Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 498 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.
Though all who partners are of th' earth and air, Still whilst tapestried with this azure pale, If for nought else, yet for those gifts least rare, To serve th' all-pow'rfull powers, should never fail; Yet there are some whom success hath designed, Whose names are written in respected scrolls, WHom benefits (not ordinary) bind To love them more than life, yea, than their souls: Of those that you are one, your deeds declare, Of whom amidst innumerable broils, Even from your cradle they have had a care, And led you safe through many dangerous toils; Though of the troubles of your youth I see, You have not heard the wonderful discourse, I them remember, who did chance to be An actor in your Tragicke-Comicke course. The accidents which in our nonage chance, A ripened age not to remembrance brings, Like fabulous dreams which darkness doth advance, That are by day disdained as frivolous things: For, our conceptions are not then so strong That they can leave impressions long behind, Yet mix (dear friend) old griefs new joys among, And call afflicted infancy to mind. Who would not wonder at thy wondrous fate, Whom (even or borne) destruction did attend, Whilst ere thou couldst offend, pursued by hate, Even then to end what now shall never end? Your mother first her father's mind did sting, Whilst once he dreamed, which yet his soul confounds, That of a tree which from her womb did spring, Th'umbrageous branches, darkened Asia's bounds; Then to the Magies strait he gave in charge To try what this strange vision did presage, Who having studied their dark Art at large, Gave this response with a prophetic rage: That once his daughter should a son bring forth, Who should (by valour gaining great renown) Make vanquished Asia witness of his worth; But from his grandfather first reave the Crown. This to Astyages a terror bred, Who (vainly bend to scorn the heaven's decree) His daughter (out of policy) would wed, To some weak stranger of no great degree. And to Cambyses, who of her made choice, He, for his Country (then contemned) gave ear, Whom by your birth the Princess did rejoice, And gave her father further cause of fear, Thus tyranny (their brood whose courage fails) Doth force the Parents in despair to fall, To fight a dastard, proud when it prevails, But yet (as feared of all,) doth still fear all; And tyrants no security can find, For every shadow frights a guilty mind. This Monarch then who could not dream of harms, Whose guards did glance all still with steel arrayed, Then whilst he lived secure from foreign Arms, A babe, scarce borne, and his, did make afraid. And whilst Lucina the last help did make, As if some ugly monster had been borne, A Minotaur, a Centaur, or a Snake, The people's terror, and the Mother's scorn; The Grand-childes' birth, which justly should impart, To grandfathers the greatest cause of joys,
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)
Though all who partners are of th' earth and ayre, Still whil'ſt tapeſtred with this azure pale, If for nought elſe, yet for thoſe gifts leaſt rare, To ſerve th' all-pow'rfull pow'rs, ſhould never faile; Yet there are ſome whom ſucceſſe hath deſign'd, Whoſe names are written in reſpected ſcroules, WHom benefits (not ordinary) binde To love them more then life, yea, then their ſoules: Of thoſe that you are one, your deeds declare, Of whom amid'ſt innumerable broiles, Even from your cradle they have had a care, And led you ſafe through many dangerous toiles; Though of the troubles of your youth I ſee, You have not heard the wonderfull diſcourſe, I them remember, who did chance to be An actor in your Tragicke-Comicke courſe. The accidents which in our nonage chance, A ripened age not to remembrance brings, Like fabulous dreames which darkeneſſe doth advance, That are by day diſdain'd as frivolous things: For, our conceptions are not then ſo ſtrong That they can leave impreſſions long behinde, Yet mixe (deare friend) old griefes new joyes among, And call afflicted infancy to minde. Who would not wonder at thy wondrous fate, Whom (even or borne) deſtruction did attend, Whil'ſt ere thou could'ſt offend, purſu'd by hate, Even then to end what now ſhall never end? Your mother firſt her fathers minde did ſting, Whil'ſt once he dream'd, which yet his ſoule confounds, That of a tree which from her wombe did ſpring, Th'umbragious branches, darkened Aſias bounds; Then to the Magies ſtraight he gave in charge To try what this ſtrange viſion did preſage, VVho having ſtudied their darke Art at large, Gave this reſponſe with a propheticke rage: That once his daughter ſhould a ſonne bring forth, Who ſhould (by valour gaining great renowne) Make vanquiſh'd Aſia witneſſe of his worth; But from his grand-father firſt reave the Crowne. This to Aſtyages a terrour bred, Who (vainely bent to ſcorne the heavens decree) His daughter (out of policy) would wed, To ſome weake ſtranger of no great degree. And to Cambyſes, who of her made choice, He, for his Country (then contemn'd) gave eare, Whom by your birth the Princeſſe did rejoyce, And gave her father further cauſe of feare, "Thus tyranny (their brood whoſe courage failes) "Doth force the Parents in deſpaire to fall, "To fight a daſtard, proud when it prevailes, "But yet (as fear'd of all,) doth ſtill feare all; "And tyrants no ſecurity can finde, "For every ſhadow frights a guilty minde. This Monarch then who could not dreame of harmes, Whoſe guards did glance all ſtill with ſteele array'd, Then whil'ſt he liv'd ſecure from forraigne Armes, A babe, ſcarce borne, and his, did make afraid. And whil'ſt Lucina the laſt helpe did make, As if ſome ugly monſter had beene borne, A Minotaure, a Centaure, or a Snake, The peoples terrour, and the Mothers ſcorne; The Grand-childes birth, which juſtly ſhould impart, To grand-fathers the greateſt cauſe of joyes,