Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1602 [1602-1603] (Annals) tragedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T7 The Trojan war: conflict and its afterma typicality 0.81 · 491 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T7: hector, troy, achilles, greeks, aeneas, priam, ulysses, troilus, trojan, trojans.
That we come short of our suppose so far, That after seven years' siege, yet Troy walls stand, Sith every action that hath gone before, Whereof we have Record, Trial did draw Bias and thwart, not answering the aim: And that unbodied figure of the thought That gaueed surmised shape. Why then (you Princes) Do you with cheeks abashed, behold our works, And think them shame, which are (indeed) nought else But the protractive trials of great Ioue, To find persistive constancy in men? The fineness of which metal is not found In Fortune's love: for then, the Bold and Coward, The Wise and Fool, the Artist and un-read, The hard and soft, seem all affined, and kin. But in the Wind and Tempest of her frown, Distinction with a loud and powerful fan, Puffing at all, winnowes the light away; And what hath mass, or matter by itself, Lies rich in Virtue, and unmingled. With due Observance of thy godly seat, Great Agamemnon, Nestor shall apply Thy latest words. In the reproof of Chance, Lies the true proof of men: The Sea being smooth, How many shallow bauble Boats dare sail Upon her patiented breast, making their way With those of Nobler bulk? But let the Ruffian Boreas once enrage The gentle Thetis, and anon behold The strong ribbed Bark through liquid Mountains cut, Bounding between the two moist Elements Like Perseus' Horse. Where's then the saucy Boat, Whose weak vntimber'd sides but even now Co-riualed Greatness? Either to harbour fled, Or made a Toast for Neptune. Even so, Doth valours show, and valours worth divide In storms of Fortune. For, in her ray and brightness, The Herd hath more annoyance by the Breeze Then by the Tiger: But, when the splitting wind Makes flexible the knees of knotted Oaks, And Flies fled under shade, why then The thing of Courage, As roused with rage, with rage doth sympathise, And with an accent tuned in selfsame key, Retires to chiding Fortune. Agamemnon. Thou great Commander, Nerve, and Bone of Greece, Heart of our Numbers, soul, and only spirit, In whom the tempers, and the minds of all Should be shut up: Hear what Ulysses speaks, Besides the applause and approbation The which most mighty for thy place and sway, And thou most reverend for thy stretcht-out life, I give to both your speeches: which were such, As Agamemnon and the hand of Greece Should hold up high in Brass: and such again As venerable Nestor (hatched in Silver) Should with a bond of air, strong as the Axletree In which the Heavens ride, knit all Greeks ears To his experienced tongue: yet let it please both (Thou Great, and Wise) to hear Ulysses speak. Speak Prince of Ithaca, and be't of less expect: That matter needless of importlesse burden Divide thy lips; then we are confident When rank Thersites opes his Mastic jaws, We shall hear Music, Wit, and Oracle.
seed 43: T12 · 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 we come ſhort of our ſuppoſe ſo farre, That after ſeuen yeares ſiege, yet Troy walles ſtand, Sith euery action that hath gone before, Whereof we haue Record, Triall did draw Bias and thwart, not anſwering the ayme: And that vnbodied figure of the thought That gaue't ſurmiſed ſhape. Why then (you Princes) Do you with cheekes abaſh'd, behold our workes, And thinke them ſhame, which are (indeed) nought elſe But the protractiue trials of great Ioue, To finde perſiſtiue conſtancie in men? The fineneſſe of which Mettall is not found In Fortunes loue: for then, the Bold and Coward, The Wiſe and Foole, the Artiſt and vn-read, The hard and ſoft, ſeeme all affin'd, and kin. But in the Winde and Tempeſt of her frowne, Diſtinction with a lowd and powrefull fan, Puffing at all, winnowes the light away; And what hath maſſe, or matter by it ſelfe, Lies rich in Vertue, and vnmingled. With due Obſeruance of thy godly ſeat, Great Agamemnon, Neſtor ſhall apply Thy lateſt words. In the reproofe of Chance, Lies the true proofe of men: The Sea being ſmooth, How many ſhallow bauble Boates dare ſaile Vpon her patient breſt, making their way With thoſe of Nobler bulke? But let the Ruffian Boreas once enrage The gentle Thetis, and anon behold The ſtrong ribb'd Barke through liquid Mountaines cut, Bounding betweene the two moyſt Elements Like Perſeus Horſe. Where's then the ſawcy Boate, Whoſe weake vntimber'd ſides but euen now Co-riual'd Greatneſſe? Either to harbour fled, Or made a Toſte for Neptune. Euen ſo, Doth valours ſhew, and valours worth diuide In ſtormes of Fortune. For, in her ray and brightneſſe, The Heard hath more annoyance by the Brieze Then by the Tyger: But, when the ſplitting winde Makes flexible the knees of knotted Oakes, And Flies fled vnder ſhade, why then The thing of Courage, As rowz'd with rage, with rage doth ſympathize, And with an accent tun'd in ſelfe-ſame key, Retyres to chiding Fortune. Agamemnon. Thou great Commander, Nerue, and Bone of Greece, Heart of our Numbers, ſoule, and onely ſpirit, In whom the tempers, and the mindes of all Should be ſhut vp: Heare what Vlyſſes ſpeakes, Beſides the applauſe and approbation The which moſt mighty for thy place and ſway, And thou moſt reuerend for thy ſtretcht-out life, I giue to both your ſpeeches: which were ſuch, As Agamemnon and the hand of Greece Should hold vp high in Braſſe: and ſuch againe As venerable Neſtor (hatch'd in Siluer) Should with a bond of ayre, ſtrong as the Axletree In which the Heauens ride, knit all Greekes eares To his experienc'd tongue: yet let it pleaſe both (Thou Great, and Wiſe) to heare Vlyſſes ſpeake. Speak Prince of Ithaca, and be't of leſſe expect: That matter needleſſe of importleſſe burthen Diuide thy lips; then we are confident When ranke Therſites opes his Maſticke iawes, We ſhall heare Muſicke, Wit, and Oracle.