Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses · 515 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
That to repress oppression you take care, Though we were dumb, the public rest may speak: Your Laws, like Spider's webs are not a snare For little flies, that them the big may break; Mean men by them from great men's pride are saved, The heavens continue long your prosperous reign, And let us not by such a beast be braved, Which by our ruin would your Sceptre stain. What would you then that should be done by me, That may repay your loss, repair this wrong? We crave none of your wealth, but wish to see This Boar be-bloud the staff of the most strong: Let valorous Atis worth ily your Son, With Lydian youth incapable of fears, Go to the fields before the rising Sun, To quench his thirst have drunk Sun, To quench his thirst have drunk the morning's tears, And we shall lead them crowned with laurel forth, Where in strict bounds, yet a theatre large For men to make a trial of their worth, They with advantage may this Monster charge; So shall we reap repose, and they delight, Whilst that prodigious body justly smarts, Though fearful once, then made a pleasant sight, When like a wood it planted is with darts. I may not spare my Son for a respect, Which is not needful now to be made known, But others shall be sent for that effect, That this outrageous beast may be overthrown; The stately gallants who attend our grace (That by the world their valour may be viewed) This enterprise will willingly embrace, And not return, till with his blood imbrued; I swear, this monster shall when he is dead, A memorable monument remain; IN Phebe's church men shall admire his head, As Python's spoils, when by her brother slain. Ah! wherein Father did I thus offend? Or what vile sign of a degenered mind Have you but marked in me, whose course may tend To the reproach of our imperial kind? And abject dastard, who for nought avails, Whose worth the world must trust, but never tries As one whose strength, or then his Courage fails▪ Must I in vile repose inglorious lie! Lie like a wanton by vain thoughts bewicthed! Who spoilt of force, effeminately lives, A Peacok poor, with painted pens enriched▪ Yet bare of every thing that glory gives; What glory give those titles unto me, Which by succession fall, not by desert? Should but my fame with borrowed feathers fly? For, come of kings a kingdom is my part; Who honour as hereditary claims, Like bastard's base, doth but his birthright bloat, I scorn to beg my worth from dead men's names, Or to gain credit only by my Coat; What comfort's this to have the highest seat, And all the bliss that Majesty imparts, If those whom only we exceed in State, Be our Superiors in far better parts? More than a Crown true worth should be esteemed▪ Th'one fortune's gift, the other is our own, By which the mind from anguish is redeemed, When fortunes goods are by herself o'erthrown.
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)
That to repreſſe oppreſſion you take care, Though we were dumbe, the publick reſt may ſpeake: Your Laws, like Spiders webs are not a ſnare For little flyes, that them the bigge may breake; Meane men by them from great mens pride are ſav'd, The heavens continue long your proſp'rous raigne, And let us not by ſuch a beaſt be brav'd, Which by our ruine would your Scepter ſtaine. What would you then that ſhould be done by me, That may repay your loſſe, repaire this wrong? We crave none of your wealth, but wiſh to ſee This Boare be-bloud the ſtaffe of the moſt ſtrong: Let valorous Atis worth ily your Sonne, With Lydian youth incapable of feares, Go to the fields before the riſing Sunne, To quench his thirſt have drunk Sunne, To quench his thirſt have drunk the mornings teares, And we ſhall leade them crown'd with lawrell forth, Where in ſtrict bounds, yet a theatre large For men to make a triall of their worth, They with advantage may this Monſter charge; So ſhall we reape repoſe, and they delight, Whil'ſt that prodigious body juſtly ſmarts, Though fearfull once, then made a pleaſant ſight, When like a wood it planted is with darts. I may not ſpare my Sonne for a reſpect, Which is not needfull now to be made knowne, But others ſhall be ſent for that effect, That this out-ragious beaſt may be o're-thrown; The ſtately gallants who attend our grace (That by the world their valour may be view'd) This enterpriſe will willingly embrace, And not returne, till with his blood imbru'd; I ſweare, this monſter ſhall when he is dead, A memorable monument remaine; IN Phebes church men ſhall admire his head, As Pythons ſpoiles, when by her brother ſlaine. Ah! wherein Father did I thus offend? Or what vile ſigne of a degener'd minde Have you but mark'd in me, whoſe courſe may tend To the reproach of our imperiall kinde? And abiect daſtard, who for nought availes, Whoſe worth the world muſt truſt, but never trie As one whoſe ſtrength, or then his Courage failes▪ Muſt I in vile repoſe inglorious lie! Lie like a wanton by vaine thoughts bewicth'd! Who ſpoild of force, effeminately lives, A Peacok poore, with painted pennes enrich'd▪ Yet bare of every thing that glory gives; What glory give thoſe titles unto me, Which by ſucceſſion fall, not by deſert? Should but my fame with borrow'd feathers flie? For, come of kings a kingdome is my part; "Who honour as hereditary claimes, "Like baſtards baſe, doth but his birth-right blote, I ſcorne to beg my worth from dead mens names, Or to gaine credite onely by my Coate; What comfort's this to have the higheſt ſeate, And all the bliſſe that Majeſtie imparts, If thoſe whom onely we exceed in State, Be our Superiours in farre better parts? "More then a Crowne true worth ſhould be eſteem'd▪ "Th'one fortunes gift, the other is our own, "By which the minde from anguiſh is redeem'd, When fortunes goods are by her ſelfe o'rethrown.