Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
Men should strive to live well, not to live long. And I would spend this momentary breath, To live by fame for ever after death: For I aspire in spite of fates to live. I fear that some too soon your death contrive. Who dare but lodge such thoughts within their minds. Those that the shadow of your greatness blinds. The best are bound to me by gifts in store. But to their country they are bound far more. Then loath they me as th'enemy of the state? You as th'usurper of the same they hate. I by huge battles have enlarged their bounds. By that they think your power too much abounds. Yet I from doing wrong refrain my will. They fear your power, because it may do ill. The present state still miscontentment brings To factious minds affecting matters strange, That burdens to themselves irk of all things; And so they change, regard not what they change: In populous towns where many make repair, (Whose confluence by conference all things touch) They further than their bounds extend their care, The idle that do nothing, must think much. Lo, Rome (though wasted all with civil wars, Whilst private grudge pretended public good; And that equality engendering jars, Did prove too prodigal of Roman blood;) Yet having through huge toils attained to rest, That it by yielding t'one may banish tears: It if constrained disdains t'embrace the best, This word necessity so wounds the ears. And th'insolent with vile seditious words, That trembled whilst they heard the trumpets sound: Stir now their tongues, as we did then our swords, And what Mars spared, make Mercurie confound. The people thus in time of peace agree, T'abase the greatest still, even in that form As in calm days they do disbranch the tree, That shrouded them of late against a storm. But now I looked for liberty to boast, That once my deeds triumphed had over envy: As all dark shadows do evanish most, Then when the Sun shines highest in the sky: And though their hatred deeply they disguise, Yet they conceal not so their souls desires: But that their spite rest sparkling through their eyes, And boasts to burst out once in open fires. Since first (great Caesar) I discerned thy worth, On all thy actions I did still attend: And therefore what some whisper, I'll speak forth, T'admonish freely it becomes a friend. Since first men did suspect that you aspire T'a Monarchy, the government to change; They in their souls your ruin do conspire, And their affections far from you estrange. Since chaste Lucretia by proud Tarquin stained, Washed with her blood the violated bed, Whilst by his power supreme Rome was constrained All things t'obey, that his cursed brain had bred. This government which some tyrannic call, It sounds so odious in the people's ears, As Tyrants vild, that they detest them all Whose greatness gives them any cause of fears.
seed 43: T1 · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Men ſhould ſtriue to liue well, not to liue long. And I would ſpend this momentarie breath, To liue by fame for euer after death▪ For I aſpire in ſpight of fates to liue. I feare that ſome too ſoone your death contriue. Who dare but lodge ſuch thoughts within their mindes. Thoſe that the ſhadow of your greatnes blindes. The beſt are bound to me by gifts in ſtore. But to their countrey they are bound far more. Then loath they me as th'enemie of the ſtate? You as th'vſurper of the ſame they hate. I by huge battels haue enlarg'd their bounds. By that they think your powre to much abounds. Yet I from doing wrong refraine my will. They feare your powre, becauſe it may do ill. The preſent ſtate ſtill miſcontentment brings To factious mindes affecting matters ſtrange, That burdens to themſelues irke of all things; And ſo they change, regard not what they change: In populous townes where many make repaire, (Whoſe confluence by conference all things touch) They further than their bounds extend their care, The idle that doe nothing, muſt thinke much. Lo, Rome (though waſted all with ciuill warres, Whilſt priuate grudge pretended publike good; And that equalitie engendring iarres, Did proue too prodigall of Roman blood;) Yet hauing through huge toyles attain'd to reſt, That it by yeelding t'one may baniſh teares: It if conſtrain'd diſdaines t'imbrace the beſt, This word neceſſitie ſo woundes the eares. And th'inſolent with vile ſeditious words, That trembled whilſt they heard the trumpets ſound: Stirre now their tongues, as we did then our ſwords, And what Mars ſparde, make Mercurie confound. The people thus in time of peace agree, T'abaſe the greateſt ſtill, euen in that forme As in calme dayes they doe disbranch the tree, That ſhrowded them of late againſt a ſtorme. But now I look'd for libertie to boſt, That once my deeds triumph'd had ouer enuie: As all darke ſhadowes doe evaniſh moſt, Then when the Sunne ſhines higheſt in the skie: And though their hatred deepely they diſguiſe, Yet they conceale not ſo their ſoules deſires: But that their ſpight reſt ſparkling through their eies, And boſts to burſt out once in open fires. Since firſt (great Caeſar) I diſcernd thy worth, On all thy actions I did ſtill attend: And therefore what ſome whiſper, Ile ſpeake foorth, T'admoniſh freely it becomes a friend. Since firſt men did ſuſpect that you aſpire T'a Monarchie, the gouernement to change; They in their ſoules your ruine do conſpire, And their affections farre from you eſtrange. Since chaſte Lucretia by prowd Tarquin ſtain'd, Waſh'd with her blood the violated bed, Whilſt by his power ſupreame Rome was conſtrain'd All things t'obey, that his curſt braine had bred. This gouernment which ſome tyrranick call, It ſounds ſo odious in the peoples eares, As Tyrants vild, that they deteſt them all Whoſe greatneſſe giues them any cauſe of feares.