Lyly, John · published 1592 · first performed or written 1585 [1583-1585] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) (?) · before the Court T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs typicality 0.86 · 493 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
I muse not a little to see you two in this place, at this time, and about this matter, but what say you Diana, have you Cupid captive? I say there is nothing more vain, then to dispute with Venus, whose untamed affections have bred more brawls in heaven, then is fit to repeat in earth, or possible to recount in number, I have Cupid, and will keep him, not to dandle in my lap, whom I abhor in my heart, but to laugh him to scorn, that hath made in my virgin's hearts such deep scars. Scars Diana call you them that I know to be bleeding wounds? alas weak deity, it stretcheth not so far, both to abate the sharpness of his Arrows and to heal the hurts. No, loves wounds when they seem green, rankle, and having a smooth skin without, fester to the death within. Therefore Neptune, if ever Venus stood thee in stead, furthered thy fancies, or shall at all times be at thy command, let either Diana bring her Virgins to a continual massacre, or release Cupid of his martyrdom. It is known Venus, that your tongue is as unruly as your thoughts, and your thoughts as unstaid as your eyes, Diana cannot chatter, Venus cannot choose. It is an honour for Diana to have Venus mean ill, when she so speaketh well, but you shall see I come not to trifle, therefore once again Neptune, if that be not buried, which can never die, fancy, or that quenched which must ever burn, affection, show thyself the same Neptune that I knew thee to be when thou wast a Shepherd, and let not Venus' words be vain in thine ears, since thine were imprinted in my heart. It were unfit that Goddesses should strive, and it were unreasonable that I should not yield, and therefore to please both, both attend; Diana I must honour, her virtue deserveth no less, but Venus I must love, I must confess so much. Diana, restore Cupid to Venus, and I will for ever release the sacrifice of Virgins, if therefore you love your nymphs as she doth her Son, or prefer not a private grudge before a common grief, answer what you will do. I account not the choice hard, for had I twenty Cupids, I would deliver them all to save one Virgin, knowing love to be a thing of all the vainest, virginity to be a virtue of all the noblest. I yield, Larissa, bring out Cupid: and now shall it be said, that Cupid saved those he thought to spoil. I agree to this willingly: for I will be wary how my Son wander again. But Diana cannot forbid him to wound. Yes, chastity is not within the level of his bow. But beauty is a fair mark to hit. Well I am glad you are agreed: and say that Neptune hath dealt well with Beauty and Chastity.
nodes 406–417 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 25 of 27 in this edition
Length
493 words · 626 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T21 — Cupid, Venus and the nymphscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.861 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T21 · seed 44: T24 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I muse not a little to see you two in this place, at this time, and about this matter, but what say you Diana, haue you Cupid captiue? I say there is nothing more vaine, then to dispute with Venus, whose vntamed affections haue bred more brawles in heauen, then is fitte to repeate in earth, or possible to recount in number, I haue Cupid, and will keepe him, not to dandle in my lappe, whom I abhor in my hart, but to laugh him to scorne, that hath made in my virgins harts such deepe scarres. Scarres Diana call you them that I know to be bleeding woundes? alas weake deitie, it stretcheth not so farre, both to abate the sharpnesse of his Arrowes and to heale the hurts. No, Loues woundes when they seeme greene, rankle, and hauing a smooth skinne without, fester to the death within. Therefore Neptune, if euer Venus stoode thee in steed, furthered thy fancies, or shall at all times be at thy cōmaund, let eyther Diana bring her Virgins to a continuall massacre, or release Cupid of his martyrdome. It is knowne Venus, that your tongue is as vnrulie as your thoughts, and your thoughts as vnstaied as your eyes, Diana cannot chatter, Venus cannot chuse. It is an honour for Diana to haue Venus meane ill, when she so speaketh well, but you shal see I come not to trifle, therefore once againe Neptune, if that be not buried, which can neuer die, fancie, or that quenched which must euer burne, affection, shew thy selfe the same Neptune that I knew thee to bee when thou wast a Sheepe-hearde, and let not Venus wordes be vaine in thyne eares, since thyne were imprinted in my hart. It were vnfitte that Goddesses shoulde striue, and it were vnreasonable that I shold not yeeld, and therefore to please both, both attend; Diana I must honor, her vertue deserueth no lesse, but Venus I must loue, I must confesse so much. Diana, restore Cupid to Venus, and I will for euer release the sacrifice of Virgins, if therefore you loue your Nimphes as shee doth her Sonne, or preferre not a priuate grudge before a common griefe, aunswere what you will doe. I account not the choyse harde, for had I twentie Cupids, I woulde deliuer them all to saue one Virgine, knowing loue to be a thing of all the vainest, virginitie to be a vertue of all the noblest. I yeeld, Larissa, bring out Cupid: and now shall it be saide, that Cupid saued those he thought to spoyle. I agree to this willinglie: for I will be warie howe my Sonne wander againe. But Diana cannot forbid him to wounde. Yes, chastitie is not within the leuell of his bowe. But beautie is a fayre marke to hit. Well I am gladde you are agreed: and saie that Neptune hath delt well wyth Beautie and Chastitie.