Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1588 [1587-1594] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so typicality 0.80 · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
Have you not seen them weep and wail for death? Empty their purse of coin, their brain of wit, Sending both gifts and letters to their loves? They yield too much unto affections. 'tis folly and not beauty makes them die. Men are in folly when they are in love, Urge me no more, I will not visit her. For by the eye love slips into the heart, Making men idle, negligent. Nothing can more dishonour warriors, Then to be conquered with a woman's look. Araspas I resign my part to thee, Thou shalt be keeper of that Susan Queen, Use her as fits a woman of such birth, Excuse me for not coming to her tent, Bid her be merry with her singing maids, And say that Cyrus will entreat her fair. Antiochus king of Assiria, So Lord of Euphrates and Babylon, How long wilt thou lament thy father's death? Cast off those mourning weeds. How long will I lament my father's death? Until proud Persia weep for Cyrus' death. Oh that will never be, Cyrus is strong, So strong my Lord, that were not Babylon, Fortified with victuals for twenty years, Guarded with soldiers that will never yield. Sooner would he expel you from your seat, Than you with open arms could anger him. What is revenge but open wars, As were Antiochus a private man, And one of you king of Assyria, I would not fail to work his overthrow, But you that are not touched with inward grief, will not in that attempt be resolute. Vouchsafe O Lord to tell me what it is, If I attempt it not then let me die. Why this it is, feign I have injured thee, And offer service to the Persian king. Then being received as late Gobrias was, How easy mayst thou slay him and escape. For in the night he walks about his camp, Without a guard even as a common man. Yet he that kills him sure is to die. I thought the fear of death would daunt him quite A thousand talents would I freely give, To him that undertakes this enterprise. My Lord I am resolved, give me the gold. And I will venture life in this exploit. My treasurer at arms shall give it thee, And Ctesifon when I receive his head, Beside this sum thou shalt have annual pay, As much as thy revenues mount unto, And where thou art by calling but a knight, I'll make thee Lord of many provinces. As for the gold keep it till I return, and if I die deliver it to my friend. Well Ctesiphon manage this glorious act, Let me embrace him ere I take my leave. Fare well my lord. Now you Assyrian gods, To whom we sacrifice our foemen's blood, Give favour to my looks, faith to my speech, That being gracious with the Persian Lord, By me Assyria may be free from bands, And both the king and subjects death revenged.
seed 43: T18 · seed 44: T18 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Haue you not ſeene them weepe and waile for death? Emptie their purſe of coine, their braine of wit, Sending both gifts and letters to their loues? They yeeld too much vnto affections. T'is follie and not beautie makes them die. Men are in folly when they are in loue, Vrge me no more, I will not viſite her. For by the eie loue ſlips into the heart, Making men idle, negligent. Nothing can more diſhonour warriours, Then to be conquered with a womans looke. Araſpas I reſigne my part to thee, Thou ſhalt be keeper of that Suſan Queene, Vſe her as fits a woman of ſuch birth▪ Excuſe me for not comming to her tent, Bid her be merrie with her ſinging maides, And ſay that Cyrus will entreate her faire. Antiochus king of Aſsiria, So Lord of Euphrates and Babylon, How long wilt thou lament thy fathers death? Caſt off thoſe mourning weedes. How long will I lament my fathers death? Vntill proud Perſia weepe for Cyrus death. Oh that will neuer be, Cyrus is ſtrong, So ſtrong my Lord, that were not Babylon, Fortifyed with vittailes for twentie yeeres, Garded with ſouldiers that will neuer yeeld. Sooner would he expell you from your ſeate, Then you with open armes could anger him. What is reuenge but open warres, As were Antiochus a priuate man, And one of you king of Aſſyria, I would not faile to worke his ouerthrow, But you that are not toucht with inward griefe, will not in that attempt be reſolute. Vouchſafe O Lord to tell me what it is, If I attempt it not then let me die. Why this it is, feigne I haue iniurde thee, And offer ſeruice to the Perſian king. Then being receiued as late Gobrias was, How eaſſie maiſt thou ſlea him and eſcape. For in the night he walkes about his campe, Without a guard euen as a common man. Yet he that killes him ſuer is to die. I thought the feare of death woulde daunt him quite A thouſand talents would I freely giue, To him that vndertakes this enterpriſe. My Lord I am reſolude, giue me the gold. And I will venture life in this exploit. My treaſurer at armes ſhall giue it thee, And Ctiſifon when I receiue his head, Beſide this ſumme thou ſhalt haue annuall pay, As much as thy reuenues mount vnto, And where thou art by calling but a knight, Ile make thee Lord of many prouinces. As for the gold keepe it till I returne, and if I die deliuer it to my friend. Well Cteſiphon manage this glorious act, Let me embrace him ere I take my leaue. Fare well my lord▪ Now you Aſſyrian gods, To whom we ſacrifice our ſo-mens blood, Giue fauour to my lookes, faith to my ſpeach, That being gracious with the Perſian Lord, By me Aſſyria may be free from bands, And both the king and ſubiects death reuengde.