Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T54: antony, caesar, anthony, cleopatra, antonius, love, death, die, heart, breast.
But (rather) let that hateful Tyrant know, That thou and I had power t'avoid the same. But what do I spend breath and idle wind, In vain invoking a conceived aid? Why do I not myself occasion find To break the bounds wherein myself am stayed? Words are for them that can complain and live, Whose melting hearts composed of baser frame, Can to their sorrows time and leisure give, But Cleopatra may not do the same. No Anthony, thy love requireth more. A lingering death, with thee deserves no merit, I must myself force open wide a door To let out life, and so unhouse my spirit. These hands must break the prison of my soul To come to thee, there to enjoy like state, As doth the long-pent solitary Foul, That hath escaped her cage, and found her mate. This Sacrifice to sacrifice my life, Is that true incense that doth best beseem: These rites may serve a life-desiring wife, Who doing them, t'have done enough doth deem. My heart blood should the purple flowers have been, Which here upon thy Tomb to thee are offered, No smoke but dying breath should here been seen, And this it had been to, had I been suffered. But what have I save these bare hands to do it? And these weak fingers are not iron-pointed: They cannot pierce the flesh being put unto it, And I of all means else am disappointed. But yet I must a way and means seek, how To come unto thee, whatsoe'er I do. O Death, art thou so hard to come by now, That we must pray, entreat, and seek thee too? But I will find thee wheresoe'er thou lie, For who can stay a mind resolved to die? And now I go to work th'effect in deed, I'll never send more words or sighs to thee: I'll bring my soul myself, and that with speed, myself will bring my soul to Anthony. Come go my Maids, my fortune's sole attenders, That minister to misery and sorrow: Your Mistress you unto your freedom renders, And quits you from all charge yet ere tomorrow. And now by this, I think the man I sent, Is near returned that brings me my dispatch. God grant his cunning sort to good event, And that his skill may well beguile my watch. So shall I shun disgrace, leave to be sorry, Fly to my love, scape my foe, free my soul; So shall I act the last act of my glory, Die like a Queen, and rest without control. Exit. Mysterious Egypt, wonder breeder, strict religions strange observer, State-orderer Zeal, the best rule-keeper, fostering still in fervour: O how cam'st thou to lose so wholly all religion, law and order? And thus become the most unholy of all Lands that Nylus' border? How could confused Disorder enter where stern Law sat so severely? How durst weak lust and riot venture th' eye of justice looking nearly? Could not those means that made thee great, Be still the means to keep thy state?
seed 43: T51 · seed 44: T48 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
But (rather) let that hatefull Tyrant know, That thou and I had powre t'auoyde the same. But what doe I spend breath and idle winde, In vaine invoking a conceiued ayde? Why doe I not my selfe occasion find To breake the bounds wherein my selfe am stayd? VVords are for them that can complaine and lyue, VVhose melting harts compos'd of baser frame, Can to theyr sorrowes time and leysure gyue, But Cleopatra may not doe the same. No Anthony, thy loue requireth more. A lingring death, with thee deserues no merit, I must my selfe force open wide a dore To let out life, and so vnhouse my spirit. These hands must breake the prison of my soule To come to thee, there to enioy like state, As doth the long-pent solitary Foule, That hath escapt her cage, and found her mate. This Sacrifice to sacrifize my life, Is that true incense that doth best beseeme: These rites may serue a life-desiring wife, Who dooing them, t'haue done enough doth deeme. My hart blood should the purple flowers haue beene, Which heere vpon thy Tombe to thee are offred, No smoake but dying breath should heere been seene, And this it had beene to, had I beene suffred. But what haue I saue these bare hands to doe it? And these weake fingers are not yron-poynted: They cannot peirce the flesh be'ing put vnto it, And I of all meanes els am disapoynted. But yet I must a way and meanes seeke, how To come vnto thee, what so ere I doo. O Death, art thou so hard to come by now, That wee must pray, intreate, and seeke thee too? But I will finde thee where so ere thou lye, For who can stay a minde resolu'd to die? And now I goe to worke th'effect in deede, Ile neuer send more words or sighes to thee: Ile bring my soule my selfe, and that with speed, My selfe will bring my soule to Anthony. Come goe my Maydes, my fortunes sole attenders, That minister to misery and sorrow: Your Mistres you vnto your freedom renders, And quits you from all charge yet ere to morrow. And now by this, I thinke the man I sent, Is neere return'd that brings mee my dispatch. God graunt his cunning sort to good euent, And that his skill may well beguile my watch. So shall I shun disgrace, leaue to be sorie, Fly to my loue, scape my foe, free my soule; So shall I act the last act of my glory, Dye like a Queene, and rest without controule. Exit. MIsterious Egipt, wonder breeder, strict religions strange obseruer, State-ordrer Zeale, the best rule-keeper, fostring still in temprate feruor: O how cam'st thou to lose so wholy all religion, law and order? And thus become the most vnholy of all Lands that Nylus border? How could confus'd Disorder enter where sterne Law sate so seuerely? How durst weake lust and ryot venter th' eye of Iustice looking neerely? Could not those means that made thee great, Be still the meanes to keepe thy state?