Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.71 · 531 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 thought to see that man (as others are) Walk re-apparrelled with a private gown, As one who had unwillingly made war, To stand himself, not to cast others down: So Silla (though more inhuman than he) Whilst having all to what his heart aspired, The Sovereignty resigned, and set Rome free, When expectations date was quite expired. By Caesar's worth we must think that he too Will render freedom to this captived state, When first the world hath viewed what he might do, His thoughts are generous, as his mind is great. Though insolences oft from courage flow, His dying fury sparkles but a space: High thoughts which Mars inspires, nought can bring low, Till one have used the purity of peace. Those who by violence to all things tend, Sc●r●● can themselves to quietness conform; Their stately carriage, and frank words, offend, Whilst peace cannot comport with wars rude form, I hope that Caesar settling civil broils, When worn by custom from intestine rage, Will strive to mitigate his Country's toils, And all those flames which burned his breast, assuage. Thus, of his course you by your own conceived, As if like thoughts of both did bound the will: Ah, honest minds are with least pain deceived, Those who themselves are good, dream not of ill. To sound of some the still unsound device, Their inclination must your judgement sway: The square of virtue cannot measure vice, Nor yet a line when strait, a crooked way. So Caesar rising may usurp the State, He cares not by what force, nor by what sleight: O! one may soon deceive men, and grow great, Who leaves religion, honesty and right. When as the Senators (no more their own) Came to that Tyrant whom ambition blinds, And by high honours showed how they had shown To gratify his greatness, grateful minds; He (in a Chair imperiously placed,) Not deigned to rise, nor bow in any sort, As both of them had but their due embraced, When he a haughty, they a humble port. But if he thus, ere we be throughly thralled, Dare so disdainfully such great men use, When in a regal Throne by us installed, Then will he break that which he now doth bruise. Was he not first who ever yet began To violate the sacred Tribunes place, And punished them for punishing a man Who had transgressed the laws in time of peace? The laws which do of death all guilty hold, Whose actions seem to tyranny inclined, So earnest were our Ancestors of old, To quench a tyrant's light before it shined: And shall our Nephews (heirs of bondage) blame Us dastard parents who their hopes deceived, Who saw, who suffered, who survived such shame, Not leaving dead, what we when borne received? By Caesar's friends, to an assembly brought, The Senators intent to call him King. I'll not be there. But what if we be sought. To aid (as Praetors) such a public thing? I will resist that violent decree; None of Rome's Crown shall long securely boast: For, ere that I live thralled, I'll first dye free, What can be kept when liberty is lost?
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 1034–1102 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 17 of 50 in this edition
Length
531 words · 695 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.711 (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 thought to ſee that man (as others are) Walke re-apparrell'd with a private gowne, As one who had unwillingly made warre, To ſtand himſelfe, not to caſt others downe: So Silla (though more inhumane then he) Whilſt having all to what his heart aſpir'd, The Soveraignty reſign'd, and ſet Rome free, When expectations date was quite expir'd. By Caeſars worth we muſt thinke that he too Will render freedome to this captiv'd ſtate, When firſt the world hath view'd what he might doe, His thoughts are generous, as his minde is great. Though inſolencies oft from courage flow, His dying fury ſparkles but a ſpace: "High thoughts which Mars inſpires, nought can bring low, "Till one have us'd the purity of peace. "Thoſe who by violence to all things tend, "Scr can themſelves to quietneſſe conforme; "Their ſtately carriage, and franke words, offend, "Whil'ſt peace cannot comport with warres rude forme, I hope that Caeſar ſetling civill broyles, When worne by cuſtome from inteſtine rage, Will ſtrive to mitigate his Countries toyles, And all thoſe flames which burn'd his breſt, aſſwage. Thus, of his courſe you by your owne conceiv'd, As if like thoughts of both did bound the will: "Ah, honeſt mindes are with leaſt paine deceiv'd, "Thoſe who themſelves are good, dreame not of ill. "To ſound of ſome the ſtill unſound device, "Their inclination muſt your judgement ſway: "The ſquare of vertue cannot meaſure vice, "Nor yet a line when ſtraight, a crooked way. So Caeſar riſing may uſurpe the State, He cares not by what force, nor by what ſleight: "O! one may ſoone deceive men, and grow great, "Who leaves religion, honeſty and right. When as the Senators (no more their owne) Came to that Tyrant whom ambition blindes, And by high honours ſhew'd how they had ſhown To gratifie his greatneſſe, gratefull mindes; He (in a Chayre imperiouſly plac'd,) Not daign'd to riſe, nor bow in any ſort, As both of them had but their due embrac'd, When he a haughty, they a humble port. But if he thus, ere we be throughly thrall'd, Dare ſo diſdainefully ſuch great men uſe, When in a regall Throne by us enſtall'd, Then will he breake that which he now doth bruiſe. Was he not firſt who ever yet began To violate the ſacred Tribunes place, And puniſh'd them for puniſhing a man Who had tranſgreſs'd the lawes in time of peace? The lawes which doe of death all guilty hold, Whoſe actions ſeeme to tyranny inclin'd, So earneſt were our Anceſtors of old, To quench a tyrants light before it ſhin'd: And ſhall our Nephewes (heires of bondage) blame Vs daſtard parents who their hopes deceiv'd, Who ſaw, who ſuff'red, who ſurviv'd ſuch ſhame, Not leaving dead, what we when borne receiv'd? By Caeſars friends, to an aſſembly brought, The Senators intend to call him King. I'le not be there. But what if we be ſought. To ayde (as Pretors) ſuch a publike thing? I will reſiſt that violent decree; None of Romes Crowne ſhall long ſecurely boaſt: For, ere that I live thrall'd, I'le firſt dye free, "What can be kept when liberty is loſt?