Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Thus men magnanimous amidst the field, Dare to th'assurance of their enemies trust: And loathing what disloyalty doth yield, Not violate their vows, nor prove unjust. Though Love be past, yet Truth should still remain, I virtuous parts even in my foes applaud; A gallant mind doth greater glory gain, To die with honour than to live by fraud. And why Eumenes as mistrusting me, Else standing on your reputation long, Did you disdain to come (as all men see) T'a greater than yourself, and t'one more strong. Though we not come to plead our birthright here, Let him (but warriors take not so their place) In whom best signs of nobleness appear, Be thought extracted of the noblest race. Most noble he that still by virtue strives, To leave his name in minds of men engraved; And to his offspring greater glory gives, Than of his ancestors he hath received. Erst we by birth in war not marshalled stood, As at the table upon ivory beds; A soldiers worth consists not in his blood, But in the blood of th'enemies that he sheds. whatever others of my lineage try, I am Eumenes, and I scorn t'accord, That there can be a greater man than I, While as I have a heart, a hand, a sword. Lo, when prosperity too much prevails, Above the judgement thus of vulgar minds, As little barges burdened with great sails, They leap aloft being swollen with fortunes winds. And as adversity the sprite refines, From out the dross of pride, and passions base: That virtue in affliction clearest shines, And makes one all the ways of wit to trace. So good success doth make the judgement die, Then whilst the fortunate their ease do take: And lulled asleep in Pleasures meadows lie, As fatted for the slaughter, ripe to shake. Yet this the nature is of gallant men, To rest (being in no state too much involved) When prospering best most wary and humble then; If crossed, than more courageous and resolved. What though your first attempts renowned are, By which you in two fields victorious stood, And did o'erthrow two thunderbolts of war, That lost their lives amidst a scarlet flood? Yet is that course of victory controlled, And you have tried what force your force exceeds: Then let not withered Laurels make you bold, As still reposing on your bypassed deeds. For by the same t'an indignation moved, The Macedonians all abhor your name; That at that time so proud a conqueror proved, And with their great men's slaughter winged your fame. No fortune past so puffs up my conceit, That it contempt of further danger brings: Nor am I so dejected now of late, But I intend to do far greater things. He by prosperity made never proud, That knows the frailty of this earthly frame, Can hardly by adversity be bowed; The Sun (although eclipsed) remains the same.
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)
Thus men magnanimous amidſt the field, Dare to th'aſſurance of their enemies truſt: And loathing what diſloyaltie doth yield, Not violate their vowes, nor proue vniuſt. Though Loue be paſt, yet Truth ſhould ſtill remaine, I vertuous partes euen in my foes applaud; A gallant mind doth greater glorie gaine, To die with honor than to liue by fraude. And why Eumenes as miſtruſting me, Elſe ſtanding on your reputation long, Did you diſdaine to come (as all men ſee) T'a greater than yourſelfe, and t'one more ſtrong. Thogh we not come to plead our birthright here, Let him (but warriors take not ſo their place) In whom beſt ſignes of nobleneſſe appeere, Be thought extracted of the nobleſt race. Moſt noble he that ſtill by vertue ſtriues, To leaue his name in minds of men engrau'd; And to his of-ſpring greater glorie giues, Than of his anceſtors he hath receiu'd. Erſt we by birth in warre not marſhalld ſtoode, As at the table vpon Iuorie beds; A ſouldiers worth conſiſts not in his blood, But in the blood of th'enemies that he ſheds. What euer others of my linage try, I am Eumenes, and I ſcorne t'accord, That there can be a greater man than I, While as I haue a heart, a hand, a ſword. Loe, when proſperitie too much preuailes, Aboue the iudgement thus of vulgar mindes, As little barges burdend with great ſailes, They leape aloft being ſwolne with fortunes windes. And as aduerſitie the ſprite refines, From out the droſſe of pride, and paſſions baſe: That vertue in affliction cleereſt ſhines, And makes one all the waies of wit to trace. So good ſucceſſe doth make the iudgement die, Then whilſt the fortunate their eaſe doe take: And lulld aſleepe in Pleaſures meadowes lie, As fatted for the ſlaughter, ripe to ſhake. Yet this the nature is of gallant men, To reſt (being in no ſtate too much inuolu'd) When proſpring beſt moſt warie and humble then; If croſſd, then more couragious and reſolu'd. What though your firſt attempts renowned are, By which you in two fields victorious ſtoode, And did orethrow two thunderbolts of warre, That loſt their liues amidſt a ſcarlet flood? Yet is that courſe of victorie controlde, And you haue tride what force your force exceedes: Then let not wither'd Laurels make you bolde, As ſtill repoſing on your by-paſt deedes. For by the ſame t'an indignation mou'd, The Macedonians all abhorre your name; That at that time ſo prowde a conquerour prou'd, And with their great mens ſlaughter wing'd your fame. No fortune paſt ſo puffes vp my conceit, That it contempt of further danger brings: Nor am I ſo deiected now of late, But I intend to doe farre greater things. He by proſperitie made neuer prowde, That knowes the frailtie of this earthly frame, Can hardly by aduerſitie be bowd; The Sunne (although eclipſd) remaines the ſame.