Renaissance Drama — Topics · seed 42

Catiline His Conspiracy · chunk 54 of 57

Jonson, Ben · published 1611 · first performed or written 1611 (Annals)
tragedy · King's Men
T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.77 · 502 words

← previous chunkall chunks of this editionnext chunk →

Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.

Then to your honour. If there could be found A pain, or punishment, equal to their crimes, I would devise, and help: But if the greatness Of what they ha' done, exceed all man's invention, I think it fit, to stay, where our laws do. Poor petty States may alter, upon humour, Where, if they ' offend with anger, few do know it, Because they are obscure; their Fame, and Fortune Is equal, and the same: But they, that are Head of the world, and live in that seen height, All Mankind knows their actions. So we see The greater fortune hath the lesser licence. They must nor favour, hate, and lest be angry: For what with others is called anger, there, Is cruelty, and pride. I know Syllanus, Who spoke before me, a just, valiant Man, A lover of the State, and one that would not, In such a business, use or grace, or hatred; I know, too, well his manners, and his modesty: Nor do I think his sentence cruel (for Against such delinquents, what can be too bloody?) But that it is abhorring from our state; Since to a Citizen of Rome, offending, Our Laws give exile, and not death. Why then Decrees he that? 'Twere vain to think, for fear; When, by the diligence of so worthy a Consul, All is made safe, and certain. Is't for punishment? Why Death's the end of evils, and a rest, Rather than torment: It dissolves all griefs. And beyond that, is neither care, nor joy. You hear, my sentence would not have 'em die. How then? set free, and increase Catiline's Army? So will they, being but banished. No, grave Fathers, I judge 'em, first, to have their states confiscate, Then, that their persons remain prisoners I' the free towns, far off from Rome, and severed ': Where they might neither have relation, Hereafter, to the Senate, or the People. Or, if they had, those towns, then to be mulcted. As enemies to the State, that had their guard. 'tis good, and honourable, Caesar, hath uttered. Fathers, I see your faces, and your eyes All bend on me, to note of these two censures Which I incline to. Either of them are grave, And answering the dignity of the speakers, The greatness of th'affair, and both severe. One urgeth death: And he may well remember This State hath punished wicked Citizens so. The other bonds: and those perpetual, which He thinks found out for the more singular plague. Decree which you shall please. You have a Consul Not readier to obey, then to defend What ever you shall act, for the Republic; And meet with willing shoulders any burden, Or any fortune, with an even face, Though it were death: which to a valiant man Can never happen foul, nor to a Consul Be immature, or to a wise man wretched. Fathers, I spoke, but as I thought: the needs O'th' Commonwealth required. Excuse it not. Cato, speak you your sentence.
← previous chunkall chunks of this editionnext chunk →

Details

Metadata, position in the edition, topic in the other seeds
PlayCatiline His Conspiracy
AuthorJonson, Ben
Publication year (edition)1611
First performance / composition (Annals)1611
First performance (BritDrama)1611
Company (BritDrama)King's Men
Genre (British Drama)tragedy
Play typeAdult Professional;Professional
Edition / TCP / DEEPedition 690 · TCP A04640 · DEEP 570
Edition roleRepresentative edition — used in the analysis
Positionnodes 3717–3778 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 54 of 57 in this edition
Length502 words · 681 tokens
Topic (seed 42)T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil war cross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.767 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seedsseed 43: T1 · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Then to your honor. If there could be found A paine, or punishment, equall to their crimes, I would deuise, and helpe: But if the greatnesse Of what they ha' done, exceede all mans inuention, I thinke it fit, to stay, where our lawes doe. Poore petty States may alter, vpon humor, Where, if they' offend with anger, few doe know it, Because they are obscure; their Fame, and Fortune Is equall, and the same: But they, that are Head of the world, and liue in that seene height, All Mankinde knowes their actions. So we see The greater fortune hath the lesser licence. They must nor fauor, hate, and least be angry: For what with others is call'd anger, there, Is cruelty, and pride. I know Syllanus, VVho spoke before me, a iust, valiant Man, A louer of the State, and one that would not, In such a businesse, vse or grace, or hatred; I know, too, well his manners, and his modesty: Nor doe I thinke his sentence cruell (for 'Gainst such delinquents, what can be too bloody?) But that it is abhorring from our state; Since to a Citizen of Rome, offending, Our Lawes giue exile, and not death. Why then Decrees he that? 'Twere vaine to thinke, for feare; When, by the diligence of so worthy a Consul, All is made safe, and certaine. Is't for punishment? Why Death's the end of euils, and a rest, Rather then torment: It dissolues all griefes. And beyond that, is neither care, nor ioy. You heare, my sentence would not haue 'hem die. How then? set free, and increase Catilines Armie? So will they, being but banish'd. No, graue Fathers, I iudge 'hem, first, to haue their states confiscate, Then, that their persons remaine prisoners I' the free townes, farre off from Rome, and seuerd': Where they might neither haue relation, Hereafter, to the Senate, or the People. Or, if they had, those townes, then to be mulcted. As enemies to the State, that had their guard. Tis good, and honourable, Caesar, hath vtterd. Fathers, I see your faces, and your eyes All bent on mee, to note of these two censures Which I encline to. Eyther of them are graue, And answering the dignitie of the speakers, The greatnesse of th'affaire, and both seuere. One vrgeth death: And he may well remember This State hath punish'd wicked Citizens so. The other bonds: and those perpetuall, which He thinkes found out for the more singular plague. Decree which you shall please. You haue a Consul Not readier to obey, then to defend What euer you shall act, for the Republique; And meete with willing shoulders any burden, Or any fortune, with an euen face, Though it were death: which to a valiant man Can neuer happen foule, nor to a Consul Be immature, or to a wise man wretched. Fathers, I spake, but as I thought: the needes O'th' Common-wealth required. Excuse it not. Cato, speake you your sentence.