Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
They who themselves too much esteem, And vainly vilipend their foe, Oft find not fortune, as they deem, And with their treasure would redeem Their error past: Behold even so From blame who can our King exeme, Who his adversary to scorn, Thought he who in his name did go The laurel should have worn, His triumph to adorn? But he with shame hath shorn The fruits of folly ever ripe with woe. An enemy (if it be well advised) Though he seem weak, should never be despised. But what? the Minions of our Kings, Who speak at large, and are believed, Dare boast of many mighty things, As they could fly, though wanting wings, And deeds by words might be achieved, But time at length their lies to light, Their sovereign to confusion brings. Yet so they gain, they are not grieved, But charm their PRINCE's sight, And make what's wrong seem right. Thus ruin they his might, That when he would, he cannot be relieved. More kings in chambers fall by flatterers charms, Then in the field by th'adversaries arms. All that the success hath approved By Charidemus was foreshown: Yet with his words no man was moved: For good men first must be removed, Before their worth can well be known. The King would hear but what he loved, And what him pleased not did despise. So were the better sort overthrown, And Sycophants unwise, Who could the truth disguise, Were suffered for to rise, That him, who raised them up, they might cast down. Thus Princes will not hear, though such deceive them, Things as they are, but as themselves conceive them. Behold, the heavens with a benign aspect, To prosper this brave enterprise intend, And with propitious stars seem to direct This great beginning to a glorious end. Who would be famous must of force aspire: All those astonished, who my troops do view, Doubt of those two which most they should admire; My coming, or my conquering with so few. So mighty minds t'achieve great actions bent Force Fortune oft to favour them in all: Where baser breasts divining evil event, Through superstitious fears procure their fall. O how I wonder, when I call to mind That monstrous camp, which not so much as doubted! Dim seemed the Sun, whileas their armour shined Men had not heard the thunder, whilst they shouted. Th'avant-couriers, that came for to examine, When they so mean my numbers had perceived, Did think them small to satisfy the famine, That their huge host of daughter had conceived. And yet in end this proved a poisoned food, Which of their own to their confusion yields Mountains of murdered corpse, and seas of blood: unburied bodies buried all the fields. So now that few, whom they contemned so far, (See how mortality itself deceives) Have far overmatched their multitudes in war, And made the world waste to people the graves.
seed 43: T25 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
They who themſelues too much eſteeme, And vainly vilipend their foe, Oft finde not fortune, as they deeme, And with their treaſure would redeeme Their errour paſt: Behold euen ſo From blame who can our King exeeme, Who his aduerſary to ſcorne, Thought he who in his name did goe The laurell ſhould haue worne, His triumphe to adorne? But he with ſhame hath ſhorne The fruites of follie euer ripe with woe. An enemie (if it be well aduis'd) Though he ſeeme weakt, ſhould neuer be deſpis'd. But what? the Minions of our Kings, Who ſpeake at large, and are beleeued, Dare boaſt of many mightie things, As they could flie, though wanting wings, And deeds by wordes might be atchëeued, But time at length their lies to light, Their ſoueraigne to confuſion brings. Yet ſo they gaine, they are not greeue'd, But charme their Princes ſight, And make what's wrong ſeeme right. Thus ruine they his might, That when he would, he cannot be releeued. Moe kings in chambers fall by flatterers charmes, Then in the field by th'aduerſaries armes. All that the ſucceſſe hath approoued By Charidemus was foreſhowne: Yet with his wordes no man was mooued: For good men firſt muſt be remooued, Before their worth can well be knowne. The King would heare but what he looued, And what him pleaſd not did diſpiſe. So were the beeter ſort o'er-throwne, And Sycophants vnwiſe, Who could the trueth diſguiſe, Were ſuffered for to riſe, That him, who rais'd them vp, they might caſt downe. Thus Princes will not heare, though ſuch deceaue them, Things as they are, but as themſelues conceaue them. BEholde, the heauens with a benigne aſpect, To proſper this braue enterpriſe intend, And with propitious ſtarres ſeeme to direct This great beginning to a glorious end. Who would be famous muſt of force aſpite: All thoſe aſtoniſh'd, who my troupes do view, Doubt of thoſe two which moſt they ſhould admire; My comming, or my conquering with ſo few. So mightie mindes t'atchieue great actions bent Force Fortune oft to fauour them in all: Where baſer breaſts deuining euill euent, Through ſuperſtitious feares procure their fall. O howe I wonder, when I call to minde That monſtrous camp, which not ſo much as doubted! Dimme ſeem'd the Sunne, while-as their armour ſhind Men had not heard the thunder, whil'ſt they ſhouted. Th'auant-courours, that came for to examine, When they ſo meane my nombers had perceau'd, Did thinke them ſmall to ſatisfie the famine, That their huge hoſte of daughter had conceau'd. And yet in end this prou'd a poyſon'd foode, Which of their owne to their confuſion yeeldes Mountaines of murthered corps, and ſeas of blood: Vn buried bodies buried all the fieldes. So now that fewe, whome they contemn'd ſo farre, (See how mortalitie it ſelfe deceaues) Haue farre ouer-match'd their multitudes in warre, And made the world waſte to people the graues.