Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 510 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.
If after you, none of your own remain To keep your Conquests, and revive your name? Kings live most safe who of their own have heirs, Whos's sacred persons none dare seek to wound: Since, though they die, yet there rest some of theirs, Who are to venge their death, by Nature bound. All shall be tried which may enlarge my might; I mind to match myself with such a one, Who (if she have my power to prove her right) May be thought worthy of her Father's Throne. I with Olympias have devised a thing, Which may secure her state, and make mine strong, And (if accomplished) prove a prosperous spring, From whence may flow great acts ere it be long: By Cleopatra may a means be catched, Which to a glorious end our course may bring, She whom at first her Father Philip matched With Alexander of Epirus King, Who having heard great Alexander's fame, (In emulation of that Monarch's praise) Went with his troops th'Etrurians bend to tame, Which enterprise did but abridge his days: In marriage with that widowed Queen combined, (If that her Mother thus her course assist) Whilst I perform that which I have in mind, Who dare presume my purpose to resist? For, whilst this friendship doth my name renown, It may my thoughts from further fear seclude: Since having thus a title to the Crown, As one engrafted in the royal blood. I fear that this your purpose to prevent, A number now take arms all in one form, As those whose fears conjecture your intent, And by the lowering clouds foreknow a storm. Already many do together run, Who for our ruin wonderfully thirst. Where do you think that we should then begin, And exercise hostility at first? Though we ourselves in strangers Thrones install, And (having Asia to subjection brought) Make Nibus, Indus, and Euphrates thrall, Yet all those victories would serve for nought, Whilst Macedon doth continue free, (A fertile field to bring brave Armies forth) Which (till first forced) can now not subject be, And ere they love a King, must prove his worth, Then unto those who seek a Prince in Arms, His chiefest Realm the greatest vantage gives, Where wars (held out) are always with his harms, Since that his foe still at his charges lives; And wars protracted with a people's loss, Do from their Sovereign alienate their love; They lose their hearts, whom Fortune once doth cross, And foiled at home, can no where else remove: Who Macedon hath, still the best, Which of our state the stately Mistress is: As which with courage conquered all the rest, And but depends on Mars, as only his: If you were Lord of that undaunted soil, And by Olympias countenanced but a time, Strait front Antipater all would recoil, And, bent t'undo him, we would find a crime; To you who are a Macedonian borne, (If matched with Cleopatra, great in powers) The Macedonians gladly would be sworn, And (if commanding them) than all were yours.
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)
If after you, none of your owne remayne To keep your Conqueſts, and revive your name? "Kings live moſt ſfe who of their owne have heires, "Whoſe ſacred perſons none dare ſeek to wound: "Since, though they dye, yet there reſt ſome of theirs, "Who are to venge their death, by Nature bound. All ſhall be try'd which may enlarge my might; I minde to match my ſelfe with ſuch a one, Who (if ſhe have my pow'r to prove her right) May be thought worthy of her Fathers Throne. I with Olympias have devis'd a thing, Which may ſecure her ſtate, and make mine ſtrong, And (if accompliſh'd) prove a proſp'rous ſpring, From whence may flow great acts ere it be long: By Cleopatra may a meanes be catch'd, Which to a glorious end our courſe may bring, She whom at firſt her Father Philip match'd With Alexander of Epirus King, Who having heard great Alexanders fame, (In emulation of that Monarchs praiſe) Went with his troups th'Etrurians bent to tame, Which enterpriſe did but abridge his dayes: In marriage with that widow'd Queene combinde, (If that her Mother thus her courſe aſſiſt) Whil'ſt I performe that which I have in minde, Who dare preſume my purpoſe to reſiſt? For, whil'ſt this friendſhip doth my name renowne, It may my thoughts from further feare ſeclude: Since having thus a title to the Crowne, As one engrafted in the royall bloud. I feare that this your purpoſe to prevent, A number now take armes all in one forme, As thoſe whoſe feares conjecture your intent, And by the lowring clouds fore-know a ſtorme. Already many do together runne, Who for our ruine wonderfully thirſt. Where do you think that we ſhould then begin, And exerciſe hoſtility at firſt? Though we our ſelves in ſtrangers Thrones enſtall, And (having Aſia to ſubjection brought) Make Nibus, Indus, and Euphrates thrall, Yet all thoſe victories would ſerve for nought, Whil'ſt Macedonie doth continue free, (A fertile field to bring brave Armies forth) Which (till firſt forc'd) can now not ſubject be, And ere they love a King, muſt prove his worth, "Then unto thoſe who ſeek a Prince in Armes, "His chiefeſt Realme the greateſt vantage gives, "Where warres (held out) are alwayes with his harmes, "Since that his foe ſtill at his charges lives; "And warres protracted with a peoples loſſe, Do from their Soveraigne alienate their love; They loſe their hearts, whom Fortune once doth croſſe, And foil'd at home, can no where elſe remove: Who Macedonie hath, ſtill the beſt, Which of our ſtate the ſtately Miſtriſſe is: As which with courage conquer'd all the reſt, And but depends on Mars, as onely his: If you were Lord of that undaunted ſoyle, And by Olympias countenanc'd but a time, Straight front Antipater all would recoyle, And, bent t'undo him, we would finde a crime; To you who are a Macedonian borne, (If match'd with Cleopatra, great in pow'rs) The Macedonians gladly would be ſworne, And (if commanding them) then all were yours.