Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.79 · 485 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.
Though some misconstrue may this course of ours, By ignorance, or then by hate deceived; The truth depends not on opinions powers, But is itself, how ever misconceived. Though to acknowledge us, not one would deign, Our merit of itself is a reward, Of doing good none should repent their pain, Though they get no reward, nor yet regard. I'll venture yet my fortune in the field, With every one that Rome to bondage draws; And as for me, how ever others yield, I'll nought obey, but Reason, and the Laws. What fools are those who further travel take, For that which they even past recovery know? Who can revive the dead, or bring time back? That can no creature who doth live below. Great Pompey (now) for whom the world still weeps, Lies low, neglected on a barbarous shore; Selfe-slaughtered Scipio floats amidst the deeps, Whom, it may be, Sea-monsters do devour. Of Libyan Wolves grave Cate feasts the wombs, Whose death, of worth the world defrauded leaves; Thus some that did deserve Mausolean tombs, Have not a title graved upon their graves. And yet may Caesar who procured their death, By brave men slain be buried with his race; All civil war quite banished with his breath, Let him now dead, and us alive have peace. We should desist our thoughts on things to set, Which may harm some, and can give help to none, Learn to forget that which we cannot get, And let our cares be gone of all things gone. Those who would strive all crosses to overcome, To present times must still conform their course, And making way for that which is to come, Not meddle with things past, but by discourse. Let none seek that which doth no good when found; Since Caesar now is dead, how ever dead; Let all our grief go with him to the ground, For, sorrow best becomes a lightlesse shade; It were the best, that joined in mutual love, We physic for this wounded State prepare: Neglecting those who from the world remove. All men on earth for earthly things must care. O how those great men friendship can pretend, By soothing others thus with painted winds; And seem to trust, where treason they attend, Whilst love their mouth, and malice fills their minds; Those but to them poor simple souls appear, Whose countenance doth discover what they think, Who make their words, as is their meaning, clear, And from themselves can never seem to shrink. Lo, how Antonius feigns to quench all jars, And whom he hates with kindness doth embrace, But as he furthered first the former wars, Some fear he still will prove a foe to peace. Now where Calphurnia stays our steps address, Since by this sudden chance her loss was chief. All visit should their neighbours in distress, To give some comfort, or to share in grief.
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 2763–2822 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 44 of 50 in this edition
Length
485 words · 625 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.788 (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)
Though ſome miſconſtrue may this courſe of ours, By ignorance, or then by hate deceiv'd; "The truth depends not on opinions pow'rs, "But is it ſelfe, how ever miſconceiv'd. Though to acknowledge us, not one would daigne, Our merit of it ſelfe is a reward, "Of doing good none ſhould repent their paine, "Though they get no reward, nor yet regard. I'le venture yet my fortune in the field, With every one that Rome to bondage draws; And as for me, how ever others yeeld, I'le nought obey, but Reaſon, and the Laws. What fools are thoſe who further travell take, For that which they even paſt recovery know? Who can revive the dead, or bring time back? That can no creature who doth live below. Great Pompey (now) for whom the world ſtill weeps, Lyes low, neglected on a barbarous ſhore; Selfe-ſlaughtered Scipio flotes amidſt the deeps, Whom, it may be, Sea-monſters do devoure. Of Libyan Wolves grave Cate feaſts the wombes, Whoſe death, of worth the world defrauded leaves; Thus ſome that did deſerve Mauſolean tombes, Have not a title grav'd upon their graves. And yet may Caeſar who procur'd their death, By brave men ſlaine be buried with his race; All civill warre quite baniſh'd with his breath, Let him now dead, and us alive have peace. "We ſhould deſiſt our thoughts on things to ſet, "Which may harme ſome, and can give help to none, "Learne to forget that which we cannot get, "And let our cares be gone of all things gone. "Thoſe who would ſtrive all croſſes to o're-come, "To preſent times muſt ſtill conforme their courſe, "And making way for that which is to come, "Not medle with things paſt, but by diſcourſe. "Let none ſeek that which doth no good when found; Since Caeſar now is dead, how ever dead; Let all our griefe go with him to the ground, For, ſorrow beſt becomes a lightleſſe ſhade; It were the beſt, that joyn'd in mutuall love, We phyſicke for this wounded State prepare: "Neglecting thoſe who from the world remove. "All men on earth for earthly things muſt care. O how thoſe great men friendſhip can pretend, By ſoothing others thus with painted windes; And ſeeme to truſt, where treaſon they attend, Whilſt love their mouth, and malice fills their mindes; Thoſe but to them poore ſimple ſoules appeare, Whoſe count'nance doth diſcover what they thinke, Who make their words, as is their meaning, cleare, And from themſelves can never ſeeme to ſhrinke. Loe, how Antonius faines to quench all jarres, And whom he hates with kindeneſſe doth embrace, But as he further'd firſt the former warres, Some feare he ſtill will prove a foe to peace. Now where Calphurnia ſtayes our ſteppes addreſſe, Since by this ſudden chance her loſſe was chiefe. "All viſite ſhould their neighbours in diſtreſſe, "To give ſome comfort, or to ſhare in griefe.