Hercules Furens (Mad Hercules) (Seneca's First Tragedy) · chunk 8 of 28
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1581 · first performed or written 1561 (Annals) tragedy; literary play unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 504 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Injurious fortune virtue most of men most stout and strong Doth seldom spare: no man alive himself in safety long, To perils great and dangers may so often times out cast, Whom chance doth often overslip, the same it finds at last. But cruel lo, and grievous threats even bearing in his face, And such as he of stomach is, doth come even such of pace, Proud Lycus who the sceptres shakes in hand of other king, The plenteous places of the town of Thebes governing, And every thing about the which with fertile soil doth go slope Phocis, and whatever doth Ismenus overflow, whatever thing Cithaeron seeth with haughty top and high, And slender Isthmos I'll, the which between two seas doth lie. NOt I of native country hours possess the ancient right Unworthy heir, nor yet to me are noble men of might The grandfathers, nor stock renowned with titles high of name, But noble virtue: who so boasts of kindred whence he come, Of others virtue makes his vaunt, but got with fearful hand My sceptres are obtained: in sword doth all my safety stand. What thee thou worst against the will of citizens to get, The bright drawn sword must it defend: in foreign country set No stable kingdom is. But one my pomp and princely might May ratify once joined to me with regal forche full bright, And chambers Megara: of stock of such nobility Let upstart state of mine take shape. I do not think that she Refuse it will, or in the bed with me despise to lie. But if with proud unbridled mind she stubborn do deny, Then quite I purpose to destroy the house of Hercules The hate of men will then my pride, and people's speech oppress. Chief knack of kingdom is to bear thy subjects hates each one. Let's prove her then, chance given hath to us a place alone. For she her head in fold of veil full sad and woefully Enwrapped the Gods that are her guides for succour stands fast by, And at the side of her doth lean Alcides' father true. What thing doth this destroyer of our stock again anew Prepare? what proveth he? O Queen that name renowned high And title tak'st of regal stock full gentle and easily A little while receive and hear my words with patient ear, If always men eternal hates should one to th' other bear, And rage be gone out of the heart should never fall away, But th'happy still should armour hold, th'unhappy still obey, Then shall the battles nothing leave: with wide fields than the land Shall lie untilled, with underlaid to housen fiery brand Then ashes deep shall overwhelm the buried people all. Expedient is to conqueror to wish that peace befall: To conquered needful partner of the kingdom come to me: Let's toyne our minds, take here this pledge of faith and truth to thee. My right hand touch. Why wishest thou with cruel face and mood?
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)
Iniurious fortune vertue moſt of men moſt ſtout and ſtrong Doh ſeldome ſpae: no man alyue himſelfe in ſafety long, To perills great and daungers may ſo often times out caſt, Whom chaunce doth often ouerſlip, the ſame it findes at laſt. But cruell loe, and greeuous threats euen bearing in his face, And ſuch as he of ſtomacke is, doth come euen ſuch of pace, Proude Lycus who the ſceptors ſhakes in hande of other king, The plentuous places of the towne of Thebes gouerning, And euery thinge about the whych with fertile ſoyle doth goe Sloape Phocis, and what euer doth Iſmenus ouerfloe, What euer thing Cithaeron ſeeth with haughty top and hye, And ſlender Iſthmos Ile, the which betweene two ſeas doth lye. NOt I of natiue countrey howres poſſeſſe the auncient right Vnworthy heir, nor yet to me are noble men of might The grandfathers, nor ſtocke renownd with titles hie of name, But noble vertue: who ſo boafles of kinred whence he come, Of others vertue makes his vaunt, but got with fearful hand My ſceptors are obtaynd: in ſword doth all my ſafety ſtand. What thee thou worſt agaynſt the will of cyteſyns to get, The bright drawne ſword muſt it defend▪ in forrayne countrey ſet No ſtable kingdome is. But one my pompe and princely might May ratify once ioynd to me with regall forche ful bright, And chambers Megara: of ſtocke of ſuch nobility Let vpſtart ſtate of myne take ſhape. I do not thinke that ſhee Refuſe it will, or in the bed with mee deſpyſe to lye. But if with proude vnbridled mynde ſhee ſtubburn do denye, Then quite I purpoſe to deſtroy the houſe of Hercules The hate of men will then my pryde, and peoples ſpeach oppres. Chiefe knacke of kingdome is to beare thy ſubiectes hates eche one. Lets proue her then, chaunce geuen hath to vs a place alone. For ſhee her head in fold of vayle ful ſad and wofully Enwrapt the Gods that are her guides for ſuccour ſtandes faſt by, And at the ſyde of her doth leane Alcides father trewe. What thing doth this deſtroyer of our ſtocke agayne anewo Prepare? what proueth he? O Queene that name renowmed hye And tytle takſte of regall ſtocke ful gentle and eaſily A litle whyle receiue and heare my wordes with pacient eare, If alwayes men eternal hates ſhould one to th' other beare, And rage be gone out of the hart ſhould neuer fall away, But th'happy ſtill ſhould armour holde, th'vnhappy ſtil obay, Then ſhall the battayles nothing leaue: with wide fieldes then the lande Shall lie vntild, with vnderlayd to houſen fiery brand Then aſhes deepe ſhal ouerwhelme the buried people all. Expedient is to conquerour to wiſh that peace befall: To conquerd nedefull partner of the kingdome come to me: Let's toyne our myndes, take here this pledge of ſayth and truth to thee. My right hand touch. Why whiſhteſt thou with cruell face and moode?