Thyestes (Seneca's Second Tragedy) · chunk 6 of 24
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1581 · first performed or written 1560 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T40 Sin, guilt and violent loss within famil · 484 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T40: brother, death, life, die, heaven, sin, live, father, blood, soul.
What mischief new dost thou in rage provide? Not such a one as may the mean of wonted grief abide. No guilt will I forbear, nor none may be enough despite. What sword? too little that. what fire? And y• is yet to What weapon then shall sorrow such find fit to work thy will? Thy estes self. Then ire itself yet that's a greater ill. I grant: a tumbling tumult quakes, within my bosoms lo, And round it rolls: I moved am and wot not whereunto. But drawn I am: from bottom deep the roaring soil doth cry The day so fair with thunder sounds, and house as all from hy Were rent, from roof, and rafters cracks: and lares turned about Have wried their sight: so be'te, so be'te, let mischief such be sought, As ye O Gods would fear. What thing seek'st thou to bring to pass I note what greater thing my mind, and more than wont it was Above the reach that men are wont to work, begins to swell: And stayeth with slothful hands. What thing it is I cannot tell: But great it is. be't so, my mind now in this feat proceed, For Atreus and Thyestes both, it were a worthy deed. Let each of us the crime commit. The Thracian house did see Such wicked tables once: I grant the mischief great to be, But done ere this: some greater guilt and mischief more, let ire Find out. The stomach of thy son O father thou inspire, And sister eke, like is the cause: assist me with your power, And drive my hand: let greedy parents all his babes devour, And glad to rent his children be: and on their limbs to feed. Enough, and well it is devised: this pleaseth me in deed. In mean time where is he? so long and innocent wherefore Doth Atreus walk? before mine eyes already more and more The shade of such a slaughter walks: the want of children cast, In father's jaws. But why my mind, yet dreadst thou so at last, And faint'st before thou enterprise? it must be done, let be, That which in all this mischief is the greatest guilt to see, Let him commit. but what deceit may we for him prepare, Whereby betrapped he may be drawn, to fall into the snare? He wots full well we are his foes. He could not taken be, Except himself would take: but now my kingdoms hopeth he. For hope of this he would not fear to meet the mighty Ioue, Though him he threatened to destroy, with lightning from above. For hope of this to pass the threats of waves he will not fail, Nor dread no whit by doubtful shelves, of lybic seas to sail, For hope of this (which thing he doth the worst of all believe,) He will his brother see.
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)
What miſchiefe new do'ſte thou in rage pro-uide? Not ſuch a one as may the meane of woonted griefe abide. No guilt will I forbeare, nor none may be enough deſpight. What ſword? To litle that. what fire? And y• is yet to What weapon then ſhall ſorrow ſuch finde fit to worke thy will? Thy eſtes ſelfe. Then yre it ſelfe yet that's a greater ill. I graunt: a tombling tumult quakes, within my boſomes loe, And rounde it rolles: I moued am and wote not wherevnto. But drawen I am: from bottome deepe the roryng ſoyle doth cry The day ſo fayre with thunder ſoundes, and houſe as all from hy Were rent, from roofe, and rafters crakes: and lares turnde abought Haue wryde theyr ſight: ſo bee'te, ſo bee'te, let miſchiefe ſuch be ſought, As yee O Gods would feare. What thing ſeek'ſt thou to bring to pas I note what greater thing my mynde, and more then woont it was Aboue the reache that men are woont to worke, begins to ſwell: And ſtayth with ſlouthfull handes. What thinge it is I cannot tell: But great it is. Bee'te ſo, my mynde now in this feate proceede, For Atreus and Thyeſtes bothe, it were a worthy deede. Let eche of vs the crime commit. The Thracian houſe did ſee Such wicked tables once: I graunt the miſchiefe great to bee, But done ere this: ſome greater guilt and miſchiefe more, let yre Fynde out. The ſtomacke of thy ſonne O father thou enſpyre, And ſyſter eke, like is the cauſe: aſſiſt me with your powre, And dryue my hand: let greedy parents all his babes deuowre, And glad to rent his children bee: and on their lyms to feede. Enough, and well it is deuiſ'de: this pleaſeth me in deede. In meane time where is he? ſo long and innocent wherefore Doth Atreus walke? before myne eyes already more and more The ſhade of ſuch a ſlaughter walkes: the want of children caſt, In fathers Iawes. But why my mynde, yet dreadſt thou ſo at laſt, And faiut'ſt before thou enterpriſe? it muſt bee done, let bee, That which in all this miſchiefe is the greateſt guilt to ſee, Let him commit. but what diſceit may wee for him prepare, Whereby betrapt he may be drawne, to fall into the ſnare? He wotes full well we are his foes. He could not taken bee, Except himſelfe would take: but now my kingdomes hopeth hee. For hope of this he woulde not feare to meete the mighty Ioue, Though him he threatned to deiſtroy, with lightning from aboue. For hope of this to paſſe the threats of waues he will not fayle, Nor dread no whit by doubtfull ſhelues, of Lybike ſeas to ſayle, For hope of this (which thing he doth the woorſt of all beleeue,) He will his brother ſee.