Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.78 · 492 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.
Since destinies did Caesar's soul enlarge, What course can we for his recovery take? Ah! th'unrelenting Charon's restless Barge Stands to transport all o'er, but brings none back: Of life's frail glass (when broken) with vain groans, What earthly power the ruins can repair; Or who can gather up, when scattered once, Ones blood from th'earth, or yet his breath from th'air? Let us of those who pass oblivions flood Oblivious be, since hope of help is gone, And spend our cares where cares may do most good, Lest Rome wail many, where she wails but one. Still concord for the Commonweal were best, To reconcile divided thoughts again: Than discord to great Towns, no greater pest, Whose violence no reverence can restrain. Yet oftentimes those wary wits have erred, Who would buy wealth and ease at any cost: Let honesty to profit be preferred, And to vile peace war when it wounds us most; But seeking peace, what surety can we find? Can faithless men give faith, just fears to stay? No sacred band Impiety can bind, Which swears for trust, seeks trust but to betray; What helped it Caesar, that we all had sworn His body still from dangers to redeem? Those who are once perjured, hold oaths in scorn? All are most frank of what they least esteem. None needs in States which are from Tyrant's free, Loathed execrations to confirm his will, Where willingly men would with good agree, And without danger might despise all ill; All odious oaths by those are only craved, Whose suit from Reason doth a warrant want, Whilst who deceive (afraid to be deceived) Seek of men thralled, what none whilst free would grant. When Caesar had prevailed in France and Spain, His Fortune building on his Country's wrack, (Of liberty a shadow to retain) We gave him all that he was bend to take. The Senate had reserved nought but a show, Whose course to it by Caesar was imposed, Who lifted up, by bringing others low, Of Offices, and Provinces disposed: Then that our faded hopes might never spring, When bend to try the Parthians wooden shower, He for five years disposed of every thing, Even in his absence leaving us no power. O how some aggravate our deed with hate! Who durst his body wound, or with blood stain, Though consecrated by constraint of late, Yea, but reputed holy, yet profane, And did forget how he (a wondrous case) The Tribuneship did violate with scorn, Which our forefathers (free) in time of peace Advis'dly had inviolable sworn. Did he not once appropriate (swollen with wrath) The public treasure to his private use? And to the Tribune boldly threatened death, Who did resist, grieved at that great abuse. Twixt Romans and a Tyrant what avails A Covenant whilst Right rests trod on thus? Who can build further when the ground once fails? Can we save him who sought to ruin us?
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 2575–2638 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 41 of 50 in this edition
Length
492 words · 658 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)
Since deſtinies did Caeſars ſoule enlarge, What courſe can we for his recovery take? Ah! th'unrelenting Charons reſtleſſe Barge Stands to tranſport all o're, but brings none back: "Of lifes fraile glaſſe (when broken) with vaine grones, "What earthly power the ruines can repaire; "Or who can gather up, when ſcattred once, "Ones bloud from th'earth, or yet his breath from th'ayre? Let us of thoſe who paſſe oblivions floud Oblivious be, ſince hope of help is gone, And ſpend our cares where cares may do moſt good, Leſt Rome waile many, where ſhe wailes but one. Still concord for the Common-weale were beſt, To reconcile divided thoughts againe: "Then diſcord to great Townes, no greater peſt, Whoſe violence no reverence can reſtraine. Yet often-times thoſe warie wits have err'd, Who would buy wealth and eaſe at any coſt: "Let honeſty to profit be preferr'd, "And to vile peace warre when it wounds us moſt; But ſeeking peace, what ſurety can we finde? Can faithleſſe men give faith, juſt feares to ſtay? "No ſacred band Impiety can binde, "Which ſweares for truſt, ſeeks truſt but to betray; What help'd it Caeſar, that we all had ſworne His body ſtill from dangers to redeeme? "Thoſe who are once perjur'd, hold oaths in ſcorne? "All are moſt franke of what they leaſt eſteeme. None needs in States which are from Tyrants free, Loath'd execrations to confirme his will, Where willingly men would with good agree, And without danger might deſpiſe all ill; All odious oaths by thoſe are onely crav'd, Whoſe ſuit from Reaſon doth a warrant want, Whil'ſt who deceive (affraid to be deceiv'd) Seek of men thrall'd, what none whil'ſt free would grant. When Caeſar had prevail'd in France and Spaine, His Fortune building on his Countries wracke, (Of liberty a ſhadow to retaine) We gave him all that he was bent to take. The Senate had reſerv'd nought but a ſhow, Whoſe courſe to it by Caeſar was impos'd, Who lifted up, by bringing others low, Of Offices, and Provinces diſpos'd: Then that our faded hopes might never ſpring, When bent to try the Parthians wooden ſhowre, He for five yeares diſpoſ'd of every thing, Even in his abſence leaving us no pow'r. O how ſome aggravate our deed with hate! Who durſt his body wound, or with bloud ſtaine, Though conſecrated by conſtraint of late, Yea, but reputed holy, yet prophaine, And did forget how he (a wondrous caſe) The Tribuneſhip did violate with ſcorne, Which our fore-fathers (free) in time of peace Adviſ'dly had inviolable ſworne. Did he not once appropriate (ſwolne with wrath) The publike treaſure to his private uſe? And to the Tribune boldly threatned death, Who did reſiſt, griev'd at that great abuſe. Twixt Romans and a Tyrant what availes A Covenant whil'ſt Right reſts trod on thus? "Who can build further when the ground once fails? Could we ſave him who ſought to ruine us?