Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T60: caesar, rome, emperor, empire, honour, lord, lucius, great, palsgrave, kings.
Well then, thou know'st how I have lived in grace With Cleopatra, and esteemed in Court As one of Counsel, and of chiefest place, And ever held my credit in that sort. Till now in this confusion of our state, When thinking to have used a mean to climb, And fled the wretched, flown unto the great, (following the fortune of the present time,) Am come to be cast down and ruined clean. And in the course of mine own plot undone. For having all the secrets of the Queen Revealed to Cesar, to have savour won: My treachery is quited with disgrace, My falsehood loathed, and not without great reason Though good for him, yet Princes in this case Do hate the Traitor, though they love the treason. For how could he imagine I would be Faithful to him, being false unto mine own? And false to such a bounteous Queen as she, That had me raised, and made mine honour known. He saw 'twas not for zeal to him I bore, But for base fear, or mine own state to settle. Weakness is false, and faith in Cowards rare, Fear finds out shifts, timidity is subtle. And therefore scorned of him, scorned of mine own. Hateful to all that look into my state: Despised Seleucus now is only grown The mark of infamy, that's pointed at. 'tis much thou sayst, and o too much to feel, And I do grieve and do lament thy fall: But yet all this which thou dost here reveal, Compared with mine, will make thine seem but small. Although my fault be in the self-same kind, Yet in degree far greater, far more hateful; Mine sprung of mischief, thine from feeble mind, I stained with blood, thou only but ungrateful. For unto me did Cleopatra give The best and dearest treasure of her blood. Lovely Casario, whom she would should live Free from the dangers wherein Egypt stood. And unto me with him this charge she gave, Here Rodon, take, convey from out this Coast, This precious Gem, the chiefest that I have, The jewel of my soul I value most. Guide him to INDIA, lead him far from hence, Safeguard him where secure he may remain, Till better fortune call him back from thence, And Egypt's peace be reconciled again. For this is he that may our hopes bring back, (The rising Sun of our declining state:) These be the hands that may restore our wrack, And raise the broken ruins made of late. He may give limits to the boundless pride Of fierce Octavius, and abate his might: Great Iulius offspring, he may come to guide The Empire of the world, as his by right. O how he seems the model of his Sire? O how I gaze my Caesar in his face? Such was his gate, so did his looks aspire; Such was his threatening brow, such was his grace. High shouldered, and his forehead even as high.
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)
Well then, thou know'st how I haue liu'd in grace With Cleopatra, and esteem'd in Court As one of Counsell, and of chiefest place, And euer held my credite in that sort. Tyll now in this confusion of our state, When thinking to haue vs'd a meane to climbe, And fled the wretched, slowne vnto the great, (Follow'ing the fortune of the present time,) Am come to be cast downe and ruin'd cleene. And in the course of mine owne plot vndonne. For hauing all the secretes of the Queene Reueal'd to Cesar, to haue sauour wonne: My trechery is quited with disgrace, My falshood loath'd, and not without great reason Though good for him, yet Princes in this case Doe hate ye Traytor, though they loue the treason. For how could hee imagine I would be Faithfull to him, being false vnto mine owne? And false to such a bountious Queene as shee, That had me rais'd, and made mine honor known. Hee saw twas not for zeale to him I bare, But for base feare, or mine owne state to settle. Weakenes is false, and faith in Cowards rare, Feare findes out shyfts, timiditie is subtle. And therefore scornd of him, scornd of mine own. Hatefull to all that looke into my state: Despis'd Seleucus now is onely growne The marke of infamy, that's pointed at. Tis much thou saist, and ô too much to feele, And I doe grieue and doe lament thy fall: But yet all this which thou doost heere reueale, Cōpar'd with mine, wil make thine seem but smal. Although my fault be in the selfe-same kind, Yet in degree far greater, far more hatefull; Mine sprong of myschiefe, thine from feeble mind, I staind with blood, thou onely but'vngratefull. For vnto mee did Cleopatra gyue The best and deerest treasure of her blood. Louely Casario, whom shee would should liue Free from the dangers wherein Egipt stood. And vnto mee with him this charge she gaue, Heere Rodon, take, conuay from out thys Coast, This precious Gem, the chiefest that I haue, The iewell of my soule I value most. Guide hym to INDIA, leade him farre from hence, Safeguard him where secure he may remaine, Till better fortune call him back from thence, And Egipts peace be reconcil'd againe. For this is hee that may our hopes bring back, (The rysing Sunne of our declyning state:) These be the hands that may restore our wrack, And rayse the broken ruines made of late. Hee may gyue limmits to the boundles pryde Of fierce Octauius, and abate his might: Great Iulius of-spring, hee may come to guide The Empire of the world, as his by right. O how hee seemes the modell of his Syre? O how I gaze my Caesar in his face? Such was his gate, so dyd his lookes aspyre; Such was his threatning brow, such was his grace. High shouldred, and his forehead euen as hie.