Thyestes (Seneca's Second Tragedy) · chunk 21 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 · 526 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.
I know my brother: such a guilt yet canst thou suffer well O earth to bear? nor yet from hence to Stygian lake of hell Dost thou both drown thy sell and us? nor yet with broken ground Dost thou these kingdoms and their king with Chaos rude confound? Nor yet uprenting from the soil the bowers of wicked land. Dost thou Mycenae overturn with Tantalus to stand, And ancestors of ours, if there in hell be any one, Now ought we both: now from the frames on either side anon Of ground, all here and there rent up out of thy bosom deep: Thy dens and dungeons set abroad, and us enclosed keep, In bottom low of Acheron above our heads aloft Let wander all the guilty ghosts, with burning frete full oft Let fiery Phlegethon that drives his sands both to and fro To our confusion over run und violently flow O slothful soil unshaken poise unmoved yet art thou? The Gods are fled: but take to thee with joy thy children now, And rather them embrace: at length thy children all of thee So long wished for (for no delay there standeth now in me) Enjoy and kiss embracing arms divide thou unto three. Is this thy league? may this thy love and faith of brother be? And dost thou so repose thy hate? the father doth not crave His sons alive (which might have been without thy guilt) to have And eke without thy hate, but this doth brother brother pray: That them he may entomb restore, whom see thou shalt straight way, Be burnt: the father nought requires of thee that have he shall, But soon forego whatever part rot of thy children all Remains, here shalt thou have: and what remaineth not thou host. Lie they in fields, a food out fling for fleering fowls to waste Or are they kept a prey, for wild and brutish beasts to eat? Thou hast devoured thy sons and filled thyself with wicked meat. Oh this is it that shamed the Gods and day from hence did drive Turned back to east, alas I wretch what wailings may I give? Or what complaints? what woeful words may be enough for me? Their heads cut of, and hands of torn, I from their bodies see, And wrenched feet from broken thighs I here behold again 'tis this that greedy father could not suffer to sustain. In belly roll my bowels round, and closed crime so great Without a passage strives within and seeks away to get. Thy sword (O brother) lewd to me much of my blood alas It hath: let us therewith make way for all my sons to pass. Is yet the sword from me withheld? thyself thy bosoms tear, And let thy breasts resound with strokes: yet wretch thy hand forbear And spare the dead: whoever saw such mischief put in proof? What rude Heniochus that dwells by ragged coast aloof, Of Caucasus unapt for men? or fear to Athens, who Procustes wild? the father I oppress my children do And am oppressed, is any mean of guilt or mischief yet?
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)
I know my brother: ſuch a gylt yet canſt thou ſuffet well O earth to beare? nor yet from hence to Stygian lake of hell Doſt thou both drowne thy ſelle and vs? nor yet with broaken ground Doſt thou theſe kingdomes and their king with Chaos rude confounde? Nor yet vprenting from the ſoyle the bowres of wicked land. Doſt thou Micenas ouerturne with Tantalus to ſtand, And aunciters of ours, if there in hel be any one, Now ought we both: now from the frames on eyther ſyde anone Of ground, all here and there rent vp out of thy boſome depe: Thy dens and dungons ſet abrode, and vs encloſed keepe, In bottome low of Acheront aboue our heds aloft Let wander all the gylty ghoſtes, with burning frete ful oft Let fyry Phlegethon that driues his ſands both to and fro To our confuſion ouer roon und vyolently flow O ſlothful ſoyle vnſhaken payſe vn yet art thou? The Gods are ſled: but take to thee with ioy thy children now, And rather them enbrace: at length thy children all of thee So long wiſht for (for no delay there ſtandeth now in mee) Enioy and kiſſe embracing armes deuyde thou vnto three. Is this thy league? may this thy loue and fayth of brother bee? And dooſt thou ſo repoſe thy hate? the father doth not craue His ſonnes aliue (which might haue bene without thy gylt) to haue And eke without thy hate, but this doth brother brother pray: That them he may entoom be reſtore, whom ſee thou ſhalt ſtrayght waye, Be burnt: the father naught requires of thee that haue he ſhall, But ſoone forgoe what euer part rt of thy children all Remaynes, here ſhalt thou haue: and what remayneth not thou hoſt. Lye they in fieldes, a food out fleng for fleerug ſowles to waſt Or are they kept a pray, for wyld and brutiſh beaſten to eate? Thou haſt deaourd thy ſonnes and fyld thy ſelfe with wicked meat. Oh this is it that ſham'de the Gods and day from hence did dryue Turn'd back to eaſt, alas I wretch what waylinges may I geue? Or what complayntes? what woeful woordes may be enough for mee? Their heads cut of, and handes of torne, I from their bodres ſee, And wrenched ſeete from broken thighes I here behold agayn Tys this that greedy father could not ſuffer to ſuſtayne. In belly roll my bowels round, and cloaſed cryme ſo great Without a paſſage ſtryues within and ſeekes away to get. Thy ſword (O brother) leud to me much of my bloud alas It hath: let vs therwith make way for all my ſonnes to paſſe. Is yet the ſword from me withheld? thy ſelfe thy boſomes teare, And let thy breſtes reſound with ſtroakes: yet wretch thy hand forbeare And ſpare the deade: who euer ſaw ſuch miſchiefe put in proofe? What rude Heniochus that dwels by ragged coaſt aloofe, Of Caucaſus vnapt for men? or feare to Athens,, who Procuſtes wyld? the father I oppreſſe my children do And am oppreſt, is any meane of gylt or miſchiefe yet?