Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so · 495 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
All Lydia's o'erthrow did with speed procure: As one of ours (unhappily it chanced) To reach his helmet, that had 'scaped his hand, A longest that steepy part his steps advanced, And was returning back unto his band; He was well marked by one, who had not spared To tempt all dangers which might make us thralls: For Cyrus had proclaimed a great reward To him whose steps first trod the conquered walls; And this companion seeing without stay One in his sight that craggy passage clime, Strait on his footsteps followed all the way, And many a thousand hasted after him; Then all that durst resist, were quickly killed, The rest who fled, no where secure could be: For every street was with confusion filled; There was no corner from some mischief free. O what a piteous clamour did arise Of ravished virgins, and of widowed wives! Who pierced the heavens with lamentable cries, And having lost all comfort, loathed their lives. Whilst those proud Victors would themselves have stained With all the wrongs that Pride, or power could use, They by a charge from Cyrus were restrained, And durst no more their captives thus abuse. No doubt but high mishaps did then abound, Whilst with disdain the Conqueror's bosom boiled, As some the sword, disgrace did some confound, Not only houses, Temples too were spoilt. What misery more great can be devised, Then is a Cities when by force surprised? But whilst that stately Town was thus distressed, What did become of our unhappy King? Then when the Enemy had his state possessed, And that confusion seized on every thing: He scarcely first could trust his troubled sight, (The Fortune passed transported had him so) Yet having eyes who can deny the light? He saw himself inferior to his foe; And apprehending there whilst left alone, How that his judgement long had been betrayed, (As metamorphosed in a marble stone) His ravished thoughts in admiration strayed; But such a weight of woes not used to bear, He first was grieved, then raged, and last despaired, Till through excessive fear, quite freed from fear, He for his safety then no further cared; And never wished he so to have long life, But death far further was affected now, Still seeking danger in the bounds of strife, So he were sure to dye, he cared not how; Whilst furies thus were fostered in his breast, Him suddenly a Soldier chanced to meet, As insolent as any of the rest, Who drunk with blood, ran raging through the street; And wanting but an object to his ire, He sought to him, and he to him again; I know not which of them did most desire, The one to slay, the other to be slain; But whilst so base a hand towering aloft, Did to so great a Monarch threaten death, His eldest Son, who (as you have heard oft) Was barred from making benefit of breath:
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)
All Lydia's o'rethrow did with ſpeed procure: As one of ours (unhappily it chanc'd) To reach his helmet, that had ſcap't his hand, A longſt that ſteepie part his ſteps advanc'd, And was returning back unto his band; He was well mark'd by one, who had not ſpar'd To tempt all dangers which might make us thralls: For Cyrus had proclaim'd a great reward To him whoſe ſteps firſt trod the conquer'd walls; And this companion ſeeing without ſtay One in his ſight that craggie paſſage clime, Straight on his foot-ſteps followed all the way, And many a thouſand haſted after him; Then all that durſt reſiſt, were quickly kill'd, The reſt who fled, no where ſecure could be: For every ſtreet was with confuſion fill'd; There was no corner from ſome miſchiefe free. O what a piteous clamour did ariſe Of raviſh'd virgins, and of widow'd wives! Who pierc'd the heavens with lamentable cryes, And having loſt all comfort, loath'd their lives. Whil'ſt thoſe proud Victors would themſelves have ſtain'd With all the wrongs that Pride, or power could uſe, They by a charge from Cyrus were reſtrain'd, And durſt no more their captives thus abuſe. No doubt but high miſhaps did then abound, Whil'ſt with diſdaine the Conqu'rours boſome boyld, As ſome the ſword, diſgrace did ſome confound, Not onely houſes, Temples too were ſpoyld. "What miſery more great can be deviſ'd, "Then is a Cities when by force ſurpriſ'd? But whil'ſt that ſtately Towne was thus diſtreſſ'd, What did become of our unhappy King? Then when the Enemy had his ſtate poſſeſt, And that confuſion ſeaz'd on every thing: He ſcarcely firſt could truſt his troubled ſight, (The Fortune paſt tranſported had him ſo) Yet having eyes who can deny the light? He ſaw himſelfe inferiour to his foe; And apprehending there whil'ſt left alone, How that his judgement long had beene betray'd, (As metamorphoſ'd in a marble ſtone) His raviſh'd thoughts in admiration ſtray'd; But ſuch a weight of woes not uſ'd to beare, He firſt was griev'd, then rag'd, and laſt deſpair'd, Till through exceſſive feare, quite freed from feare, He for his ſafetie then no further car'd; And never wiſhd he ſo to have long life, But death farre further was affected now, Still feeking danger in the bounds of ſtrife, So he were ſure to dye, he car'd not how; Whilſt furies thus were foſtred in his breſt, Him ſuddenly a Souldier chanc'd to meet, As inſolent as any of the reſt, Who drunk with bloud, ran raging through the ſtreet; And wanting but an object to his ire, He ſought to him, and he to him againe; I know not which of them did moſt deſire, The one to ſlay, the other to be ſlaine; But whil'ſt ſo baſe a hand towring aloft, Did to ſo great a Monarch threaten death, His eldeſt Sonne, who (as you have heard oft) Was barr'd from making benefit of breath: