Thyestes (Seneca's Second Tragedy) · chunk 4 of 24
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1560 · first performed or written 1560 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Though he full greedy, feed thereon would feign, so oft disceyude neglects to touch them yet: He turn●…s his eyes, his jaws he doth refrain, and famine fi●… in closed gums doth shut. But then each branch his plenteous riches all, let's lower down: and apples from on high With lither leaves they flatter like to fall, and famine stir: in vain that bids to try His hands: which when he hath wrought forth anon to be beguiled, in higher air again The harvest hangs, and fickle fruit is gone. then thirst him grieves no less than hunger's pain: Wherewith when kindled is his boiling blood like fire, the wretch the waves to him doth call, That meet his mouth: which strait the fleeing flood withdraws, and from the dried ford doth fall: And him forsakes that follows them. He drinks the dust so deep of gulf that from him shrinks. O Dastard, coward, o wretch, and (which the greatest yet of all To tyrant's check, I count that may in weighty things befall,) O unrevenged: after guilts so great, and brother's guile, And truth tr●…de down, dost thou provoke with vain complaints the while Thy wrath? already now to rage's all Argos town through out In armour ought of thine, and all the double seas about Thy fleet to ride: now all the fields with fervent flames of thine, And towns to flash it well beseemed: and every where to shine, The bright drawn sword: all under foot of horse let every side Of Argos land●… resound: and let the woods not serve to hide Our foes, nor yet in haughty top of hills and mountains hie, The builded towers. The people all let them to battle cry, And clear forsake Mycenae's town. who so his hateful head Hides and defends, with slaughter dire let blood of him be shed. This princely Pelops palace proud and bowers of high renown, On me so on my brother too, let them be beaten down. Go to, do that which never shall no after age allow, Nor none it wished: some mischief great there must be ventured now, Both fierce and bloody: such as would my brother rather long To have been his. Thou never dost enough revenge the wrong, Except thou pass. And fiercer fact what may be done so dire, That his exceeds? doth ever he lay down his hateful ire? doth ever he the modest mean in time of wealth regard? Or quiet in adversity? I know his nature hard ●…ntractable, that ●…roke may be, but never will it bend. For which ere he prepare himself, or force to fight intend, Se●… first on him: lest while I rest he should on me arise. He will destroy or be destroyed, in midst the mischief lies, Prepared to him that takes it first. doth fame of people nought Adverse thee fear? The greatest good of kingdom may be thought, That stil●… the people are constrained their prince's deeds as well To praise, as them to suffer all.
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 he full greedie, feede theron woulde faine, so ofte disceyude neglects to touche them yet: He turns his eyes, his iawes he doth refrayne, and famine fi in closed gumms doth shet. But then eche branche his plenteous ritches all, letts lower downe: and apples from on hie With lyther leaues they flatter like to fall, and famine styrre: in vayne that bidds to trie His hands: whiche when he hathe rought foorthe anone to be beguilde, in higher ayre agayne The haruest hangs, and fickle fruite is gone. then thirst him greeues no lesse then hungers payne: Wherwith when kindled is his boylyng blood lyke fyre, the wretche the waues to him dothe call, That meete his mouthe: whiche straight the fleeyng flood withdrawes, and from the dried foorde doth fall: And him forsakes that followes them. He drinkes the duste so deepe of gulphe that from him shrinkes. O Dastarde, cowrde, o wretche, and (whiche the greatest yet of all To tyrants checke, I counte that maye in waightie thyngs befall,) O vnreuenged: after gilts so greate, and brothers guyle, And truthe trde downe, dooste thou prouoke with vayne complaynts the whyle Thy wrathe? alredie nowe to rage all Argos towne through out In armour ought of thine, and all the double seas about Thy fleete to ryde: nowe all the feeldes with feruent flames of thyne, And townes to flasshe it well beseemde: and euery where to shyne, The bright drawne sworde: all vnder foote of horse let euerie syde Of Argos land resounde: and let the woods not serue to hyde Our foes, nor yet in haughtie toppe of hills and mountaynes hie, The builded towres. The people all let them to battayle crie, And cleere forsake Mycenas towne. who so his hatefull hed Hydes and defends, with slaughter dyre let bloud of him be shed. This pryncely Pelops palaice proude and bowres of highe renowne, On me so on my brother too, let them be beaten downe. Goe to, do that whiche neuer shall no after age allowe, Nor none it whisht: some mischefe greate there must be ventred nowe, Bothe fierce and bloudie: suche as wolde my brother rather long To haue byn his. Thou neuer dooste enoughe reuenge the wrong, Except thou passe. And feercer facte what may be doone so dyre, That his exceedes? doothe euer he lay downe his hatefull yre? Doothe euer he the modest meane in tyme of welthe regarde? Or quiet in aduersitee? I knowe his nature harde ntractable, that roke may be, but neuer will it bende. For whiche ere he prepare him selfe, or force to fight entende, Se fyrst on him: least while I rest he should on me arise. He will destroy or be destroyde, in midst the mischiefe lies, Preparde to him that takes it first. Doothe fame of people nought Aduerse thee feare? The greatest good of kyngdome may be thought, That stil the people are constraynde theyr princes deedes as well To praise, as them to suffer all.