Jonson, Ben · published 1602 · first performed or written 1601 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (second) · Blackfriars T7 The Trojan war: conflict and its afterma typicality 0.73 · 518 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T7: hector, troy, achilles, greeks, aeneas, priam, ulysses, troilus, trojan, trojans.
The course of Heaven, and Fate itself, in this Will Caesar cross; much more all worldly Custom. Custom, in course of Honour, ever errs: And they are best, whom Fortune least prefers. Horace hath (but more strictly) spoke our thoughts. The vast rude swinge of general Confluence Is, in particular ends, exempt from sense: And therefore Reason (which in right should be The special Rector of all Harmony) Shall show we are a man, distinct by it, From those that Custom rapteth in her press. Ascend then Virgil: and where first by Chance We here have turned thy Book, do thou first read. Great Caesar hath his will: I will ascend. 'Twere simple injury to his free hand, That sweeps the Cobwebs, from unused Virtue, And makes her shine proportioned, to her worth, To be more nice to entertain his Grace; Then he is choice, and liberal to afford it. Gentlemen of our Chamber, guard the Doors, And let none enter. Peace. Begin, good Virgil. Mean while, the Skies 'gan thunder; and in tail Of that, fell pouring storms of sleet, and hail: The Tyrian Lords, and Trojan youth, each where With Venus Dardan * Nephew, now, in fear Seek out for several shelter through the Plain; Whilst Floods come rolling from the Hills amain. Dido a Cave, The Trojan * Prince the same Lighted upon; There, Earth, and Heavens great * Dame That hath the charge of Marriage, first gave sign Unto this Contract; Fire, and Air did shine, As guilty of the Match; and from the Hill, The Nymphs, withshriekings, do the Region fill. Here first began their Bane; This Day was ground Of all their Ills: For now, nor Rumours sound, Nor nice respect of State moves Dido ought; Her Love, no longer now, by stealth is sought: She calls this Wedlock, and with that fair Name Covers her fault. Forthwith the Bruit, and Fame, Through all the greatest. Lybian Tawnes, is gone; Fame, a fleet Evil, than which is swifter none: That moving grows, and flying gathers strength; Little at first, and fearful; but at length. She dares attempt the Skies, and stalking proud With feet on Ground, her Head doth pierce a Cloud. This Child, our Parent Earth, stirred up with spite Of all the Gods, brought forth; and, as some wright, She was last sister of that Giant * Race That thought to scale Ioues Court; right swift of Pace, And swifter, far, of Wing. A Monster vast, And dreadful: Look, how many Plumes are placed On her huge Corpse, so many waking Eyes Stick underneath: and (which may stranger rise In the Report) as many Tongues she bears, As many Mouths, as many listening Ears. Nightly, in midst of all the Heaven, she flies, And through the Earth's dark shadow, shrieking, cries; Nor do her Eyes once bend, to taste sweet sleep: By Day, on tops of Houses, she doth keep, Or on high Towers; and doth thence affright Cities, and Towns of most conspicuous site; As covetous she is of Tales, and Lies, As prodigal of Truth: This Monster, etc.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T11 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
The courſe of Heauen, and Fate it ſelfe, in this Will Caeſar croſſe; much more all worldly Cuſtome. "Cuſtome, in courſe of Honour, euer erres: "And they are beſt, whom Fortune leaſt preferres. Horace hath (but more ſtrictly) ſpoke our thoughts. The vaſt rude ſwinge of generall Confluence Is, in particular ends, exempt from ſenſe: And therefore Reaſon (which in right ſhould be The ſpeciall Rector of all Harmony) Shall ſhew we are a man, diſtinct by it, From thoſe that Cuſtome rapteth in her preaſſe. Aſcend then Virgill: and where firſt by Chaunce We here haue turnd thy Booke, doe thou firſt read. Great Caeſar hath his will: I will aſcend. 'Twere ſimple iniury to his free hand, That ſweeps the Cobwebs, from vnuſed Vertue, And makes her ſhine proportiond, to her worth, To be more nice to entertaine his Grace; Then he is choyſe, and liberall to afford it. Gentlemen of our Chamber, guard the Doores, And let none enter. Peace. Beginne, good Virgill. Meane while, the Skies gan thunder; and in tayle Of that, fell powring ſtormes of ſleete, and hayle: The Tyrian Lords, and Troian youth, each where With Venus Dardane Nephew, now, in feare Seeke out for ſeuerall ſhelter through the Plaine; Whil'ſt Flouds come rowling from the Hills amaine. Dido a Caue, The Troian Prince the ſame Lighted vpon; There, Earth, and Heauens great Dame That hath the charge of Mariage, firſt gaue ſigne Vnto this Contract; Fier, and Ayre did ſhine, As guilty of the Match; and from the Hill, The Nymphes, withſhriekings, doe the Region fill. Here first began their Bane; This Day was ground Of all their Ills: For now, nor Rumours ſound, Nor nice reſpect of State mooues Dido ought; Her Loue, no longer now, by ſtealth is ſought: She calls this Wedlocke, and with that faire Name Couers her fault. Forthwith the Bruit, and Fame, Through all the greatest. Lybian Tawnes, is gone; Fame, a fleete Euill, then which is ſwifter none: That moouing growes, and flying gathers ſtrength; Little at first, and fearefull; but at length. She dares attempt the Skies, and ſtalking proud With feete on Ground, her Head doth pearce a Cloud. This Child, our Parent Earth, ſtird vp with ſpight Of all the Gods, brought foorth; and, as ſome wright, She was last ſister of that Giant Race That thought to ſcale Ioues Court; right ſwift of Paſe, And ſwifter, far, of Wing. A Monſter vast, And dreadfull: Looke, how many Plumes are plac't On her huge Corps, ſo many waking Eyes Sticke vnderneath: and (which may ſtranger riſe In the Report) as many Tongues ſhe beares, As many Mouthes, as many listning Eares. Nightly, in midst of all the Heauen, ſhe flies, And through the Earths darke ſhadow, ſhrieking, cries; Nor doe her Eyes once bend, to tast ſweete ſleepe: By Day, on tops of Houſes, ſhe doth keepe, Or on high Towers; and doth thence affright Cities, and Townes of most conſpicuous ſite; As couetous ſhe is of Tales, and Lies, As prodigall of Truth: This Monſter, &c.