Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1581 · first performed or written 1559 (Annals) tragedy T7 The Trojan war: conflict and its afterma typicality 0.80 · 477 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T7: hector, troy, achilles, greeks, aeneas, priam, ulysses, troilus, trojan, trojans.
And shall his sprights have no reward their angers to appease? Yes very great, for all the world shall celebrate his praise, And lands unknown that never saw, the man so praised by fame, Shall heat and keep for many years the glory of his name. If bloodshed veil his ashes ought strike of an ox's head, And let no blood that may be cause of mother's tears, be shed. What furious frenzy may this be that doth your will so lead, This earnest careful suit to make in travail for the dead? Let not such envy toward your father in your heart remain, That for his sacrifice ye would procure another's pain, Proud tyrant, while prosperity thy stomach doth advance, And cowardly wretch that shrinks for fear in case of fearful chance. Is yet again thy breast inflame, with brand of Venus' might? Wilt thou alone so oft deprive Achilles of his right? This hand shall give the sacrifice, the which if thou withstand. A greater slaughter shall I make, and worthy Pyrrhus' hand. And now to long from PRINCE's slaughter doth my hand abide, And meet it were that Polyxene were laid by Priam's side. I not deny, but Pyrrhus chief renown, in war is this, That Priam slain with cruel sword, to your father humbled is. My father's foes we have them known, submit themselves humbly, And Priam presently ye wot, was glad to crave mercy. But thou for fear not stout to rule, liest close from foes up shit: while thou to Ajax, and Ulysses, dost thy will commit. But needs I must, and will confess, your father did not fear: When burned our fleet with Hector's brands, & Greeks they slaughtered wear. While loitering then a loof he lay, unmindful of the fight. In steed of arms with scratch of quill, his sounding harp to smite. Great Hector then despising thee, Achilles songs did fear: And Thessal ships in greatest dread, in quiet peace yet wear. For why aloof the Thessal fleet, they lay from Trojans hands, And well your father might have rest, he felt not Hector's brands. Well seems a noble king to give another king relief. Why hast thou then a worthy king bereaved of his life? A point of mercy sometime is, what lives in care to kill. But now your mercy moveth you a virgin's death to will. Account ye cruel now her death whose sacrifice I crave. Your own dear daughter once ye know, yourself to th'altars gave. nought else could save the Greeks from seas, but th'only blood of her: A king before his children ought, his country to prefer. The law doth spare no captives blood nor will'th their death to stay That which the law doth not forbid, yet shame doth oft say nay. The conqueror what thing he list, may lawfully fulfil.
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)
And ſhall his ſprights haue no reward their angers to appeyſe? Yes very great, for all the world ſhall celebrate his prayſe, And landes vnknowen that neuer ſaw, the man ſo prayſd by fame, Shall heate and kepe for many yeares the glory of his name. If bloudſhed vayle his aſhes ought ſtrike of an Oxes hed, And let no bloud that may be cauſe of mothers teares, be ſhed. What furious franſy may this be that doth your will ſo leade, This earneſt carefull ſutte to make in trauayle for the dead? Let not ſuch enuy towarde your father in your heart remayne, That for his ſacrifice yee would procure an others payne, Proude tirant, while proſperity thy ſtomacke doth aduaunce, And cowardly wretch that ſhrinks for feare in caſe of fearefull chaunce. Is yet agayne thy breaſt enflamde, with brand of Venus might? Wilt thou alone ſo oft depriue Achilles of his right? This hand ſhall giue the ſacrifice, the which if thou withſtand. A greater ſlaughter ſhall I make, and worthy Pyrrhus hand. And now to long from Princes ſlaughter doth my hand abide, And meete it were that Polyxene were layde by Priams ſide. I not deny, but Pyrrhus chiefe renowne, in warre is this, That Pryam ſlaine with cruell ſworde, to your father humbled is. My fathers foes we haue them known, ſubmit themſelues humbly, And Pryam preſently yee wot, was glad to craue mercy. But thou for feare not ſtout to rule, lieſt cloſe from foes vp ſhit: Whil thou to Aiax, and Vlyſſes, doſt thy will commit. But needes I muſt, and will confeſſe, your father did not feare: When burnt our fleete with Hectors brands, & Greeks they ſlaughtred weare. While loytring then a loofe he lay, vnmindfull of the fight. In ſteede of armes with ſcratch of quill, his ſounding harp to ſmight. Great Hector then deſpiſing thee, Achilles ſonges did feare: And Theſſale ſhips in greateſt dread, in quiet peace yet weare. For why aloofe the Theſſale fleete, they lay from Troyans handes, And well your father might haue reſt, he felt not Hectors brandes. Well ſeemes a noble king to giue an other king reliefe. Why haſt thou then a worthy king berieued of his life? A poinct of mercy ſometime is, what liues in care to kill. But now your mercy mooueth you a virgins death to will. Account yee cruell now her death whoſe ſacrifice I craue. Your own deere daughter once yee knowe, your ſelfe to th'aulters gaue. Naught els could ſaue the Greekes frō ſeas, but th'only bloud of her: A king before his children ought, his countrey to prefer. The law doth ſpare no captiues bloud nor wil'th their death to ſtay That which the law doth not forbid, yet ſhame doth oft ſay nay. The conquerour what thing he liſt, may lawfully fulfill.