Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Neville, Alexander · published 1581 · first performed or written 1563 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm · 494 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
For lack of Graves, to Ashes clean their bodies some do waste: And some half burnt do leave them there, and home away for haste They run, & more they fetch, and then wood, fire, grave, and all Doth want. And down for very grief the wretched miser's fall. No prayers avail. No Art can help this raging Plague t'appease: For none almost is left alive each others woe to ease. Before thine altars here O God my feeble hands I hold, Requiring all my destinies, at once with courage bold. And that by death I may prevent, my Country priest to fall. For this, and only this (O God) upon thy name I call. Let me not be the last that dies: The last that goes to Grave. Grant this, and then (O mighty Ioue) my full request I have. O cruel Gods unkind: O more than thrice unhappy Fates: That only me denied is, that lights on all Estates. I mean a speedy death (alas) these evils to prevent And deadly woe rage itorment. Leave of thy blubbering tears (O fool,) & fly these kingdoms foiled With rotten plagues & Botches boil, and graves each where despoiled. All which diseases thou unhappy guest didst bring with thee Dispatch. Away. Go hence. At least, unto thy parents flee. What boots it 〈...〉, great with piteous plaints to aggregate. Stoutly to bear adversity, 〈...〉 estate. When dread and danger most assail: when cruel Cares do crush Thy princely breast, then ought thou most to bear and bide the push. It is no point of courage slout to yield to fortune's frown. Nay, Fear could never cause me sloupe nor Fortune cast me down. My manly winds was never thrall to vain and peevish fears, But evermore in each 〈...〉 courage bears. No not a thousand glistering swords, nor Mars himself in field. Can once dismay my Countenance, or cause my heart to yield. The very Giants fierce and huge in fight withstand I dare. That Monster Sphinx whose riddles through the world renowned are, Could not dismay my deedless heart, nor cause my courage slide For all the terrors I behold. I did that Fury bide. I saw him belching Gobs of blood, I viewed full well the field That all to spattered lay with blood, and bones quite ouerheeled. And when that he on Mountains top with mouth full huge to see. Stood gaping all with greedy jaws to feed and pray on me, Oft fluttering with his fearful wings and shaking oft his raise, Began full like a Lion fierce with threats me to assail. Of whom straight way the Riddle I, it rushed into mine ears With roaring sound His wings he claps, the Rock for haste he tears. Desiring with my Bowels still his greedy jaws to glut: But I full soon assoiled had the question that he put. And all the subtle points there of, and twisted knots untwined.
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)
For lack of Graues, to Aſhes cleane their bodyes ſome doe waſt▪ And ſome halfe burnt doe leaue them there, and home away for haſt They run, & more they fetch, and then wood, fier, graue, and all Doth want. And downe for very griefe the wretched myſers fall. No prayers auaile. No Arte can help this raging Plague t'appeaſe: For none almoſt is left aliue each others woe to eaſe. Before thine aulters heere O God my feeble hands I hold, Requiring all my deſtinies, at once with courage bold. And that by death I may preuent, my Countrey preſt to fall. For this, and only this (O God) vpon thy name I call. Let mee not be the laſt that dies: The laſt that goes to Graue. Graunt this, and then (O mighty Ioue) my full requeſt I haue. O cruell Gods vnkinde: O more than thriſe vnhappy Fates: That onely mee denied is, that lyghtes on all Eſtates. I meane a ſpeedy death (alas) theſe euils to preuent And deadly woe rage itorment. Leaue of thy blubbring kingdomes foylde With rotten plagues & bile, and graves ech where diſpoylde. All which diſeaſes thou vnhappy gueſt didſt bring with thee Diſpatch. Away. Gpe hence. At leaſt, vnto thy parents flee. What bootes it , great wt piteous plaints to aggreate. Stoutly to beare aduerſ, eſtate. When dred and daunger moſt aſſay ▪ when cruell Cares doe cruſh Thy princely breaſt, spant thou moſt to beare and bide the puſh. It is no poin of courage ſlout to yeelde to fortunes frown. Nay, Fear could nu cauſe mee ſloupe nor Fortune caſt mee down. My manly winds was neuer thraule to vaine and peauh feares, But euermore in each courage beares. No not a thouſand gliſterg ſwords, nor Mars himſelfe in fielde. Can once diſmay my Countenuance, or cauſe my heart to yeelde. The very Giaunts fierce and huge in fight withſtand I dare. That Monſter Sohinx whoſe riddels through the world renowmed are▪ Could not diſmay my deedles heart, nor cauſe my courage ſlide For all the terrors I behold. I did that Fury byde. I ſaw him belching Gbs of bloud, I vwde full well the fielde That all to lay with bloud, and bones quight ouerheelde. And when y• he on Mountaynes top with mouth full huge to ſee. Stoode gaping all with greedy Iawes to feede and pray on mee, Oft fluttering with his fearefull wynges and ſhaking oft his rayſe, Began full like a Lyon with threates mee to aſſayle. Of whom ſtraight way the Riddell I, it ruſh into myne ares With roring ſound His winges he claps, the Rock for haſt hee teares. Deſtring with my Bowels ſtill his greedy Iawes to glu: But I full ſoone aſſoyled had the queſtion that he put. And all the ſubtile poincts ther of, and twiſted knos vntwinde.