Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
When th' Asian victor after all his wars, To visit Babylon had bent his mind: Both I, and others, studious of the stars, Did show that there his ruin was designed. To his successors too we oft have shown, The means by which their fate might be controlled; Yet was our skill contemned, and they o'erthrown, As we foretold, and as they now have told. They have told much, and yet I must tell more; Their news were evil, yet were they not the worst, And have the heavens reserved more plagues in store, As if we yet were not enough accursed? As th'earth in pride, the heavens in plagues abounds, Our highest hopes have perished but of late. Then wound our ears by hearing others wounds, That pity now may tread the steps of hate. Our Queen Olimpias ravished by revenge, All Macedony did with murders fill; Which from her part the people did estrange, Whilst nought but rigour limited her will. So that when fierce Cassander sought her wreak, She did mistrust the Macedonians minds: And for the time the nearest strength did take, There till the storm was passed t'attend fair winds. But soon Cassander did the town enclose, And as she held him out, did hold her in, That like a captive guarded by her foes, She knew not by what way a way to win. And when their life's provision did decay, Then did bare walls but small refuge afford: She Scylla scaped to be Charibdis' prey, That fell on famine flying from the sword. straight like pale Ghosts faint soldiers did remain, Whose bowels hunger like a Harpy tears: And with courageous words, the Queen in vain Did raise their spirit; (the belly hath no ears.) All then began to languish, and to fade, As if being tired to bear themselves about; Legs failed the body, and the neck the head, Then whilst the flesh fell in, bones bursted out: And when that th'ordinary meats were spent, Than horses, dogs, cats, rats, all served for food; Of which no horror th'eater did torment, For all that was not poison, then seemed good. Some mouths accustomed once with dainty meats Wished what they oft had loathed, I'll crumbs, foul floods And Ladies that had lived in pompous states, Fed, as brought up with wolves amidst the woods: Yea, nursed by those whom they themselves had nursed, Oft then by th' of springs death th'engendrer lived; And which was worst, whilst breasts were like to burst None comfort could, for all themselves were grieved. Such was their state, no friend bewailed bis friend, No wife her husband, nor no Sire his son; For apprehending their approaching end. All with compassion of themselves were won. The dead men's smell empoisoned them that lived, Whilst first made faint by a defrauded womb: Heaps were of breath and burial both deprived, That all the town in end was but a tomb.
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)
When th' Aſian victour after all his warres, To viſit Babilon had bent his mind: Both I, and others, ſtudious of the ſtarres, Did ſhew that there his ruine was deſign'd. To his ſucceſſours too we oft haue ſhowne, The meanes by which their fate might be controld; Yet was our skill contemnde, and they ore-thrown, As we fore-told, and as they now haue told. They haue told much, and yet I muſt tell more; Their newes were euill, yet were they not the worſt, And haue the heau'ns reſeru'd mo plagues in ſtore, As if we yet were not enough accurſt? As th'earth in pride, the heauens in plagues abounds, Our higheſt hopes haue periſht but of late. Then wound our eares by hearing others wounds, That pittie now may tread the ſteppes of hate. Our Queene Olimpias rauiſht by reuenge, All Macedony did with murders fill; Which from her part the people did eſtrange, Whilſt nought but rigour limited her will. So that when fierce Caſſander ſought her wreake, She did miſtruſt the Macedonians mindes: And for the time the neereſt ſtrength did take, There till the ſtorme was paſt t'attend faire windes. But ſoone Caſſander did the towne encloſe, And as ſhe held him out, did hold her in, That like a captiue guarded by her foes, She knew not by what way a way to winne. And when their lifes prouiſion did decay, Then did bare walles but ſmall refuge afford: She Scilla ſcap'd to be Charibdis prey, That fell on famine flying from the ſword. Strait like pale Ghoſts faint ſouldiers did remaine, Whoſe bowels hunger like a Harpie teares: And with courageous words, the Queene in vaine Did raiſe their ſpirit; (the belly hath no eares.) All then began to languiſh, and to fade, As if being tir'de to beare themſelues about; Legges fail'd the bodie, and the necke the head, Then whilſt the fleſh fell in, bones burſted out: And when that th'ordinarie meates were ſpent, Then horſes, dogs, cats, rats, all ſeru'd for food; Of which no horror th'eater did torment, For all that was not poiſon, then ſeem'd good. Some mouthes accuſtom'd once with daintie meates Wiſh'd what they oft had loath'd, ile crums, foule floods And Ladyes that had liu'd in pompous ſtates, Fed, as brought vp with wolues amidſt the woods: Yea, nurſt by thoſe whom they themſelues had nurſt, Oft then by th' of ſprings death th'engendrer liu'd; And which was worſt, whilſt breaſts were like to burſt None comfort could, for all themſelues were grieu'd. Such was their ſtate, no friend bewaild bis friend, No wife her husband, nor no Syre his ſonne; For apprehending their approching end. All with compaſſion of them ſelues were wonne. The dead mens ſmell empoiſon'd them that liu'd, Whilſt firſt made faint by a defrauded wombe: Heapes were of breath and buriall both depriu'd, That all the towne in end was but a tombe.