Thyestes (Seneca's Second Tragedy) · chunk 8 of 24
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1581 · first performed or written 1560 (Annals) tragedy T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi typicality 0.83 · 558 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
THe noble house at length of high renown, The famous stock of ancient Inachus, Appeased & laid the threats of brothers down But now what fury stirs & drives you thus Each one to thirst the other's blood again, Or get by guilt the golden Mace in hand? Ye little wot that so desire to reign, In what estate or place doth kingdom stand. Not riches makes a king or high renown, Not garnished weed with purple Tyrian die, Not lofty looks, or head enclosed with crown, Not glittering beams with gold and turrets high. A King he is that fear hath laid aside, And all affects that in the breast are bred: Whom impotent ambition doth not guide, Nor fickle favour hath of people led. Nor all that west in metals mines hath found, Or channel clear of golden Tagus shows, Nor all the grain that threshed is on ground, That with the heat of Lybic harvest glows. Nor whom the flash of lightning flame shall be ate, Nor eastern wind that smites upon the seas, Nor swelling surge with rage of wind replete, Or greedy gulf of Adria displease. Whom not the prick of Soldiers sharpest spear, Or poyncted pike in hand hath made to rue, Nor whom the glimpse of sword might cause to fear, Or bright drawn blade of glittering steel sub due. Who in the seat of safety sets his feet, Beholds all haps how under him they lie, And gladly runs his fat all day to meet, Nor aught complains or grudgeth for to die. Though present were the Princes every one, The scattered Dakes to chase that wonted be, That shining seas beset with precious stone, And red sea coasts do hold, like blood to see: Or they which else the Caspian mountains high, From Sarmats strong with all their power withhold: Or he that on the flood of Danuby, In frost a foot to travail dare be bold: Or Seres in whatever place they lie, Renowned with fleece that there of silk doth spring, They never might the truth here of deny, It is the mind that only makes a king. There is no need of sturdy steeds in war, No need with arms or arrows else to fight, That Parthus wonts with bow to fling from far, While from the field he falsely feigneth flight. Nor yet to siege no need it is to bring Great Guns in Carts to overthrow the wall, That from far off their battering Pellets sling. A king he is that feareth nought at all. Each man himself this kingdom gives at hand. Let who so list with mighty mace to reign, In tickle top of court delight to stand Let me the sweet and quiet rest obtain. So set in place obscure and low degree, Of pleasant rest I shall the sweetness know. My life unknown to them that noble be, Shall in the step of secret silence go. Thus when my days at length are over past, And time without all troublous tumult spent, An aged man I shall depart at last, In mean estate, to die full well content. But grievous is to him the death, that when So far abroad the bruit of him is blown, That known he is to much to other men: Departeth yet unto himself unknown.
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 364–431 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 8 of 24 in this edition
Length
558 words · 695 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T25 — Kings, power and law: political sententiaecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.834 (cosine to the topic centroid) · placed after the fit (approximate_predict), not counted in the topic statistics
Other seeds
seed 43: T25 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
THe noble houſe at length of high renowne, The famous ſtocke of auncient Inachus, Apeaſd & layd the threats of brethrē down But nowe what fury ſtyrs & driues you thus Eche one to thyrſt the others bloud agayne, Or get by guylt the golden Mace in hande? Yee litle wote that ſo deſyre to raygne, In what estate or place doth kyngdome ſtande. Not ritches makes a kyng or high renowne, Not garniſht weede wyth purple Tyrian die, Not lofty lookes, or head encloaſde with crwne, Not glyttring beames with golde and turrets hie. A Kyng he is that feare hath layde aſide, And all affects that in the breaſt are bread: VVhom impotent ambition doth not guide, Nor fickle fauour hath of people led. Nor all that weſt in mettalls mynes hath founde, Or chanell cleere of golden Tagus ſhowes, Nor all the grayne that threſshed is on grounde, That with the heate of libyk harueſt glowes. Nor whom the flaſshe of lightning flame ſhall be ate, Nor eastern wynde that ſmightes vpon the ſeas, Nor ſwelling ſurge with rage of vvynde repleate, Or greedy Gulphe of Adria diſpleaſe. VVhom not the pricke of Souldiers ſharpeſt ſpeare, Or poyncted pyke in hand hath made to rue, Nor whom the glympſe of ſwoorde myght cauſe to feare, Or bright drawen blade of glyttring ſteele ſub due. VVho in the ſeate of ſafty ſets his feete, Beholdes all haps how vnder him they lye, And gladly runnes his fat all day to meete, Nor ought complaynes or grudgeth for to dye. Though preſent vvere the Prynces euerychone, The ſcattered Dakes to chaſe that vvonted bee, That shyning ſeas beſet with precious ſtone, And red ſea coaſtes doe holde, lyke bloud to ſee: Or they vvhich els the Caſpian mountaynes hye, From Sarmats ſtrong with all theyr power vvithholde: Or hee that on the floude of Danubye, In froſt a foote to trauayle dare bee bolde: Or Seres in vvhat euer place they lye, Renownde with fleece that there of ſylke doth ſpring, They neuer might the truth here of denye, It is the mynde that onely makes a king. There is no neede of ſturdie ſteedes in warre, No neede with armes or arrowes ells to fight, That Parthus woonts with bowe to fling from farre, VVhyle from the fielde hee falſely fayneth flight. Nor yet to ſiege no neede it is to bringe Great Guns in Carts to ouerthrowe the wall, That from farre of theyr battring Pellets ſlyng. A kyng hee is that feareth nought at all. Eche man him ſelfe this kyng dome geeues at hand. Let who ſo lyſt with mighty mace to raygne, In tyckle toppe of court delight to ſtand Let mee the ſweete and quiet reſt obtayne. So ſet in place obſcure and lowe degree, Of pleaſaunt reſt I ſhall the ſweetneſſe knoe. My lyfe vnknowne to them that noble bee, Shall in the ſteppe of ſecret ſylence goe. Thus when my dayes at length are ouer paſt, And tyme without all troublous tumult ſpent, An aged man I ſhall depart at laſt, In meane eſtate, to dye full well content. But greeuous is to him the death, that when So farre abroade the bruite of him is blowne, That knowne hee is to much to other men: Departeth yet vnto him ſelfe vnknowne.