Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T7: hector, troy, achilles, greeks, aeneas, priam, ulysses, troilus, trojan, trojans.
They came to Artabazus, honest man, Who judged of others by his upright mind, And could not, or through bounty would not scan What they with craft and malice had designed. A sincere mind is ever least suspicious: They think all faulty who themselves are vicious. They urged him with the King to intercede. That in his favour he would give them place; With promise that by some notorious deed Of arms they would seek to deserve his grace. He in their favour first informed the King, The battle would bear witness of their truth; Then both before his majesty did bring, Who was by their submission moved to ruth. Their hands stretched up to heaven, & humbled knees, Their tears like those the Crocodiles do shed, Woe in their face, and pity in their eyes Did for compassion and for mercy plead. The king of nature mild, prompt to receive them, While they dissembledly were thus complaining, Not only of his lenity forgave them, But wept in earnest too while they were feigning. Then as he used, his danger now not feeling, He mounted to his Coach: they came behind With a submissive voice most humbly kneeling To him, whom shortly they were bent to bind. The Grecian Captain followed them with speed, Who being called, and asked what he desired, Solicited the King to take good heed Of those that had against his life conspired. He told him how he had their treason tried, And seen the Bactrians to a tumult bent; Then prayed him for his safety to provide, In going with him to his trusty tent. The King grown careless, and his safety shunning Refused this offer on affection grounded. Or with some powerful fate his fall fore-running, Was carried headlong thus to be confounded. The Greek passed thence despairing of his safety, Who thus recureless help and health refused. Then Bessus did begin with speeches crafty To purge himself, and errors past excused. The King then Artabazus did command T'approach, and patron's speech at length reported: He then did doubt what danger was at hand, And to go with the Greek his Grace exhorted. But when he found this resolution placed, Within his breast, no peril for to fly: With mutual tears each other they embraced, Parting like two, that living went to die, Now silent night in pitchy vapours clad Had mustered mists, and marched unto the West, A shadowy horror o'er the earth was spread, The Sentinels were set, and all at rest. When a strange terror troubled all the host: The multitudes did murmur in all parts: They did resemble ships in storms near lost, Whilst each to th'other cause of fears imparts. Those who their King appointed were to guard All shrunk away to corners none stayed there: And having to his danger no regard His better-fortunes Minions fled else where. The desolation then was wondrous great: With a few Eunuchs Darius left alone Did enter deeply to revolve his state, And thus bespoke them; who did for him moan.
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)
They came to Artabazus, honeſt man, Who iudg'd of others by his vpright minde, And could not, or through bountie would not ſcan What they with craft and malice had deſing'd. A ſinceare minde is euer leaſt ſuſpitious: They think all faulty who themſelues are vitious. They vrg'd him with the King to interceede. That in his fauour he would giue them place; With promiſe that by ſome notorious deede Of armes they would ſeeke to deſerue his grace. He in their fauour firſt enform'd the King, The battell would beare witneſſe of their truth; Then both before his maieſty did bring, Who was by their ſubmiſſion moou'd to ruth. Their hands ſtreatchd vp to heau'n, & hūbled knees, Their teares like thoſe the Crocodiles doe ſhed, Woe in their face, and pitty in their eyes Did for compaſſion and for mercie plead. The king of nature milde, prompt to receiue them, While they diſſembledly were thus complaning, Not onelie of his lenitie forgaue them, But wept in earneſt too while they were faining. Then as he vſ'd, his danger now not feeling, He mounted to his Coach: they came behinde With a ſubmiſſiue voyce moſt humbly kneeling To him, whom ſhortly they were bent to binde. The Graecian Captaine follow'd them with ſpeede, Who being cal'd, and ask'd what he deſir'd, Sollicited the King to take good heede Of thoſe that had againſt his life conſpir'd. He tolde him how he had their treaſon tri'de, And ſeene the Bactrians to a tumult bent; Then prai'd him for his ſafety to prouide, In going with him to his truſty tent. The King grow'n careleſſe, and his ſafety ſhunning Refus'd this offer on affection grounded. Or with ſome pow'rfull fate his fall fore-running, Was carried headlong thus to be confounded. The Greeke paſt thence diſpairing of his ſafety, Who thus recur eleſſe helpe and health refus'd. Then Beſſus did begin with ſpeeches craftie To purge himſelfe, and errours paſt excus'd. The King then Artabazus did command T'approch, and Patrons ſpeech at length reported: He then did doubt what danger was at hand, And to go with the Greeke his Grace exhorted. But when he found this reſolution plac'd, Within his breſt, no peril for to flie: With mutuall teares each other they embrac'd, Parting like two, that liuing went to die, Now ſilent night in pitchie vapours cled Had muſtred miſts, and march'd vnto the Weſt, A ſhadowie horrour ou'r the earth was ſpread, The Santinelles were ſet, and all at reſt. When a ſtrange terrour troubled all the hoſte: The multitudes did murmure in all parts: They did reſemble ſhips in ſtormes neere loſt, Whilſt each to th'other cauſe of feares imparts. Thoſe who their King appointed were to guarde All ſhrunke away to corners none ſtaid there: And hauing to his danger no regarde His better-fortunes Minions fled elſe where. The deſolation then was wonderous great: With a few Eunuches Darius left alone Did enter deepely to reuolue his ſtate, And thus be-ſpake them; who did for him mone.