Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Neville, Alexander · published 1581 · first performed or written 1563 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses · 476 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
The Oracle (most noble king) is dark, and hidden lies. Who doubtful health to sick men brings, all health to them denies. Apollo's use it is the troth in darksome dens to hold. And Oedipus of Gods it hath things hidden to unfold: Speak out, tell all, and spare not man: all doubts I can discus. Apollo then (most noble King) himself commandeth thus. By exile purge the PRINCE's seat, and plague with vengeance due That hapless wretch, whose bloody hands of late King Laius slew: Before that this performed be, no hope of milder air: Wherefore do this (O King) or else All hope of help despair. Durst any man on earth attempt, that noble Prince to slay? Show me the man that I may him dispatch out of the way. God grant I may it safely tell: the hearing was to terrible, My senses all amazed are: it is a thing so horrible, That I abhor to utter it (oh God) for fear I quake And even at the very thought my limbs begin to shake. assoon as I Apollo's Church, had entered in afraid, Upon my face flat down I fell, and thus to him I prayed. Oh God if ever thou didst rue, on wretched miser's state, If ever men oppressed thou eased, or didst their cares abate, If ever thou in present need didst present help declare, If ever thou afflicted Hearts with cares consumed didst spare: Show now thy wonted clemency and pity known of yore. Scant had I said: Resounding all the mountains thundering roar: And filthy fiends spout out their flames out of their darksome caves. And woods do quake, and hills do move, and up the surging waves Do mount unto the skies aloft, and I amazed stand. Still looking for an answer at Apollo's sacred hand. When out with ruffled hair disguised the: Prophet comes at last: And when that she had felt the heat of mighty Phoebus blast. All puffing out she swells in rage, and pattering still she raves, And scant she entered had into Apollo's shining caves, When out a thundering voice doth burst that's far above man's reach. So dreadful seemed then to me the mighty Phoebus speech. Than thus he spoke and thus at length into mine cares he rushed while sprawling still the Prophet lay before the doors in dust. The Theban City never shall be free from plagues (quoth he,) Except from thence the Kingkiller forthwith expulsed be: Unto Apollo known he was, or ever he was borne. Do this: or else no hope of health, to this, the gods have sworn. And as for thee, thou shalt not long in quiet state endure, But with thyself wage war thou shalt & war thou shalt procure Unto thy children dear: & creep again thou shalt into thy mother's womb.
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)
The Oracle (moſt noble king) ys darke, and hidden lies. Who doubtful health to ſicke men brings, all health to thē denies. Apolloes vſe yt is the troth in darkeſome dens to hold. And Oedipus of Gods it hath thinges hidden to vnfold: Speake out, tell all, and ſpare not man: all doubtes I can diſcus. Apollo then (moſt noble King) himſelfe commaundeth thus. By exile purge the Princes ſeat, and plague vvith vengeance due That haples vvretch, vvhoſe bloudy handes of late King Laius ſlue: Before that this perfourmed bee, no hope of milder ayer: Wherfore do this (O King) or elſe All hope of helpe diſpayre. Durſt any man on earth attem pte, that noble Prince to ſlay? Shew me the man that I may him diſpatch out of the way. God graunt I may it ſafely tel: the hearyng was to terrible, My ſenſes all amaſed are: it is a thing ſo horrible, That I abhorre to vtter it (oh God) for feare I quake And euen at the very thought my lims beginne to ſhake. Aſſoone as I Appollos Church, had entred in affrayd, Vppon my face flat downe I fell, and thus to him I prayd. Oh God if euer thou didſt rue, on wretched misers ſtate, If euer men oppreſt thou eaſd, or didſt their cares abate, If euer thou in preſent neede didſt preſent helpe declare, If euer thou afflicted Hartes with cares conſumd didſt ſpare: Shew now thy wonted elemency and pitty knowne of yore. Scant had I ſayd: Refounding all the mountaynes thondring rore: And filthy feendes ſpout out their flames out of their darkſome caues. And woods do quake, and hilles do moue, and vp the ſurging waues Do mount vnto the ſkies aloft, and I amaſed ſtand. Still looking for an aunſweare at Apollos ſacred hand. When out with ruffled hayre diſguiſdth: Prophet comes at laſt: And when that ſhee had felt the heate of mighty Phoebus blaſt. All puffyng out ſhe ſwelles in rage, and pattring ſtill ſhe raues, And ſcant ſhe entred had into Apollos ſhyning caues, When out a thundring voyce doth bruſt that's farre aboue mans reach. So dreadful ſeemed then to me the mighty Phoebus ſpeach. Than thus he ſpake aud thus at length into myne cares he ruſht Whyle ſprawling ſtil the Prophet lay before the doores in duſt. The Thebane City neuer ſhal be free frō plagues (quoth he,) Except from thenſe the Kingkiller forthwith expulſed bee: Vnto Apollo knowen he was, or euer he was borne. Do this: or elſe no hope of health, to this, the gods haue ſworn. And as for thee, thou ſhalt not long in quiet ſtate indure, But with thy ſelf wage war thou ſhalt & war thou ſhalt procure Vnto thy children deare: & crepe agayn thou ſhalt into thy mothers wombe.