that hateth sweet delights, envieth loving desires, masketh wanton eyes, stoppeth amorous ears, bridleth youthful mouths, and under a name, or a word constancy, entertaineth all kind of cruelty: she hath taken my son Cupid, Cupid my lovely son, using him like a prentice, whipping him like a slave, scorning him like a beast, therefore Neptune I entreat thee by no other God, than the God of love, that thou evil entreat this Goddess of hate.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T27 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
The Monster is not come, and therefore I see Neptune is abused, whose rage will I feare mee, be both infinite and intollerable: take in this Virgine, whose want of beauty hath saued her owne life, and all yours. We could not finde any fairer. Neptune will. Goe deliuer her to her father. Fortunate Haebe, howe shalt thou expresse thy ioyes? Nay vnhappy girle that art not the fairest. Had it not been better for thee to haue died with fame, then to liue with dishonour, to haue preferred the safetie of thy Countrey and rarenesse of thy beautie, before sweetnes of life, & vanity of the world? But alas, desteny would not haue it so, desteny coulde not, for it asketh the beautifullest, I would Haebe thou hadst been beautifullest. Come Haebe, heere is no time for vs to reason, it had beene best for vs thou hadst beene most beautifull. We mette the virgine that shoulde haue been offered to Neptune, belike eyther the custome is pardoned, or she not thought fairest. I cannot coniecture the cause, but I feare the euent. Why should you feare, the God requireth no boy. I would he did, then should I haue no feare. I am glad he doth not tho, because if he did, I should haue also cause to feare. But soft, what man or God is this? Let vs closely withdrawe our selues into the Thickets, And doe men beginne to bee equall with Gods, seeking by craft to ouer-reach thē that by power ouer-see them? Doe they dote so much on their daughters, that they stick not to dallie with our deities, well shall the inhabitants see, that destinie cannot be preuented by craft, nor my anger be appeased by submission. I will make hauocke of Dianaes Nimphes, my Temple shall bee died with Maydens blood, and there shal be nothing more vile then to be a Virgine. To be young and fayre, shall be accounted shame & punishment, in so much as it shall be thought as dishonorable to be honest, as fortunate to be deformed. O Neptune, hast thou forgotten thy selfe, or wilt thou cleane for-sake mee? Hath Diana therfore brought danger to her Nimphes, because they be chast? shal vertue suffer both paine and shame which alwaies deserueth praise and honor? Prayse and honour (Neptune) nothing lesse, except it be commendable to be coy, and honorable to be peeuish. Sweet Neptune, if Venus can do any thing, let her try it in this one thing, that Diana may finde as small comfort at thy hands, as Loue hath found curtesie at hers. This is shee that hateth sweete delights, enuieth louing desires, masketh wanton eyes, stoppeth amorous eares, bridleth youthfull mouthes, and vnder a name, or a worde constancie, entertaineth all kinde of crueltie: shee hath taken my sonne Cupid, Cupid my louely sonne, vsing him like a prentise, whypping him like a slaue, scorning him like a beast, therefore Neptune I intreate thee by no other God, then the God of loue, that thou euill intreate this Goddesse of hate.