Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.76 · 480 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.
And yet I think (avoiding threatened harms) He by constraint embarked in civil broils: Did he not covenant to quite his Arms, As not desirous of his Country's spoils? Durst he with those who had his charge confined, Stand to capitulate, as if their mare, Where (as his Sovereign) to obey their mind, It was his duty, and their due of late, What? what? durst he whom (bound to keep the law) The people in authority did put The sword which they had given, against them draw; When it was sharpened ●●●st their throat to cut? That had not come which all o●● anguish breeds, If he unforced when as his charge expired; Till that the Senate censured had his deeds, Had from his Province peaceably retired. No, he hath but betrayed his native Town, Those bands, by which she did him first prefer, T'enlarge her borders, and his own renown Those hath he used to tyrannize o'er her. My passions (ah! transported as you see With an excessive love to my dear soil) Of my heart's store have made my tongue too free, By flaming forth what in my breast doth boil. That Caesar's part might justly be excused, Lo, with the cause alleged, his course accords, Of which that mildness which he since hath used, A testimony to the world affords. Though forced to fight, he always had great care To save our Citizens as each man knows, And willed his Captains Romans still to spare; Barbarians bodies objects were for blows, Of th'adversaries after bloody strife, When oft he might have made some Captives smart, Not only was he liberal of their life, But pardoned them, even to take Pompey's part; At that infortunate Pharsalian field, When he securely might have used the sword, He both did spare all th'enemies' that would yield, And them to rents and dignities restored: Then when th'Egyptians (so to get relief) Brought to his sight pale Pompey's bloodless head, He testified with tears his inward grief, And graced his Statues after he was dead. Those his proceed plainly may approve, That he against his will did make this war; And to his Country bears a tender love, Who could comport to rein his rage so far. Those favours feigned, by him bestowed, or due, (As is ones custom whose high heart aspires,) Were spent on many that who them did view Might love his course, so kindling their desires: But where he thus pleased some, he spoiled whole hosts, And the Barbarians all to Rome not wrought Such harm as he, who, of his goodness boasts, Yet her best men hath to confusion brought; That great man, whom erst fortune ne'er did fail, Who still prevailed, though warring without right, Now in a good cause, for the commonweal With Caesar did infortunately fight. Whilst fled from Lesbos with his wretched wife,
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 770–830 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 13 of 50 in this edition
Length
480 words · 636 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.759 (cosine to the topic centroid) · placed after the fit (approximate_predict), not counted in the topic statistics
Other seeds
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
And yet I thinke (avoyding threatned harmes) He by conſtraint imbark'd in civill broyles: Did he not covenant to quite his Armes, As not deſirous of his Countries ſpoiles? Durſt he with thoſe who had his charge confin'd, Stand to capitulate, as if their mare, Where (as his Soveraigne) to obey their minde, It was his duty, and their due of late, What? what? durſt he whom (bound to keep the law) The people in authority did put The ſword which they had given, againſt them draw; When it was ſharpned ſt their throat to cut? That had not come which all o anguiſh breeds, If he unforc'd when as his charge expir'd; Till that the Senate cenſur'd had his deeds, Had from his Province peaceably retir'd. No, he hath but betray'd his native Towne, Thoſe bands, by which ſhe did him firſt preferre, T'enlarge her borders, and his owne renowne Thoſe hath he us'd to tyrannize o're her. My paſſions (ah! tranſported as you ſee With an exceſſive love to my deare ſoile) Of my hearts ſtore have made my tongue too free, By flaming forth what in my breſt doth boile. That Caeſars part might juſtly be excus'd, Loe, with the cauſe alledg'd, his courſe accords, Of which that mildeneſſe which he ſince hath us'd, A teſtimony to the world affords. Though forc'd to fight, he alwaies had great care To ſave our Citizens as each man knowes, And will'd his Captaines Romans ſtill to ſpare; Barbarians bodies objects were for blowes, Of th'adverſaries after bloudy ſtrife, When oft he might have made ſome Captives ſmart, Not onely was he liberall of their life, But pardon'd them, even to take Pompeys part; At that infortunate Pharſalian field, When he ſecurely might have us'd the ſword, He both did ſpare all th'enemies that would yeeld, And them to rents and dignities reſtor'd: Then when th'Egyptians (ſo to get reliefe) Brought to his ſight pale Pompey's bloud-leſſe head, He teſtifi'd with teares hs inward griefe, And grac'd his Statues after he was dead. Thoſe his proceedings plainely may approve, That he againſt his will did make this warre; And to his Country beares a tender love, Who could comport to reyne his rage ſo farre. Thoſe favours fain'd, by him beſtow'd, or due, (As is ones cuſtome whoſe high heart aſpires,) Were ſpent on many that who them did view Might love his courſe, ſo kindling their deſires: But where he thus pleas'd ſome, he ſpoil'd whole hoſts, And the Barbarians all to Rome not wrought Such harme as he, who, of his goodneſſe boaſts, Yet her beſt men hath to confuſion brought; That great man, whom earſt fortune ne're did fayle, Who ſtill prevail'd, though warring without right, Now in a good cauſe, for the common-weale With Caeſar did infortunately fight. Whilſt fled from Lesbos with his wretched wife,