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 0.83 · 480 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
It were good to expound these oracles, that the learned men in Phrygia were assembled, otherwise the remedy will be as impossible to be had, as the cause to be sifted. I foresaw some old saw, which should be doubtful. Who would gad to such gods, that must be honoured if they speak without sense: and the Oracle wondered at, as though it were above sense? No more Martius, I am the learnedst in Phrygia to interpret these Oracles and though shame hath hitherto caused me to conceal it, now I must unfold it by necessity. Thus destiny bringeth me, not only to be cause of all my shame, but reporter. Thou Sophronia, and you my Lords, hearken; When I had bathed my self in Pactolus, and saw my wish to float in the waves, I wished the waves to overflow my body, so melancholy my fortune made me, so mad my folly: yet by hunting I thought to ease my heart. And coming at last to the hill Tmolus, I perceived Apollo and Pan contending for excellency in music: among nymphs they required also my judgement. I (whom the loss of gold made discontent, and the possessing desperate) either dulled with the humours of my weak brain, or deceived by thickness of my deaf ears, preferred the harsh noise of Pan's pipe, before the sweet stroke of Apollo's Lute, which caused Phoebus in justice (as I now confess, and then as I saw in anger) to set these ears on my head, that have wrong so many tears from mine eyes. For stretching my hands to Lesbos, I find that all the Gods have spurned at my practises, and those Islands scorned them. My pride the gods disdain; my policy men: my mines have been emptied by soldiers, my soldiers spoiled by wars, my wars without success, because usurping, my usurping without end, because my ambition above measure. I will therefore yield myself to Bacchus, and acknowledge my wish to be vanity. to Apollo, and confess my judgement to be foolish: to Mars, and say my wars are unjust: to Diana, and tell my affection hath been unnatural. And I doubt not, what a God hath done to make me know myself, all the gods will help to undo, that I may come to myself. Is it possible that Midas should be so overshot in judgement? Unhappy Midas, whose wits melt with his gold, and whose gold is consumed with his wits. What talketh Sophronia to herself? Nothing, but that since Midas hath confessed his fault to us, he also acknowledge it to Apollo. I will Sophronia. Sacred Apollo, things passed cannot be recalled, repented they may be: behold, Midas not only submitting himself to punishment, but confessing his peevishness, being glad for shame to call that peevishness, which indeed was folly. Whatsoever Apollo shall command, Midas will execute.
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)
It were good to expound these oracles, that the learned men in Phrygia were assembled, otherwise the remedie wil be as impossible to be had, as the cause to be sifted. I foresaw some old saw, which should be doutfull. Who would gad to such gods, that must be honored if they speake without sence: and the Oracle wondred at, as though it were aboue sence? No more Martius, I am the learnedst in Phrygia to interprete these Oracles and though shame hath hetherto caused me to conceale it, now I must vnfould it by necessitie. Thus destinie bringeth me, not only to be cause of all my shame, but reporter. Thou Sophronia, and you my Lordes, hearken; When I had bathed my felf in Pactolus, and saw my wish to float in the waues, I wished the waues to ouerflow my bodie, so melancolie my fortune made me, so mad my follie: yet by hunting I thought to ease my heart. And comming at last to the hill Tmolus, I perceyued Apollo and Pan contending for excellencie in musick: among Nimphs they required also my iudgement. I (whom the losse of gold made discontent, and the possessing desperate) eyther dnlled with the humors of my weak brain, or deceaued by thicknes of my deaffe eares, preferd the harsh noyse of Pans pipe, before the sweete stroke of Apollos Lute, which caused Phoebus in iustice (as I now confesse, and then as I sawe in anger) to set these eares on my head, that haue wroong so many teares from mine eyes. For stretching my hands to Lesbos, I find that all the Gods haue spurnde at my practises, and those Ilandes scornd them. My pride the gods disdaine; my pollicie men: my mines haue bin emptied by souldiers, my souldiers spoyled by warres, my wars without successe, because vsurping, my vsurping without end, because my ambition aboue measure. I wil therfore yeeld my self to Bacchus, and acknowledge my wish to be vanitie. to Apollo, and confesse my iudgement to be foolish: to Mars, and say my warres are vniust: to Diana, and tell my affection hath been vnnaturall. And I doubt not, what a God hath done to make me know my selfe, al the gods wil help to vndo, that I may come to my selfe. Is it possible that Mydas should be so ouershot in iudgement? Vnhappy Mydas, whose wits melt with his gold, and whose gold is consumed with his wits. What talketh Sophronia to her selfe? Nothing, but that since Mydas hath confessed his fault to vs, he also acknowledge it to Apollo. I wil Sophronia. Sacred Apollo, things passed cannot be recalled, repented they may be: behold, Mydas not only submitting himselfe to punishment, but confessing his peeuishnes, being glad for shame to call that peeuishnes, which indeed was follie. Whatsoeuer Apollo shal commaund, Mydas will execute.