Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Neville, Alexander · published 1581 · first performed or written 1563 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 497 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
And all the furies foul of hell upon thee I will throw. I will subvert thy Houses clean, for this thy loathsome lust: I will do this thou wretch: And thee, and thine consume to dust. Wherefore dispatch at once (I say) into exile drive your King. That ground that first of all he leaves, with fresh green grass shall spring. And sweet, and pleasant Air, and healthful blasts shall rise, And all the evils under Sun, that mortal men surprise: The Pocks, the Piles, the Botch, the blain, & death with him shall fly. And with him mischiefs all shall pass, and Monsters under Sky. And as for him I know he would depart with willing mind: But I will clog his Feet, and hands, his way he shall not find. But groping with his aged staff, shall pass from place to place. This shall he do. And none shall rue upon his ruthful case. Rid you the Monster from the Earth, for Heaven let me alone. No sooner said, but straight away, his dreadful Ghost was gone. And fast by thousands after him, th'other Sprights in hide: Than Cold & trembling fear began through all my bones to glide. The thing I always feared, I see upon me now is laid: But slender props they are (God wot) whereby your Treason is stayed. Merope my Mother dear, shall me from this defend: Polybius eke shall purge me quite, from Actions all, that tend To murder, or to incest vile, they both shall me excuse. In such a case no means at all of trial I refuse. Lay what you can unto my charge. No fault in me remains. The Thebans long or I came here, of Laius' death complains. My Mother yet alive, my Father still in like estate. No, no, this is some doltish drift, of yond false prophet's pate. Or else some mighty God above, doth bear me no good will, And seeks by Plagues on me to wreak, his wrathful vengeance still. Ah Sir I am glad at length I smell your drifts and fetches fine. I know the whole confederacy your sleights I can untwine. That beastly Priest, that blear-eyed wretch belies the Gods and me: And thee thou Traitor in my place hath promised king to be. Alas would I my Sister of, her lawful kingdom spoil? Think you such treason may have place in brother's breast to boil? If that mine Oath could me not keep content with my degree: But that contemning mean estate, I would climb aloft to be. Yet should ill Fortune me deter, from such attempts I trow: Whose guise it is on PRINCE's heads, huge heaps of Cares to throw. I would advise your grace betimes this charge from you to cast: lest lingering long all unawares, you be oppressed at last. Assure yourself, in baser state, more safer you may live: And shun a thousand Cares, & Griefs: which Princes hearts do rive.
seed 43: T30 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
And all the furies foule of hell vppon thee I will throw. I wil ſubuert thy Houſes cleane, for this thy lothſome luſt: I wil do this thou wretch: And thee, and thyne conſume to duſt. Wherfore diſpatch at once (I ſay) into exile driue your King. That ground y• firſt of all he leaues, with freſh grene graſſe ſhall ſpring. And ſweete, and pleaſaunt Ayre, and healthfull blaſts ſhall ryſe, And all the euills vnder Sun, that mortall men ſurpriſe: The Pocks, the Piles, the Botch, the blaine, & death with him ſhall fly. And with him miſchiefs all ſhall paſſe, and Monſters vnder Sky. And as for him I know hee would depart with willing mynde: But I will clog his Fec, and hands, hſs way he ſhall not finde. But groping with his aged ſtaffe, ſhall paſſe from place to place. This ſhall he doe. And none ſhall rue vpon his ruthfull caſe. Rid you the Monſter from the Earth, for Heauen let mee alone. No ſooner ſayd, but ſtraight away, his dreadfull Ghoſt was gone. And faſt by thouſands after him, th'other Sprights in hyde: Than Cold & trembling feare began through all my bones to glyde. The thing I alwayes fearde, I ſee vpon mee now is layde: But ſlender props they are (God wot) whereby your Treaſon is ſtayde. Meropa my Mother deare, ſhall mee from this defend: Polybius eke ſhall purge mee quight, from Actions all, that tend To murder, or to inceſt vile, they both ſhall mee excuſe. In ſuch a caſe no meanes at all of tryall I refuſe. Lay what you can vnto my charge. No fault in mee remayns. The Thebanes long or I came heere, of Laius death complayns. My Mother yet alyue, my Father ſtill in like eſtate. No, no, this is ſome doliſhe drift, of yo falſe Prophets pate. Or elſe ſome mighty God aboue, doth beare me no good will, And ſeekes by Plagues on mee to wreke, his wrathfull vengeaunce ſtil. Ah Sir I am glad at length I ſmell your drifts and fetches fyne. I know the whole confederacy your ſleights I can vntwyne. That beaſtly Prieſt, that blearayed wretch beelyes the Gods and mee: And thee thou Traytour in my place hath promiſt king to bee. Alas would I my Siſter of, her lawfull kingdome ſpoyle? Thinke you ſuch treaſon may haue place in brothers breaſt to boyle? Yf that myne Oth could me not keepe content with my degree: But that contemning meane eſtate, I would clme aloft to bee. Yet ſhould ill Fortune mee deter, from ſuch attempts I trowe: Whoſe guiſe it is on Princes heads, huge heapes of Caes to throwe. I would aduiſe your grace betimes this charge from you to caſt: Leaſt lingring long all vnawares, you be oppreſt at laſt. Aſſure your ſelfe, in baſer ſtate, more ſafer you may liue: And ſhun a thouſand Cares, & Geſs: which Princes hearts doe riue.