Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.77 · 466 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.
THen liberty, of earthly things What more delights a generous breast? Which doth receive, And can conceive The matchless treasure that it brings; It making men securely rest, As all perceive, Doth none deceive, Whilst from the same true courage springs, But feared for nought, doth what seems best: Than men are men, when they are all their own, Not, but by others badges when made known: Yet should we not mispending hours, A freedom seek, as oft it falls, With an intent But to content These vain delights, and appetites of ours; For, then but made far greater thralls, We might repent As not still penned In stricter bounds by others powers, Whilst fear licentious thoughts appalls: Of all the Tyrants that the world affords, Ones own affections are the fiercest Lords: As Libertines those only live, Who (from the bands of vice set free) Vile thoughts cancel, And would excel In all that doth true glory give, From which when as no Tyrants be Them to repel, And to compel Their deeds against their thoughts to strive, They blessed are in a high degree: For, such of fame the scrouls can hardly fill, Whose wit is bounded by another's will. Our Ancestors of old such proved, (Who Rome from Tarquin's yoke redeemed) They first obtained, And then maintained Their liberty so dearly loved; They from all things which odious seemed (Though not constrained) Themselves restrained, And willingly all good approved, Bend to be much, yet well esteemed; And how could such but aim at some great end, Whom liberty did lead, Glory attend? They leading valorous legions forth, (Though wanting Kings) triumphed o'er Kings, And still aspired, By Mars inspired, To conquer all from South to North; Then lending fame their eagle's wings, They all acquired That was required, To make them rare for rarest things, The world made witness of their worth: Thus those great minds who domineered o'er all, Did make themselves first free, than others thrall, But we who hold nought but their name, From that to which they in times gone Did high ascend, Must low descend, And bound their glory with our shame, Whilst on an object Tyrant's Throne, We (base) attend, And do intent Us for our fortune still to frame, Not it for us, and all for one: As liberty a courage doth impart, So bondage doth disbend, else break the heart, Yet, O! who knows but Rome to grace Another Brutus may arise? Who may effect What we affect, And Tarquin's steps make Caesar trace; Though seeming dangers to despise He doth suspect What we expect Which from his breast hath banished peace, Though fairly he his fears disguise: Of Tyrants even the wrong, revenge affords, All fear but theirs, and they fear all men's swords.
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 1617–1700 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 26 of 50 in this edition
Length
466 words · 615 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.772 (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)
THen liberty, of earthly things What more delights a generous breſt? Which doth receive, And can conceive The matchleſſe treaſure that it brings; It making men ſecurely reſt, As all perceive, Doth none deceive, Whil'ſt from the ſame true courage ſprings, But fear'd for nought, doth what ſeemes beſt: "Then men are men, when they are all their owne, "Not, but by others badges when made knowne: Yet ſhould we not miſpending houres, A freedome ſeeke, as oft it falls, With an intent But to content Theſe vaine delights, and appetites of ours; For, then but made farre greater thralls, We might repent As not ſtill pent In ſtricter bounds by others pow'rs, Whil'ſt feare licentious thoughts appalls: "Of all the Tyrants that the world affords, "Ones owne affections are the fierceſt Lords: As Libertines thoſe onely live, Who (from the bands of vice ſet free) Vile thoughts cancell, And would excell In all that doth true glory give, From which when as no Tyrants be Them to repell, And to compell Their deeds againſt their thoughts to ſtrive, They bleſt are in a high degree: "For, ſuch of fame the ſcrouls can hardly fill, "Whoſe wit is bounded by anothers will. Our Anceſtors of old ſuch prov'd, (Who Rome from Tarquines yoke redeem'd) They firſt obtain'd, And then maintain'd Their liberty ſo dearly lov'd; They from all things which odious ſeem'd (Though not conſtrain'd) Themſelves reſtrain'd, And willingly all good approv'd, Bent to be much, yet well eſteem'd; "And how could ſuch but ayme at ſome great end, "Whom liberty did leade, Glory attend? They leading valorous legions forth, (Though wanting Kings) triumph'd o're Kings, And ſtill aſpir'd, By Mars inſpir'd, To conquer all from South to North; Then lending fame their Eagles wings, They all acquir'd That was requir'd, To make them rare for rareſt things, The world made witneſſe of their worth: Thus thoſe great mindes who domineer'd o're all, Did make themſelves firſt free, then others thrall, But we who hold nought but their name, From that to which they in times gone Did high aſcend, Muſt low deſcend, And bound their glory with our ſhame, Whil'ſt on an object Tyrants Throne, We (baſe) attend, And do intend Vs for our fortune ſtill to frame, Not it for us, and all for one: "As liberty a courage doth impart, "So bondage doth disbend, elſe breake the heart, Yet, O! who knows but Rome to grace Another Brutus may ariſe? Who may effect What we affect, And Tarquines ſteps make Caeſar trace; Though ſeeming dangers to deſpiſe He doth ſuſpect What we expect Which from his breaſt hath baniſh'd peace, Though fairely he his feares diſguiſe: "Of Tyrants even the wrong, revenge affords, "All feare but theirs, and they feare all mens ſwords.