Thyestes (Seneca's Second Tragedy) · chunk 9 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 · 476 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.
MY country bowers so long wished for, and Argos riches all, Cytese good that unto banished then, and Misers may befall, The touch of soil where born I was, a gods of native land, (If gods they be,) a sacred towers I see of Cyclops hand: That represent then all man's work, a greater majesty. Renowned stadies to my youth, where noble sometime I Have not so seld as once, the palm in father's chariot won. All Argos now to meet with me, and people fast will run: But Atreus to. yet rather lead in woods again thy flight, And bushes thick, and hid among the brutish beasts from sight, Like life to theirs: where splendent pomp of court a princely pride, May not with flattering fulgent face, allure thine eyes aside, With whom the kingdom given is, behold, and well regard, Beset but late with such mishaps, as all men count full hard, I stout and joyful was: but now again thus in't fear I am return. my mind misdoubts, and backward seeks to bear My body hence: and forth I draw my pace against my will. With slothful step (what meaneth this?) my father standeth still, And turns his face and holds himself, in doubt what thing to do. What thing (my mind) considerest thou? or else so long whereto Dost thou so east counsel wrest? wilt thou to things unsure Thy brother and the kingdom trust? fearest thou those ills t'endure Now overcome, and milder made? and travails dost thou flee That well were placed? it thee avails, a miser now to be. Turn hence thy pace while leeful is, and keep thee from his hand. What cause thee drives (O father dear) thus frō thy native land, Now seen to shrink? what makes thee thus from things so good at last Withdraw thyself? thy brother comes whose tres be overpast, And halfe the kingdom gives, and of the house Dysacerate, Repairs the parts: and thee restores again to former state. The cause of fear that I know not, thou dost require to hear. I see nothing that makes me dread, and yet I greatly fear. I would go on, but yet my limbs with weary legs do slack: And other way than I would pass, I am withholden back. So oft the ship that driven is with wind and eke with oar, The swelling surge resisting both beats back upon the shore. Yet overcome whatever stays, and thus doth let your mind, And see what are at your return, prepared for you to find. You may O father reign. I may but then when die I mought. Chief thing is power. nought worth at all, if thou desire it nought. You shall it to your children leave. the kingdom takes not twain, Who may be happy, rather would he miser yet remain?
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)
MY countrey bowres ſ long wiſht for, and Argos rytches all, Cyteſe good that vnto baniſht then, and Myſers may befall, The touch of ſuyle where born I was, a gods of natiue lād, (If gods they be,) a ſacred towres I ſee of Cycolps hād: That repreſeat then all mans woorke, a greater maieſty. Renowned ſtads to my youth, where noble ſometime I Haue not ſo ſeelde as once, the palme in fathers chariot woon. All Argos now to meete with me, and people faſt will roon: But Atreus to. yet rather leade in woods agayne thy flight, And buſhes thicke, and hid among the brutyſhe beaſtes from ſight, Lyke lyfe to theyrs: where ſplendent pompe of court a princely pryde, May not with flattring fulgent face, allure thine eyes aſide, With whom the kingdome geuen is, behold, and well regarde, Beſet but late with ſuch miſhaps, as all men couate full harde, I ſtoute and ioyfull was: but now agayne thus int feare I am returne. my mynde miſdoubtes, and backeward ſeekes to beare My body hence: and forthe I draw my pace agaynſt my will. With ſlouthfull ſtep (what meaneth this?) my father ſtādeth ſtill, And turnes his face and holdes him ſelfe, in doubt what thing to do. What thing (my minde) condreſt thou? or els ſo long whereto Do'ſt thou ſo eaſte counſayle wreſt? wilt thou to thinges vnſure Thy brother and the kingdome truſt? fearſt thou thoſe ills t'endure Now ouercome, and mielder made? and trauayls do'ſt thou flee That well were plaſte? it thee auayls, a myſer now to bee. Turne hence thy pace while leefull is, and keepe thee from his hande. What cauſe thee driues (O father deere) thus rō thy natiue lande, Now ſeene to ſhrynk? what makes thee thus frō things ſo good at laſt Withdrawe thy ſelfe? thy brother comes whoſe tres be ouerpaſt, And halfe the kyngdome geues, and of the houſe Dyacerate, Repayres the partes: and thee reſtores agayne to former ſtate. The cauſe of feare that I know not, thou do'ſt require to heare. I ſee nothing that makes mee dread, and yet I greatly feare. I would goe on, hut yet my limmes with weary legges doe ſlacke: And other way then I would paſſe, I am withholden backe. So oft the ſhip that driuen is with wynde and eke with Ore, The ſwelling ſurge reſiſting both beates backe vpon the ſhore. Yet ouercome what euer ſtayes, and thus doth let your mynde, And ſee what are at your returne, prepar'de for you to finde. You may O father raygne. I may but then when die I mought. Chiefe thing is powre. nought worth at al, if thou deſyre it nought. You ſhall it to your children leaue. the kingdome takes not twayne, Who may be happy, rather would he myfer yet remayne?