Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
That gallant Grecian, whose great wit so soon Th'innumerable army did o'ercome, Were not he was undone, had been undone, And if not banished had not had a home: To him fear courage gave (what wondrous change,) And many doubts a resolution strange. He that told one that then was fortune's child, As if with horror to congeal his blood, That Caius Marius being from Rome exiled: Wretched on the ruins of great Carthage stood: Though both being plagued by grief, and by disgrace The consulship regained, and died in peace. And that great Pompey (all the world's delight,) Whom of his theater then th'applauses pleased, Whilst praise-transported eyes endeared his sight, That by youths toils should have his age then eased: He by one blow of fortune lost far more, Than many a battle conquered had before. Such sudden changes so disturb the soul, That still the judgement balanced is by doubt, But on around, what wonder though things roll, And since within a circle turn about? Whilst heaven on earth strange alterations brings, To scorn our confidence in worldly things. And chanced there ever accidents more strange, Than in this stormy bounds where we remain? A shepherds Staff did here t'a Sceptre change, The nursling of a wolf over men to reign: A little village grew a mighty town, Which whilst it had no king, held many a crown. Then by how many sundry sorts of men, Hath this great state been ruled? though now by none, Which first obeyed but one, than two, than ten, Then by degrees returned to two, and t'one, Of which three states their ruin did abide, Two by twos lusts, and one by two men's pride. What revolutions huge have happened thus, All by a secret violence being led, Though seeming but by accident to us, Yet in the depths of heavenly breasts first bred; As arguments demonstrative to prove, That weakness dwells below, and power above. Lo Caesar, though being burdened in short space, Both with strange nations, and his country's spoils, Even when he seemed by war t'have purchased peace, And roses of sweet rest from thorns of toils: Then whilst his mind and fortune raise most high, Hath been constrained the last distress to try. What warnings large were in a time so short, Of that dark course which by his death now shines? It speechless wonders plainly did report, It men revealed by words, and gods by signs: Yet by the chains of destinies being bound, He saw the sword, but could not scape the wound. O what a curtain over our knowledge hangs! Whiles closed, whiles opened by th'etherial host, Which makes us sometime sharp to see small things, And yet quite blind whenas we should see most: That curious brains may rest amazed at it, Whose ignorance makes them presume of it. Then let us live, since all things change below, When raised most high as those that once may fall, And hold when by disasters brought more low, The mind still free whatever else be thrall: Those Lords of Fortune sweeten every state, That can command themselves, though not their fate.
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)
That gallant Graecian, whoſe great wit ſo ſoone Th'innumerable army did orecome, Were not he was vndone, had bin vndone, And if not baniſht had not had a home: To him feare corage gaue (what wondrous change,) And many doubts a reſolution ſtrange. He that tolde one that then was fortunes childe, As if with horror to congeale his blood, That Caius Marius being from Rome exilde: Wretch'd on the ruines of great Carthage ſtood: Thogh both being plag'd by griefe, and by diſgrace The conſulſhip regain'd, and di'd in peace. And that great Pompey (all the worlds delight,) Whom of his theater then th'applauſes pleaſd, Whilſt praiſe-tranſported eies endeerd his ſight, That by youths toiles ſhould haue his age then eaſde: He by one blow of fortune loſt farre more, Then many a battell conquerd had before. Such ſodaine changes ſo diſturbe the ſoule, That ſtill the iudgement ballancde is by doubt, But on around, what wonder though things roule, And ſince within a circle turne about? Whilſt heauen on earth ſtrange alterations brings, To ſcorne our confidence in worldly things. And chancde there euer accidents more ſtrange, Than in this ſtormie bounds where we remaine? A ſhepheardes Staffe did here t'a Scepter change, The nurceling of a woolfe ouer men to raigne: A little village grew a mightie towne, Which whilſt it had no king, held many a crowne. Then by how many ſundry ſortes of men, Hath this great ſtate bin rulde? though now by none, Which firſt obeyd but one, then two, then ten, Then by degrees returnd to two, and t'one, Of which three ſtates their ruine did abide, Two by twoes luſts, and one by two mens pride. What reuolutions huge haue hapned thus, All by a ſecret violence being led, Though ſeeming but by accident to vs, Yet in the depths of heauenly breaſts firſt bred; As arguments demonſtratiue to proue, That weakneſſe dwells below, and powre aboue. Lo Caeſar, though being burdend in ſhort ſpace, Both with ſtrange nations, and his countries ſpoiles, Euen when he ſeemd by warre t'haue purchaſde peace, And roſes of ſweete reſt from thornes of toiles: Then whilſt his minde and fortune raiſe moſt hie, Hath bin conſtraind the laſt diſtreſſe to trie. What warnings large were in a time ſo ſhort, Of that darke courſe which by his death now ſhines? It ſpeechleſſe wonders plainely did report, It men reueald by words, and gods by ſignes: Yet by the chaines of deſtinies being bound, He ſaw the ſword, but could not ſcape the wound. O what a curtine ouer our knowledge hings! Whiles cloſde, whiles op'ned by th'aetheriall hoſte, Which makes vs ſometime ſharpe to ſee ſmall things, And yet quite blinde when as we ſhould ſee moſt: That curious braines may reſt amazde at it, Whoſe ignorance makes them preſume of it. Then let vs liue, ſince all things change below, When raiſde moſt high as thoſe that once may fall, And hold when by diſaſters brought more lowe, The minde ſtill free what euer elſe be thrall: Thoſe Lordes of Fortune ſweeten euery ſtate, That can command thēſelues, thogh not their fate.