The Wounds of Civil War, or Marius and Scilla · chunk 1 of 38
Lodge, Thomas · published 1594 · first performed or written 1588 [1586-1591] (Annals) tragedy · Admiral's (Nottingham's) Men T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.76 · 558 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
Grave Senators and Fathers of this State, Our strange protractions & unkind delays where weighty wars doth call us out to fight Our factious wits to please aspiring Lords, You see hath added power unto our foes, And hazarded rich Phrigia and Bithynia, With all our Asian Holds and Cities too: Thus Sulla seeking to be General, (Who is invested in our Consuls Pall) Hath forced murders in a quiet State: The cause whereof even Pompey may complain, Who seeking to advance a climbing friend, Hath lost by death a sweet and courteous son. Who now in Asia but Mithridates, Laughs at these fond dissensions I complain? While we in wrangling for a General, Forsake our friends, forestall our forward war, And leave our Legions full of dalliance, weighting our idle wills at Capua. Fie Romans, shall the glories of your names, The wondrous beauty of this Capitol, Perish through Sulla's insolence and pride, As if that Rome were robbed of true renown, And destitute of warlike Champions now? Lo here the man, the rumor of whose fame, Hath made Hiberia tremble and submit; See Marius that in managing estate, Through many cares and troubles he hath passed, And spent his youth, upon whose reverend head The milk-white pledge of wisdom sweetly spreads: He six times Consul, fit for peace or war, Sits drooping here content to brook disgrace, Who glad to fight through follies of his foes Sighs for your shame whilst you abide secure; And I that see and should recure these wrongs, Through Pompey's late vacation and delay, Have left to publish him for General, That merits better titles far than these: But (Nobles) now the final day is come, When I your Tribune studying for renown, Pronounce and publish Marius' General, To lead our Legions against Mithridates, And crave (grave Fathers) signs of your content, Believe me Noble Romans, & grave Senators, This strange election, and this new made Law, Will witness our unstable government, And dispossess Rome of her Empery; For although Marius be renowned in Arms, Famous for prowess, and grave in warlike drifts, Yet may the sunshine of his former deeds Nothing eclipse our Sulla's dignity: By lot and by election he was made, Chief General against Mithridates, And shall we then abridge him of that Rule; 'twere injury to Sulla and to Rome: Nor would the height of his all daring mind, Brook to the death so vile and foul disgrace. Why Pompey, as if the Senate had not power To appoint, dispose, & change their Generals: Rome shall belike be bound to Sulla's Rule, Whose haughty pride and swelling thoughts puffed up, Foreshows the reaching to proud Tarquin's state: Is not his lingering to our Roman loss At Capua where he braves it out with feasts, Made known think you unto the Senate here? Yes Pompey, yes: and hereof are we sure If Romans' State on Sulla's pride should lie, Rome's Conquests would to Pontus Regions fly: Therefore grave and renowned Senators, (Pillars that bear and hold our Rule aloft, You stately, true, and rich pyramids) Descend into the depth of your estates, Then shall you find that Sulla is more fit, To Rule in Rome domestical affairs, Then have the Conquest of Bithynia, Which if once got, he'll but by death forego, Therefore I say Marius our General.
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)
GRaue Senators and Fathers of this State, Our strange protractions & vnkind delays wher waighty wars doth cal vs out to fight Our factious wits to please aspiring Lords, You see hath added powre vnto our foes, And hazarded rich Phrigia and Bithinia, With all our Asian Holds and Cities too: Thus Scilla seeking to be Generall, (VVho is inuested in our Consuls Pall) Hath forced murders in a quiet State: The cause whereof euen Pompey may complaine, VVho seeking to aduance a climing friend, Hath lost by death a sweete and curteous sonne. VVho now in Asia but Mithridates, Laughs at these fond discentions I complaine? VVhile we in wrangling for a Generall, Forsake our friends, forestall our forward warre, And leaue our Legions full of dalliance, VVaighting our idle wills at Capua. Fie Romaines, shall the glories of your names, The wondrous beauty of this Capitoll, Perish through Scillas insolence and pride, As if that Rome were robd of true renowne, And destitute of warlike Champions now? Loe here the man, the rumor of whose fame, Hath made Hiberia tremble and submit; See Marius that in managing estate, Through many cares and troubles he hath past, And spent his youth, vpon whose reuerend head The milke-white pledge of wisedome sweetly spreds: He sixe times Consul, fit for peace or warre, Sits drooping here content to brooke disgrace, VVho glad to fight through follies of his foes Sighs for your shame whilst you abide secure; And I that see and should recure these wrongs, Through Pompeys late vacation and delay, Haue left to publish him for Generall, That merites better titles farre than these: But (Nobles) now the finall day is come, VVhen I your Tribune studying for renowne, Pronounce and publish Marius Generall, To leade our Legions against Mithridates, And craue (graue Fathers) signes of your content, Beleeue me Noble Romains, & graue Senators, This strange election, and this new made Law, VVill witnes our vnstable gouernement, And dispossesse Rome of her Emperie; For although Marius be renownd in Armes, Famous for prowesse, and graue in warlike drifts, Yet may the sunne-shine of his former deeds Nothing eclipse our Scillas dignity: By lot and by election he was made, Chiefe Generall against Mithridates, And shall we then abridge him of that Rule; T were iniurie to Scilla and to Rome: Nor would the height of his all daring minde, Brooke to the death so vile and fowle disgrace. VVhy Pompey, as if the Senate had not powre To appoint, dispose, & change their Generals: Rome shall belike be bound to Scillas Rule, VVhose haughty pride and swelling thoughts puft vp, Foreshowes the reaching to prowd Tarquins state: Is not his lingring to our Romaine losse At Capua where he braues it out with feasts, Made knowne thinke you vnto the Senate here? Yes Pompey, yes: and hereof are we sure If Romaines State on Scillas pride should lie, Romes Conquests would to Pontus Regions flie: Therefore graue and renowned Senators, (Pillers that beare and hold our Rule aloft, You stately, true, and rich Piramides) Descend into the depth of your estates, Then shall you finde that Scilla is more fit, To Rule in Rome domesticall affaires, Then haue the Conquest of Bithinia, Which if once got, heele but by death forgoe, Therefore I say Marius our Generall.