Thyestes (Seneca's Second Tragedy) · chunk 15 of 24
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1581 · first performed or written 1560 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm · 585 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
He is himself the priest, and he himself the deadly verse With prayer dire from fervent mouth doth sing and oft rehearse. And he at th'altars stands himself, he them assigned to die Doth handle, and in order set, and to the knife apply, He lights the fires, no rights were left of sacrifice undone. The wood then quaked, and all at once from trembling ground anon The Palace becked, in doubt which way the poise thereof would fall, And shaking as in waves it stood: from th'air and therewithal A blazing star that foulest train drew after him doth go: The wines that in the fires were cast, with changed liquor flow, And turn to blood: and twice or thrice th'attire sell from his head, The ivocy bright in Temples seemed to weep and tears to shed. The sights amazed all other men, but steadfast yet always Of mind, unmoved. Atreus stands, and even the Gods doth fray That threaten him and all delay forsaken by and by To th' altars turns, and therewithal aside he looks awry. As hungry Tiger wonts that doth in gangey woods remain With doubtful pace to range & roam between the bullocks twain, Of either pray full-covetous and yet uncertain where She first may bite, and roaring throat now turns the tone to tear And then to th'other straight returns, and doubtful famine holds: So Atreus dire, between the babes doth stand and them beholds On whom he points to slake his ire: first slaughter where to make, He doubts: or whom he should again for second offering take, Yet skills it nought, but yet he doubts and such a cruelty It him delights to order well. Whom take he first to die? First place, lest in him think ye might no pier to remain To graundsier dedicated is, first Tantalus is slain. With what a mind & countenance, could the boy his death sustain? All careless of himself he stood, nor once he would in vain His prayers lose. But Atreus fierce the sword in him at last In deep and deadly wound doth hide to hilts, and griping fast His throat in hand, he thrust him through. The sword then drawn away When long the body had upheld itself in doubtful stay. Which way to fall, at length upon the uncle down it falls. And then to th'altars cruelly Philisthenes he tralles, And on his brother throws: and straight his neck of cutteth he. The Carcase headlong falls to ground: a piteous thing to see. The mourning head with murmur yet uncertain doth complain. What after double death doth he and slaughter then of twain? Spares he the Child? or gilt on gilt again yet heapeth he? As long maimed Lion fierce amid the wood of Armenie, The drove pursues and conquest makes of slaughter many one, Though now defiled be his taws with blood and hunger gone Yet slaketh not his ireful rage with blood of Bulls so great, But slothful now with weary tooth the lesser Calves doth threat: None other wise doth Atreus rage, and swells with anger strained, And holding now the sword in hand, with double slaughter stained, Regarding not where fell his rage, with cursed hand unmild He strake it through his body quite, at bosom of the Child The blade goeth in, and at the back again out went the same, He falls and quenching with his blood the altars sacred flame, Of either wound at length he dieth.
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)
He is him ſelfe the prieſt, and he himſelfe the deadly verſe With prayer dyre from feruent mouth doth ſyng and oft reherſe. And he at th'aulters ſtands himſelfe, he them aſſygn'de to dye Doth handle, and in order ſet, and to the knyfe applye, He lights the fyres, no rights were left of ſacrifice vndone. The woode then quakt, and all at once from trembling grounde anone The Pallace beckt, in doubt which way the payſe thereof woulde fall, And ſhaking as in waues it ſtoode: from th'ayre and therewithall A blaſing ſtarre that fouleſt trayne drew after him doth goe: The wynes that in the fyres were caſt, with chaunged licour floe, And turne to bloud: and twyſe or thryſe th'attyre ſell from his hed, The Iuerye bright in Temples ſeem'de to weepe and teares to ſhed. The ſights amas'de all other men, but ſtedfaſt yet alway Of mynde, vnmoued. Atreus ſtands, and euen the Gods doth fray That threaten him and all delay forſaken by and by To th' aulters turnes, and there withwall a ſyde he lookes awry. As hungry Tygre wonts that doth in gangey woods remayne With doubtfull pace to range & roame betweene the bullocks twayne, Of eyther pray full-couetous and yet vncertayne where She fyrſt may byte, and roaring throate now turnes the tone to teare And then to th'other ſtrayght returnes, and doubtfull famyne holdes: So Atreus dyre, betwene the babes doth ſtand and them beholdes On whom he poynctes to ſlake his yre: firſt ſtaughter where to make, Hee doubts: or whom he ſhoulde agayne for ſecond offring take, Yet ſkills it nought, but yet he doubtes and ſuch a cruelty It him delightes to order well. Whom take he ſyrſt to dy? Firſt place, leaſt in him thinke yee might no piere to remayne To graundſier dedicated is, fyrſt Tantalus is ſlayne. With what a minde & count'nace, could ye boy his death ſuſtayne? All careles of him ſelfe he ſtoode, nor once he would in vayne His prayers leeſe. But Atreus fierce the ſword in him at laſt In deepe and deadly wound doth hide to hilts, and gryping faſt His throate in hād, he thruſt him through. The ſword thē drawne away When long the body had vphelde it ſelfe in doubtfull ſtay. Which way to fall, at length vpon the vnckle downe it falles. And then to th'aulters cruelly Philiſthenes he tralles, And on his brother throwes: and ſtrayght his necke of cutteth hee. The Carcaſe keadlong falles to ground: a piteous thing to ſee. The mourning head with murmure yet vucertayne doth complayne. What after double death doth he and ſlaughter then of twayne? Spares he the Child? or gilt on gilt agayne yet heayeth he? As long maynd Lyon ſcerce amid the wood of Armenie, The droue purſues and conqueſt makes of ſlaughter many one, Though now defyled be his tawes with bloud and hunger gone Yet ſlaketh not his yreful rage with bloud of Bulles ſo great, But ſlouthful now with weary tooth the leſſer Calues doth threat: None other wyſe doth Atreus rage, and ſwelles with anger ſtraynd, And holding now the ſword in hand, with double ſlaughter ſtayud, Regarding not where fell his rage, with curſed hand vnmild He ſtrake it through his body quite, at bosome of the Child The blade goeth in, and at the backe agayne out went the ſame, He falles and quenching with his bloud the aulters ſacred flame, Of eyther wound at length he dieth.