Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.76 · 507 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
Men by all means this blast of breath prolong▪ 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 whom 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 loathe they me as th'Enemy of the state? Who freedom love, you (as usurper) hate. I by great battles have enlarged their bounds. By that they think your power too muchy abounds. From doing wrong, yet I refrain my will. They fear your power, because it may do ill. The present state still miscontentment brings To factious minds affecting matters strange, Which (burdens to themselves) do loath all things, And so they change, regard not what they change. In populous Towns where many do repair, (Who at their meeting what they please do touch) They further than their bounds extend their care: The idle who do nothing, must think much. Lo, Rome (though wasted all with raging wars) Whilst private grudge pretended public good, Equality (still rude) engendering jars, Did prove too prodigal of Roman blood. Though yet now at the last attaining rest, Whilst all (obeying one) may banish tears: It (if constrained) even scorns (as bad) the best, This word necessity so wounds the ears. The insolent with vile seditious words, (Who trembled whilst they heard the Trumpets sound) Stir now their tongues, as we did then our swords, And what Mars spared, make Mercury confound. The people thus in time of peace agree To curb the great men still, even in that form, As in calm days they do disbranch the Tree, Which shrouded them of late against a storm. But now I looked (brave deeds appeasing spite) That bursted Envy should for anguish dye, Dark shadows (as ashamed) do vanish quite, When at his height bright Phoebus clears the sky. And though their hatred deeply they disguise, Yet can they not so hide inflamed desires, But that their spite rests sparkling through their eyes, And boasts to burst out strait in open fires. Since first (great Caesar) I discerned thy worth, On all thy actions I did still attend; And what some whisper must speak freely forth: Franke admonitions do become a friend. The men who do suspect that you aspire Of government the present form to change, All 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 Rome basely was constrained, All to obey which his cursed brain had bred. This government which some tyrannic call, Doth sound so odious in the people's ears, That they as Tyrant's vile, detest them all, Whose greatness gives them any cause of fears▪
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 510–573 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 9 of 50 in this edition
Length
507 words · 665 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.764 (cosine to the topic centroid) · placed after the fit (approximate_predict), not counted in the topic statistics
Other seeds
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 by all meanes this blaſt of breath prolong▪ 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 ſpight of fates to live. I feare that ſome too ſoone your death contrive. Who dare but lodge ſuch thoughts within their mindes? Thoſe whom the ſhadow of your Greatneſſe blindes. The beſt are bound to me by gifts in ſtore. But to their Countrey they are bound farre more. Then loath they me as th'Enemy of the ſtate? Who freedome love, you (as uſurper) hate. I by great battels have enlarg'd their bounds. By that they thinke your pow'r too muchy abounds. From doing wrong, yet I refraine my will. They feare your powe'r, becauſe it may do ill. The preſent ſtate ſtill miſcontentment brings To factious mindes affecting matters ſtrange, Which (burdens to themſelves) do loath all things, And ſo they change, regard not what they change. In populous Townes where many do repaire, (Who at their meeting what they pleaſe do touch) They further then their bounds extend their care: "The idle who do nothing, muſt thinke much. Loe, Rome (though waſted all with raging warres) Whil'ſt private grudge pretended publike good, Equality (ſtill rude) engendring jarres, Did prove too prodigall of Roman blood. Though yet now at the laſt attaining reſt, Whil'ſt all (obeying one) may baniſh teares: It (if conſtrain'd) even ſcorns (as bad) the beſt, This word neceſſity ſo wounds the eares. The inſolent with vile ſeditious words, (Who trembled whil'ſt they heard the Trumpets ſound) Stirre now their tongues, as we did then our ſwords, And what Mars ſpar'd, make Mercury confound. "The people thus in time of peace agree "To curbe the great men ſtill, even in that forme, "As in calme dayes they do disbranch the Tree, "Which ſhrowded them of late againſt a ſtorme. But now I look'd (brave deeds appeaſing ſpight) That burſted Envy ſhould for anguiſh dye, Darke ſhadows (as aſham'd) do vaniſh quite, When at his height bright Phoebus cleares the skie. And though their hatred deeply they diſguiſe, Yet can they not ſo hide enflam'd deſires, But that their ſpight reſts ſparkling through their eyes, And boaſts to burſt out ſtraight in open fires. Since firſt (great Caeſar) I diſcern'd thy worth, On all thy actions I did ſtill attend; And what ſome whiſper muſt ſpeake freely forth: "Franke admonitions do become a friend. The men who do ſuſpect that you aſpire Of government the preſent forme to change, All in their ſoules your ruine do conſpire, And their affections farre from you eſtrange. Since chaſt Lucretia (by proud Tarquin ſtain'd) Waſh'd with her bloud the violated bed, Whil'ſt by his pow'r Rome baſely was conſtrain'd, All to obey which his curſt braine had bred. This government which ſome tyrannicke call, Doth ſound ſo odious in the peoples eares, That they as Tyrants vile, deteſt them all, Whoſe greatneſſe gives them any cauſe of feares▪