Peele, George / Shakespeare, William · published 1594 · first performed or written 1594 [Jan 23 (24); poss. written 1590-1592] (Annals) tragedy · Pembroke's Men (?) T60 Imperial Rome: rulers, favour and politi typicality 0.82 · 510 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T60: caesar, rome, emperor, empire, honour, lord, lucius, great, palsgrave, kings.
Yea forsooth & your Mistriship be Imperial, Empress I am, but yonder sits the Emperor. 'tis he, God and Saint Steven give you God-den, I have brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here. Go take him away and hang him presently? How much money must I have. Come sirrah you must be hanged. Hanged be Lady, than I have brought up a neck to a fair end. Despiteful and intolerable wrongs, Shall I endure this monstrous villainy? I know from whence this same device proceeds. May this be borne as if his traitorous sons, That died by law for murder of our brother, Have by my means been butchered wrongfully. Go drag the villain hither by the hair, Nor age, nor honour, shall shape privilege, For this proud mock, I'll be thy slaughter man, Sly frantic wretch, that holpst to make me great, In hope thyself should govern Rome and me. What news with thee Emillius? Arm my Lords, Rome never had more cause, The Goths have gathered head and with a power Of high resolved men, bend to the spoil, They hither march amain, under conduct Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus, Who threats in course of this revenge, to do As much as ever Coriolanus did. Is warlike Lucius General of the Goths, These tidings nip me, and I hang the head As flowers with frost, or grass beat down with storms. I now begins our sorrows to approach, 'tis he the common people love so much, Myself hath often heard them say, When I have walked like a private man, That Lucius banishment was wrongfully, And they have wished that Lucius were their Emperor. why should you fear, is not your City strong? I but the Citizen's favour Lucius, And will revolt from me to secure him. King Be thy thoughts imperious like thy name, Is the sun dimmed, that Gnats do fly in it, The Eagle suffers little birds to sing, And is not careful what they mean thereby, Knowing that with the shadow of his wings, He can at pleasure flint their melody. Even so mayest thou the giddy men of Rome, Then cheer thy spirit for know thou Emperor, I will enchant the old Andronicus, With words more sweet and yet more dangerous Than baits to fish, or honniestalkes to sheep, When as the one is wounded with the bait, The other rotten with delicious seed. But he will not entreat his son for us. If Tamora entreat him than he will, For I can smooth and fill his aged ears, With golden promises, that were his heart Almost impregnable, his old years deaf, Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue. Go thou before to be our Ambassador, Say that the Emperor requests a parley, Of warlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting, Even at his Father's house the old Andronicus. Emillius do this message honourably, And if he stand in hostage for his safety, Bid him demand what pledge will please him best. Your bidding shall I do effectually.
seed 43: T1 · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Yea forsooth & your Mistriship be Emperiall, Empresse I am, but yonder sits the Emperour. Tis he, God and Saint Steuen giue you Godden, I haue brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here. Goe take him away and hang him presently? How much money must I haue. Come sirra you must be hanged. Hangd be Lady, then I haue brought vp a neck to a faire end. Dispightfull and intollerable wrongs, Shall I endure this monstrous villanie? I know from whence this same deuise proceeds. May this be borne as if his traitorous sonnes, That dide by law for murther of our brother, Haue by my meanes bin butchered wrongfully. Goe dragge the villaine hither by the haire, Nor age, nor honour, shall shape priueledge, For this proud mocke, Ile be thy slaughter man, Sly franticke wretch, that holpst to make me great, In hope thy selfe should gouerne Rome and me. VVhat newes with thee Emillius? Arme my Lords, Rome neuer had more cause, The Gothes haue gathered head and with a power Of high resolued men, bent to the spoile, They hither march amaine, vnder conduct Of Lucius, sonne to old Andronicus, VVho threats in course of this reuenge, to doe As much as euer Coriolanus did. Is warlike Lucius Generall of the Gothes, These tidings nip me, and I hang the head As flowers with frost, or grasse beat downe with stormes. I now begins our sorrowes to approch, Tis he the common people loue so much, My selfe hath often heard them say, VVhen I haue walked like a priuate man, That Lucius banishment was wrongfullie, And they haue wisht that Lucius were their Emperour. why should you feare, is not your Citie strong? I but the Citizens fauour Lucius, And will reuolt from me to succour him. King Be thy thoughts imperious like thy name, Is the sunne dimde, that Gnats doe flie in it, The Eagle suffers little birds to sing, And is not carefull what they meane thereby, Knowing that with the shadow of his winges, He can at pleasure lint their mlodie. Euen so maiest thou the giddie men of Rome, Then cheare thy spirit for know thou Emperour, I will inchaunt the old Andronicus, With words more sweete and yet more dangerous Then baites to fish, or honniestalkes to sheepe, When as the one is wounded with the bait, The other rotted with delicious seede. But he will not intreat his sonne for vs. If Tamora intreat him than he will, For I can smooth and fill his aged eares, VVith golden promises, that were his hart Almost impregnable, his old yeares deafe, Yet should both eare and hart obay my tongue. Goe thou before to be our Ambassador, Say that the Emperour requests a parlie, Of warlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting, Euen at his Fathers house the old Andronicus. Emillius doe this message honourably, And if he stand in hostage for his saftie, Bid him demaund what pledge will please him best. Your bidding shall I doe effectually.