Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
And since his trophies reared in several fields, Both him and his have to confusion brought: Then what is all the good that greatness yields, Which makes itself seem much to be made nought? Thus though the mountains make a mighty show, They are but barren heaps borne up aloft, Where plains are pleasant still, though they lie low, And are most fertile too, though trod on oft. Greatness is like a cloud in th'airy bounds, Which th'earth's base vapours have congealed above: It brawls with Vulcan, thundering forth huge sounds, fear, Yet melts, and falls there whence it first did move. Since that world's conqueror then whilst free from Weighed with his greatness down so soon was dead, What makes each of his captains strive to bear, The diadem that crushed so strong a head? O when my mind is ravished through the stars, To search the secret secrets of the fates: What treasons, murders, mutinies and wars, Are threatening once t'o'erthrow th'usurped seats. And false Cassander that betrayed his Lord, And spoiled the princely race in mischief chief: A traitor, both of heaven and earth abhorred, Shall live but with disgrace, and die with grief. His sons, in wickedness himself t'exceed, Shall make the woman die that made them live: Then when being drunk with blood, to death shall bleed And none of theirs their funerals shall survive. Then when ambition should be cold by age, Lysimachus shall by Seleucus die: Nor shall Seleucus long enjoy the stage, But by like violence shall breathless lie. And subtle Ptolemy's degenered race, Long only famous for infamous things: Shall end, and once to th'enemies' pride give place, Whilst a lascivious Queen confusion brings. Antigonus shall be in battle killed, His son a captive perish with disgrace: And after that it Greece with blood hath filled, In end, destruction doth attend that race. The last in power, though of their line not bred, A niggard and a dastard beaten down: Shall through a stranger's town a captive led, Bound of the Macedonians th'old renown. WHat damned furies thus toss mortals' minds With such a violent desire to reign? That neither honour, friendship, duty, blood, Nor yet no band so sacred is as binds Th' ambitious thoughts that would a kingdom gain: But all is buried in black Lethe's flood, That may the course of sovereignty restrain, Which from the breast doth all respects repel: And like a torrent cannot be gainstood: Yea many would a Sceptre so t'obtain, In spite of all the world, and Ioues own wrath, March through the lowest dungeons of the hells: And underneath a diadem would breath, Though every moment threatened them with death. Yet though such restless minds attain in th'end The height to which their haughty hearts aspired, They never can embrace th'imagined bliss, Which their deluded thoughts did apprehend, Though by the multitude they be admired, That still to power do show themselves submiss; Yet by the soul still further is required, That should seal up th' accomplishment of joy:
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)
And ſince his trophees reard in ſeuerall fieldes, Both him and his haue to confuſion brought: Then what is all the good that greatnes yieldes, Which makes it ſelfe ſeeme much to be made nought? Thus though the mountaines make a mighty ſhow, They are but barren heapes borne vp aloft, Where plaines are pleaſant ſtill, though they lie lowe, And are moſt fertile too, though troad on oft. Greatneſſe is like a cloude in th'ayrie bounds, Which th'earths baſe vapours haue congeald aboue: It brawles with Vulcan, thundring forth huge ſounds, feare, Yet melts, and falls there whence it firſt did moue. Since that worlds conq'ror then whilſt free from Weigh'd with his greatnes downe ſo ſoone was dead, What makes each of his captaines ſtriue to beare, The diademe that cruſht ſo ſtrong a head? O when my minde is rauiſht through the ſtarres, To ſearch the ſecret ſecrets of the fates: What treaſons, murders, mutinies and warres, Are threatning once t'orethrow th'vſurped ſeates. And falſe Caſſander that betraid his Lord, And ſpoild the princely race in miſchiefe chiefe: A traitor, both of heauen and earth abhorrd, Shall liue but with diſgrace, and die with griefe. His ſonnes, in wickednes himſelfe t'exceede, Shall make the woman die that made them liue: Then when being drunk with bloud, to death ſhal bleed And none of theirs their funeralls ſhall ſuruiue. Then when ambition ſhould be coold by age, Lyſimachus ſhall by Seleucus die: Nor ſhall Seleucus long enioy the ſtage, But by like violence ſhall breathleſſe lie. And ſubtil Ptolomies degenerd race, Long onely famous for infamous things: Shall end, and once to th'enemies pride giue place, Whilſt a laſciuious Queene confuſion brings. Antigonus ſhall be in battell killd, His ſonne a captiue periſh with diſgrace: And after that it Greece with blood hath filld, In end, deſtruction doth attend that race. The laſt in powre, though of their line not bred, A niggard and a daſtard beaten downe: Shall through a ſtrangers towne a captiue led, Bound of the Macedonians th'old renowne. WHat damned furies thus toſſe mortals minds With ſuch a violent deſire to raigne? That neither honor, friendſhip, dutie, blood, Nor yet no band ſo ſacred is as bindes Th' ambitious thoughts that would a kingdome gaine: But all is buried in blacke Laethes flood, That may the courſe of ſoueraigntie restraine, Which from the breast doth all reſpects repell: And like a torrent cannot be gainstoode: Yea many would a Scepter ſo t'obtaine, In ſpite of all the world, and Ioues owne wrath, March through the lowest dungeons of the helles: And vnderneath a diademe would breathe, Though euery moment threatned them with death. Yet though ſuch restleſſe mindes attaine in th'end The height to which their haughty hearts aſpirde, They neuer can imbrace th'imagin'd bliſſe, Which their deluded thoughts did apprehend, Though by the multitude they be admirde, That ſtill to powre do ſhew themſelues ſubmiſſe; Yet by the ſoule ſtill further is requirde, That ſhould ſeale vp th' accompliſhment of ioy: