Lyly, John · published 1592 · first performed or written 1589 (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) · before the Court T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses typicality 0.80 · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
Yea Motto, hast thou Latin? Alas, he that hath drawn so many teeth, and never asked Latin for a tooth, is ill brought up. Well Motto, let us have the beard, without covin fraud, or delay, at one entire payment, & thou shalt scape a payment. I protest by scissors, brush and comb, basin, ball and apron, by razor, ear-pike and rubbing clothes, and all the tria sequuntur triaes in our secret occupation (for you know it is no blabbing art) that you shall have the beard, in manner and form following. Not only the golden beard and every hair, (though it be not hair) but a dozen of beards, to stuff two dozen of cushions. Then they be big ones. They be half a yard broad, and a nail, three quarters long, and a foot thick; so sir shall you find them stuff enough, and soft enough. All my mistress lines that she dries her clothes on, are made only of Mustachio stuff. And if I durst tell the truth, as lusty as I am here, I lie upon a bed of beards; a bot's of their bristles, and they that owe them, they are harder than flocks. A fine discourse: well Motto, we give thee mercy, but we will not lose the beard. Remember now our inventory. Item, we will not let thee go out of our hands, till we have the beard in our hands. Then follow. THis is Delphos. Sacred Apollo, whose Oracles be all divine, though doubtful: answer poor Midas, and pity him. I marvel there is no answer. Fond Midas, how canst thou ask pity of him whom thou hast so much abused; or why dost thou abuse the world, both to seem ignorant in not acknowledging an offence; and impudent, so openly to crave pardon. Apollo will not answer, but Midas must not cease. Apollo, divine Apollo, Midas hath asses ears, yet let pity sink into thine ears, and tell when he shall be free from this shame, or what may mitigate his sin? Tush, Apollo is tuning his pipes, or at barleybreak with Daphne, or assaying on some shepherds coat, or taking measure of a serpent's skin. Were I Midas, I would rather cut these ears off close from my head, than stand whimpering before such a blind God. Thou art barbarous not valiant. God's must be entreated, not commanded: thou wouldst quench fire with a sword, and ad to my shame (which is more than any Prince can endure) thy rudeness, (which is more than any sensible creature would follow.) Divine Apollo what shall become of Midas? Accept this lute, these berries, these simples, these tapers; if Apollo take any delight in music, in Daphne, in physic, in eternity. When Pan Apollo in music shall excel, Midas of Phrygia shall lose his ass's ears; Pan did Apollo in music far excel, Therefore king Midas weareth Asses ears: Unless he shrink his stretching hand from Lesbos, His ears in length, at length shall reach to Delphos.
seed 43: T29 · seed 44: T27 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Yea Motto, hast thou Latin? Alas, he that hath drawen so manie teeth, and neuer askt Latin for a tooth, is ill brought vp. Well Motto, let vs haue the beard, without couin fraud, or delay, at one entier paiment, & thou shalt scape a paiment. I protest by cizars, brush and combe, bason, ball and apron, by razor, eare-pike and rubbing cloathes, and all the tria sequuntur triaes in our secret occupation (for you knowe it is no blabbing arte) that you shall haue the beard, in manner and forme following. Not onely the golden beard and euerie haire, (though it be not haire) but a dozen of beards, to stuffe two dozen of cushions. Then they be big ones. They be halfe a yeard broad, and a nayle, three quarters long, and a foote thicke; so sir shall you finde them stufte enough, and soft enough. All my mistres lynes that she dryes her cloathes on, are made only of Mustachio stuffe. And if I durst tell the truth, as lustie as I am heere, I lye vppon a bed of beards; a bots of their bristles, and they that owe them, they are harder than flockes. A fine discourse: well Motto, we giue thee mercie, but we will not loose the beard. Remember nowe our snuentorie. Item, wee will not let thee goe out of our hands, till we haue the beard in our hands. Then followe. THis is Delphos. Sacred Apollo, whose Oracles be all diuine, though doubtfull: aunswere poore Mydas, and pitie him. I maruell there is no answere. Fond Mydas, how canst thou aske pitie of him whom thou hast so much abusde; or why doost thou abuse the world, both to seeme ignorant in not acknowledging an offence; and impudent, so openly to craue pardon. Apollo will not aunswere, but Mydas must not cease. Apollo, diuine Apollo, Mydas hath asses eares, yet let pitie sinke into thine eares, and tell when he shall be free from this shame, or what may mittigate his sinne? Tush, Apollo is tuning his pipes, or at barlybreake with Daphne, or assaying on some Shepheardes coate, or taking measure of a serpents skinne. Were I Mydas, I would rather cut these eares off close from my head, than stand whimpring before such a blinde God. Thou art barbrous not valiant. Gods must bee entreated, not commanded: thou wouldst quench fire with a sword, and ad to my shame (which is more than any Prince can endure) thy rudenesse, (which is more than any sensible creature would folow.) Diuine Apollo what shal become of Mydas? Accept this lute, these berries, these simples, these tapers; if Apollo take any delight in musick, in Daphne, in phisicke, in eternitie. When Pan Apollo in musick shall excell, Mydas of Phrygia shall lose his Asses eares; Pan did Apollo in musick farre excell, Therefore king Mydas weareth Asses eares: Vnlesse he shrinke his stretching hand from Lesbos, His eares in length, at length shal reach to Delphos.