Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T50 Fleets, armies and generals: war by sea · 510 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
Do all base slights assay; What can brave minds dismay, Whose worth is like a Tower, Against all fortune's power, Still from all fraud whilst free? These keep their course unknown, Whom it would shame if shown: Who not from worth digress, To slights which fear imparts, Do show heroic hearts, The which would rather far An open hate profess, Then basely it suppress: No glory comes from fearful Arts: But those who do us lead, As for dissembling made, Even though that they intent Amongst themselves to war, Seem in no sort to jar, But friendship do pretend, Not like their Lord now dead, Who trusting to his worth, Still what he meant spoke forth; The great men not for nought, Do seek the people's love: Their deeds that to approve, They may their minds allure: But Perdiccas is thought, Too slowly to have sought Their doubtful minds to move, As one who still conceits He may command the fates; His pride so great is grown, That none can it endure; Yet stands his state unsure, Since odious to his own: He must be once o'erthrown, Whose humour each man hates, Pride doth her followers all, Lead head-longs to a fall. THough stormy discord, and tumultuous wars, Do fire the minds of men with flames or rage, That (having haughty thoughts, as heaven hath Stars) Their indignation nothing can assuage: Yet lo, amongst the Soldiers waving bowers, The Herald's cries do calm the Trumpets sounds; And peace dare interpose unarmed powers, To limit for a time Bellona's bounds; And whilst of fury they suspend th' effects) The seeming-friended foes together treat, And every one shows what his soul affects, Of peace a shadow: th' essence must be great. Thus men magnanimous amidst the field, Dare of their enemies to the promise trust, And (loathing what disloyalty doth yield) Not violate their vows, nor prove unjust. Though love be past, yet truth should still remain, I virtuous parts even in my foes applaud; A gallant mind doth greater glory gain, To dye with honour, then to live by fraud; And why (Eumenes) as mistrusting me, Or standing on your reputation long, Did you disdain to seek (as all men see) A greater than yourself, and one more strong? Though we come not to plead our birthright here, Let him (tor warriors so should take their place) In whom best signs of Nobleness appear, Be graced, as first who doth adorn a race; Most Noble he who still by virtue strives, To leave his name in minds of men engraved, And to his offspring greater glory gives, Then from his ancestors he hath received. Erst, we by birth in war not marshaled stood, As at the Table, upon Ivory beds; A Soldiers' worth consists not in his blood, But in their blood which (as his foes) he sheds, What ever others of my lineage try, I am Eumenes, and will not accord; That there can be a greater man than I, While as I have a heart, a hand, a sword.
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)
Doe all baſe ſlights aſſay; What can brave mindes diſmay, Whoſe worth is like a Tower, Againſt all fortunes pow'r, Still from all fraud whilſt free? "Theſe keepe their courſe unknowne, "Whom it would ſhame if ſhowne: Who not from worth digreſſe, To ſlights which feare imparts, Doe ſhew heroicke hearts, The which would rather farre An open hate profeſſe, Then baſely it ſuppreſſe: "No glory comes from fearefull Arts: But thoſe who doe us leade, As for diſſembling made, Even though that they intend Amongſt themſelves to warre, Seeme in no ſort to jarre, But friendſhip doe pretend, Not like their Lord now dead, Who truſting to his worth, Still what he meant ſpake forth; The great men not for nought, Doe ſeeke the peoples love: Their deeds that to approve, They may their mindes allure: But Perdiccas is thought, Too ſlowly to have ſought Their doubtfull mindes to move, As one who ſtill conceits He may command the fates; His pride ſo great is growne, That none can it endure; Yet ſtands his ſtate unſure, Since odious to his owne: "He muſt be once o're-throwne, "Whoſe humour each man hates, "Pride doth her followers all, "Leade head-longs to a fall. THough ſtormy diſcord, and tumultuous wars, Doe fire the mindes of men with flames or rage, That (hauing haughty thoughts, as heaven hath Starres) Their indignation nothing can aſſwage: Yet loe, amongſt the Souldiers waving bowres, The Heraulds cryes doe calme the Trumpets ſounds; And peace dare inter-poſe unarmed pow'rs, To limit for a time Bellona's bounds; And whilſt of fury they ſuſpend th' effects) The ſeeming-friended foes together treat, And every one ſhewes what his ſoule affects, Of peace a ſhadow: th' eſſence muſt be great. Thus men magnanimous amidſt the field, Dare of their en'mies to the promiſe truſt, And (loathing what diſloyaltie doth yeeld) Not violate their vowes, nor prove unjuſt. "Though love be paſt, yet truth ſhould ſtill remaine, "I vertuous parts even in my foes applaud; "A gallant minde doth greater glory gaine, "To dye with honour, then to live by fraud; And why (Eumenes) as miſtruſting me, Or ſtanding on your reputation long, Did you diſdaine to ſeeke (as all men ſee) A greater then your ſelfe, and one more ſtrong? Though we come not to plead our birth-right here, Let him (tor warriours ſo ſhould take their place) In whom beſt ſignes of Nobleneſſe appeare, Be grac'd, as firſt who doth adorne a race; Moſt Noble he who ſtill by vertue ſtrives, To leave his name in mindes of men engrav'd, And to his off-ſpring greater glory gives, Then from his anceſtors he hath receiv'd. Earſt, we by birth in warre not marſhal'd ſtood, As at the Table, upon Ivory beds; "A Souldiers worth conſiſts not in his blond, "But in their bloud which (as his foes) he ſheds, What ever others of my linage try, I am Eumenes, and will not accord; That there can be a greater man then I, While as I have a heart, a hand, a ſword.