The Wonder of Women, or Sophonisba · chunk 6 of 26
Marston, John · published 1606 · first performed or written 1605 [1605-1606] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T50 Fleets, armies and generals: war by sea · 551 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
By Massinissa, Sophonisba speaks Worthy his wife: go with as high a hand As worth can rear, I will not stay my Lord Fight for our country, vent thy youthful heat In field not beds, the fruit of honour Fame Be rather gotten then the oft disgrace Of hapless parents, children, go best man And make me proud to be a soldier's wife That values his renown above faint pleasures Think every honour that doth grace thy sword Trebles my love: by thee I have no lust But of thy glory: best lights of heaven with thee Like wonder stand, or fall, so though thou die My fortunes may be wretched, but not I. Wondrous creature, even fit for Gods not men Nature made all the rest of thy fair sex As weak essays, to make thee a pattern Of what can be in woman. Long Farewell. he's sure unconquered in whom thou dost dwell Carthage Palladium. See that glorious lamp Whose lifeful presence giveth sudden flight To fancies, fogs, fears, sleep, and slothful night Spreads day upon the world: march swift amain Fame got with loss of breath is godlike gain. My hand? my hand? rot first, wither in aged shame will you be so unseasonably wood? Hold such preposterous zeal as stand against the full decree of Senate? all think fit. Nay most unevitable necessary For Carthage safety, and the now sole good Of present state, that we must break all faith With Massinissa: whilst he fights abroad Let's gain back Syphax, making him our own By giving Sophonisba to his bed. Syphax is Massinissa's greater, and his force Shall give more side to Carthage; as for'rs queen And her wise father, they love Carthage fate, Profit, and Honesty, are one in state. And what decrees our very virtuous senate Of worthy Massinissa that now fights and (leaving wife and bed) bleeds in good arms For right old Carthage? Thus 'tis thought fit Her father Asdrubal on sudden shall take in Revolted Syphax; so with doubled strength Before that Massinissa shall suspect, Slaughter both Massinissa and his troops, And likewise strike with his deep stratagem A sudden weakness into Scipio's arms, By drawing such a limb from the main body Of his yet powerful army: which being done Dead Massinissa's kingdom we decree To Sophonisba and great Asdrubal For their consent, so this swift plot shall bring Two crowns to her, make Asdrubal a king. So first faiths breach, adultery, murder, theft, What else? Gel. Nay all is done no mischief left Pish prosperous success gives blackest actions glory, The means are unremembered in most story. Let me not say Gods are not. This is fit Conquest by blood is not so sweet as wit, For howsoe'er nice virtue censures of it, He hath the grace of war, that hath wars profit. But Carthage well advised, that states comes on, With slow advice, quick execution, Have here an engineer long bred for plots, Called an empoisoner, who knows this sound excuse, The only dew that makes men sprout in Courts, is use, Be't well or ill, his thrift is to be mute, Such slaves must act commands, and not dispute. Knowing foul deeds with danger do begin But with rewards do end: Sin is no sin But in respects—
seed 43: T1 · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
By Massinissa, Sophonisba speakes Worthy his wife: goe with as high a hand As worth can reare, I will not stay my Lord Fight for our country, vent thy youthfull heate In field not beds, the fruite of honor Fame Be rather gotten then the oft disgrace Of haplesse parents, children, goe best man And make me proud to be a soldiers wife That valews his renoune aboue faint pleasures Thinke euery honor that doth grace thy sword Trebbles my loue: by thee I haue no lust But of thy glory: best lights of heauen with thee Like wonder stand, or fall, so though thou die My fortunes may be wretched, but not I. Wondrous creature, euen fit for Gods not men Nature made all the rest of thy faire sex As weake essaies, to make thee a patterne Of what can be in woman. Long Farewell. Hees sure vnconquer'd in whom thou dost dwell Carthage Palladium. See that glorious lampe Whose lifefull presence giueth suddaine flight To phansies, togs, feares, sleepe, and slothfull night Spreads day vpon the world: march swift amaine Fame got with losse of breath is godlike gaine. My hand? my hand? rotte first, wither in aged sha Wil you be so vnseasonably wood? Hold such preposterous zeale as stand against the full decree of Senate? all think fitte. Nay most vneuitable necessarie For Carthage safty, and the now sole good Of present state, that wee must breake all faith With Massinissa: whilst he fights abroad Lets gaine backe Syphax, making him our owne By giuing Sophonisba to his bed. Syphax is Massinissas greater, and his force Shall giue more side to Cartthage; as fors queene And her wise father, they loue Carthage fate, Profit, and Honesty, are one in state. And what decrees our very vertuous senate Of worthy Massinissa that now fightes and (leauing wife and bed) bleeds in good armes For right old Carthage? Thus tis thought fit Hir father Asdruball on sudeine shall take in Reuolted Siphax; so with doubled strength Before that Massinissa shall suspect, Slaughter boeth Massinissa and his troupes, And likewise strike with his deepe stratagem A suddeine weaknes into Scipios armes, By drawing such alim from the maine body Of his yet powerfull armie: which being don Dead Massinissas kingdom we decree To Sophonisba and great Asdruball For their consent, so this swift plot shall bring Two crowns to hir, make Asdruball a king. So first faithes breach, adultery, murder, theft, What els? Gel. Nay all is don no mischeifleft Pish prosperous successe giues blackest actions glory, The means are vnremembred in most story. Let me not say Gods are not. This is fit Conquest by bloud is not so sweet as wit, For how so ere nice vertue censures of it, He hath the grace of warre, that hath wars profit. But Carthage well aduisde, that states comes on, With slow aduice, quicke execution, Haue here an Engineere long bred for plots, Cal'd an impoisner, who knows this sound excuse, The onely dew that makes men sprout in Courtes, is vse, Be't well or ill, his thrift is to be mute, Such slaues must act commands, and not dispute. Knowing foule deedes with danger do begin But with rewardes do end: Sin is no sin But in respects—