Cynthia's Revenge, or Maenander's Ecstasy · chunk 67 of 67
Stephens, John · published 1613 · first performed or written 1613 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 478 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
Where is the King? I carry news of joy— Where is the King? dead Favorina lives. Here lies the King who did enforce a death Upon the peril of his author's life, If he refused to execute his will. Euphorbus then recovered? Yes; for I Did counterfeit a cozening lunacy. Sparta behoves to acknowledge thee her friend. The sentence of Amilcar let's attend. Long live the Queen. Draw the damned villain forth, And let him swallow sulphur; flaming pitch, Or else be roasted pitiless alive. O give me oil of Mandrakes, poppy juice Or poison of infected hellebore. Flay him, and make a trophy of his skin. Cut off his members; bind and broil the slave. Let him be quartered. To deceive all these Were policy above the rules of Art: I have concluded to prevent the shapes Of torture; death by death alone escapes. Save, save the Traitor, save him. He is dead. May then the Traitor sleep in tortures bed. But may Menander's dying soul ascend; Whom for the safety of this Commonwealth, I did restore to happiness and health. Amazement of our age! wonder of time! Touched with a feeling of my country's good I dipped my dagger in his royal blood, By his own chief desire; so leave mad care, Which my suspicion did assume through fear. The Queen shall Crown thee. So I leave the school Of madness, to become mad fortune's fool. Remove the Carcase of that slaughtered King. we once obeyed him: after ecstasy Let's therefore follow his dead obsequy. (Nature) stand speechless, for above thy part With man prevails both Lunacy and Art. Horror, affrightments, death, and anger fly, Fly to the bottom of hell's dark Abyss, That heaven may smile upon the clouded earth And all take notice we are pacified: Grim death triumphant, whose empaled brow Can terrify the factious Kings below, (Who when we were incensed through blasphemy Sent forth revenge to please our Deity) Shall now enchain that mischief merciless, And qualify revengeful greediness: Discloud thy lustre (my new borrowed shine) Scatter thy foggy damps which do debar My bounteous lamp of universal light: Let exhalations give my honour place, All stars attendant look earth in the face. God's cannot dwell in rage; though slimy man If but ennobled by permissive law, Dares prosecute his vengeance to the death Till he extirp a whole posterity: we though immortal, though above best brains To comprehend; though sole efficients, Though every thing in essence, though divine, Though Gods; (in which one syllable, the sum Of every thing's involved) though Gods we are, Yet in compassion we do still accept Those that profane our sacred holiness. For; should the anger of Omnipotence Punish mankind so often, or so long As their insatiate folly doth deserve, Ioue would be weary and the Gods above Turn boiling wrath into abundant love.
seed 43: T44 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Where is the King? I carry newes of ioy— Where is the King? dead Fauorina liues. Heere lies the King who did enforce a death Vpon the perill of his Authors life, If hee refus'd to execute his will. Euphorbus then recouer'd? Yes; for I Did counterfeit a couz'ning lunacy. Sparta behoues to'acknowledge thee her friend. The sentence of Amilcar let's attend. Long liue the Queene. Draw the damn'd villaine forth, And let him swallow sulphure; flaming pitch, Or else be roasted pittilesse aliue. O giue mee oile of Mandrakes, Poppey iuice Or poyson of infected Helleber. Flea him, and make a trophey of his skin. Cut off his members; bind and broile the slaue. Let him be quarterd. To deceiue all these Were pollicy aboue the rules of Art: I haue concluded to preuent the shapes Of torture; death by death alone escapes. Saue, saue the Traitor, saue him. Hee is dead. May then the Traitor sleepe in tortures bed. But may Maenanders dying soule ascend; Whom for the safety of this Common-wealth, I did restore to happinesse and health. Amazement of our age! wonder of time! Touch'd with a feeling of my Countries good I dipt my dagger in his royall blood, By his owne chiefe desire; so leaue mad care, Which my suspicion did assume through feare. The Queene shall Crowne thee. So I leaue the schoole Of madnesse, to become mad fortunes foole. Remoue the Carkasse of that slaught'red King. Wee once obey'd him: after extasy Let's therefore follow his dead obsequy. (Nature) stand speech-lesse, for aboue thy part With man preuailes both Lunacy and Art. Horror, affrightments, death, and anger flye, Flye to the bottome of hels darke Abysse, That heau'n may smile vpon the clouded earth And all take notice wee are pacifi'd: Grim death triumphant, whose empaled brow Can terrefy the factious Kings below, (Who when wee were incens'd through blasphemy Sent forth reuenge to please our Deity) Shall now enchaine that mischiefe mercilesse, And qualify reuengefull greedinesse: Discloud thy lustre (my new borrowed shine) Scatter thy foggy damps which doe debarre My bounteous lamp of vniuersall light: Let exhalations giue my honour place, All stars attendant looke earth in the face. Gods cannot dwell in rage; though slimy man If but en-nobled by permissiue law, Dares prosecute his vengeance to the death Till hee extirpe a whole posterity: Wee though immortall, though aboue best braines To comprehend; though sole efficients, Though euery thing in essence, though deuine, Though Gods; (in which one syllable, the summe Of euery thing's inuolu'd) though Gods wee are, Yet in compassion wee doe still accept Those that prophane our sacred holinesse. For; should the anger of Omnipotence Punish man-kind so often, or so long As their insatiate folly doth deserue, Ioue would be weary and the Gods aboue Turne boyling wrath into aboundant loue.