Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.77 · 475 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
As we have heard of him who thither went, While they as yet not of support despaired, And courteously were led unto a Tent Which we of purpose caused to be prepared: Even in the way one fortuned there to spy The Diadem which Darius ear'st had borne, (Though glorious once) which low on th'earth did lie; As erst for pomp, than wondered at with scorn. Strait they imagined from his Royal head, Whose dignity it sometime did decore, None could it cast except himself were dead, And if so were, they wished to live no more: When they had entered in the Tent to weep, Your Servant came, and at the entry knocked, Who (finding them so quiet) thought a sleep Had closed their eyes, or else that he was mocked, At length by force he made a patent way, And was advanced them lovingly to greet, When (lo) the Ladies prostrated all lay, And with a flood of tears bedewed his feet. Then said (by death expecting to be free) Let us entomb great Darius like a King; Then when we first his funeral honour see, Death must to us a great contentment bring; This oft they urged, though he attested there That Darius was not dead (as they supposed) But lived with hope, his ruins to repair, And in the power of other Realms reposed. Then did he urge what comfort and relief They might attend, depending on your Grace; Thus having toiled to mitigate their grief, It seemed they longed to see my Sovereign's face, I pity still, and not insult o'er such, (Though once mine Enemies) who are humbled so, And lest weak fear oppress their minds too much, To comfort them, strait to their Tent I'll go. OF all the passions which possess the soul, None so disturbs vain Mortals minds, As vain Ambition which so blinds The light of them, that nothing can control, Nor curb their thoughts who will aspire; This raging vehement desire Of Sovereignty no satisfaction finds, But in the breasts of men doth ever roll The restless stone of Sisyph to torment them, And as his heart who stole the heavenly fire, The Vulture gnaws, so doth that monster rend them: Had they the world, the world would not content them. This race of Ixion to embrace the clouds, Contemn the state wherein they stand, And save themselves, would all command; As one desire is quenched, another buds, When they have traveled all their time, Heaped blood on blood, and crime on crime, There is an higher power that guides their hand: More happy he whom a poor Cottage shrouds Against the tempest of the threatening heaven; He stands in fear of none, none envies him; His heart is upright, and his ways are even, Where others states are still 'twixt six and seven.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T33 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
As we have heard of him who thither went, While they as yet not of ſupport deſpair'd, And courteouſly were led unto a Tent Which we of purpoſe caus'd to be prepar'd: Even in the way one fortun'd there to ſpie The Diademe which Darius ear'ſt had borne, (Though glorious once) which low on th'earth did lye; As earſt for pompe, then wondred at with ſcorne. Straight they imagin'd from his Royall head, Whoſe dignity it ſometime did decore, None could it caſt except himſelfe were dead, And if ſo were, they wiſh'd to live no more: When they had entred in the Tent to weep, Your Servant came, and at the entry knock'd, Who (finding them ſo quiet) thought a ſleep Had cloſ'd their eyes, or elſe that he was mock'd, At length by force he made a patent way, And was advanc'd them lovingly to greet, When (loe) the Ladies proſtrated all lay, And with a floud of teares be-dew'd his feet. Then ſaid (by death expecting to be free) Let us entombe great Darius like a King; Then when we firſt his funerall honour ſee, Death muſt to us a great contentment bring; This oft they urg'd, though he atteſted there That Darius was not dead (as they ſuppos'd) But liv'd with hope, his ruines to repaire, And in the pow'r of other Realmes repos'd. Then did he urge what comfort and reliefe They might attend, depending on your Grace; Thus having toil'd to mitigate their griefe, It ſeem'd they long'd to ſee my Soveraignes face, I pitie ſtill, and not inſult o're ſuch, (Though once mine Enemies) who are humbled ſo, And leſt weake feare oppreſſe their mindes too much, To comfort them, ſtraight to their Tent I'le go. "OF all the paſsions which poſſeſſe the ſoule, "None ſo diſturbes vaine Mortals mindes, "As vaine Ambition which ſo blindes "The light of them, that nothing can controll, "Nor curb their thoughts who will aſpire; "This raging vehement deſire "Of Soveraignty no ſatisfaction findes, "But in the breaſts of men doth ever roule "The reſtleſſe ſtone of Siſyph to torment them, "And as his heart who ſtole the heavenly fire, "The Vulture gnaws, ſo doth that monſter rent them: "Had they the world, the world would not content them. This race of Ixion to embrace the clouds, Contemne the ſtate wherein they ſtand, And ſave themſelves, would all command; "As one deſire is quench'd, another buds, When they have travell'd all their time, Heapt bloud on bloud, and crime on crime, There is an higher power that guides their hand: More happie he whom a poore Cottage ſhrouds Againſt the tempeſt of the threatning heaven; He ſtands in feare of none, none envies him; His heart is upright, and his ways are even, Where others ſtates are ſtill twixt ſix and ſeven.