Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
Those are indeed for such as raise their flight, They may do more whose course is at the height, A imperious form an empire must defend, Thus hastened was Perdiccas to his end. That worthy man had many fair designs, But virtue still by envy is pursued: Though as a candle in the night best shines, It in a vicious age may best be viewed. There was a man that scorned secure delights, As prodigal of pains, attemptive, bold: A strict observer of all th'ancient rites, And th'uncorrupted discipline of old. He loved to have the soldiers of his band, Choosed at the musters, not in markets bought: And would not flatter where he might command, More meet t'enjoy, than seek that which he sought. But soldiers now in this degenered age, Are fawned on by faint minds, bribed in such sort: That having still the reins loosed to their rage, They cannot with so straight a course comport. For that which was misfortune known to all, Their malice as misgovernment did cite: All things must help th'unhappy man to fall, They thus spewed forth the poison of their spite, For hating his frank form and naked words, By that occasion whetting their desires: They in their captains body sheathed their swords, A deed which even barbarity admires. Those traitorous troops may spot the purest bands, If for a fact so vile they be excused: This will set swords in all our soldiers hands, Against us, and not for us to be used. I would be glad that soldiers never thought, But that thing which their Generals first conceived: Much less t'attempt against their bodies ought, The which by them as sacred should be saved. Nor like I captains that like blustering winds Would over their troops triumph as tyrants still, Without regard to merits, or to minds, As carried headlong with a blinded will. From self-presumption first pride borrows might, Which with contempt being matched, both do conspire, And twixt them bring base cruelty to light, Th'abhorred offspring of a hated sire. Such of Perdiccas was th'excessive pride, The vice from which that viler vice proceeds, That it strange ways for his advancement tried, And did burst forth in most prodigious deeds. The murder of Meleager first began To tell what tyrants harboured in his heart, To whom faith given, nor yet the church he won, Though sacred both no safety could impart. And being by him constrained to quite the field, The guiltless Capadocians desperate bands, Chose rather than to that proud victor yield, To perish by the power of their own hands. Yet what against his foes he did perform, From martial minds might plead for some excuse, Whilst vindicative thoughts that wronged do storm, In th'irritated mind did fury infuse. But yet why sought he in a servile sort T'extend his tyranny, even towards his friends, That could not with disdainful forms comport? More than an enemy's yoke a friend's offends.
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)
Thoſe are indeede for ſuch as raiſe their flight, They may doe more whoſe courſe is at the height, A imperious form an empire muſt defend, Thus haſtned was Perdiccas to his end. That worthy man had many faire deſignes, But vertue ſtill by enuy is purſude: Though as a candle in the night beſt ſhines, It in a vitious age may beſt be viewd. There was a man that ſcornd ſecure delights, As prodigall of paines, attemptiue, bold: A ſtrict obſeruer of all th'antient rites, And th'vncorrupted diſcipline of old. He lou'd to haue the ſouldiers of his band, Chuſd at the muſters, not in markets bought: And would not flatter where he might command, More meete t'enioy, than ſeeke that which he ſought. But ſouldiers now in this degenerd age, Are fawnd on by faint mindes, bribde in ſuch ſort: That hauing ſtill the reines looſd to their rage, They cannot with ſo ſtraight a courſe comport. For that which was misfortune knowne to all, Their malice as miſgouernement did cite: All things muſt help th'vnhappy man to fall, They thus ſpewd forth the poiſon of their ſpite, For hating his franke forme and naked wordes, By that occaſion whetting their deſires: They in their captaines bodie ſheathd their ſwords, A deede which euen barbaritie admires. Thoſe trait'rous troups may ſpot the pureſt bands, If for a fact ſo vile they be excuſde: This will ſet ſwords in all our ſouldiers hands, Againſt vs, and not for vs to be vſde. I would be glad that ſouldiers neuer thought, But that thing which their Generalls firſt conceiu'd: Much leſſe t'attempt againſt their bodies ought, The which by them as ſacred ſhould be ſau'd. Nor like I captaines that like bluſtring windes Would ouer their troupes triumph as tyrants ſtill, Without regard to merites, or to mindes, As carried headlong with a blinded will. From ſelfe-preſumption firſt pride borrowes might, Which with contempt being matchd, both do conſpire, And twixt them bring baſe crueltie to light, Th'abhorred of-ſpring of a hated ſire. Such of Perdiccas was th'exceſſiue pride, The vice from which that viler vice proceedes, That it ſtrange wayes for his aduauncement tride, And did burſt forth in moſt prodigious deeds. The murder of Melager firſt began To tell what tyrants harbourd in his hart, To whom faith giuen, nor yet the church he wan, Though ſacred both no ſafety could impart. And being by him conſtraind to quite the field, The guiltleſſe Capadocians deſprate bands, Choſe rather than to that prowd victor yeelde, To periſh by the powre of their owne hands. Yet what againſt his foes he did performe, From martiall mindes might pleade for ſome excuſe, Whilſt vindicatiue thoughts that wrongd do ſtorme, In th'irritated minde did furie infuſe. But yet why ſought he in a ſeruile ſort T'extend his tyrannie, euen towards his friends, That could not with diſdainfull formes comport? More than an enemies yoke a friends offends.