The Wounds of Civil War, or Marius and Scilla · chunk 3 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 0.80 · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
But wisdom would you did forbear, To yield these flight suspicions of contempt, where as this Senate studieth high affairs. what serious matters have these Lords in hand? The Senators with full decree appoint, Old Marius for their Captain General, To lead thy Legions into Asia, And fight against the fierce Mithridates. To Marius? jolly stuff: why then I see, Your Lordships mean to make a babe of me. 'tis true Sulla the Senate hath agreed, That Marius shall those bands and Legions bear, which you now hold against Mithridates. Marius shall lead them then, if Sulla said not no, And I shall be a consul's shadow then, trustless Senators and ingrateful Romans, For all the Honours I have done to Rome, For all the spoils I brought within her walls, Thereby for to enrich and raise her pride, Repay you me with this ingratitude: You know unkind, that Sulla's wounded Helm, Was near hung up or once distained with rust: The Marcians that before me fell amain, And like to winter hail on every side, Unto the City Nuba I pursued, And for your sakes were thirty thousand slain: The Hippinians and the samnits Sulla brought, As Tributaries unto famous Rome: ay, where did Sulla ever draw his sword, Or lift his warlike hand above his head For Romans cause but he was Conqueror: And now (unthankful) seek you to disgrade, And tear the plumes that Sulla's sword hath won. Marius I tell thee Sulla is the man, Disdains to stoop or vail his pride to thee; Marius I say thou mayst nor shalt not have, The charge that unto Sulla doth belong, Unless thy sword could tear it from my heart, Which in a thousand folds impales the same. And Sulla hereof be thou full assured, The honour whereto mine undaunted mind, And this grave senate hath enhanced me, Thou nor thy followers shall derogate, The 'spence of years that Marius hath o'erpast, In foreign broils and civil mutinies, Hath taught him this, that one unbridled foe, My former fortunes never shall o'ergo. Marius, I smile at these thy foolish words, And credit me should laugh outright I fear, If that I knew not how thy froward age, Doth make thy sense as feeble as thy joints. Sulla, Sulla, Marius' years hath taught Him how to pluck so proud a younker's plumes, And know these hairs that dangle down my face, In brightness like the silver Rodope: Shall add so haughty courage to my mind, And rest such piercing objects 'gainst thine eyes, That masked in folly, age shall force thee stoop. And by my hand I swear ere thou shalt maze me so, My soul shall perish but I'll have thy beard, Say grave Senators shall Sulla be your General. No the Senate, I and Rome herself agrees there's none but Marius shall be General. Therefore Sulla these daring terms unfit, Beseem not thee before the Capitol.
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)
But wisedome would you did forbeare, To yeeld these flight suspitions of contempt, where as this Senate studieth high affaires. what serious matters haue these Lords in hand? The Senators with full decree appoint, Old Marius for their Captaine Generall, To leade thy Legions into Asia, And fight against the fierce Mithridates. To Marius? Iolly stuffe: why then I see, Your Lordships meane to make a babe of me. Tis true Scilla the Senate hath agreed, That Marius shall those bands and Legions beare, which you now hold against Mithridates. Marius shal lead them then, if Scilla said not no, And I shall bea Consuls shadow then, Trustles Senators and ingratefull Romaines, For all the Honors I haue done to Rome, For all the spoiles I brought within her walles, Thereby for to enrich and raise her pride, Repay you me with this ingratitude: You know vnkinde, that Scillas wounded Helme, VVas nere hung vp or once distaind with rust: The Marcians that before me fell amaine, And like to winter haile on euery side, Vnto the City Nuba I pursude, And for your sakes were thirty thousand slaine: The Hippinians and the samnits scilla brought, As Tributaries vnto famous Rome: I, where did scilla euer draw his sword, Or lift his warlike hand aboue his head For Romaines cause but he was Conquerour: And now (vnthankeful) seeke you to disgrade, And teare the plumes that scillas sword hath wonne. Marius I tell thee scilla is the man, Disdaines to stoope or vaile his pride to thee; Marius I say thou maist nor shalt not haue, The charge that vnto scilla doth belong, Vnlesse thy sword could teare it from my hart, VVhich in a thousand folds impalls the same. And scilla hereof be thou full assurde, The honor whereto mine vndaunted minde, And this graue senate hath enhaunsed me, Thou nor thy followers shall derogate, The spence of yeares that Marius hath ore-past, Inforraine broyles and ciuil mutenies, Hath taught him this, that one vnbrideled foe, My former fortunes neuer shall oregoe. Marius, I smile at these thy foolish words, And credit me should laugh outright I feare, If that I knew not how thy froward age, Doth make thy sence as feeble as thy ioynts. Scilla, Scilla, Marius yeeres hath taught Him how to plucke so proud a yonkers plumes, And know these haires that dangle downe my face, In brightnes like the siluer Rodope: Shall add so haughtie courage to my minde, And rest such percing obiects gainst thine eies, That maskt in follie, age shall force thee stoope. And by my hand I sweare ere thou shalt mase mee so, My soule shall perish but Ile haue thy bearde, Say graue Senators shall Scilla be your Generall. No the Senate, I and Rome her selfe agrees▪ Ther's none but Marius shall be Generall. Therefore Scilla these daring teames vnfit, Beseeme not thee before the Capitoll.