Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
scaped I confusion in a time so bad, Of liberty and honour once to taste, That bondage now might make my soul more sad, By the remembrance of my fortunes past? What though I once (when first by fame made known) From Catiline's strange treason did preserve This town, that's still endangered by her own, Since first the world from equity did swerve? A spark of that conspiracy remains, Not yet extinguished t' have our state embroiled; That now on Rome flames of confusion rains, Thus one was spared that we might all be spoiled. O worthy Cato, in whose wondrous mind, Three rarely matched things Nature did reveal: Wit, honesty, and courage which designed A citizen for Plato's commonweal. Whilst courteous Pompey did things as a friend, Thou as a wiseman spoke, and still foretold, To what all Caesar's deeds would turn in th'end, If that his pride were not in time controlled. And had we him as wisely thou advised, Given to the Germans whom he had injured: We had not now been thus like slaves despised, To see Rome's glory, and our own obscured. But yet I may disbending former cares, A space comport with that proud tyrant's powers; Age gives assurance by my withered hairs, That death will seal my surety in few hours. Yet ye whose youth and sprite might have attained Those dignities that Caesar hath undone: O ye have lost as much as he hath gained, Whose rising hopes must be retrenched so soon. Though innovations at the first seem strange, Yet oft experience approbation brings: And if with upright thoughts we weigh this change, On it the safety of our city hangs. As in the depths dashed with redoubling waves, A ship by different minds rests more embroiled, So was our city plagued with diverse laws, By th'all-confounding multitude turmoiled. As whilst t'one sickness diverse drugs are used, Whose powers repugnant in digestion jar: Th'impatient patient's fancies rest confused, So did we long distressed with civil war. But now great Caesar from tempestuous winds, Rome's scattered ruins recollects of late: A Pilot meet to calm tumultuous minds, A doctor fit for a distempered state. The state from storms secure by drowning proves, Now whilst despair doth doubtful fears appease: He with the life th'infirmity removes, Thus is the physic worse than the disease. This commonweal (as whiles the world did spy) Though some proud sprites in civil wars involved, Yet like black clouds that would obscure the sky, Their tumid humours suddenly dissolved. And no disgrace t'our government redounds, But to th'ambitious that had it abused: Who (had their power like Caesar's wanted bounds) Had whilst they ruled a greater rigor used. There in all parts are people of all kinds, And as advanced some bad men did abide, Of power their equals, and of better minds, Some always virtuous were to curb their pride. But since that sacred liberty was lost, The public power t'a private use one turns: And as his lawless ways did always boast, The common weal by violence o'erturns.
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)
Scap'd I confuſion in a time ſo bad, Of libertie and honour once to taſte, That bondage now might make my ſoule more ſad, By the remembrance of my fortunes paſt? What though I once (when firſt by ſame made known) From Catilines ſtrange treaſon did preſerue This town, that's ſtill endangerd by her owne, Since firſt the world from equitie did ſwarue? A ſparke of that conſpiracie remaines, Not yet extinguiſh'd t' haue our ſtate imbroyld; That now on Rome flames of confuſion raines, Thus one was ſparde that we might all be ſpoild. O worthy Cato, in whoſe wondrous minde, Three rarely matcht things Nature did reueale: Wit, honeſtie, and courage which deſignde A cittizen for Platoes common-weale. Whilſt curteous Pompey did things as a friend, Thou as a wiſeman ſpake, and ſtill foretold, To what all Caeſars deedes would turne in th'end, If that his pride were not in time controlde. And had we him as wiſely thou aduiſde, Giuen to the Germans whom he had iniur'd: We had not now bin thus like ſlaues deſpiſde, To ſee Romes glorie, and our owne obſcur'd. But yet I may disbending former cares, A ſpace comport with that prowd tyrants powres; Age giues aſſurance by my witherd haires, That death will ſeale my ſuretie in few howres. Yet ye whoſe youth and ſprite might haue attaind Thoſe dignities that Caeſar hath vndone: O ye haue loſt as much as he hath gaind, Whoſe riſing hopes muſt be retrench'd ſo ſoone. Though innouations at the firſt ſeeme ſtrange, Yet oft experience approbation brings: And if with vpright thoughts we weigh this change, On it the ſafetie of our cittie hings. As in the depths daſht with redoubling waues, A ſhip by different mindes reſts more imbroilde, So was our cittie plag'd with diuerſe lawes, By th'all-confounding multitude turmoilde. As whilſt t'one ſickeneſſe diuerſe drugges are vſde, Whoſe powres repugnant in digeſtion iarre: Th'impatient patients fancies reſt confuſde, So did we long diſtreſſd with ciuill warre. But now great Caeſar from tempeſtuous windes, Romes ſcattred ruines recollects of late: A Pilote meete to calme tumultuous mindes, A doctor fit for a diſtemperd ſtate. The ſtate from ſtorms ſecure by drowning proues, Now whilſt deſpaire doth doubtful feares appeaſe: He with the life th'infirmitie remoues, Thus is the phyſicke worſe than the diſeaſe. This commonweale (as whiles the world did ſpie) Though ſome prowd ſprites in ciuill warres inuolu'd, Yet like blacke cloudes that would obſcure the skie, Their tumid humours ſodainely diſſolu'd. And no diſgrace t'our gouernement redounds, But to th'ambitious that had it abuſde: Who (had their powre like Caeſars wanted bounds) Had whilſt they rulde a greater rigor vſde. There in all partes are people of all kindes, And as aduauncde ſome bad men did abide, Of powre their equalls, and of better mindes, Some alwayes vertuous were to curbe their pride. But ſince that ſacred libertie was loſt, The publike powre t'a priuate vſe one turnes: And as his lawleſſe wayes did alwayes boſt, The common weale by violence ore-turnes.