Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi · 529 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
That gallant Grecian whose great wit so soon, Whom others could not number, did overcome, Had he not been undone, had been undone, And if not banished, had not had a home; To him fear courage gave (what wondrous change!) And many doubts are solution strange. He who told one who then was Fortune's child, As if with horror to congeal his blood: That Caius Marius fairy from Rome exiled, Wretched on the ruins of great Carthage stood; Though long both plagued by grief, and by disgrace, The Consulship regained, and died in peace. And that great Pompey (all the world's delight) Whom of his Theatre then th'applauses pleased, Whilst praise-transported eyes endeared his sight, Who by youth's toils should have his age then eased, He by one blow of Fortune lost far more Than many battles gained had before. Such sudden changes so disturb the soul, That still the judgement balanced is by doubt; But, on a Round, what wonder though things roll? And since within a Circle, turn about? Whilst heaven on earth strange alterations brings, To scorn our confidence in worldly things. And chanced there ever accidents more strange, Then in these stormy bounds where we remain? One did a sheephook to a Sceptre change, The nursling of a Wolf o'er men did reign; A little Village grew a mighty Town, Which whilst it had no King, held many a Crown. Then by how many sundry sorts of men, Hath this great State been ruled? though now by none, Which first obeyed but one, than two, then ten, Then by degrees returned to two, and one; Of which three States, their ruin did abide, Two by Two's lusts, and one by Two men's pride. What revolutions huge have happened thus, By secret fates all violently led, Though seeming but by accident to us, Yet in the depths of heavenly breasts first bred, As arguments demonstrative to prove That weakness dwells below, and power above. Lo, prosperous Caesar charged for a space, Both with strange Nations, and his country's spoils, Even when he seemed by war to purchase peace, And roses of sweet rest, from thorns of toils; Then whilst his mind and fortune swelled most high, Hath been constrained the last distress to try. What warnings large were in a time so short, Of that dark course which by his death now shines? It, speechless wonders plainly did report, It, men revealed by words, and gods by signs, Yet by the chains of destinies whilst bound, He saw the sword, but could not scape the wound. What curtain o'er our knowledge error brings, Now drawn, now opened, by the heavenly host, Which makes us sometime sharp to see small things, And yet quite blind when as we should see most, That curious brains may rest amazed at it, Whose ignorance makes them presume of wit; Then let us live, since all things change below, When raised most high, ●s those who once may fall, And hold when by disasters brought more low, The mind still free, what ever else be thrall: Those (Lords of Fortune) sweeten every State, (Who can command themselves, though not their fate.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
That gallant Grecian whoſe great wit ſo ſoone, Whom others could not number, did o're-come, Had he not beene undone, had beene undone, And if not baniſh'd, had not had a home; To him feare courage gave (what wondrous change!) And many doubts are ſolution ſtrange. He who told one who then was Fortunes childe, As if with horrour to congeale his bloud: That Caius Marius farie from Rome exil'd, Wretch'd on the ruines of great Carthage ſtood; Though long both plagu'd by griefe, and by diſgrace, The Conſul-ſhip regain'd, and dy'd in peace. And that great Pompey (all the worlds delight) Whom of his Theater then th'applauſes pleas'd, Whil'ſt praiſe-tranſported eyes endeer'd his ſight, Who by youths toyles ſhould have his age then eas'd, He by one blow of Fortune loſt farre more Then many battels gayned had before. Such ſudden changes ſo diſturbe the ſoule, That ſtill the judgement ballanc'd is by doubt; But, on a Round, what wonder though things roule? And ſince within a Circle, turne about? Whil'ſt heaven on earth ſtrange alterations brings, To ſcorne our confidence in worldly things. And chanc'd there ever accidents more ſtrange, Then in theſe ſtormy bounds where we remaine? One did a ſheep-hooke to a Scepter change, The nurceling of a Wolfe o're men did raigne; A little Village grew a mighty Towne, Which whil'ſt it had no King, held many a Crowne. Then by how many ſundry ſorts of men, Hath this great State beene rul'd? though now by none, Which firſt obey'd but one, then two, then ten, Then by degrees return'd to two, and one; Of which three States, their ruine did abide, Two by Two's luſts, and one by Two mens pride. What revolutions huge have hapned thus, By ſecret fates all violently led, Though ſeeming but by accident to us, Yet in the depths of heavenly breaſts firſt bred, As arguments demonſtrative to prove That weakneſſe dwels below, and pow'r above. Loe, proſprous Caeſar charged for a ſpace, Both with ſtrange Nations, and his Countreys ſpoyls, Even when he ſeem'd by warre to purchaſe peace, And roſes of ſweet reſt, from thornes of toils; Then whil'ſt his minde and fortune ſwell'd moſt high, Hath beene conſtrain'd the laſt diſtreſſe to trie. What warnings large were in a time ſo ſhort, Of that darke courſe which by his death now ſhines? It, ſpeechleſſe wonders plainly did report, It, men reveal'd by words, and gods by ſignes, Yet by the chaynes of deſtinies whil'ſt bound, He ſaw the ſword, but could not ſcape the wound. What curtaine o're our knowledge errour brings, Now drawn, now open'd, by the heavenly hoſt, Which makes us ſometime ſharpe to ſee ſmall things, And yet quite blinde when as we ſhould ſee moſt, That curious braines may reſt amaz'd at it, Whoſe ignorance makes them preſume of wit; Then let us live, ſince all things change below, When rais'd moſt high, s thoſe who once may fall, And hold when by diſaſters brought more low, The minde ſtill free, what ever elſe be thrall: "Thoſe (Lords of Fortune) ſweeten every State, "(Who can command themſelves, though not their fate.