Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1611 (Annals) tragedy · King's Men T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.78 · 498 words · other edition — not in the analysis
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 least 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 modesty: Nor do I think his sentence cruel (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 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, than 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 bent 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, than to defend, whatever 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.
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 2339–2400 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 34 of 37 in this edition
Length
498 words · 691 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T2 — Roman politics: senate, consuls and civil warcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.781 (cosine to the topic centroid) · placed after the fit (approximate_predict), not counted in the topic statistics
Other seeds
seed 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, exceed all mans inuention, I thinke it fit, to stay, where our lawes doe. Poore pettie states may alter, vpon humour, 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 mankind knowes their actions. So wee see, The greater fortune hath the lesser licence. They must nor fauour, hate, and least be angrie: For what with others is call'd anger, there, Is crueltie, and pride. I know SYLLANVS, Who 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 modestie: Nor doe I thinke his sentence cruell (for 'Gainst such delinquents, what can be too bloudie?) 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 euills, 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 seuer'd: 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 honorable, CAESAR, hath vtterd. Fathers, I see your faces, and your eyes All bent on me, to note of these two censures, Which I incline to. Either 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 meet 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 requir'd. Excuse it not. CATO, speake you your sentence.