The Brazen Age (The Age of Brass) · chunk 33 of 40
Heywood, Thomas · published 1613 · first performed or written 1611 [1610-1611] (Annals) classical legend or myth · Queen Anne's Men T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.86 · 512 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
Our last Act comes, which lest it tedious grow, What is too long in word, accept in show. Think Hercules his labours having ended, The Spanish Geryon killed, and Cacus slain, As far as Lydia he his palm extended, Where beauteous Omphale this time doth reign. He that before to Deianeira sent, As presents, all the spoils that he could win, Now fills her heart with jealous discontent, She hears how Hercules doth card and spin With Omphale, and serves her as a slave. (She quite forgot in Thebes) her grief to cheer, Th'assembled Princes with their Counsels grave, Are come to comfort and remove her fear. By these all his stored labours he hath sent To call him home, to free her discontent. Iason, and the other Hero's for her sake, Travel to Lydia, to persuade him thence And by his twelve known labours, undertake To move him, quite t'abandon his fair wench. Further than this her jealousy extends, Afar worse present she by Lychas sends. Madam, these sorrows are too violent For your weak sex, I do not think 'tis true, Your husband can prefer that Omphale Before your beauty. he's forgot in Greece. Greece that was wont to clangor with his fame, Is now all silent, who but Iason now, And Telamon, that scaled the walls of Troy, Alcides is a name for got amongst us, And Deianeira too forgot with him. Oh! that I had the tempting strumpet here That keeps my Lord away, confining me Unto the coldness of a widowed bed. Madam, these presents sent, & so well known Coming from you, must needs prevail with him. These Princes have great interest in his love, And can persuade much. But that strumpet more. Lychas, he dotes upon her tempting looks, And is so much with her enchantments bleared, That he's turned woman: woman Lychas, spins, Cards, and doth char-work, whilst his mistress sits And makes a cushion of his lions skin, Makes of his club a rock. I lose myself In this my sorrow, and forget the means; I still keep by my me, to restore my love, Lychas, fetch me the shirt within my chamber, I have bethought me now. Madam I shall. This shirt (in blood of Centaur Nessus dipped, And since washed out) I'll send my Hercules, Which hath the power to make his hot love die To any stranger, and revive to me. This (as his last) the dying Centaur spoke, To this I'll trust, all other hopes forsake. Madam the shirt. This as my best and dearest, Present me (trusty Lychas) to my Lord, Entreat withal, that if he have not quite Put off my love, he'll deign to put on this. If he despise my gift, return it back, And in it my death. Fear not fair Princess, I hope to prove as fortunate as faithful. Farewell, prove as thou speakest. If my gift fail, I have sentenced all my sorrows to one death, Whilst Deianeira hath a hand to use, she'll not live hated where she once did choose.
seed 43: T17 · seed 44: T19 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Our last Act comes, which lest it tedious grow, What is too long in word, accpt in show. Thinke Hercules his labours hauing ended, The Spanish Gerion kild, and Cacus slaine, As farre as Lydea he his palme extended, Where beauteous Omphale this time doth raigne. He that before to Deianeira sent, As presents, all the spoyles that he could win, Now fils her heart with iealous discontent, She heares how Hercules doth card and spin With Omphale, and serues her as a slaue. (She quite forgot in Thebes) her griefe to cheare, Th'assembled Princes with their Counsels graue, Are come to comfort and remoue her feare. By these all his stor'd labours he hath sent To call him home, to free her discontent. Iason, and the other Hero's for her sake, Trauell to Lydia, to perswade him thence And by his twelue knowne labours, vndertake To moue him, quite t'abandon his faire wench. Further then this her iealousie extends, Afarre worse present she by Lychas sends. Madam, these sorrowes are too violent For your weake sex, I do not thinke tis true, Your husband can preferre that Omphale Before your beauty. Hee's forgot in Greece. Greece that was wont to clangor with his fame, Is now all silent, who but Iason now, And Telamon, that scal'd the walles of Troy, Alcides is a name for got amongst vs, And Deianeira too forgot with him. Oh! that I had the tempting strumpet here That keepes my Lord away, confining me Vnto the coldnesse of a widowed bed. Madam, these presents sent, & so wel knowne Coming from you, must needs preuaile with him. These Princes haue great interest in his loue, And can perswade much. But that strumpet more. Lychas, he doates vpon her tempting lookes, And is so much with her inchantments blear'd, That hee's turn'd woman: woman Lychas, spinnes, Cards, and doth chare-worke, whilst his mistres sits And makes a cushion of his Lyons skin, Makes of his club a rocke. I loose my selfe In thismy sorrow, and forget the meanes; I still keepe by my me, to restore my loue, Lychas, fetch me the shirt within my chamber, I haue bethought me now. Madam I shall. This shirt (in bloud of Centaur Nessus dipt, And since washt out) Il'e send my Hercules, Which hath the power to make his hot loue dye To any stranger, and reuiue to me. This (as his last) the dying Centaur spake, To this Il'e trust, all other hopes forsake. Madam the shirt. This as my best and deerest, Present me (trusty Lychas) to my Lord, Intreat withall, that if he haue not quite Put off my loue, hee'l daine to put on this. If he despise my gift, returne it backe, And in it my death. Feare not faire Princesse, I hope to proue as fortunate as faithfull. Farewell, proue as thou speakest. If my gift faile, I haue sentenced all my sorrowes to one death, Whilst Deianeira hath a hand to vse, Shee'l not liue hated where she once did chuse.