Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 503 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.
The Macedonians (swollen with wrath) would scorn, That to their King a stranger should succeed: Can men obey a Babe, a Babe not borne? What fancies strange would this confusion breed? This could not well become our grave foresight, A doubtful birth so long t'●●tend in vain, Which may abortive be, and brought to light, (Through nature's error) made not apt to reign. But if affection carry us so far, That of that race we must be ruled by some, Though neither trained by time in peace, nor war, As those who must indeed by kind overcome: Then have we Hercules the eldest son, To our great Prince by fair Bar●ines borne, Who fourteen years of age, hath now begun His Princely birth by virtue to adorn. To think of this, it makes my soul ashamed, That we should serve a base Barbarians brood, What▪ should we bear the yoke that have framed? To buy disgrace, have we bestowed our blood? Our ancestors whose glory we obscured, Would get some vantage of their offspring thus: That people's bondage they would have procured, And have we warred to make them Lords o'er us? Ah, bury this as a most odious thing, Which may bring danger, and must breed our scorn. Though (in effect) descended from our King, They (come of Captives) are 〈◊〉 basely borne. O! brave Leonides, I like thy strife, Who with so few performed so glorious things, And death preferred before th' infamous life, Which bondage still from a Barbarian brings. Those (loath to take a stranger for their Lord) Did with their blood renown a foreign field, And shall we honour them whom they abhorred, And even (though victors) to the vanquished yield? To what did tend that eminent attempt, Which makes the Persians yet abase their brow? But to our country's scorn (in a contempt) To take by force that which we offer now. Was this the scope of all our conquests then, Of abject Captives to be made the prey? No, let us still command like valorous men, And rule our Empire by some other way. May we not use this policy a space, Till Time afford, or we a course devise? Least dangerous discord do disturb our peace, Still when we would of serious things advice; With Majesty let us assembled be, A sacred Senate with a chair of state, That of the Sovereign power all signs may see, Then whilst we compass that respected seat: There, those who were in credit with the King, Whose merits in men's minds have reverence bred, Shall (weighed by judgement) balance every thing: How kingdoms should be ruled, how armies led; And what the greatest part hath once approved, To that the rest will willingly incline; By such a harmony the Army moved, Will execute what ever we design. This concord would prove happy for us all, Which each man's state free from all danger renders: And by this means our Macedon shall In place of one, have many Alexanders.
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)
The Macedonians (ſwolne with wrath) would ſcorne, That to their King a ſtranger ſhould ſucceed: Can men obey a Babe, a Babe not borne? What fancies ſtrange would this confuſion breed? This could not well become our grave fore-ſight, A doubtfull birth ſo long t'tend in vaine, Which may abortive be, and brought to light, (Through natures errour) made not apt to raigne. But if affection carry us ſo farre, That of that race we muſt be rul'd by ſome, Though neither train'd by time in peace, nor warre, As thoſe who muſt indeed by kinde o're-come: Then have we Hercules the eldeſt ſonne, To our great Prince by faire Barines borne, Who fourteene yeares of age, hath now begun His Princely birth by vertue to adorne. To thinke of this, it makes my ſoule aſham'd, That we ſhould ſerve a baſe Barbarians brood, What▪ ſhould we beare the yoke that have fram'd? To buy diſgrace, have we beſtow'd our bloud? Our anceſtors whoſe glory we obſcur'd, Would get ſome vantage of their off-ſpring thus: That peoples bondage they would have procur'd, And have we warr'd to make them Lords o're us? Ah, bury this as a moſt odious thing, Which may bring danger, and muſt breed our ſcorne. Though (in effect) deſcended from our King, They (come of Captives) are baſely borne. O! brave Leonides, I like thy ſtrife, Who with ſo few perform'd ſo glorious things, And death preferrd before th' infamous life, Which bondage ſtill from a Barbarian brings. Thoſe (loath to take a ſtranger for their Lord) Did with their bloud renowne a forraigne field, And ſhall we honour them whom they abhorr'd, And even (though victors) to the vanquiſh'd yeeld? To what did tend that eminent attempt, Which makes the Perſians yet abaſe their brow? But to our countries ſcorne (in a contempt) To take by force that which we offer now. Was this the ſcope of all our conqueſts then, Of abject Captives to be made the prey? No, let us ſtill command like valorous men, And rule our Empire by ſome other way. May we not uſe this policy a ſpace, Till Time afford, or we a courſe deviſe? Leaſt dangerous diſcord doe diſturbe our peace, Still when we would of ſerious things advie; With Majeſtie let us aſſembled be, A ſacred Senate with a chayre of ſtate, That of the Soveraigne pow'r all ſignes may ſee, Then whilſt we compaſſe that reſpected ſeate: There, thoſe who were in credit with the King, Whoſe merits in mens mindes have reverence bred, Shall (weigh'd by judgement) ballance every thing: How kingdomes ſhould be rul'd, how armies led; "And what the greateſt part hath once approv'd, "To that the reſt will willingly incline; By ſuch a harmony the Army mov'd, Will execute what ever we deſigne. This concord would prove happy for us all, Which each mans ſtate free from all danger renders: And by this meanes our Macedonie ſhall In place of one, have many Alexanders.