Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
Philostratus, that self same care to live, Possesseth all alike, and grieve not then Nature doth us no more than others give: Though we speak more than men, we are but men. And yet (in truth) these miseries to see, Wherein we stand in most extreme distress: Might to ourselves sufficient motives be To loath this life, and weigh our death the less. For never any age hath better taught, What feeble footing pride and greatness hath. How' improvident prosperity is caught, And clean confounded in the day of wrath. See how dismayed Confusion keeps those streets, That nought but mirth & Music late resounded, How nothing with our eye but horror meets, Our state, our wealth, our pride & all confounded. Yet what weak sight did not discern from far This black-arising tempest, all confounding? Who did not see we should be what we are, When pride and riot grew to such abounding. When dissolute impiety possessed, Th'unrespective minds of such a people: When insolent Security found rest In wanton thoughts, with lust and ease made feeble. Then when unwary peace with fat-fed pleasure, New-fresh invented riots still detected, Purchased with all the Ptolemy's rich treasure, Our laws, our Gods, our mysteries neglected. Who saw not how this confluence of vice, This inundation of disorders, must At length of force pay back the bloody price Of sad destruction, (a reward for lust.) O thou and I have heard, and read, and known Of like proud states, as woefully encumbered, And framed by them, examples for our own: Which now among examples must be numbered. For this decree a law from high is given, An ancient Canon, of eternal date, In Consistory of the stars of heaven, Entered the book of unavoided Fate; That no state can in height of happiness, In th'exaltation of their glory stand: But thither once arrived, declining less, Ruin themselves, or fall by others' hand. Thus doth the everchanging course of things, Run a perpetual circle, ever turning: And that same day that highest glory brings, Brings us unto the point of back-returning. For senseless sensuality, doth ever Accompany felicity and greatness. A fatal witch, whose charms do leave us never, Till we leave all in sorrow for our sweetness; When yet ourselves must be the cause we fall, Although the same be first decreed on high: Our errors still must bear the blame of all, This must it be, earth ask not heaven why. Yet mighty men with wary jealous hand, Strive to cut off all obstacles of fear: All whatsoever seems but to withstand Their least conceit of quiet, held so dear; And so entrench themselves with blood, with crimes, With all injustice as their fears dispose: Yet for all this we see, how oftentimes The means they work to keep, are means to lose. And sure I cannot see, how this can stand With great Augustus' safety and his honour, To cut off all succession from our land, For her offence that pulled the wars upon her.
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)
Philostratus, that selfe same care to liue, Possesseth all alike, and grieue not then Nature dooth vs no more then others giue: Though we speak more then men, we are but men. And yet (in truth) these miseries to see, VVherein we stand in most extreame distresse: Might to our selues sufficient motiues be To loathe this life, and weigh our death the lesse. For neuer any age hath better taught, VVhat feeble footing pride and greatnes hath. How 'improuident prosperity is caught, And cleane confounded in the day of wrath. See how dismaid Confusion keepes those streetes, That nought but mirth & Musique late resounded, How nothing with our eye but horror meetes, Our state, our wealth, our pride & all confounded. Yet what weake sight did not discerne from far This black-arysing tempest, all confounding? Who did not see we should be what we are, When pride and ryot grew to such abounding. When dissolute impiety possest, Th'vnrespectiue mindes of such a people: VVhen insolent Security found rest In wanton thoughts, with lust and ease made feeble. Then when vnwary peace with fat-fed pleasure, New-fresh inuented ryots still detected, Purchac'd with all the Ptolomies ritch treasure, Our lawes, our Gods, our misteries neglected. Who saw not how this confluence of vice, This innondation of disorders, must At length of force pay back the bloody price Of sad destruction, (a reward for lust.) O thou and I haue heard, and read, and knowne Of lyke proude states, as wofully incombred, And fram'd by them, examples for our owne: Which now among examples must be numbred. For this decree a law from high is giuen, An auncient Canon, of eternall date, In Consistorie of the starres of heauen, Entred the booke of vnauoyded Fate; That no state can in heigth of happines, In th'exaltation of theyr glory stand: But thither once ariu'd, declyning lesse, Ruine themselues, or fall by others hand. Thus doth the euer-changing course of things, Runne a perpetuall circle, euer turning: And that same day that highest glory brings, Brings vs vnto the poynt of back-returning. For senceles sensualitie, doth euer Accompany felicity and greatnes. A fatall witch, whose charmes do leaue vs neuer, Till we leaue all in sorrow for our sweetnes; When yet our selues must be the cause we fall, Although the same be first decreed on hie: Our errors still must beare the blame of all, This must it be, earth aske not heauen why. Yet mighty men with wary iealous hand, Striue to cut off all obstacles of feare: All whatsoeuer seemes but to withstand Theyr least conceite of quiet, held so deere; And so intrench themselues with blood, wt crymes, With all iniustice as theyr feares dispose: Yet for all thys wee see, how oftentimes The meanes they worke to keep, are means to lose. And sure I cannot see, how this can stand With great Augustus safety and his honor, To cut off all succession from our land, For her offence that puld the warrs vpon her.