Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Neville, Alexander · published 1581 · first performed or written 1563 (Annals) tragedy T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm typicality 0.76 · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
What makes you wish for death to late, and wave your words in wind. You might have died than (you know) for Sphinx so nobly slain. This kingdom unto you, and yours for ever shall remain. The ashes of that Monster vile, against us doth rebel. That vile misshapen loathsome Beast, that raging Fiend of Hell. Is cause of all the plague that doth this mournful City smite. Now only this remains alone, if Phoebus heavenly might, Can any means invent for us, or way of mercy make: Whereby these burning Plagues at length may haply chasice to slake. O More than thrice renowned Stock of ancient Cadmus' Race. O mighty Thebes City great, O heavy ruthful Case. Lo now you lie all desolate, with Plague devoured quite. Both you and all your Husbandmen. (Oh miserable sight.) O fowl and fearful Fate (alas) what causeth all this aid? O God whence springs this Pestilence that us tormenteth so? No age, no shape, no form is spared, but all confounded lie. Thus happiest now the man I count, whose chance was first to die. For he hath shunned a thousand ills, which wretched Eyes have seen: And mischiefs great that us do press from him are taken clean. O God withhold thy fury great, thy Plagues from vs redu. Cease of afflicted Souls to scourge, who thee, both serve and love. power down on them diseases foul, that them deserved have. A Guerdon just for sin (Oh God) this this of thee we crave, And only this. We ask no more, the cause and all is thine, A thing not used of Gods it is, from pity to decline. My heart doth vaunt, and trembling cold through all my limbs doth run, As oft as I remembering, count the noble Stocks undo, By death and doleful destinies that overwhelmed lie, And yet alas the people still to Grave do faster high. In long Aray all in a rancke by thousandes on ao, On every side, in every street to burial fast, they go. The seven broad wide open Gates, are not enough forway, But thronged the people pestered stand still in a fearful stay, And in the midst of all their toil with corpses on their backs, The number that before doth post the hinder number slacks. The corpses in the streets do lie and Grave on Grave is made. But all in vain. For nought it boots the plague cannot be stayed. The sacrifices done to God's have to to ill success. And such strange sights & signs do rise that nought else I can guess, But that at hand with ghastly paws, is utter destruction, With thousand ills accompanied and extreme confusion. The sheep of rot by heaps as thick, as dogs do fall and die, And belching out their wasted lungs, on ground do sprawling lie. And I myself of late did see: (a sight unseen before,) As our high priest stood sacrificing at the Temple door,
seed 43: T32 · seed 44: T26 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
What makes you wiſh for death to late, and waue your wordes in wind. You might haue died than (you know) for Sphinx ſo nobly ſlain. This kingdom vnto you, and yours for euer ſhall remain. The aſhes of that Monſter vile, agaynſt vs doth rebell. That vile miſhapen lothſome Beaſt, that raging Feend of Hell. Is cauſe of all the plague that doth this mournfull City ſmight. Now only this remaynes alone, if Phoebus heauenly might, Can any meanes inuent for vs, or way of mercy make: Whereby theſe burning Plagues at length may haply chaſice to ſlake. O More then thriſe renowied Stock of auncient Cadmus Race. O mighty Thebes City grear, O heauy ruthfull Caſe. Loe now you lye all deſolate, with Plague deuoured quight. Both you and all your Huſbandmen. (Oh miſerable ſight.) O fowle and feareful Fate (alas) what cauſeth all this aid? O God whence ſprings this Peſtylence that vs ſo? No age, no ſhape, no forme is ſparde, but all confounded lye. Thus happieſt now y• man I count, whoſe chaunce was firſt to dye. For hee hath ſhund a thouſand ils, which wretched Eyes haue ſeene: And miſchiefes great that vs doe prſſe from him are taken cleane. O God withhold thy fury great, thy Plagues from vs redu. Ceaſſe of afflicted Soules to ſcourge, who thee, nd oue. Powre downe on them diſeaſes fowle, that them deſerued haue. A Guerdon iuſt for ſinne (Oh God) this this of thee wee aue, And onely this. We aſke no more, the cauſe and all is thyne, A thing not vſde of Gods it is, from pity to declyne. My heart doth vant, and trembling cold through all my lims doth run, As oft as I remembring, count the noble Stockes vun, By death and dolfull deſtenies that ouerwhelmed lye, And yet alas the people ſtil to Graue doe faſter hye. In long Aray all in a rancke by thouſandes on ao, On euery ſide, in euery ſtreate to buriall faſt, they goe. The ſeuen broade wyde open Gates, are not forway, But throngd the people peſtred ſtand ſtill in a fearefull ſtay, And in the mydſt of all theyr toyle with corſes on their backes, The number that before doth poaſt the hinder number ſlackes▪ The corſes in the ſtreates doe lye and Graue on Graue is made. But all in vayne. For nought it boots the plague beſtayde. The ſacrifices don to Gods hae to to ill ſucceſſe. And ſuch ſtraunge ſights & ſignes doe riſe that nought els I can geſſe, But that at hand with gaſtly pawes, is vtter deſtruction, With thouſand ills accompayned and extreme confuſion. The ſheepe of rot by heapes as thick, as dogges doe fall and de▪ And belching out their waſted lunges, on grounde doe ſprawling lye. And I my ſelfe of late did ſee: (a ſight vnſeene before,) As our high prieſt ſtoode ſacrifiſing at the Temple dore,