Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.79 · 473 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.
I not affect the title of a King For love of glory, or desire of gain, Nor for respect of any private thing, But that the State may by my travels gain, You know Sibylla's books which never fail; In many minds have an opinion bred, That o'er the Parthians Rome cannot prevail, Till by a Prince her valorous Bands be led: For, as confusion is the fruit (we find) Of those affairs which diverse thoughts dispose, So Sovereignty matched with a gallant mind, Breeds reverence in ones own, fear to his foes. And O! it grieves me, that these steps of ours Have trod so oft on many a millions necks, Whilst yet the Parthian vilipends our powers, And all our victories (not vanquished) checks; Ah! should a General of the Roman race Be by Barbarians killed? and not revenged? And should his Ensigns, signs of our disgrace, Rest in the rank of conquered relics ranged? No, no, (wretched Crassus) now thyself content, I'll pacify thy Ghost with Parthians spoils, My boiling fancies have been always bend To match the matchless, daunt th'undaunted soils. With victories quite cloyed, will you not then Your safety once, more than new wars respect? No, though I have surmounted other men, My fancies yet do greater things affect: In emulation of myself at last, I even with envy look on my own deeds; And (bend to make the new surpass things past) Now to my mind stolen praise no pleasure breeds. The world hath seen thee (great man) for Rome's good, In danger oft of many a dangerous shelf, Whilst for her glory thou engaged thy blood, Of others careful, careless of thyself. Though whilst in th'April of my blooming age, I from the vulgar rate redeemed my name, Some with my deeds did burden youths hot rage, And an ambitious appetite of Fame, Yet since the coldness of declining years, Boasts to congeal the blood which boiled of late, Whilst lo, my life the Sun of glory clears, Who now of all the world am known most great; I cannot covet that thing which I have, I have all honour that can be required: And now (as that which wants) would only crave To taste the pleasures of a life retired: But (save to serve the State) for nought I strive, For, O! (neglecting th'echoes of renown) I could content myself unknown to live A private man, with a Plebeian gown: Since (Anthony) thus for the state I care, And all delights which Nature loves disdain, Go, and in time the people's minds prepare, That, as the rest, I may the title gain; Yet indirectly at the first assay To what their doubtful minds do most incline, But as without my knowledge, that they may All mark your mind, and yet not think of mine.
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 574–633 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 10 of 50 in this edition
Length
473 words · 630 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.787 (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)
I not affect the title of a King For love of glory, or deſire of gaine, Nor for reſpect of any private thing, But that the State may by my travels gaine, You know Sibylla's books which never faile; In many mindes have an opinion bred, That o're the Parthians Rome cannot prevaile, Till by a Prince her valorous Bands be led: "For, as confuſion is the fruit (we finde) "Of thoſe affaires which divers thoughts diſpoſe, "So Soveraignty match'd with a gallant minde, "Breeds reverence in ones owne, feare to his foes. And O! it grieves me, that theſe ſteps of ours Have trod ſo oft on many a millions necks, Whil'ſt yet the Parthian vilipends our pow'rs, And all our victories (not vanquiſh'd) checks; Ah! ſhould a Generall of the Roman race Be by Barbarians kill'd? and not reveng'd? And ſhould his Enſignes, ſignes of our diſgrace, Reſt in the ranke of conquer'd relicts rang'd? No, no, (wretch'd Craſſus) now thy ſelfe content, Ile pacifie thy Ghoſt with Parthians ſpoyles, My boyling fancies have beene alwayes bent To match the matchleſſe, daunt th'undaunted ſoiles. With victories quite cloi'd, will you not then Your ſafety once, more then new warres reſpect? No, though I have ſurmounted other men, My fancies yet do greater things affect: In emulation of my ſelfe at laſt, I even with envy look on my owne deeds; And (bent to make the new ſurpaſſe things paſt) Now to my minde ſtale praiſe no pleaſure breeds. The world hath ſeene thee (great man) for Romes good, In danger oft of many a dangerous ſhelfe, Whil'ſt for her glory thou engag'd thy bloud, Of others carefull, careleſſe of thy ſelfe. Though whil'ſt in th'Aprill of my blooming age, I from the vulgar rate redeem'd my name, Some with my deeds did burden youths hot rage, And an ambitious appetite of Fame, Yet ſince the coldneſſe of declining yeares, Boaſts to congeale the bloud which boil'd of late, Whil'ſt loe, my life the Sunne of glory cleares, Who now of all the world am knowne moſt great; I cannot covet that thing which I have, I have all honour that can be requir'd: And now (as that which wants) would onely crave To taſte the pleaſures of a life retyr'd: But (ſave to ſerve the State) for nought I ſtrive, For, O! (neglecting th'ecchoes of renowne) I could content my ſelfe unknowne to live A private man, with a Plebeian gowne: Since (Anthonie) thus for the ſtate I care, And all delights which Nature loves diſdaine, Go, and in time the peoples mindes prepare, That, as the reſt, I may the title gaine; Yet indirectly at the firſt aſſay To what their doubtfull mindes do moſt incline, But as without my knowledge, that they may All marke your minde, and yet not thinke of mine.