Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Neville, Alexander · published 1581 · first performed or written 1563 (Annals) tragedy T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm typicality 0.85 · 493 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
And Fire, and flames, & thousand ills out fro those Pits to breath. Then I was gone: and quite amazed. The wench in worser case. And yet of old, acquainted with her Father's Arts she was. The Priest himself unmoved stood, and boldly cited out: Whole Armies of king Ditis' men, who clustering in a Rout: All flittering thin like Clouds, dispersed abroad in Air do fly. And bearing sundry shapes and forms do scud above in Sky, A thousand woods I think have not so many leaves on trees. Ten thousand meadows fresh have not so many flowers for bees. Ten hundred thousand rivers not so many Foul can show: Nor all the drops and streams, and gulfs that in the Seas do flow, If that they might be weighed, can sure so great a number make As could those shapes and forms that flew from out of Limbo lake. Both Tantalus and Zetus too, and pale Amphion's Ghost: And A gave, and after her ten thousand spirits do post. Than Pentheus, and more and more, in like estate ensue: Till out at length comes Laius with foul and grisly hue: uncomely breast in wretched plight with filth all overgrown: All pierced with wounds, (I loathe to speak) with blood quite overflown A Miser right as seemed to me, and most of Misers all: Thus in this case, at length he spoke, and thus began to call. O Cadmus cruel City vile, that still delight'st in blood, O Cadmus thou, which kinsmen's death, account'st as chiefest good. Tear out the bloody Bowels of your Children, learn of me, Do that, and rather more, than you would bide the day to see Like ills as late on me are light. Lo mother's love (alas) Hath caused the greatest misery that ere in Theba was. The Country with the wrath of Gods at this time is not tossed. Nor yearth nor air infect is not the cause that all been lost. No No. A bloody King is cause of all these mischiefs great: A bloody wretch: A wretched child that sits in Father's Seat: And Mother's bed defiles (O wretch) and entereth in again, In places whence he came from once and doubleth so her pain, Whilst that he fills the hapless womb where in himself did lie With graceless seed and causeth her twice childbirth's pangs to try: Unhappy Son, but Father worse and most unhappy he, By whom the laws of sacred shame so sore confounded be. For that that very beasts (almost) do all abhor to do, Even of his mother's body he hath brothers gotten two. O mischief great: O dreadful deed, than Sphinx, O monster more: Example unto ages all of Gods foretold before. But I thee, thee, that Sceptre hold'st, thy Father will pursue, And wreak myself on thee and thine with plagues & vengeance due. All restless rage of spite and pain I will upon thee blow,
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)
And Fyre, and flames, & thouſand ills out fro thoſe Pits to breath. Then I was gon: and quight amazd. The wenche in worſer caſe. And yet of olde, acquaynted with her Fathers Artes ſhe was. The Prieſt himſelfe vnmooued ſtoode, and boldly cited owt: Whole Armies of king Ditis men, who cluſtring in a Rowt: All flittring thin like Cloudes, diſperſt abrode in Ayre doe fly. And bearing ſundry ſhapes and formes doe ſcd abou in Sky, A thouſand woods I thinke haue not ſo many leaues on trees. Ten thouſand medowes freſh haue not ſo many flowers for bees. Ten hundred thouſand riuers not ſo many Foule can ſhow: Nor all the drops and ſtreams, and gulphes that in the Seas do flow▪ If that they might be wayed, can ſure ſo great a number make As could thoſe ſhapes and formes that flew from out of Limbo lake. Both Tantalus and Zetus too, and pale Amphions Ghoſt: And A gaue, and after her ten thouſand Sprightes do poſt. Than Pentheus, and more and more, in like eſtate enſue: Til out at length comes Laius with foule and griſly hue: Vncomly breſt in wretched plight with fylth all ouergrowne: All perſt with wounds, (I loth to ſpeake) with bloud quight ouerflown A Miſer ryght as ſeemd to me, and moſt of Miſers all: Thus in this caſe, at length he ſpake, and thus began to call. O Cadmus cruel Citty vle, that ſtil delightſte in bloud, O Cadmus thou, which kinſmens death, accountſt as chiefeſt good▪ Teare out the bloudy Bowels of your Children, learne of me, Do that, and rather more, then you would byde the day to ſee Like ills as late on mee are light. Loe mothers loue (alas) Hath cauſd the greateſt miſery that ere in Theba was. The Countrey with the wrath of Gods at this tyme is not toſt. Nor yearth nor ayre infect is not the cauſe that all bene loſt. No No. A bloudy King is cauſe of all theſe miſchiefes great: A bloudy wretch: A wretched child that ſits in Fathers Seate: And Mothers bed defyles (O wretch) and entreth in agayne, In places whence he came from once and doubleth ſo her payne, Whilſt that hee ils the haples wombe wher in himſelfe did lie With graceles ſeede and cauſeth her twiſe childbirthes pangues to try: Vnhappy Sonne, but Father worſe and moſt vnhappy hee, By whom the lawes of ſacred ſhame ſo ſore confounded bee. For that that very beſtes (almoſt) do all abhrre to do, Euen of his mothers body he hath brothers gotten two. O miſchiefe great: O dredful deede, then Sphinx, O mōſter more: Example vnto ages all of Gods foretold before. But I thee, thee, that Scepter boldſt, thy Father wil purſue, And wreacke my ſelfe on thee and thyne with plagues & vengeance due. All reſtles rage of ſpite and paiue I will vppon thee blow,