Thyestes (Seneca's Second Tragedy) · chunk 1 of 24
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1560 · first performed or written 1560 (Annals) tragedy T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm typicality 0.85 · 555 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
WHat fury fell enforceth me to flee thunhappy seat, That gape and gasp with greedy jaw, the fleeing food to eat? What god to Tantalus the bowers where breathing bodies dwell Doth show again? is aught found worse than burning thirst of hell In lakes allow? or yet worse plague than hunger is there one, In vain that ever gapes for food? shall Sisyphus his stone, That slipper restless rolling poise upon my back be borne? Or shall my lymmꝭ with swyfter swinging of whirling wheel be torn? Or shall my pains be Tityus' pangꝭ th'increasing liver still, Whose growing guttis the gnawing gripes and filthy fowls do fill? That sryll by night repairs the paunch that was devowrde by day, And wondrows womb unwasted lieth a new prepared pray. What ill am I appointed for? O cruel judge of syrights, Who so thou be that torments new among the soul's delights Still to dispose, add what thou canst to all my deadly woe, That keeper even of dungeon dark would sore abhor to knot, Or hell itself it quake to see: for dread wheroflykewyse I tremble would, that plague seek out: Lo now there doth arise My brood, that shall in mischief far the grandsires guilt out go, And guiltless make: that first shall dare unventured ills to do. What ever place remaineth yet of all this wicked land, I will fill up: and never once while Pelops house doth stand Shall Minos' idle be. go forth thou de●…estable sprite, And vex the god of wicked house with rage of furies might. Let them contend with all o●…fence, by turns and one by one Let swords be drawn: and mean of ire procure there may be none, Nor shame: let fury blind inflame their minds and wrathful will, Let yet the parentis rage endure, and longer lasting ill, Through children's children spread: nor ye●… let any leisure be The former fault to hate, but still more mischief new to see, Nor one in one: but ere the guilt with vengeante be acquit, Increase the crime: from brethren proud let rule of hyngdome flit, To runagat●…s: and swerving state of all unstable things, Let it by doubtful doom be toast, between thuncertain kings. Let mighty fall to misery, and miser climb to might, Let chance turn th'empire up so down both give and take the right. The banished for guilt, wh●…n god restore their country shall, Let them to mischief fall a fresh: as hateful then to all, As to themselves: let Ire think nought unlawful to be done. Let brother dread the brother's wrath, and father fear the soon, And eke the soon his parentis power. let babes be murdered ill, But worse begot: her spouse betrapped in treasons train to kill, Let hateful wife await. and let them bear through seas their war, Let blood shed lie the lands about and every field afar: And over conquering captains great, of countries far to see, Let lust triumph: in wicked house let whoredom coun●…d be The lightest offence: let trust that in the breastꝭ of bre●…hern breeds, And truth be gone: let not from sight of your so heinous deeds The heavens be hid, about the pole when shine the starts on high, And flames with wonted beams oflight do deck the painted sky.
seed 43: T32 · seed 44: T26 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
WHat furye fell enforceth me to flee thunhappie seate, That gape and gaspe wt greedy iawe, the fleeyng foode to eate? What god to Tantalus the bowres where breathyng bodies dwell Doth showe agayne? is ought found worse then burning thurst of hell In lakes alowe? or yet worse plague then hunger is there one, In vayne that euer gapes for foode? shall Sisyphus his stone, That slypper restles rollyng payse vpon my backe be borne? Or shall my lymmꝭ with swyer swynge of whirlyng wheele be torne? Or shall my paynes be Tityus pangꝭ thencreasyng lyuer styll, Whose growyng guttꝭ the gnawyng grypes and fylthie foules doe fyll? That sryll by night repayres the panche that was deuowrde by daie, And wondrows wombe vnwasted lythe a new prepared praie. What yll am I appoynted for? O cruell iudge of syrights, Who so thou be that torments newe among the soules delights Styll to dyspose, adde what thou canst to all my deadly woe, That keper euen of dungeon darke wolde sore abhorre to knot, Or hell it selfe it quake to see: for dreade wheroflykewyse I tremble woulde, that plague seeke out: Loe nowe there dothe aryse My broode, that shall in mischiefe farre the grandsiers gylt out goe, And gyltles make: that fyrst shall dare vnuentred ylls to doe. What euer place remaineth yet of all this wycked lande, I will fyll vp: and neuer once while Pelops house dothe stande Shall Minos idle be. goe foorth thou deestable spright, And vexe the goddꝭ of wycked house with rage of furies might. Let them contende with all ofence, by turnes and one by one Let swoordes be drawen: and meane of ire procure there maie be none, Nor shame: let furie blynde enflame their myndes and wrathfull wyll, Let yet the parentꝭ rage endure, and longer lastyng yll, Through childerns childern spreade: nor ye let any leysure be The former fawte to hate, but styll more mischiefe newe to see, Nor one in one: but ere the gylt with vengeante be acquyt, Encrease the cryme: from brethern proude let rule of hyngdome flyt, To runagats: and swaruyng state of all vnstable things, Let it by doubtfull dome be toste, betwene thuncertayne kyngs. Let mightie fall to miserie, and myser clyme to myght, Let chaunce turne thempyre vp so downe both geue and take the ryght. The banyshed for gylt, whn god restore theyr countrey shall, Let them to mischiefe fall a freshe: as hatefull then to all, As to them selues: let Ire thinke nought vnlawfull to be doon. Let brother dreade the brothers wrathe, and father feare the soon, And eke the soon his parentꝭ powre. let babes be murdered yll, But woorse begotte: her spouse betrapt in treasons trayne to kyll, Let hatefull wyfe awayte. and let them beare through seas their warre, Let blood shed lye the landꝭ about and euery feelde afarre: And ouer conqueryng captaynes greate, of countreys farre to see, Let luste tryumphe: in wycked house let whoordome cound be The lightst offense: let trust that in the breastꝭ of brehern breedes, And truthe be gone: let not from sight of your so heynous deedes The heauens be hyd, about the poale when shyne the startes on hye, And flames with woonted beames oflight doe decke the paynted skye.