The Brazen Age (The Age of Brass) · chunk 19 of 40
Heywood, Thomas · published 1613 · first performed or written 1611 [1610-1611] (Annals) classical legend or myth · Queen Anne's Men unassigned nearest T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
And he that strives by purchase of this fleece, To weaken us, or shake our Royalty, Must taste the fury of these fiery fiends, The novel: speak. Upon the colchian shores A stately vessel, manned it seems from Greece Is newly launched, full fraught with Gentlemen Of brave aspects and presence. whose's their General? Iason, he styles himself a Prince of Greece And Captain o'er the noble Argonautes. Usher them in, that we may know their quest And what adventure drew them to these shores. Hail king of Colchos, thou beholdest in us The noblest Heroes that inhabit Greece Of whom I, though unworthiest, style myself The General; the intent of this our voyage Is to reduce the rich and golden prize To Greece, from whence it came, know I am come To tug and wrestle with the infernal Bulls, And in their hot fierce double guild my arms To place upon their necks the servile yoke, And bondage, force them blow the field of Mars, Till in the furrows I have sowed the teeth Of vipers, from which men in armour grow To enter combat with the sleepless Dragon, And maugre him fetch thence the golden Fleece. All this Oetes, I am priest to achieve Against these horrid tasks my life to engage bulls fury, viper's poison, dragon's rage. Such a bold spirit, and noble presence linked, Never before were seen in Phasis Isle, Colchos be proud, a Prince demands thy Fleece, Richer than that he comes for; let the Greeks Our Phasian wealth and Oetes' treasure bear, So they in lieu will leave me Iason here. Princes, you aim at dangers more in proof Then in report, which if you should behold In their true figure, would amaze your spirits: Yea, terrify the Gods; let me advise you, As one that knows their terror, to desist Ere you enwrap yourself into these perils, Whence there is no evasion. Oetes, know Peril's a babe, the greater dangers threaten The greater is his honour that breaks through. Have we in th' Ago rowed with sixty oars And at each Oar a Prince; pierced Samothrace, The chersonesan sea, the Hellespont; Even to the waves that break on Colchos shores? And Shall we with dishonour turn to Greece? Know Oetes, not the least of sixty Heroes That now are in thy Confines, but thy monsters Dare quell and baffle. Much more Hercules. Hercules. Starts Oetes at the name of Hercules, What would he do to see him in his eminence; But leaving that, this must be Iasons quest, A work not worthy him; where be these monsters? May all enchantments be confined to hell, Rather than he encounter fiends so fell. Princes, since you will needs attempt these dangers You shall; and if achieve the Golden Fleece Transport it where you please, mean time, this day Repose yourselves, we'll feast you in our Palace. Tomorrow morning with the rising Sun, Our golden prize shall be conserved or won.
seed 43: T17 · 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 he that striues by purchase of this fleece, To weaken vs, or shake our Royalty, Must tast the fury of these fiery fiends, The nouell: speake. Vpon the Cholchian shores A stately vessell, man'd it seemes from Greece Is newly lancht, full fraught with Gentlemen Of braue aspects and presence. Whose their Generall? Iason, he stiles himselfe a Prince of Greece And Captaine o're the noble Argonautes. Vsher them in, that we may know their quest And what aduenture drew them to these shoares. Haile king of Colchos, thou beholdst in vs The noblest Heroes that inhabite Greece Of whom I, though vnworthiest, stile my selfe The Generall; the intent of this our voyage Is to reduce the rich and golden prise To Greece, from whence it came, know I am come To tug and wrastle with the infernall Buls, And in their hot fiers double guild my armes To place vpon their necks the feruile yoake, And bondage, force them plow the field of Mars, Till in the furrowes I haue sowed the teeth Of vipers, from which men in armour grow To enter combat with the sleepelesse Dragon, And mauger him fetch thence the golden Fleece. All this Oetes, I am prest to atchieue Against these horrid tasks my life to ingage Buls fury, Vipers poyson, Dragons rage. Such a bold spirit, and noble presence linkt, Neuer before were seene in Phasis Isle, Colchos be proud, a Prince demands thy Fleece, Richer then that he comes for; let the Greekes Our Phasian wealth and Oetes treasure beare, So they in liew will leaue me Iason here. Princes, you aime at dangers more in proffe Then in report, which if you should behold In their true figure, would amaze your spirits: Yea, terifye the Gods; let me aduise you, As one that knowes their terrour, to desist Ere you enwrap your seffe into these perils, Whence there is no euafion. Oetes, know Peril's a babe, the greater dangers threaten The greater is his honour that breaks through. Haue we in th' Agoe rowed with sixty oares And at each Oare a Prince; pierc't Samo-thrace, The Chersoneson sea, the Hellespont; Euen to the waues that breake on Colchos shores? And Shall we with dishonour turne to Greece? Know Oetes, not the least of sixty Heroes That now are in thy Confines, but thy monsters Dare quell and baffle. Much more Hercules. Hercules. Starts Oetes at the name of Hercules, What would he do to see him in his eminence; But leauing that, this must be Iasons quest, A worke not worthy him; where be these monsters? May all inchantments be confinde to hell, Rather then he encounter fiends so fell. Princes, since you will needs attempt these dangers You shall; and if atchieue the Golden Fleece Transport it where you please, meane time, this day Repose your selues, wl'e feast you in our Pallace. To morrow morning with the rising Sunne, Our golden prise shall be conseru'd or wonne.