Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 478 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Since that it hath not pleased the heavenly powers, That of my offspring I might comfort claim, Yet lest the ravenous course of flying hours Should make a prey of my respected name, I would engender such a generous brood, That the unborn might know how I have lived, And this no doubt would do my Ghost great good, By famous victories to be revived: I hope to soar with fames Immortal wings, Unless my high-bent thoughts themselves deceive, That having acted admirable things, I death may scorn, triumphing o'er the grave; Yet have I not so settled my conceit, That all opinions are to be despised; A good advice can never come too late; This is the purpose that I have devised: Some Scythian Shepherds in a high disdain, As trusted fame yet constantly relates, To plague some Medes with horror and with pain, Did entertain them with prodigious meats, And to content their more than Tigrish wishes, They with the Infant's flesh, the Parents fed, Who not suspecting such polluted dishes, Did in their bowels bury whom they bred. Then after this abominable crime, They fled with hasted unto my father's Court, And (first informers courting trust in time) Did as they pleased, of what was past report; Whilst they (save what them helped) all things suppressed, Mild pity pleading for afflictions part, His generaous mind still tendering the distressed, Was won to them by this deceiving Art. Oft men of judges thence have parties gone, Where both their ears were patent but to one. Then Cyaxare, Monarch of the Medes, To prosecute those fugitives to death, In indignation of my father's deeds, Did brag them both with all the words of wrath; My father thinking that his Court should be A Sanctuary supplicants to save, Did levy men to make the world then see, In spite of power that weakness help should have. Thus mortal wars on every side proclaimed, With mutual trouble did continue long, Till both the Armies by Bellona ●aa●'d, Did irk to venge, or to maintain a wrong: It chanced whilst peace was at the highest dearth, That all their forces did with fury fight, A sudden darkness curtained up the earth, And did by violence displace the light. I think the Sun for Phaeton looked sad, Else blushed (reflecting blood) like them he saw: For (as when wronged of old) with grief gone mad, He from the world his chariot did withdraw; Yet Ignorance, which doth confusion breed, By wresting nature's course, found cause of fears, Which error did so happily succeed, That it a concord wrought, and truce from tears; Then strait there was a perfect peace begun, And that it might more constantly endure, Astyages the King of Media's son, To be his Queen my sister did procure. A deadly rancour reconciled again, With consanguinity would sealed remain.
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)
Since that it hath not pleas'd the heavenly pow'rs, That of my off-ſpring I might comfort claime, Yet leſt the ravenous courſe of flying how'rs Should make a prey of my reſpected name, I would engender ſuch a generous broode, That the un-borne might know how I have liv'd, And this no doubt would doe my Ghoſt great good, By famous victories to be reviv'd: I hope to ſoare with fames Immortall wings, Vnleſſe my high-bent thoughts themſelves deceave, That having acted admirable things, I death may ſcorne, triumphing o're the grave; Yet have I not ſo ſetled my conceipt, That all opinions are to be deſpis'd; "A good advice can never come too late; This is the purpoſe that I have devis'd: Some Scythian Shepheards in a high diſdaine, As truſted fame yet conſtantly relates, To plague ſome Medes with horrour and with paine, Did entertaine them with prodigious meates, And to content their more then Tigriſh wiſhes, They with the Infants fleſh, the Parents fed, Who not ſuſpecting ſuch polluted diſhes, Did in their bowels bury whom they bred. Then after this abhominable crime, They fled with haſted unto my fathers Court, And (firſt informers courting truſt in time) Did as they pleas'd, of what was paſt report; Whil'ſt they (ſave what them help'd) all things ſuppreſſ'd, Milde pitty pleading for afflictions part, His generaous minde ſtill tend'ring the diſtreſſ'd, Was wonne to them by this deceiving Art. Oft men of Iudges thence have parties gone, "Where both their eares were patent but to one. Then Cyaxare, Monarch of the Medes, To proſecute thoſe fugitives to death, In indignation of my fathers deeds, Did bragge them both with all the words of wrath; My father thinking that his Court ſhould be A Sanctuary ſupplicants to ſave, Did levie men to make the world then ſee, In ſpite of pow'r that weakeneſſe help ſhould have. Thus mortall warres on every ſide proclaim'd, With mutuall trouble did continue long, Till both the Armies by Bellona aa'd, Did irke to venge, or to maintaine a wrong: It chanc'd whil'ſt peace was at the higheſt dearth, That all their forces did with fury fight, A ſudden darkneſſe curtain'd up the earth, And did by violence diſplace the light. I thinke the Sunne for Phaeton look't ſad, Elſe bluſh'd (reflecting bloud) like them he ſaw: For (as when wrong'd of old) with griefe gone mad, He from the world his chariot did with-draw; Yet Ignorance, which doth confuſion breed, By wreſting natures courſe, found cauſe of feares, Which errour did ſo happily ſucceed, That it a concord wrought, and truce from teares; Then ſtraight there was a perfect peace begunne, And that it might more conſtantly indure, Aſtyages the King of Media's ſonne, To be his Queene my ſiſter did procure. A deadly rancor reconcil'd againe, "With conſanguinity would ſeal'd remaine.