Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi · 516 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
When Neoptolemus did clearly spy, That all his treason to the light was brought, He, where our foes were camped, with haste did fly: A foolish traitor who was false for nought. There he informed, or misinformed my foes, That (by good success grown secure of late) I in my Tent did carelessly repose, Though not by force, to be o're-comed by fate. And to Antipater he further told, That Macedonians, if they at that time, Of Craterus the countenance did behold, All willingly would yield themselves to him: Now they had laboured earnestly before, That I abandon would Perdiccas part, And did protest that they would give me more Than yet I had, or hoped for in my heart. But love (born free) cannot be thrall d nor bought, More than a shameful peace I like just strife; To generous minds more dear than honour nought; And ere I leave my faith, I'll lose my life: Thus when despaired that I would prove their friend, They sought in time to plague me as a foe, Where love could not begin, that hate might end, And came in haste to have surprised me so: But Neoptolemus to cross by slight, The Macedonians I for him did bend, And Craterus concealing from their sight, To match with him, caused troops of strangers tend. This policy which none could justly blame, I with myself in secret did conspire, And had my shirt been privy to the same; It should have been an offering to the fire. When deaths first game (with danger played) was past, I Neoptolemus did toil to find, And he me too, which happened at the last; Two will do much to meet, when of one mind. Then whilst we met for whom both th'armies warred, Whose fortune did depend upon our hands, All was performed that force or fury dared, Whilst both were bend t' abate the others bands. And yet the heavens would not betray my trust, Fowl treason never had a fairer end) But smiled upon my cause (as which was just) And did destruction to the traitor send: For, forced by him, whose force he did despise, (Though fight fiercely long) he lost his breath, As one more strong than true, more stout than wise, Whose greatest honour was his honest death. But weakened with huge wounds, almost I dived In seas of blood, even quite from knowledge strayed; Yet by so great a victory revived, My courage grew more than my strength decayed. I (having finished thus this fatal strife) Did come where Craterus his course had run, Even in the confines placed 'twixt death and life, The one near gone, the other not begun: He with great valour had resisted long, As all Briareus hands had moved his sword, And did his Master's memory no wrong, Whilst with his courage, not his fortune stored. What life refused, to gain by death he thought: For, life and death are but indifferent things, And of themselves not to be shunned, nor sought, But for the good or ill that either brings.
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)
When Neoptolemus did clearely ſpy, That all his treaſon to the light was brought, He, where our foes were camp'd, with haſte did flye: "A fooliſh traitour who was falſe for nought. There he inform'd, or miſ-inform'd my foes, That (by good ſucceſſe growne ſecure of late) I in my Tent did careleſly repoſe, Though not by force, to be o're-com'd by fate. And to Antipater he further told, That Macedonians, if they at that time, Of Craterus the count'nance did behold, All willingly would yeeld themſelves to him: Now they had labour'd earneſtly before, That I abandon would Perdiccas part, And did proteſt that they would give me more Then yet I had, or hop'd for in my heart. "But love (born free) cannot be thrall d nor bought, "More then a ſhamefull peace I like juſt ſtrife; "To generous mindes more deare then honour nought; "And ere I leave my faith, I'le loſe my life: Thus when deſpair'd that I would prove their friend, They ſought in time to plague me as a foe, Where love could not begin, that hate might end, And came in haſte to have ſurpris'd me ſo: But Neoptolemus to croſſe by ſlight, The Macedonians I for him did bend, And Craterus concealing from their ſight, To match with him, caus'd troupes of ſtrangers tend. This policy which none could juſtly blame, I with my ſelfe in ſecret did conſpire, And had my ſhirt beene privy to the ſame; It ſhould have beene an offring to the fire. When deaths firſt game (with danger playd) was paſt, I Neoptolemus did toile to finde, And he me too, which happ'ned at the laſt; "Two will doe much to meet, when of one minde. Then whilſt we met for whom both th'armies warr'd, Whoſe fortune did depend upon our hands, All was perform'd that force or fury dar'd, Whilſt both were bent t' abate the others bands. And yet the heavens would not betray my truſt, ("Foule treaſon never had a fairer end) But ſmil'd upon my cauſe (as which was juſt) And did deſtruction to the traitour ſend: For, forc'd by him, whoſe force he did deſpiſe, (Though fighting fiercely long) he loſt his breath, As one more ſtrong then true, more ſtout then wiſe, Whoſe greateſt honour was his honeſt death. But weakened with huge wounds, almoſt I div'd In ſeas of bloud, even quite from knowledge ſtray'd; Yet by ſo great a victory reviv'd, My courage grew more then my ſtrength decay'd. I (having finiſh'd thus this fatall ſtrife) Did come where Craterus his courſe had runne, Even in the confines plac'd 'twixt death and life, The one neere gone, the other not begun: He with great valour had reſiſted long, As all Briareus hands had mov'd his ſword, And did his Maſters memory no wrong, Whilſt with his courage, not his fortune ſtor'd. "What life refus'd, to gaine by death he thought: "For, life and death are but indifferent things, "And of themſelves not to be ſhun'd, nor ſought, "But for the good or ill that either brings.