Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1581 · first performed or written 1559 (Annals) tragedy T7 The Trojan war: conflict and its afterma typicality 0.87 · 516 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T7: hector, troy, achilles, greeks, aeneas, priam, ulysses, troilus, trojan, trojans.
Is turned to flight then ceased our fear we dread their bows no more. It ye well weigh his worthiness Achilles ought to have Though he from Argos or Mycenas would a Virgin crave, Doubt ye herein? allow ye not that straight his will be done. And count ye cruel Priam's blood to give to Peleus' son? For Helen sake your own child's blood appeased Diana's ire A wonted thing and done ere this it is that I require. The only fault of youth it is not to refrain his rage The Father's blood already stirs in Priam's wanton age: Sometime Achilles grievous checks I bore with patient heart, The more thou mayst the more thou oughtst to suffer in good part Whereto would ye with slaughtered blood a noble spirit stain? Think what is meet the Greeks to do, and Trojans to sustain. The proud estate of tyranny may never long endure. The King that rules with modest mean of safety may be sure. The higher step of princely state that fortune hath us signed The more behoov'th a happy man humility of mind And bread the change that chance may bring, whose gifts so soon be lost And chiefly then to fear the Gods, while they the favour most. In beating down that war hath won, by proof I have been taught, What pomp and pride in twink of eye, may fall and come to nought. Troy made me fierce & proud of mind, Troy makes me frayed withal. The Greeks now stand where Troy late fell, each thing may have his fall. Sometime I grant I did myself, and sceptres proudly bear, The thing that might advance my heart makes me the more to fear Thou Priam perfect proof presentest thou art to me eftsoons: A cause of pride, a glass of fear a mirror for the nonce, Should I account the sceptres ought, but glorious vanity Much like the borrowed braided hair, the face to beautify. One sudden chance may turn to nought, and maim the might of men With fewer than a thousand ships, and years in less than ten. Not she that guides the slipper wheel of fate, doth so delay: That she to all possession grants, of ten years settled stay. With leave of Greece I will confess, I would have won the town But not with ruin thus extreme to see it beaten down. But lo the battle made by night and rage of fervent mind, Could not abide the bridling bit that reason had assigned. The happy sword once slain with blood unsatiable is, And in the dark the fervent rage doth strike thee more amiss. Now are we wreaked on Troy so much let all that may remain. A Virgin borne of PRINCE's blood for offering to be slain And given be to slain the tomb and ashes of the dead, And under name of wedlock see the guiltless blood be shed, I will not grant for mine should be thereof both fault and blame. Who when he may, forbiddeth not offence: doth will the same.
seed 43: T12 · seed 44: T11 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Is turnd to flight then ceaſt our feare wee dread their bowes no more. It ye wel waigh his worthynes Achilles ought to haue Though he from Argos or Mycenas would a Virgin craue, Doubt ye herein? allow ye not that ſtraight his wil be done. And count ye cruel Pryams bloud to geue to Peleus ſonne? For Helen ſake your owne childes bloud appeaſd Dianas yre A wonted thing and done ere this it is that I require. The onely fault of youth it is not to refraine his rage The Fathers bloud already ſturres in Pryams wanton age: Somtime Achilles grieuous checkes I bare with pacient hart, The more thou mayſt the more thou oughtſt to ſuffer in good part Wherto would yee with ſlaughtred bloud a noble ſpirit ſtayne? Thinke what is meete the Greekes to do, and Troyans to ſuſtayne. The proude eſtate of tyranny may neuer long endure. The King that rules with modeſt meane of ſafety may be ſure. The higher ſtep of princely ſtate that fortune hath vs ſignd The more behou'th a happy man humility of mynd And bread the chaunge that chaūce may bring, whoſe gifts ſo ſone be loſt And chiefly then to feare the Gods, whyle they the fauour moſt. In beating downe that warre hath wonne, by proofe I haue ben taught, What pompe and pride in twinke of eye, may fall and come to naught. Troy made me fierce & proude of mynde, Troy makes me frayd withal. The Grekes now ſtand wher Troy late fel, ech thing may haue his fal. Sometyme I graunt I did my ſelfe, and Sceptors proudly beare, The thing that might aduaunce my hart makes me the more to feare Thou Priam perfit proofe preſentſt thou art to mee eftſones: A cauſe of pride, a glaſſe of feare a mirrour for the nones, Should I accoumpt the ſceptors ought, but glorious vanity Much like the borowed brayded hayre, the face to beautify. One ſodayne chaunce may turne to naught, and mayme the might of men With fewer then a thouſand ſhippes, and yeares in leſſe then ten. Not ſhe that guydes the ſlipper wheele of fate, doth ſo delay: That ſhe to al poſſeſſion grauntes, of ten yeares ſetled ſtay. With leaue of Greece I wil confeſſe, I would haue wonne the towne But not with ruine thus extreme to ſee it beaten downe. But loe the battel made by night and rage of feruent mynd, Could not abyde the brydling bitte that reaſon had aſſignd. The happy ſword once ſlaind with blood vnſatiable is, And in the darke the ſeruent rage doth ſtrike thee more amis. Now are we wreakt on Troy ſo much let all that may remayne. A Virgin borne of Princes bloud for offring to be ſlayne And geuen be to ſlayne the tombe and aſhes of the ded, And vnder name of wedlocke ſee the guiltles bloud be ſhed, I wil not graunt for myne ſhould bee thereof both fault and blame. Who when he may, forbiddeth not offence: doth wil the ſame.