Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Neville, Alexander · published 1581 · first performed or written 1563 (Annals) tragedy T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi typicality 0.78 · 497 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
SEt, see, the miserable State, of princes careful life. What raging storms? what bloody broils? what toil? what endless strife Do they endure? (O God) what plagues? what grief do they sustain? A Princely life: No. No. (No doubt) an ever during pain. A state e'en fit for men on whom Fortune would wreak her will. A place for Cares to couch them in. A door wide open still For griefs and dangers all that been to enter when they list. A king these Mates must ever have, it boots not to resist. Whole floods of privy pinching fear, great anguish of the mind: Apparent plagues, & daily griefs. These playferes Princes find. And other none, with whom they spend, and pass their wretched days. Thus he that princes' lives, and base Estate together ways: Shall find the one a very hell, a perfect infelicity: The other eke a heaven right, exempted quite from misery. Let OEdipus example be of this unto you all, A Mirror meet. A Pattern plain, of Princes careful thrall. Who late in perfect joy as seemed, and everlasting bliss, Triumphantly his life out led, a miser now he is, And most of wretched Misers all, even at this present time, With doubtful waves of fear Ytossed, subject to such a Crime Whereat my tongue amazed stays, God grant that at the last, It fall not out as Creon told. Not yet the worst is past, MY mind with doubtful waves of dread, is tossed to and fro, I wot not what to say (Alas) I am tormented so. For all the Gods on me do cry, for pains and vengeance due. They say that these my guiltless hands. king Laius lately slew. But this my conscience void of crime and mind from mischief free: To God's untried, to me well known denies it so to be: Full well I do remember once, by chance I did dispatch, A man who sought by force with me presumptuously to match. His purpose was (a fond attempt) my Chariot for to stay, This I remember well enough, the strife was in the way. And he a man well steeped in years, and I a lusty blood, And yet of mere disdain and pride in vain he me withstood. But this from, Thebes far was done, a crooked three pathed way, That was the place in which we fought: it hard by Phocis lay. Dear Wife resolve my doubts at once, and me expressly tell. How old was Laius the King when this mischance befell? Was he of fresh and lusty years? or stricken well in age When he was killed? O ease my thoughts of this tormenting rage. Betwixt an old man an a young: but nearer to an old. Were there great Bands of men with him his Person to uphold? Some by the way deceived were, and some deterred by pain. A few by toil and labour long, did with their Prince remain.
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)
SEt, ſee, the myſerable State, of Prynces carefull lyfe. What raging ſtorms? what bloudy broyles? what toyle? what endleſſe ſtryfe Doe they endure? (O God) what plagues? what griefe do they ſuſtayne? A Princely lyfe: No. No. (No doubt) an euer duringe payne. A ſtate ene fit for men on whom Fortune woulde wreke her will. A place for Cares to couch them in. A doore wyde open ſtill For griefes and daungers all that ben to enter when they liſt. A king theſe Mates muſt euer haue, it bootes not to reſiſt. Whole fluds of priuy pinching feare, great anguiſhe of the minde: Apparant plagues, & dayly griefes. Theſe playfayres Princes finde. And other none, with whom they ſpend, and paſſe theyr wretched dayes. Thus hee that Princes liues, and baſe Eſtate together wayes: Shall finde the one a very hell, a perfect infelicity: The other eke a heauen right, exempted quight from myſery. Let OEdipus example bee of this vnto you all, A Mirrour meete. A Patern playne, of Princes carefull thrall. Who late in perfect Ioy as ſeem'de, and euerlaſting blis, Triumphantly his life out led, a Myſer now hee is, And moſt of wretched Miſers all, euen at this preſent tyme, With doubtfull waues of feare Itoſt, ſubiect to ſuch a Cryme Whereat my tongue amaſed ſtayes, God graunt that at the laſt, It fall not out as Creon tolde. Not yet the worſt is paſt, MY mynde with doubtfull waues of dread, is toſſed to and fro, I wot not what to ſay (Alas) I am tormented ſo. For all the Gods on me doe cry, for paynes and vengeaunce due. They ſay that theſe my guiltleſſe hands. king Laius lately ſlue. But this my conſcience voyde of crime and mynde from miſchiefe free: To Gods vntried, to mee well known denies it ſo to bee: Full well I doe remember ce▪ by chaunce I did diſpatch, A man who ſought by force with mee preſumptuouſly to match. His purpoſe was (a fond attempt) my Chariot for to ſtay, This I remember well enough, the ſtrife was in the way. And he a man well ſteept in yeares, and I a luſty bloud, And yet of meere diſdayne and pride in vayne hee mee withſtood. But this from, Thebes farre was done, a croked three pathd way, That was the place in which we fought: it hard by Phocis lay. Deare Wyfe reſolue my doubts at once, and mee expreſly tell. How old was Laius the King whan this miſchaunce befell? Was he of freſh and luſty yeares? or ſtricken well in age When he was kilde? O eaſe my thoughts of this tormenting rage. Betwixt an old man an a yong: but nearer to an olde. Were there great Bands of men wt him his Perſon to vpholde? Some by the way deceiued were, and ſome deterd by payne. A fewe by toyle and labour long, did with their Prince remayne.