Hercules Furens (Mad Hercules) (Seneca's First Tragedy) · chunk 2 of 28
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1561 · first performed or written 1561 (Annals) tragedy; literary play T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.83 · 508 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
With lion fierce, and Hydra both: nor land sufficeth wide, But broke he hath the threshold lo of that infernal Ioue, And spoils with him of conquered king be draws to gods above. But that's but light, broke is the league of spirits that there do dwell. I saw myself, I saw him lo (the night now gone of hell, And Ditis taemde) throw out abroad before his father's sight His brother's spoils. Why draws he not ●…ppreste and bound by might Himself in chains that equal things to Ioue by lot doth hold? And bear the rule of captive hell, and way to Styx unfold? Up opened is from lowest ghosts the backward way to shy, And sacred secrets of dire death in open sight do lie. But he (the dreadful den of sprights break up) full fiercs and stout Even ●…uer me doth triumph l●…, and with proud hand about The ●…oule black dog by greekish towns he leads from hell away. When seen was ugly Cerberus I saw the fading day, And fearful soon: even melykewyse a trembling dread oppressed, And looking on the filthy necks of conquered monstrous beast, I feared much mine own behests. but light things I complain, For heaven I may be frayed, lest he may get the highest rain, That lowest won. the sceptres from his father will he take, Nor he to stars (as Bacchus dy●…) his way will gently make: The way with ruin will he seek, and be in empty skies Will reign alone. with force displayed his haughty heart doth rise, And he, that heaven itself, by force of his might gotten be, It bearing learned: quite underneath the world his headsette he, Nor once his shoulders bowed, the poise of such a mighty mass: And midst of heaven on Hercles' neck alone lo settled was. His neck unwryde the stars above and skies did only stay: And me likewise oppressing him, to Gods he seeks the way. Go Ire, go on, and beat him down that great things doth invent, Match thou with him, and with thy hands now thou thyself him rend. Such hates why dost thou meditate? Let all wild beasts now go: And weary Euristeus now be free from geeving charges me. The Titans daring once of Ioue to break the impery Send out: let lose the den abroad of mount of Sicily. The Doric land that with the turn●… of giant quakes afraid, Let it bring forth the dreadful necke●… of mon●…er underlayde. Let yet the haughty moon above some other beasts beeget. But these he overcame. seek'st thou a matchet ' Alcides yet? Thers none, except hymselfe: let hym agaynst hym selfe rebell. Let present be from bottom deep upraysde of lowest hell Th' Eumenides, let flaming locks of theirs the fires out fling, And furious hands beestowe about the strokes of vipers sting. Go now full proud, and scale the skies to seats of gods make way. Now must thy battles wage●… be, full clear lo shines the day.
seed 43: T17 · seed 44: T19 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
With lyon fierce, and Hydra bothe: nor lande suffiseth wyde, But broake he hath the thresholde lo of that infernall Ioue, And spoyles with hym of conquerde kyng be drawes to godds aboue. But thats but lyght, broke is the league of sprightes that there doo dwell. I sawe my selfe, I sawe hym loe (the nyght nowe gone of hell, And Ditis taemde) throwe out abroade before his fathers syght His brothers spoyles. Why drawes he not ppreste and bounde by myght Hymselfe in chaynes that equall thynges to Ioue by lotte dooth holde? And beare the rule of captyue hell, and waye to Styx vnfolde? Up opened is from lowest ghosts the backewarde waye to shye, And sacred secrets of dire deathe in open syght doo lye. But he (the dredfull denne of sprights breake vp) full fiercs and stout Euen uer me doothe triumphe l, and with prowde hande about The oule black dogge by Grekishe townes he leades from hell awaye. When seene was vgly Cerberus I sawe the fadyng daye, And fearefull soon: euen melykewyse a tremblyng dreade oppreste, And lookyng on the fylthy necks of conquerde monstrous beaste, I feared muche myne owne behests. but lyght thyngs I complayne, For heauen I maye be frayde, least he may get the hyghest rayne, That lowest woon. the sceptors from his father wyll he take, Nor he to starrs (as Bacchus dy) his waye wyll gently make: The waye with ruyne wyll he seeke, and be in empty skyes Wyll reygne alone. with force displayde his haughtye harte doothe ryse, And he, that heauen it selfe, by force of his myght gotten bee, It bearyng learnde: quight vndernethe the worlde his headsette he, Nor ones his shoulders bowde, the payse of suche a myghty mas: And mydst of heauen on Hercles necke alone lo settled was. His necke vnwryde the starrs aboue and skies dyd onelye staye: And me lykewyse oppressyng hym, to Gods he seekes the waye. Goe Ire, goe on, and beate hym downe that greate thynges doothe inuent, Matche thou with hym, and with thy hands nowe thou thy selfe hym rent. Suche hates why dooste thou meditate? Lette all wylde beastes nowe go: And weary Eurystheus nowe be free from geeuyng charges me. The Titans daryng once of Ioue to breake the imperye Sende out: lette loase the denne abroade of mounte of Sicilye. The Doricke lande that with the turn of gyant quakes afrayde, Let it bryng foorthe the dredefull necke of moner vnderlayde. Let yet the haughty moone aboue some other beastes beeget. But these he ouercame. seekst thou a matchet' Alcides yet? Thers none, except hymselfe: let hym agaynst hym selfe rebell. Let present bee from bottome deepe vpraysde of lowest hell Th' Eumenides, let flamyng lockes of theyrs the fyres out flyng, And furious handes beestowe about the stroakes of vypers styng. Goe nowe full prowde, and skale the skyes to seates of godds make waye. Nowe must thy battels wage be, full cleere loe shynes the daye.