The Wonder of Women, or Sophonisba · chunk 14 of 26
Marston, John · published 1606 · first performed or written 1605 [1605-1606] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint typicality 0.72 · 475 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
Zanthia victorious Massinissa liu's. My Massinissa lives: O steady powers Keep him as safe as heaven keeps the earth. Which looks upon it with a thousand eyes, That honest valiant man and Zanthia, Do but record the justice of his love, And my for ever vows, for ever vows. I true Madam: nay think of his great mind His most just heart his all of excellence And such a virtue as the Gods might envy Again this Syphax is but;— and you know. Fame lost what can be got that's good: for: hence Take nay with one hand. My service. Prepare Our sacrifice. But yield you, I or no? When thou dost know. what then? then thou wilt know Let him that would have counsel void th'advice Of friends made his with weighty benefits Whose much dependence only strives to fit Humour not reason, and so still devise In any thought to make their friend seem wise But above all O fear a servants tongue, Like such as only for their gain to serve Within the vast capacity of place I know no vileness so most truly base. Their Lords, their gain: and he that most will give, With him (they will not die: but) they will live. Traitors and these are one: such slaves once trust Whet swords to make thine own blood lick the dust. Withdraw, withdraw All but Zanthia & Vangue depart I not invoke thy arm thou God of sound Nor thine, nor thine, although in all abound. High powers immense: But jovial Mercury And thou O brightest female of the sky Thrice modest Phoebe, you that jointly fit A worthy chastity and a most chaste wit To you corruptless Honey, and pure dew upbreathes our holy fire. Words just and few O deign to hear if in poor wretches cries You glory not: if drops of withered eyes be not your sport, be just: all that I crane Is but chaste life or an untainted grave. I can no more: yet hath my constant tongue Let fall no weakness, tho'my heart were wrung With pangs worth hell: whilst great thoughts stop our tears Sorrow unseen, unpitied in ward wears. You see now where I rest, come is my end. Cannot heaven, virtue, against weak chance defend? When weakness hath outborn what weakness can, What should I say 'tis Ioues, not sin of man. Some stratagem now let wits God be shown, Celestial powers by miracles are known. I have't 'tis done. Zanthia prepare our bed Vangue Your servant. Vangue we have performed Due rites unto the dead. Now to thy Lord great Syphax healthful cups: which done, The King is right much welcome. Were it as deep as thought off it should thus— he drinks My safety with that draft. Close the vaults mouth lest we do slip in drink,
seed 43: T2 · seed 44: T3 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Zanthia victorious Massinissa liu's. My Massinissa liues: O steddye powers Keepe him as safe as heauen keepes the earth. Which lookes vpon it with a thousand eyes, That honest valiant man and Zanthia, Doe but recorde the iustice of his loue, And my for euer vowes, for euer vowes. I true Madam: nay thinke of his great minde His most iust heart his all of excellence And such a virtue as the Gods might enuy Againe this Syphax is but▪—and you know. Fame lost what can be got thats good: for: hence Take nay with one hand. My seruice. Prepare Our sacrifice. But yeeld you, I or no? Whē thou dost know. what thē? then thou wilt know Let him that would haue counsell voide th'aduice Of friendes made his with waighty benefites Whose much dependance onely striues to fit Humor not reason, and so still deuise In any thought to make their frieud seeme wise But aboue all O feare a seruants toung, Like such as onely for their gaine to serue Within the vaste capacitye of place I know no vilenes so most truly base. Their Lordes, their gaine: and he that most will giue, With him (they will not dye: but) they will liue. Traitors and these are one: such slaues once trust Whet swords to make thine own blood lick the dust. Withdraw, withdraw All but Zauthia & Vangue depart I not invoake thy arme thou God of sound Nor thine, nor thine, although in all abound. High powers immense: But Iouiall Mercury And thou O brightest femall of the sky Thrice modest Phoebe, you that iointly fit A worthy chastity and a most chast witte To you corruptles Hunny, and pure dewe Vpbreathes our holy fier. Words iust and few O daine to heare if in poore wretches cryes You glory not: if drops of withered eyes Bee not your sport, bee iust: all that I crane Is but chast life or an vntainted graue. I can no more: yet hath my constant toung Let fall no weakenes, tho'my heart were wrung VVith pangus worth hell: whilst great thoghts stop our tears Sorrowe vnseene, vnpittied in ward wears. You see now where I rest, come is my end. Cannot heauen, virtue, against weake chance defend? VVhen weakenes hath outborne what weakenes can, VVhat should I say tis Ioues, not sinne of man. Some stratagem now let wits God be showne, Celestiall powers by miracles are knowne. I hau't tis don. Zanthia prepare our bed Vangue Your seruant. Vangue we haue performd Due rites vnto the dead. Now to thy Lord great Syphax healthfull cups: which don, The King is right much welcome. VVere it as deep as thoght off it should thns—he drinks My safety with that draught. Close the vaults mouth least we do slip in drinke,