Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Neville, Alexander · published 1581 · first performed or written 1563 (Annals) tragedy T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm typicality 0.89 · 508 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
Canst thou which hast thy Parents slain? Canst thou prolong thy life? Wilt thou not die? deserving Death: thou cause of all the grief, And Plagues, and dreadful mischiefs all that Theban City press. Why dost thou seek by longer life, thy sorrows to increase? Why dost thou toil and labour thus in vain? It will not be. Both God, and man: and beast, and all abhor thy Face to see O Earth why gap'st thou not for? why do you not unfold You gates of hell me to receive? why do you hence withhold? The fierce Infernal Fiends from me, from me so wretched wight? Why break not all the Furies lose this hateful head to smite With Plagues? which them deserved hath (alas) I am left alone, Both light, and sight, and comfort all from me (O wretch) is gone. O cursed head: O wicked wight, whom all men deadly hate. O Beast, what meanst thou still to live in this unhappy state? The Skies do blush and are ashamed, at these thy mischiefs great The Earth laments, the Heavens weep, the Seas for rage do fret. And blustering rise, and storms do stir, and all thou wretch for thee. By whose incest, and bloody deeds all things disturbed be. Quite out of course, displaced quite, O cursed fatal day. O mischiefs great, O dreadful times, O wretch, away, away. Exile thyself from all men's sight, thy life half spent in misery, Go end consume it now outright in thrice as great calamity. O lying Phoebe thine Oracles my sin, and shame surmount: My Mother's death amongst my deeds; thou never didst recount. A meet Exploit for me that am to Nature deadly Foe. With trembling fearful pace go forth, thou wretched monster go, Grope out thy ways on knees in dark thou miserable Slave. So mayst thou yet in tract of time due pains, and vengeance have, For thy mischievous life. Thus, thus, the Gods themselves decree. Thus, thus, thy Fates: thus, thus, the skies appoint it for to be. Then headlong hence, with a mischief hence, thou caitiff vile away. Away, away, thou monstrous Beast. Go, Run. Stand, stay, lest on thy Mother thou do fall. All you that wearied bodies have, with sickness overpressed. Lo, now I fly: I fly away, the cause of your unrest. Lift up your heads: a better state of Air shall straight ensue When I am gone: for whom alone, these dreadful mischiefs grew. And you that now, half dead yet live in hard miser's case. Help those whom present torments press forth, high you on apace. For lo, with me I carry hence, all mischiefs under Skies. All cruel Fates, neither all that for my sake did rise, With me they go: with me both grief, Plague, Pocks, Botch, & all The ills that either now you press, or ever after shall. With me they go, with me: these Mates been meetest of all for me. Who am the most unhappiest wretch that ever Sun did see.
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)
Canſt thou which haſt thy Parents ſlain? Canſt thou prolong thy life? Wilt thou not dye? deſeruing Death: thou cauſe of all the griefe, And Plagues, and dreadfull miſchiefs all that Thebane City preaſe. Why doſt thou ſeeke by longer life, thy ſorrowes to encreaſe? Why doſt thou toyle and labour thus in vayne? It will not bee. Both God, and man: and beaſt, and all abhorre thy Face to ſee O Earth why gapſt thou not for me why doe you not vnfolde You gates of hell mee to receaue? why doe you hence withholde? The fierce Infernall Feends from me, from me ſo wretched wight? Why breake not all the Furyes loſe this hatefull head to ſmight With Plagues? which them deſerued hath (alas) I am left alone, Both light, and ſight, and comfort all from mee (O wretch) is gone. O curſed head: O wicked wight, whom all men deadly hate. O Beaſt, what meanſt thou ſtill to liue in this vnhappy ſtate? The Skies doe bluſh and are aſhamd, at theſe thy miſchiefes great The Earth laments, y• Heauens weepe, the Seas for rage doe freat. And bluſtring riſe, and ſtormes doe ſtir, and all thou wretch for thee. By whoſe inceſt, and bloudy deedes all things diſturbed bee. Quight out of courſe, diſplaced quight, O curſed fatall day. O miſchiefes great, O dreadfull times, O wretch, away, away. Exile thy ſelfe from all mens ſight, thy life halfe ſpent in miſery, Goe end conſume it now outright in thriſe as great calamity. O lying Phoebe thine Oracles my ſin, and ſheme ſurmount: My Mothers death amongſt my deedes; thou neuer didſt recount. A meete Exploict for me that a to Nature deadly Foe. With trembling fearefull pace goe forth, thou wretched monſter goe, Grope out thy wayes on knees in darke thou miſerable Slaue. So maiſt thou yet in tract of time due paynes, and vengeaunce haue, For thy miſcheuous lyfe. Thus, thus, the Gods themſelues decree. Thus, thus, thy Fates: thus, thus, the ſkyes appoint it for to bee. Then headlong hence, with a miſchiefe hence, thou caitife vyle away. Away, away, thou monſtrous Beaſt. Goe, Run. Stand, ſtay, Leaſt on thy Mother thou doe fall. All you that wearyed bodies haue, with ſtickeneſſe ouerpreſt. Loe, now I fly: I fly away, the cauſe of your vnreſt. Lift vp your heads: a better ſtate of Ayre ſhall ſtrayght enſewe Whan I am gone: for whom alone, theſe dreadfull myſchiefs grewe. And you that now, halfe dead yet liue in wretched miſers caſe. Help thoſe whō preſent torments preſſe forth, hye you on apace. For loe, with me I cary hence, all miſchiefes vnder Skyes. All cruell Fates, Diſeaſes all that for my ſake did ryſe, With mee they goe: with me both griefe, Plague, Pocks, Botch, & all The ills that eyther now you preſſe, or euer after ſhall. With me they goe, with me: theſe Mates bin meetſt of all for mee. Who am the moſt vnhappieſt wretch that euer Sun did ſee.