Alexander, William · published 1607 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi · 497 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
Think not that worth consists in the success, As th'essence did on th'accidents depend: The fault of fortune makes it not the less, On which oft-times the hardest haps attend. For Fortune bears not still the badge of worth, Nor misery the signs of gallant minds: Which yet still like themselves are sparkling forth, In every state some tokens of their kinds. Now at this time o'ermatched by numbrous powers, I kept my courage, though I lost the field: And vaunt no more of it, for some few hours May once to me the like advantage yield. And it's not long since that to Fortune dear, The world had never me but victor spied; Though I protest before th'immortals here, Moved by Necessity, and not by Pride. Proud Neoptolemus that traitor still, Not worthy of a Macedonians name, Bent to betray the host, and me to kill, Had laboured long to his eternal shame. But of Craterus I lament the fall, Whom for his virtue I did dearly love, And was constrained; (I Ioue to witness call,) For my defence that last refuge to prove. How fortuned you your forces to dispose, So well t'avoid that storm of threatened harms? For then you had to deal with mighty foes, That were in war grown hoary under arms. When faithless Neoptolemus did spy, That all his treason was t'our knowledge brought, To th'enemies' camp he suddenly did fly, A foolish traitor that was false for nought. There he informed, or misinform my foes, That haughty through my victories of late: I in my tent did carelessly repose, Though not by force, yet to b'o'ercomed by fate. And further than t'antipater he told, That if the Macedonians at that time, The countenance of Craterus might behold, They willingly would yield themselves to him. Now they had laboured earnestly before, That I abandon would Perdiccas part: And did protest, that they would give me more, Than yet I had, or hoped for in my heart. But Love borne free, cannot be thralled, nor bought, More than a shameful peace I liked just strife: To generous minds more dear than honour nought, And ere I leave my faith, I'll lose my life. Thus being despaired that I would prove their friend, They sought in time t'o'erthrow me as their foe, Where love could not begin, that hate might end, And came in haste bent to surprise me so. But I that knew Neoptolemus-his slight, Did him against the Macedonians bend: And to conceal Craterus from their sight, T'encounter him, caused troops of strangers tend. This policy which none could justly blame, I with myself in secret did conspire: And had my shirt been privy to the same, It should have been an offering to the fire. When once that the first game of death was passed, I Neoptolemus did toil to find, And he me too, which happened at the last, Two will do much to meet, being of one mind.
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)
Thinke not that worth conſiſts in the ſucceſſe, As th'eſſence did on th'accidents depend: The fault of fortune makes it not the leſſe, On which oft-times the hardeſt happes attend. For Fortune beares not ſtill the badge of worth, Nor miſerie the ſignes of gallant mindes: Which yet ſtill like themſelues are ſparkeling forth, In euery ſtate ſome tokens of their kindes. Now at this time o're-match'd by numbrous powres, I kept my courage, though I loſt the field: And vaunt no more of it, for ſome few howres May once to me the like aduantage yeelde. And it's not long ſince that to Fortune deere, The world had neuer me but victor ſpide; Though I proteſt before th'immortalls heere, Moou'd by Neceſſitie, and not by Pride. Prowd Neopolemus that traitor ſtill, Not worthy of a Macedonians name, Bent to betray the hoſte, and me to kill, Had labord long to his eternall ſhame. But of Craterus I lament the fall, Whom for his vertue I did deerely loue, And was conſtrain'd; (I Ioue to witnes call,) For my defence that laſt refuge to proue. How fortun'd you your forces to diſpoſe, So well t'auoyd that ſtorme of threatned harmes? For then you had to deale with mightie foes, That were in warre growne hoarie vnder armes. When faithleſſe Neoptolemus did ſpie, That all his treaſon was t'our knowledge brought, To th'enemies camp he ſodainely did flie, A fooliſh traitor that was falſe for nought. There he informde, or miſ-informde my foes, That haughtie through my victories of late: I in my tent did careleſly repoſe, Though not by force, yet to b'orecomd by fate. And further then t'Antipater he told, That if the Macedonians at that time, The countnance of Craterus might beholde, They willingly would yeelde themſelues to him. Now they had labord earneſtly before, That I abandon would Perdiccas part: And did proteſt, that they would giue me more, Than yet I had, or hop'd for in my hart. But Loue borne free, cannot be thrald, nor bought, More than a ſhamefull peace I likde iuſt ſtrife: To generous mindes more deere than honour nought, And ere I leaue my faith, Ile loſe my life. Thus being deſpair'd that I would proue their friend, They ſought in time t'orethrow me as their foe, Where loue could not beginne, that hate might end, And came in haſte bent to ſurpriſe me ſo. But I that knew Neoptolemus-his ſlight, Did him againſt the Macedonians bend: And to conceale Craterus from their ſight, T'encounter him, cauſde troupes of ſtrangers tend. This policie which none could iuſtly blame, I with my ſelfe in ſecret did conſpire: And had my ſhirt bin priuie to the ſame, It ſhould haue bin an offring to the fire. When once that the firſt game of death was paſt, I Neoptolemus did toile to finde, And he me too, which happned at the laſt, Two will do much to meet, being of one minde.