Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
WHence come this huge and admirable change, That in my breast hath uncouth thoughts infused? Doth th'earth then erst yield terrors now more strange, Or but my mind less courage than it used? What spiteful fate against my state contends, That I must now t'unlooked for plagues give place, By foes not moved, yet feared amongst my friends, By war secure, endangered but by peace? T'encounter me when strongest troops did come, Then did my heart the highest hopes conceive: I warred with many, many to overcome, The greatest battles, greatest glory gave. As th'enemies' number still my courage grew, Oft have I through the depths of dangers past, Yet never did those boundless labours rue, To have none greater first, none equal last. whenas the Gaules feared by their neighbours falls, Had from the fields, no, from my fury fled, And hid themselves with arms, their arms with walls, Whilst I my troops t'enclose Alexia led: Then though there swarmed forth from the bounds about, Huge hosts to compass me, inflamed with wrath, That the besieger being besieged about Seemed drawn with danger in the nets of death. Yet I that could not with the pride comport, That those Barbarians by vain boasts bewrayed, Did reassault th'assaulters in such sort, That words by wounds, wounds were by death repaid, Of those within the town t'assuage their toils, Till being o'er-comed their coming was not known: Who straight upbraided by the barbarous spoils, Did yield themselves with th'other's as o'erthrown, Then whilst with liquid legions tumid boasts, The trident-bearer strived my spoils to bear: Though threatened thrice amidst his humid hosts, I always scorned t'acquaint myself with fear. I used those Pirates that had me surprised, Still as my servants thundering threatenings forth, And gave them money more than they devised, Grieved to be rated at too little worth. Yet gathering ships, I signed not long the shore, But traced their printless steps through th'unpaved way: And taking them, as I had vowed before, By nought but death their ransom would defray. Then when without th'advise of others minds, Adventured through the hoary waves by night, Whilst in a little bark against great winds, That even the Pilot looked not for the light The roaring waves themselves seemed to divide, That in their gravel I might choose a grave. And in a crystal arch above me bide, That I of me a tomb might worthy have. Whilst dangers seemed to merit Caesar's death, As Neptune raised his head, raised my heart; And showing what I was with constant breath, t'amazed Amiclas courage did impart, Was I not once amidst large Nilus' flot, Whilst me to wound a wood of darts did fly, Yet swim'd so careless of my enemy's shot, That in my hand I held some papers dry? With open dangers thus in every place, I whilst being compassed both by sea and land, Did undismayed look horror in the face, As borne for nought but only to command.
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)
WHence come this huge and admirable change, That in my breſt hath vncouth thoghts infus'd? Doth th'earth then erſt yield terrors now more ſtrange, Or but my minde leſſe courage then it vſde? What ſpitefull fate againſt my ſtate contends, That I muſt now t'vnlook'd for plagues giue place, By foes not mou'd, yet fear'd amongſt my friends, By warre ſecure, endanger'd but by peace? T'encounter me when ſtrongeſt troups did come, Then did my heart the higheſt hopes conceiue: I warr'd with many, many to ouercome, The greateſt battels, greateſt glory gaue. As th'enemies number ſtill my courage grew, Oft haue I through the depths of dangers paſt, Yet neuer did thoſe boundleſſe labors rue, To haue none greater firſt, none equall laſt. When as the Gaules fear'd by their neighbours falles, Had from the fields, no, from my furie fled, And hid themſelues with armes, their armes with walles, Whilſt I my troupes t'incloſe Alexia led: Then though there ſwarm'd foorth from the bounds about, Huge hoſtes to compaſſe me, enflam'd with wrath, That the beſieger being beſieg'd about Seem'd drawne with danger in the nets of death. Yet I that could not with the pride comport, That thoſe Barbarians by vaine boſts bewrayd, Did reaſſault th'aſſaulters in ſuch ſort, That words by wounds, wounds were by death repayd, Of thoſe within the towne t'aſſwage their toyles, Till being ore-com'd their comming was not knowne: Who ſtraight vpbrayded by the barbarous ſpoiles, Did yeeld themſelues with th'others as ore-throwne, Then whilſt with liquid legions tumid boſts, The trident-bearer ſtriu'd my ſpoyles to beare: Though threatned thriſe amidſt his humid hoſts, I alwayes ſcorn'd t'acquaint my ſelfe with feare. I vſde thoſe Pirats that had me ſurpriz'd, Still as my ſeruants thundring threatnings forth, And gaue them money more than they deuiſde, Greeu'd to be rated at too little worth. Yet gathering ſhips, I ſign'd not long the ſhore, But trac'd their printles ſteps through th'vnpau'd way: And taking them, as I had vow'd before, By nought but death their ranſome would defray. Then when without th'aduiſe of others minds, Iventred through the hoarie waues by night, Whilſt in a little barke againſt great winds, That euen the Pilote look'd not for the The roaring waues themſelues ſeem'd to diuide, That in their grauell I might chuſe a graue. And in a chriſtall arch aboue me bide, That I of me a tombe might worthy haue. Whilſt dangers ſeem'd to merite Caeſars death, As Neptune raiſde his head, raiſde my heart; And ſhewing what I was with conſtant breath, T'amazde Amiclas courage did impart, Was I not once amidſt large Nilus flot, Whilſt me to wound a wood of darts did flie, Yet ſwim'd ſo careleſſe of my enemies ſhot, That in my hand I held ſome papers drie? With open dangers thus in euery place, I whilſt being compaſs'd both by ſea and land, Did vndiſmaid looke horror in the face, As borne for nought but onely to commaund.