Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.73 · 471 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.
So absolutely good no man remains, Whose natural weakness may not him overcome; Even Virtue's die from Vice may take some stains, And worthy minds may of gross faults have some: As in fine fruits, or weeds, fat earth abounds, Even as the Labourers spend, or spare their pain, The greatest spirits (disdaining vulgar bounds) Of what they seek the highest height must gain; They (that bright glory may be so enjoyed) As only borne to be in action still, Had rather be (than idle) ill employed: Great spirits must do great good, or then great ill; The world's chief treasure which bright Rays do arm, Huge evil procured (though only framed for good) Till that fond youth whom his own wish did harm, Was killed by fire, and buried in a flood. By rules of Reason whilst he rightly lived, When lawfully elected by the State, What glorious deeds by Caesar were achieved, Which all the world as wonders must relate? But when of right he buried all respects, (As blind Ambition had bewitched his mind) What harm ensued, by pitiful effects, We at the first▪ he at the last did find; Whilst like Narcissus with himself in love, He with our bondage banqueted his sight, And for a while (uncertain joys to prove) With all our woes would sweeten his delight▪ How could brave men (with virtuous minds) as those Who of their Country's weal are jealous still, But stoutly to all storms their States expose, The State's destroyer resolute to kill? But since our freedom flows from Caesar's blood, Let us embrace that which too long we lack: Peace gives to justice power, it, to all good, Where war breeds wrong, and wrong all kind of wrack. This City hath experienced with great pain, What guilty troubles rise from civil strife, Which by her ruins registered remain, Since first the Gracchis gave contention life. When Scylla once, and Marius (mad through pride) Did strive who should the most tyrannic prove, What memorable miseries were tried, From Romans minds no time can e'er remove? Then last by Caesar, and his Son in law, What thousands Ghosts to Pluto were dispatched? Ah! that the world those hosts divided saw, Which, joined in one, no world of worlds had matched. Yet with this wit which we have dearly bought, Let us abhor all that may breed such broils, Lest when we have ourselves to ruin brought, In end Barbarians bear away our spoils. Rome to those great men hardly can afford A recompense, according to their worth, Who (by a Tyrant's overthrow) have restored The light of liberty which was put forth; Yet (by due praises with their merits even) Let us acknowledge their illustrious minds; And to their charge let Provinces be given: Still virtue grows, when it preferment finds.
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 2639–2698 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 42 of 50 in this edition
Length
471 words · 608 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.731 (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)
So abſolutely good no man remaines, Whoſe naturall weakneſſe may not him o're-come; "Even Vertues dye from Vice may take ſome ſtaines, "And worthy minds may of groſſe faults have ſome: "As in fine fruits, or weeds, fat earth abounds, "Even as the Labourers ſpend, or ſpare their paine, "The greateſt ſprits (diſdaining vulgar bounds) "Of what they ſeek the higheſt height muſt gaine; "They (that bright glory may be ſo enjoy'd) "As onely borne to be in action ſtill, "Had rather be (then idle) ill imploy'd: "Great ſprits muſt do great good, or then great ill; The worlds chiefe treaſure which bright Rayes do arme, Huge evill procur'd (though onely fram'd for good) Till that fond youth whom his owne wiſh did harme, Was kill'd by fire, and buried in a floud. By rules of Reaſon whil'ſt he rightly liv'd, When lawfully elected by the State, What glorious deeds by Caeſar were atchiev'd, Which all the world as wonders muſt relate? But when of right he buried all reſpects, (As blinde Ambition had bewitch'd his minde) What harme enſu'd, by pitifull effects, We at the firſt▪ he at the laſt did finde; Whil'ſt like Narciſſus with himſelfe in love, He with our bondage banqueted his ſight, And for a while (uncertaine joyes to prove) VVith all our woes would ſweeten his delight▪ How could brave men (with vertuous mindes) as tho VVho of their Countries weale are jealous ſtill, But ſtoutly to all ſtormes their States expoſe, The States deſtroyer reſolute to kill? But ſince our freedome flows from Caeſars bloud, Let us embrace that which too long we lack: "Peace gives to juſtice pow'r, it, to all good, "VVhere warre breeds wrong, and wrong all kinde of wracke. This Citie hath experienc'd with great paine, VVhat guilty troubles riſe from civill ſtrife, VVhich by her ruines regiſtred remaine, Since firſt the Gracchi gave contention life. VVhen Scilla once, and Marius (mad through pride) Did ſtrive who ſhould the moſt tyrannicke prove, VVhat memorable miſeries were try'd, From Romans mindes no time can e're remove? Then laſt by Caeſar, and his Sonne in law, VVhat thouſands Ghoſts to Pluto were diſpatch'd? Ah! that the world thoſe hoſts divided ſaw, Which, joyn'd in one, no world of worlds had match'd. Yet with this wit which we have dearly bought, Let us abhorre all that may breed ſuch broils, Leſt when we have our ſelves to ruine brought, In end Barbarians beare away our ſpoyls. Rome to thoſe great men hardly can afford A recompence, according to their worth, Who (by a Tyrants o're-throw) have reſtor'd The light of liberty which was put forth; Yet (by due praiſes with their merits even) Let us acknowledge their illuſtrious mindes; And to their charge let Provinces be given: "Still vertue grows, when it preferrement findes.