Peele, George / Shakespeare, William / Middleton, Thomas · published 1623 · first performed or written 1594 [Jan 23 (24); poss. written 1590-1592] (Annals) tragedy · Pembroke's Men (?) unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 495 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up. Stay murderous villains, will you kill your brother? Now by the burning Tapers of the sky, That sh'one so brightly when this Boy was got, He dies upon my Semitars sharp point, That touches this my first borne son and heir. I tell you young-lings, not Enceladus With all his threatening band of Typhon's brood, Nor great Alcides, nor the God of war, Shall cease this prey out of his father's hands: What, what, ye sanguine shallow hearted Boys, Ye white-limbed walls, ye Alehouse painted signs, Coal-black is better than another hue, In that it scorns to bear another hue: For all the water in the Ocean, Can never turn the Swans black legs to white, Although she lave them hourly in the flood: Tell the Empress from me, I am of age To keep mine own, excuse it how she can. Wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus? My mistress is my mistress: this myself, The vigour, and the picture of my youth: This, before all the world do I prefer, This manger all the world will I keep safe, Or some of you shall smoke for it in Rome. By this our mother is for ever shamed. Rome will despise her for this foul escape. The Emperor in his rage will doom her death. I blush to think upon this ignominy. Why there's the privilege your beauty bears: Fie treacherous hue, that will betray with blushing The close enacts and counsels of the hart: here's a young Lad framed of another leer, Look how the black slave smiles upon the father; As who should say, old Lad I am thine own. He is your brother Lords, sensibly fed Of that self blood that first gave life to you, And from that womb where you imprisoned were He is enfranchised and come to light: Nay he is your brother by the surer side, Although my seal be stamped in his face. Aaron what shall I say unto the Empress? Advise thee Aaron, what is to be done, And we will all subscribe to thy advice: Save thou the child, so we may all be safe. Then sit we down and let us all consult. My son and I will have the wind of you: Keep there, now talk at pleasure of your safety. How many women saw this child of his? Why so brave Lords, when we join in league I am a Lamb: but if you brave the Moor, The chafed Boar, the mountain Lioness, The Ocean swells not so at Aaron storms: But say again, how many saw the child? Cornelia, the midwife, and myself, And none else but the delivered Empress. The Empress, the Midwife, and yourself, Two may keep counsel, when the the third's away: Go to the Empress, tell her this I said, Week, week, so cries a Pig prepared to th' spit. What meanest thou Aaron? Wherefore didst thou this?
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Sooner this ſword ſhall plough thy bowels vp. Stay murtherous villaines, will you kill your brother? Now by the burning Tapers of the skie, That ſh'one ſo brightly when this Boy was got, He dies vpon my Semitars ſharpe point, That touches this my firſt borne ſonne and heire. I tell you young-lings, not Enceladus With all his threatning band of Typhons broode, Nor great Alcides, nor the God of warre, Shall ceaze this prey out of his fathers hands: What, what, ye ſanguine ſhallow harted Boyes, Ye white-limb'd walls, ye Ale-houſe painted ſignes, Cole-blacke is better then another hue, In that it ſcornes to beare another hue: For all the water in the Ocean, Can neuer turne the Swans blacke legs to white, Although ſhe laue them hourely in the flood: Tell the Empreſſe from me, I am of age To keepe mine owne, excuſe it how ſhe can. Wilt thou betray thy noble miſtris thus? My miſtris is my miſtris: this my ſelfe, The vigour, and the picture of my youth: This, before all the world do I preferre, This manger all the world will I keepe ſafe, Or ſome of you ſhall ſmoake for it in Rome. By this our mother is for euer ſham'd. Rome will deſpiſe her for this foule eſcape. The Emperour in his rage will doome her death. I bluſh to thinke vpon this ignominie. Why ther's the priuiledge your beauty beares: Fie trecherous hue, that will betray with bluſhing The cloſe enacts and counſels of the hart: Heer's a young Lad fram'd of another leere, Looke how the blacke ſlaue ſmiles vpon the father; As who ſhould ſay, old Lad I am thine owne. He is your brother Lords, ſenſibly fed Of that ſelfe blood that firſt gaue life to you, And from that wombe where you impriſoned were He is infranchiſed and come to light: Nay he is your brother by the ſurer ſide, Although my ſeale be ſtamped in his face. Aaron what ſhall I ſay vnto the Empreſſe? Aduiſe thee Aaron, what is to be done, And we will all ſubſcribe to thy aduiſe: Saue thou the child, ſo we may all be ſafe. Then ſit we downe and let vs all conſult. My ſonne and I will haue the winde of you: Keepe there, now talke at pleaſure of your ſafety. How many women ſaw this childe of his? Why ſo braue Lords, when we ioyne in league I am a Lambe: but if you braue the Moore, The chafed Bore, the mountaine Lyoneſſe, The Ocean ſwells not ſo at Aaron ſtormes: But ſay againe, how many ſaw the childe? Cornelia, the midwife, and my ſelfe, And none elſe but the deliuered Empreſſe. The Empreſſe, the Midwife, and your ſelfe, Two may keepe counſell, when the the third's away: Goe to the Empreſſe, tell her this I ſaid, Weeke, weeke, ſo cries a Pigge prepared to th' ſpit. What mean'ſt thou Aaron? Wherefore did'ſt thou this?