Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.81 · 505 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.
Erst (that our faction might be strengthened thus) I laboured much to purchase all their powers, Whom hate to Caesar, love to Rome, or us, Might make embark in those great hopes of ours; By sickness then imprisoned in his bed, Whilst I Ligarius spied whom pains did prick, When I had said with words that anguish bred: In what a time Ligarius art thou sick? He answered strait as I had Physic brought, Or that he had imagined my design, If worthy of thyself thou wouldst do aught, Then Brutus I am whole, and wholly thine: Since he by Caesar was accused of late For taking Pompey's part, yet at this hour He (though absolved) doth still the Tyrant hate, Since once endangered by his lawless power: Thus (of great spirits exasperating spites) Heaven of our course the progress doth direct, One inspiration all our souls incites, Who have advis'dly sworn for one effect. So I with Cicero did confer at length, Who (I perceive) the present state detests, And though old Age diminished hath his strength, In him a will to free his Country rests. That man whose love still to his country shined, Would willingly the commonwealth restore: Then he (I know) though he conceals his mind, None Caesar more dislikes, nor likes us more: Yet to his custody I'll not commit The secrets of our enterprise so soon: Men may themselves be oftentimes not fit To do the things which they would wish were done. He still was timorous, and, by age grown worse, Might chance to lay our honour in the dust; All Cowards must inconstant be of force, With bold designs none fearful breasts should trust. Then, some of ours would hold their hands still pure, Who (ere they be suspected) for a space, Amidst the tumult may remain secure, And with the people mediate our peace: But who then Tullius fit for that turn, Whose eloquence is used to charm their ears? His banishment they in black Gowns did mourn, Whom all do honour for his worth and years. Those studious wits which have through dangers gone, Would still be out, ere that they enter in: Who muse of many things, resolve of none, And (thinking of the end) cannot begin. The mind which looks no further than the eye, And more to Nature trusts, then unto Art, Such doubtful fortunes fittest is to try: A furious actor for a desperate part. We have enough, and of the best degree, Whose hands unto their hearts, hearts t'us are true, And if that we seek more, I fear we be To hide, too many, if disclosed, too few; Let us advise with an industrious care (Now ere the Tyrant intercept our minds) The time, the place, the manner, when, and where We should en-trust our Treasure to the winds; And since our states this doth in danger bring, Let every point be circumspectly weighed, A circumstance, or an indifferent thing, Doth oft mar all, when not with care conveyed.
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 1757–1820 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 28 of 50 in this edition
Length
505 words · 659 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.806 (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)
Earſt (that our faction might be ſtrengthned thus) I labour'd much to purchaſe all their pow'rs, Whom hate to Caeſar, love to Rome, or us, Might make imbarke in thoſe great hopes of ours; By ſickneſſe then impriſon'd in his bed, Whil'ſt I Ligarius ſpy'd whom paines did pricke, When I had ſaid with words that anguiſh bred: In what a time Ligarius art thou ſick? He anſwer'd ſtraight as I had Phyſicke brought, Or that he had imagin'd my deſigne, If worthie of thy ſelfe thou would'ſt do ought, Then Brutus I am whole, and wholly thine: Since he by Caeſar was accus'd of late For taking Pompey's part, yet at this houre He (though abſolv'd) doth ſtill the Tyrant hate, Since once endanger'd by his lawleſſe pow'r: Thus (of great ſprits exaſperating ſpites) Heaven of our courſe the progreſſe doth direct, One inſpiration all our ſoules incites, Who have advis'dly ſworne for one effect. So I with Cicero did conferre at length, Who (I perceive) the preſent ſtate deteſts, And though old Age diminiſh'd hath his ſtrength, In him a will to free his Countrey reſts. That man whoſe love ſtill to his countrey ſhin'd, Would willingly the common-wealth reſtore: Then he (I know) though he conceals his minde, None Caeſar more diſlikes, nor likes us more: Yet to his cuſtody I'le not commit The ſecrets of our enterpriſe ſo ſoone: "Men may themſelves be often-times not fit "To do the things which they would wiſh were done. He ſtill was timorous, and, by age growne worſe, Might chance to lay our honour in the duſt; "All Cowards muſt inconſtant be of force, "With bold deſignes none fearfull breaſts ſhould truſt. Then, ſome of ours would hold their hands ſtill pure, Who (ere they be ſuſpected) for a ſpace, Amid'ſt the tumult may remaine ſecure, And with the people mediate our peace: But who then Tullius fitter for that turne, Whoſe eloquence is us'd to charme their eares? His baniſhment they in black Gownes did mourne, Whom all do honour for his worth and yeares. Thoſe ſtudious wits which have through dangers gone, "Would ſtill be out, ere that they enter in: "Who muſe of many things, reſolve of none, "And (thinking of the end) cannot begin. "The minde which looks no further then the eye, "And more to Nature truſts, then unto Art, "Such doubtfull fortunes fitteſt is to try: "A furious actor for a deſp'rat part. We have enow, and of the beſt degree, Whoſe hands unto their hearts, hearts t'us are true, And if that we ſeek moe, I feare we be To hide, too many, if diſclos'd, too few; Let us adviſe with an induſtrious care (Now ere the Tyrant intercept our mindes) The time, the place, the manner, when, and where We ſhould en-truſt our Treaſure to the windes; And ſince our ſtates this doth in danger bring, Let every point be circumſpectly weigh'd, "A circumſtance, or an indifferent thing, "Doth oft marre all, when not with care conveigh'd.