Hercules Furens (Mad Hercules) (Seneca's First Tragedy) · chunk 15 of 28
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus · published 1581 · first performed or written 1561 (Annals) tragedy; literary play unassigned nearest T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm · 490 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
Yet Theseus thoroughly overcome whatever fear remains In bosom deep, nor do thou not of best fruit of thy pains Beguiled thyself. What thing hath once to suffer been a care, To have remembered it is sweet. those dreadful haps declare. All right of world, and thee likewise I pray that bear'st the reins In kingdom wide, and thee, for whom all round about in vain Thy mother throughout Aetna sought, that secret things allow And hid in ground, it freely may be lawful for to show. The Spartan land a noble top of hill advanceth high, Where Taenarus with woods full thick the Sea doth o'er. The house of hateful Ditis here his mouth doth open set, And rock of hill above doth gape, and with a den full great A huge and gaping cleft of ground with jaws full wide doth lie, And way full broad to people all doth spread to pass thereby. Not straight with darkness doth begin the way that blinds the sight. A little lingering brightness lo behind of late left light, And doubtful glittering yet of son afflicted falls allow, And mocks the sight: such light is wont undoubtedly to show The dawn of day, or twilight else at edge of evening tide. From hence to hollow places void are lost the spaces wide, To which needs perish must all kind of men that once are thrown. Nor it a labour is go, the way itself leads down. As oft the ships against their wills doth toss the swelling surge, So downward doth that headlong way, and greedy Chaos urge: And back again to draw thy pace thee never do permit The spirits who what they catch hold fast. allow within doth flit In channel wide with silent ford the quiet lake of lethe. And cares doth rid: and that there may to scape again from death No mean be made, with many turns and windings every way Folds in his flood. in such sort as with wave unsure doth play Maeander wandering up and down, and yields himself unto, And doubtful stands, if he toward bank, or back to spring may go. The foul and filthy pool to see of slow Cocytus lies. On th'one the Gripe, on th'other side the mournful owlet cries, And sad luck of th'unhappy Strix likewise resoundeth there. Full uglily in shady bows black Locks of loathsome hear, Where Taxus tree doth over lean, which holdeth slothful sleep, And hunger sad with famished jaw that lies his place to keep, And shame to late doth hide his face that knows what crimes it hath, Both fear, and quaking, funeral, and fretting raging wrath, And mourning dire doth follow on, and trembling pale disease, And boisterous battles set with sword: and hid beyond all these Doth slothful age his lingering pace help forth with staff in hand. Of corn and wine in hell allow is any fertile land?
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T26 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Yet Theſeus throughly ouercome what euer feare remaynes In boſome deepe, nor do thou not of beſt fruict of thy paynes Beguilde thy ſelfe. What thing hath once to ſuffre beene a care, To haue remembred it is ſweete. thoſe dredfull haps declare. All ryght of worlde, and thee lykewyſe I praye y• bearſt the rayns In kingdome wyde, and thee, for whom all round about in vayne Thy mother throughout Aetna ſought, that ſecret things alowe And hid in ground, it freely may bee lawfull for to ſhowe. The Spartane land a noble toppe of hyll aduaunceth hye, Where Taenarus with woods full thick the Sea doth ouerly. The houſe of hatefull Ditis here his mouth doth open ſet, And rocke of hyll aboue doth gape, and with a denne full gret A huge and gaping cleft of ground with Iawes full wyde doth lye, And way full broade to people all doth ſpred to paſſe thereby. Not ſtraight with darkenes doth begin the way that blindes the ſight. A litle lingring brightnes loe behinde of late left light, And doubtfull glittring yet of ſonne afllicted falles alowe, And mocks the ſight: ſuch light is wont vndoubtedly to ſhowe The dawne of day, or twylight els at edge of euening tyde. From hence to hollowe places voyde are loaſte the ſpaces wyde, To which needes peryſhe muſt all kinde of men that once are throwne. Nor it a labour is goe, the way it ſelfe leades downe. As oft the ſhips agaynſt theyr willes doth toſſe the ſwelling ſurge, So downward doth that headlong way, and greedy Chao vrge: And backe agayne to drawe thy pace thee neuer doe permit The ſprits who what they catch hold faſt. alowe within doth flit In chanell wyde with ſilent foorde the quiet lake of lethe. And cares doth rid: and that there may to ſcape agayne from death No meane be made, with many turnes and windings euery way Foldes in his floude. in ſuch ſorte as with waue vnſure doth play Maeander wandring vp and downe, and yeldes himſelfe vnto, And doubtfull ſtands, if he toward banke, or backe to ſpryng may goe. The foule and filthy poole to ſee of ſlowe Cocytus lyes. On th'one the Grype, on th'other ſide the mournefull Howlet cries, And ſad lucke of th'unhappy Strix likewi loundeth there. Full vglily in ſhady bowes blacke Locks of lothſome heare, Where Taxus tree doth ouer leane, which holdeth ſlouthfull ſleepe, And hunger ſad with famiſht Iawe that lyes his place to keepe, And ſhame to late doth hide his face that knowes what crimes it hath, Both feare, and quaking, funerall, and fretting raging wrath, And mourning dyre doth follow on, and trembling pale diſeaſe, And boyſtrous battayles ſet with ſworde: and hid beyond all theaſe Doth ſlouthfull age his lingring pace help forth with ſtaffe in hand. Of corne and wyne in hell alowe is any fertile land?