Alexander, William · published 1607 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi · 513 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
Then as your captain, since not force I may, I'll as your friend entreat, that now in time I may but have a sword, myself to slay, So you t'excuse whilst partner of your crime. But when he saw that words could not assuage Their barbarous thoughts, that nothing could control: Then having turned his courage all in rage, He thus flamed forth the fury of his soul. O damned rascals, that have lost all faith, Whom neither duty nor yet merit binds: How oft was Alexander moved to wrath By those your mutinous and malicious minds? And, O what could I at those hands attend, That yet were smoking with Perdiccas' blood; Of those that by like treason did intend, With old Antipater's t'have been imbrued? Heaven thunder on you from th'etherial rounds, And make you live abominable band; Base vagabonds, barred from your native bounds, Then die detested in a barbarous land. And as ye have the world with murder filled, So may your blood by the same swords be shed: By which ye have more of your captains killed Than of your foes, from whom like beasts ye fled. But neither courteous, nor outrageous words Could change his soldiers from their first intent, That forward led their captain chained with cords, A sacrifice prepared for th'enemies' tent; Where being arrived, to th'end he soon might end, He asked what stayed Antigonus to go, By setting of him free to win a friend, Or by his death to rid him of a foe. And straight Antigonus did haste his fall, By this great magnanimity, not moved: And th' Agiraspides dispersed over all, As murderer's murder from the world removed. Thus oft have traitors been dispatched by time, By those whom their upbraiding looks dismay: For the remembrance thus of th'author's crime, Can but by th'Actors death be wiped away. Now claims Antigonus when fame doth feast, In rank above his sovereign's self to sit: For Alexander did subdue all th'east, And he hath conquered them that conquered it. No doubt, since he that great advantage won, He hath within himself high things designed: For whilst prosperity transports a man, Nought seems difficult to th'ambitious mind. Of those in whom he did suspect a spirit, Whose courage served his courses to resist, He hath himself by divers means made quite, In others wreaks his safety doth consist. Thus martial Pithon that no danger spared, Whom Alexander held in high account: Did at the last receive a hard reward, For helping him Eumenes to surmount. His spirit t'attempt and power fit to perform. Made jealousy Antigonus' torment: And yet he feigned to love him for the form, Till that his court he moved him to frequent: Where whilst he did mistrusting nought abide, He publicly in all the people's sight: (Though seeming justly) damned injustly died, No viler wrong then wrong that looks like right. Thus divers governors within short space, Their government, or then their life have lost: And others are preferred unto their place, That did depend upon his favour most.
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Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Then as your captaine, ſince not force I may, Ile as your friend entreate, that now in time I may but haue a ſword, my ſelfe to ſlay, So you t'excuſe whilſt partner of your crime. But when he ſawe that words could not aſſwage Their barb'rous thoughts, that nothing could controule: Then hauing turn'd his courage all in rage, He thus flam'd forth the furie of his ſoule. O damned raſcalls, that haue loſt all faith, Whom neither duetie nor yet merite bindes: How oft was Alexander moud to wrath By thoſe your mutinous and malitious mindes? And, O what could I at thoſe hands attend, That yet were ſmoaking with Perdiccas bloud; Of thoſe that by like treaſon did intend, With old Antipaters t'haue beene imbrude? Heauen thunder on you from th'aetheriall rounds, And make you liue a'abominable band; Baſe vagabonds, barr'd from your natiue bounds, Then die deteſted in a barbarous land. And as ye haue the world with murder filld, So may your bloud by the ſame ſwords be ſhed: By which ye haue moe of your captaines kill'd Than of your foes, from whom like beaſts yee fled. But neither courteous, nor outragious wordes Could change his ſouldiers from their firſt intent, That forward led their captaine chain'd with cordes, A ſacrifice prepar'd for th'enemies tent; Where being arriude, to th'end he ſoone might end, He ask'd what ſtayd Antigonus to go, By ſetting of him free to winne a friend, Or by his death to rid him of a foe. And ſtraight Antigonus did haſte his fall, By this great magnanimitie, not moou'd: And th' Agiraſpides diſperſde ouer all, As murderers murder from the world remou'd. Thus oft haue traitors bin diſpatchde by time, By thoſe whom their vpbraiding looks diſmay: For the remembrance thus of th'Authors crime, Can but by th'Actors death be wip'd away. Now claimes Antigonus when fame doth feaſt, In ranke aboue his ſoueraignes ſelfe to ſit: For Alexander did ſubdue all th'eaſt, And he hath conquerd them that conquer'd it. No doubt, ſince he that great aduantage wan, He hath within himſelfe high things deſignde: For whilſt proſperitie tranſports a man, Nought ſeemes difficult to th'ambitious mind. Of thoſe in whom he did ſuſpect a ſpirit, Whoſe courage ſeru'd his courſes to reſiſt, He hath himſelfe by diuers meanes made quite, In others wreakes his ſaftie doth conſiſt. Thus martiall Pithon that no danger ſparde, Whom Alexander held in high account: Did at the laſt receiue a hard reward, For helping him Eumenes to ſurmount. His ſpirit t'attemp and powre fit to performe. Made iealouſie Antigonus torment: And yet he fain'd to loue him for the forme, Till that his court he moou'de him to frequent: Where whilſt he did miſtruſting nought abide, He publikely in all the peoples ſight: (Though ſeeming iuſtly) damn'd iniuſtly di'de, No viler wrong then wrong that lookes like right. Thus diuers gouernours within ſhort ſpace, Their gouernment, or then their life haue loſt: And others are preferd vnto their place, That did depend vpon his fauour moſt.