Daniel, Samuel · published 1599 · first performed or written 1593 [revised 1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 449 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
Behold, my forces vanquished have this Land, Subdued that strong Competitor of mine: All Egypt yields to my all-conquering hand, And all their treasure and themselves resign. Only this Queen, that hath lost all this all, To whom is nothing left except a mind: Cannot into a thought of yielding fall, To be disposed as chance hath her assigned. But Proculei, what hope doth she now give, Will she be brought to condescend to live? My Lord, what time being sent from you to try To win her forth alive (if that I might) From out the Monument, where woefully She lives enclosed in most aficted plight: No way I found, no means how to surprise her, But through a grate at th'entry of the place Standing to treat, llaboured to advise her, To come to Caesar, and to sue for grace. She said, she craved not life, but leave to die, Yet for her children, prayed they might inherit, That Caesar would vouchsafe (in clemency) To pity them, though she deserved no merit. So leaving her for then; and since of late, With Gallus sent to try another time, The whilst he entertains her at the grate, I found the means up to the Tomb to climb. Where in descending in the closest wise, And silent manner as I could contrive: Her woman me descried, and out she cries, Poor Cleopatra, thou art ta'en alive. With that the Queen reached from her side her knife, And even in act to stab her martyred breast, I stepped with speed, and held, and saved her life, And forth her trembling hand the blade did wrest. Ah Cleopatra, why shouldst thou, (said I) Both injury thyself and Caesar so? Bar him the honour of his victory, Who ever deals most mildly with his foe? Live and rely on him, whose mercy will To thy submission always ready be. With that (as all amazed) she held her still, Twixt majesty confuzed and misery. Her proud grieved eyes, held sorrow and disdain, State and distress warring within her soul: Dying ambition dispossessed her reign, So base affliction seemed to control. Like as a burning Lamp, whose liquor spent With intermitted flames, when dead you deem it, Sends forth a dying flash, as discontent, That so the matter fails that should redeem it: So she (in spite) to see her low-brought state, (When all her hopes were now consumed to nought) Scorns yet to make an abject league with Fate, Or once descend into a servile thought. Th'imperious tongue unused to beseech, Authority confounds with prayers, so Words of command conjoined with humble speech, showed she would live, yet scorned to pray her foe.
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)
Behold, my forces vanquisht haue this Land, Subdu'd that strong Competitor of mine: All Egypt yeelds to my all-conqu'ring hand, And all their treasure and themselues resigne. Onely this Queene, that hath lost all this all, To whom is nothing left except a minde: Cannot into a thought of yeelding fall, To be dispos'd as chance hath her assign'd. But Proculei, what hope doth she now giue, Will shee be brought to condiscend to liue? My Lord, what time being sent frō you to try To win her forth aliue (if that I might) From out the Monument, where wofully She liues inclos'd in most aficted plight: No way I found, no means how to surprize her, But through a grate at th'entry of the place Standing to treat, llabour'd to aduise her, To come to Caesar, and to sue for grace. She said, she crau'd not life, but leaue to die, Yet for her children, pray'd they might inherite, That Caesar would vouchsafe (in clemencie) To pittie them, though she deseru'd no merite. So leauing her for then; and since of late, With Gallus sent to trie another time, The whilst he entertaines her at the grate, I found the meanes vp to the Tombe to clime. Where in descending in the closest wise, And silent manner as I could contriue: Her woman me descri'd, and out she cries, Poore Cleopatra, thou art tane aliue. With that the Queen raught from her side her knife, And euen in act to stab her martred brest, I stept with speede, and held, and sau'd her life, And forth her trembling hād the blade did wrest. Ah Cleopatra, why shouldst thou, (said I) Both iniurie thy selfe and Caesar so? Barre him the honour of his victorie, Who euer deales most mildly with his foe? Liue and relie on him, whose mercie will To thy submission alwayes readie be. With that (as all amaz'd) she held her still, Twixt maiestie confuz'd and miserie. Her proud grieu'd eyes, held sorow and disdaine, State and distresse warring within her soule: Dying ambition dispossest her raigne, So base affliction seemed to controule. Like as a burning Lampe, whose liquour spent With intermitted flames, when dead you deem it, Sendes forth a dying flash, as discontent, That so the matter failes that should redeeme it: So shee (in spight) to see her low-brought state, (When all her hopes were now consum'd to nought) Scornes yet to make an abiect league with Fate, Or once descend into a seruile thought. Th'imperious tongue vnused to beseech, Authoritie confounds with prayers, so Words of cōmand conioin'd with humble speech, Shew'd she would liue, yet scorn'd to pray her foe.