Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.78 · 467 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.
The breast in which so deep a secret dwells, Would not be long charged with so weighty cares: For, I conjecture, as their countenance tells, That many know our minds, though we not theirs: Even but of late one, Casca came to see Who curious was to have our purpose known, And said to him, that which thou hadst from me, To me by Brutus hath at length been shown. Then Laena once came to us in like sort, And wished that our design might prosper well; But yet to haste did earnestly exhort, Since others told what we refused to tell. Whilst strangers rest familiar with our mind, And ere we them, do all our purpose spy, Make forward fast, or we will come behind: Fame (winged with breath) doth violently fly. Their words but burst from tales uncertain forth, For, whilst considering of their bondage thus, Of Caesar's tyranny and of our worth, They think this should be done, and done by us. Such conjurations to confirm of old, Some drinking others bloods, swore on their swords, And cursing those who did their course unfold, Used imprecations, execrable words; And yet, than this, though voluntar'ly vowed, Free from all bonds, save that which virtue binds, More constantly no course was ere allowed, Till that the end must manifest our minds. And since so many frankly keep their faith, What first intended to accomplish bend, No doubt in spite of sickle fortunes wrath, A happy success shall our soul's content. Might some few Thebans from the Spartans' pride, By diverse tyrants' deaths redeem their Town? And one Athenian who his virtue tried, By thirty tyrants' ruin, get renown? And to the Greeks' are we inferiors grown, That where they have so many tyrants spoiled, There cannot one be by us all o'erthrown, Whose state yet staggering may be soon embroiled? I am resolved, and with my thoughts decree, What ever chance to come, or sweet, or sour, I shall my soil from tyranny set free, Or then myself free from the tyrant's power. By Lepidus invited this last night, Whilst Caesar went to sup, and I with him, Of all death's shapes to talk, we took delight, So at the table to beguile the time: And whilst our judgements all about were tried, Strait Caesar, (as transported) to the rest, With a most sudden exclamation cried: O! of all deaths, unlooked for death is best: It from ourselves doth steal ourselves so fast, That even the mind no fearful form can see, Then is the pain ere apprehended past; Sour things ere tasted, would first swallowed be. The threatened destiny thus he divined: (It would appear) divinely then inspired; For, now I hope that he shall shortly find That form of death which he himself desired.
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 1937–1996 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 31 of 50 in this edition
Length
467 words · 615 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.777 (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)
The breſt in which ſo deep a ſecret dwels, Would not be long charg'd with ſo weighty cares: For, I conjecture, as their count'nance tels, That many know our mindes, though we not theirs: Even but of late one, Caſca came to ſee Who curious was to have our purpoſe knowne, And ſaid to him, that which thou had'ſt from me, To me by Brutus hath at length been ſhown. Then Laena once came to us in like ſort, And wiſh'd that our deſigne might proſper well; But yet to haſte did earneſtly exhort, Since others told what we refus'd to tell. Whilſt ſtrangers reſt familiar with our minde, And ere we them, doe all our purpoſe ſpy, Make forward faſt, or we will come behinde: "Fame (wing'd with breath) doth violently flye. Their words but burſt from tales uncertaine forth, For, whilſt conſidering of their bondage thus, Of Caeſars tyranny and of our worth, They thinke this ſhould be done, and done by us. Such conjurations to confirme of old, Some drinking others blouds, ſwore on their ſwords, And curſing thoſe who did their courſe unfold, Vs'd imprecations, execrable words; And yet, then this, though voluntar'ly vow'd, Free from all bonds, ſave that which vertue bindes, More conſtantly no courſe was ere allow'd, Till that the end muſt manifeſt our mindes. And ſince ſo many frankely keep their faith, What firſt intended to accompliſh bent, No doubt in ſpight of ſickle fortunes wrath, A happy ſucceſſe ſhall our ſoules content. Might ſome few Thebans from the Spartans pride, By divers tyrants deaths redeem their Towne? And one Athenian who his vertue try'd, By thirty tyrants ruine, get renowne? And to the Greekes are we inferiours growne, That where they have ſo many tyrants ſpoil'd, There cannot one be by us all o'rethrowne, Whoſe ſtate yet ſtaggering may be ſoon imbroil'd? I am reſolv'd, and with my thoughts decree, VVhat ever chance to come, or ſweet, or ſowre, I ſhall my ſoile from tyranny ſet free, Or then my ſelfe free from the tyrants pow'r. By Lepidus invited this laſt night, VVhilſt Caeſar went to ſuppe, and I with him, Of all deaths ſhapes to talke, we tooke delight, So at the table to beguile the time: And whilſt our judgements all about were try'd, Straight Caeſar, (as tranſported) to the reſt, With a moſt ſudden exclamation cry'd: O! of all deaths, unlook'd for death is beſt: It from our ſelves doth ſteale our ſelves ſo faſt, That even the minde no fearefull forme can ſee, Then is the paine ere apprehended paſt; "Sowre things ere taſted, would firſt ſwallowed be. The threatned deſtiny thus he divin'd: (It would appeare) divinely then inſpir'd; For, now I hope that he ſhall ſhortly finde That forme of death which he himſelfe deſir'd.