Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
'twas he who first obtained the name of Ioue, Who was reputed for his glorious acts, The most imperious of the powers above, That vows and offerings of the world exacts. He all his time could nought but terror breath, To make the world acquaint with war and dearth, The chiefest sergeants deputed by death, That made th'Assyrians sovereigns of the earth. Yet since his course the world's first plague was passed, His successors who many ages reigned, Made shipwreck of their Empire at the last, And by the Medes were thralled, scorned, and disdained. This was the cause of that great kingdoms fall, A King who could not judge of kingly treasures, With loss of sceptre, honour, life and all, Did buy his base delights and servile pleasures. To that disastered Monarchies decay, Th'aspiring Persians purpose to succeed, But I intend to cross them by the way, And quail their courage ere that they can speed. The Persians once the Lydians force must prove, And, O who knows but that it is ordained At the Tribunal of the States above, That I should reign where famous Ninus reigned. This all the host of heaven ofttimes foretells, To this the gods of Greece my mind have moved, And he that in th'Arabian desert dwells, By his response this enterprise approved. Thus still in love with what we mind to do, What we affect we fairest still conceive, This feeds our humour whilst we labour, to Seem full of wit ourselves for to deceive. You flatter so yourself, you can not spy What secret danger this design doth bear, But whilst I look with an indifferent eye On your intentions, I find cause of fear. You unadvisedly purpose to pursue A barbarous people that are foes to peace, Who but by rapine to their greatness grew, And would for each light cause the wars embrace. No dainty silks of the Assyrian die, Do deck their bodies to abase their minds, But clothed with wild beasts skins they do defy The force of Phoebus rays, and Eol's winds. They simply feed and are not grieved each day, With stomachs cloyed decocting divers meats, They fare not as they would, but as they may, Of judgement sound not carried with conceits. These uncorrupted customs that they hold, Make all things easy that they feel no pain, This cools the summers heat, kills Winter's cold, This makes the rivers dry, the mountains plain. Those whose ambition poverty did bound, Of the delights of Lidia if they taste Will have in hatred straight their barren ground, And insolently all our treasures waste. To govern such although that you prevail, You shall but buy vexation with your blood, And do yourself and yours, if fortune fail, From a possessed Sovereignty seclude. Yea, though this rash desire your judgement leads, I for my part must praise the gods for you, The have not put into the Persians heads, To war against the Lydians long ere now.
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)
T'was he who firſt obtain'd the name of Ioue, Who was reputed for his glorious acts, The moſt imperious of the powers aboue, That vowes and offrings of the world exacts. He all his time could nought but terrour breathe, To make the world acquaint with warre and dearth, The chiefeſt ſergeants deputed by death, That made th'Aſsirians ſoueraignes of the earth. Yet ſince his courſe the worlds firſt plague was paſt, His ſucceſſours who many ages raign'd, Made ſhipwrack of their Empire at the laſt, And by the Medes were thral'd, ſcorn'd, and diſdain'd. This was the cauſe of that great kingdomes fall, A King who could not iudge of kinglie treaſures, With loſſe of ſcepter, honour, life and all, Did buy his baſe delights and ſeruile pleaſures. To that diſaſtred Monarchies decay, Th'aſpiring Perſians purpoſe to ſucceede, But I intend to croſſe them by the way, And quaile their courage ere that they can ſpeede. The Perſians once the Lidians force muſt proue, And, O who knowes but that it is ordain'd At the Tribunall of the States aboue, That I ſhould raigne where famous Ninus raign'd. This all the hoſt of heauen ofttimes foretells, To this the gods of Greece my mind haue mou'd, And he that in th'Arabian deſart dwells, By his reſponſe this enterpriſe approu'd. Thus ſtill in loue with what we mind to do, What we affect we faireſt ſtill conceaue, This feedes our humour whilſt we labour, to Seeme full of wit our ſelues for to deceaue. You flatter ſo yourſelfe, you can not ſpye What ſecret danger this deſigne doth beare, But whilſt I looke with an indifferent eye On your intentions, I find cauſe of feare. You vnaduiſdlie purpoſe to purſue A barbarous people that are foes to peace, Who but by rapine to their greatnes grew, And would for each light cauſe the warres imbrace. No daintie ſilks of the Aſsirian dye, Do deck their bodies to abaſe their mindes, But cloath'd with wild beaſts skinnes they do defye The force of Phoebus rayes, and Eols windes. They ſimplie feede and are not grieu'd each day, With ſtomacks cloyd decocting diuers meates, They fare not as they would, but as they may, Of iudgement ſound not carried with conceates. Theſe vncorrupted cuſtomes that they hold, Make all things eaſie that they feele no paine, This cooles the Sommers heate, kils Winters cold, This makes the Riuers dry, the Mountaines plaine. Thoſe whoſe ambition pouertie did bound, Of the delights of Lidia if they taſte Will haue in hatred ſtraight their barren ground, And inſolentlie all our treaſures waſte. To gouerne ſuch although that you preuaile, You ſhall but buy vexation with your blood, And do your ſelfe and yours, if fortune faile, From a poſſeſſed Soueraigntie ſeclude. Yea, though this raſh deſire your iudgement leades, I for my part muſt praiſe the gods for you, The haue not put into the Perſians heads, To warre againſt the Lidians long ere now.