Thyestes (Seneca's Second Tragedy) · chunk 4 of 24
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1581 · first performed or written 1560 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 505 words · other edition — not in the analysis
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 fain. So oft deceived neglects to touch them yet: He turns his eyes, his jaws he doth refrain, And famine fixed in closed gums doth shut. But then each branch his plenteous riches all, Let's lower down, and apples from an 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 straight 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 tyrants check I count that may in weighty things befall) O unrevenged: after guilts so great and brother's guile. And truth trod down dost thou provoke with vain complaints the while Thy wrath? already now to rage all Argos town throughout 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 everywhere to shine, The bright drawn sword: all under foot of horse let every side Of Argos land resound: and let the wounds not serve to hide Our woes, nor yet in haughty top of hills and mountains high, The builded towers. The people all let them to battle cry And clear forsake Mycenas 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 to 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 Untractable, that broke may be, but never will it bend. For which are he prepare himself, or force to fight intend, Set 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 still the people are constrained their princes deeds as well To praise, as them to suffer all.
seed 43: T30 · 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 hee full greedy feede theron would fayne. So oft deceyu'de neglectes to touch them yet: He turnes his eyes, his iawes he doth refrayne, And famine fixt in cloſed gummes doth ſhet. But then each braunch his plenteous ritches all, Lets lower downe, and apples from an hie VVith lither leaues they flatter like to fall And famine ſtyrre: in vayne that bids to trye His handes: which when he hath rought forth anone To be beguyld, in higher ayre againe The harueſt hanges and fickle fruite is gone, Then thirſt him greeues no leſſe then hungers payne: Wherwith when kindled is his boyling bloud Lyke fyre, the wretch the waues to him doth call, That meete his mouth: which ſtraight the fleeyng floud VVithdrawes, and from the dryed foorde doth fall: And him forſakes that followes them. He drinkes The duſt ſo deepe of gulfe that from him ſhrinkes. O Daſtard, cowrde, O wretche, and (which the greateſt yet of all To Tyrantes checke I compte that maye in waighty thinges befall) O vnreuenged: after guyltes ſo great and brothers guyle. And trewth trode downe doſt thou prouoke with vayne complaynts the whyle Thy wrath? already now to rage all Argos towne throughout In armoure ought of thyne, and all the double ſeas about Thy fleete to ryde: now all the fieldes with feruent flames of thyne, And townes to flaſh it wel beſeemde: and euery where to ſhyne, The bright drawne ſword: all vuder foote of horſe let euery ſyde Of Argos lande reſound: and let the woundes not ſerue to hyde Our oes, nor yet in haughty top of hilles and mountaynes hye, The builded towers. The people all let them to battel crye And clere for ſake Mycenas towne who ſo his hateful head Hides and defendes, with ſlaughter dire let bloud of him be ſhed. This princely Pelops palace proude, and bowres of high renowne, On mee ſo on my brother to let them be beaten downe, Go to, do that which neuer ſhall no after age allow, Nor none it whiſht: ſome wiſcheſe greate ther muſt be ventred now, Both fierce and bloudy: ſuch as woulde my brother rather long To haue bene his. Thou neuer doſt enough reuenge the wronge. Exept thou paſſe. And feercer fact what may be done ſo dyre, That his exceedes? doth euer he lay downe his hateful yre? Doth euer he the modeſt meane in tyme of wealth regard Or quiet in aduerſlty? I know his nature harde Vntractable, that broke may be, but neuer wilit bnd. For which are he prepare himſelfe, or force to fight entend, Set fyrſt on him, leaſt while I reſt he ſhould on me aryſe. He wil deſtroy or be deſtroyd in midſt the miſchiefe lyes, Prepard to him that takes it firſt, Doth fame of people naught Aduerſe thee feare? The greateſt good of kingdom may be thought That ſtill the people are conſtraynd their princes deedes as well To prayſe, as them to ſuffer all.