Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
Then whilst we met for whom both th'armies warred, Whose fortune then depended on our hands, All was performed that force or fury dared, Bent by revenge t'abate each th'other's bands. And yet the heavens would not betray my trust, Foul treason never had a fairer end: The gods smiled on my cause because 'twas just, And did destruction to the traitor send. For forced by him whose force he did despise, Though fighting fiercely long he lost his breath: As one more strong than true, more stout than wise, Whose greatest honour was his honest death. But weakened with huge wounds, almost I dived In seas of blood, being quite from knowledge strayed, Yet by so great a victory revived, My courage grew more than my strength decayed. I having finished thus this fatal strife, Came where Craterus near his course had run: Even in the confines placed twixt death and life, Whilst th'one was gone and th'other not begun. He with great valour had resisted long, As all Briareus hands had moved his sword: And did his Masters memory no wrong, Being with his courage, not his fortune stored. What life refused t'obtain by death he sought, For life and death are but indifferent things: And of themselves not to be shunned, nor sought, But for the good or th'evil that either brings: With endless glory bent t'exchange his breath, Of desperate valour all the power was proved: And for great Captains no more glorious death, Then to die fighting with a mind unmoved. When this days toils were drawn unto an end, Whilst th'armies courage with their captain fell, That I might safely show myself a friend, I went where death his senses did cancel. And whilst I told how both to be betrayed, By Neoptolemus were brought about: My woe with tears I to the world bewrayed, Mild pity and true kindness must burst out. Ah, if the news of this my good success, Had com'd in time unto Perdiccas' ears: He might have lived their pride now to repress, That by his fall were first divorced from fears. The humour of that man was too well known, Could he have parted other men from pride: That was becomed a slave unto his own, And for the same forced by his followers, died. The proud must still be plagued by prouder ones, There must be had sharp steel to smooth rough stones. No vice than pride doth greater hate procure, Which foes do scorn and friends can not endure. Yet majesty must not itself deject, A lofty carriage doth procure respect. A haughty gesture shows a tyrant's heart, All love a courteous countenance void of Art. Yet manners too submiss as much condemned, Do make kings scorned and captains be contemned. A humble port, kind looks, words smooth, and soft, Are means by which great minds may mount aloft.
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)
Then whilſt we met for whom both th'armies warr'd, Whoſe fortune then depended on our hands, All was performd that force or furie dar'd, Bent by reuenge t'abate each th'others bands. And yet the heauens would not betray my truſt, Foule treaſon neuer had a fairer end: The gods ſmilde on my cauſe becauſe t'was iuſt, And did deſtruction to the traitor ſend. For forcde by him whoſe force he did deſpiſe, Though fighting fiercely long he loſt his breath: As one more ſtrong than true, more ſtowt than wiſe, Whoſe greateſt honour was his honeſt death. But weakned with huge woundes, almoſt I diu'd In ſeas of blood, being quite from knowledge ſtraide, Yet by ſo great a victorie reuiu'd, My courage grew more than my ſtrength decaid. I hauing finiſht thus this fatall ſtrife, Came where Craterus nere his courſe had runne: Euen in the confines placde twixt death and life, Whilſt th'one was gone and th'other not begunne. He with great valour had reſiſted long, As all Briareus hands had moou'd his ſword: And did his Maiſters memorie no wrong, Being with his courage, not his fortune ſtor'd. What life refuſde t'obtaine by death he ſought, For life and death are but indifferent things: And of themſelues not to be ſhund, nor ſought, But for the good or th'euill that either brings: With endleſſe glorie bent t'exchange his breath, Of deſprate valour all the powre was prou'd: And for great Captaines no more glorious death, Then to die fighting with a minde vnmou'd. When this daies toiles were drawne vnto an end, Whilſt th'armies courage with their captaine fell, That I might ſafely ſhew my ſelfe a friend, I went where death his ſenſes did cancell. And whilſt I told how both to be betraid, By Neoptolemus were brought about: My woe with teares I to the world bewraid, Milde pittie and true kindnes muſt burſt out. Ah, if the newes of this my good ſucceſſe, Had comd in time vnto Perdiccas eares: He might haue liu'd their pride now to repreſſe, That by his fall were firſt deuorcde from feares. The humour of that man was too well knowne, Could he haue parted other men from pride: That was becomd a ſlaue vnto his owne, And for the ſame forcde by his followers, dide. The prowd muſt ſtil be plagu'd by prowder ones, There muſt be had ſharp ſteele to ſmoothe rough ſtones. No vice than pride doth greater hate procure, Which foes doe ſcorne and friends can not indure. Yet maieſtie muſt not it ſelfe deiect, A loftie carriage doth procure reſpect. A haughtie geſture ſhews a tyrants hart, All loue a curteous countnance voyde of Art. Yet maners too ſubmiſſe as much condemnd, Do make kings ſcornd and captains be contemnd. A humble port, kind looks, words ſmooth, and ſoft, Are meanes by which great mindes may mount aloft.