Agamemnon (Seneca's Eighth Tragedy) · chunk 3 of 28
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 473 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
Nor so his belching stream from shallow bottom roll, That borders hard upon the icy frozen pool: Where as Bootes bright doth twine his Wain about, And of the marble seas doth nothing stand in doubt. O how doth Fortune toss and tumble in her wheel The staggering states of Kings, that ready be to reel? fain would they dreaded be, and yet not settled so whenas they feared are, they fear, and live in woe. The silent Lady night so sweet to man and beast, Can not bestow on them her safe and quiet rest: Sleep that doth overcome and break the bonds of grief, It cannot ease their hearts, nor minister relief: What castle strongly built, what bulwark, tower, or town, Is not by mischief's means, brought topsy-turvy down? What rampart walls are not made weak by wicked war? From stately courts of Kings doth justice fly afar: In princely Palaces, of honesty the lore, And wedlock vow devout, is set by little store. The bloody Bellon those doth haunt with gory hand, Whose light and vain conceit in painted pomp doth stand. And those Erinys wood turmoils with frenzy's fits, That ever more in proud and haughty houses sits, Which fickle Fortune's hand in twinkling of an eye, From high and proud degree drives down in dust to lie. Although that skirmish cease, no banners be displayed And though no wiles be wrought, and policy be stayed, down poised with their weight the massy things do sink, And from her burden doth unstable Fortune shrink. The swelling Sails puffed up with gale of western wind, Do yet mistrust thereof a tempest in their mind: The threatening tops (that touch the clouds) of lofty towers be soonest paid, and bet with south wind rainy showers: The darksome wood doth see his tough and sturdy Oak, Well waned in years to be clean over thrown and broke: The lightnings flashing flame out breaking in the Sky, First lighteth on the mounts, and hills that are most hy. The bodies corpulent and of the largest size Are rifest still to catch diseases when they rise. whenas the flock to graze, in pasture fat is put, Whose Neck is larded best, his throat shall first be cut: What Fortune doth advance and hoisteth up on high, She lets it up to fall again more grievously. The things of middle sort, and of a mean degree, Endure above the rest and longest days do see: The man of mean estate most happy is of all, Who pleased with the lot that doth to him befall, Doth sail on silent shore with calm and quiet tide, And dreads with bruised barge on swelling Seas to ride: Nor lancing to the deep where bottom none is found, May with his rudder search, and reach the shallow ground.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Nor ſo his belching ſtreame from ſhallow bottom roll, That borders hard vpon the yſyfroſen poall: Where as Bootes bryght doth twyne his Wayne about, And of the marble ſeas doth nothing ſtande in doubt. O how doth Fortune toſſe and tomble in her wheele The ſtaggring ſtates of Kynges, that readdy bee to reele? Fayne woulde they dreaded bee, and yet not ſetled When as they feared are, they feare, and lyue woe. The ſilent Lady nyght ſo ſweete to man and beaſt, Can not beſtow on them her ſafe and quiet reſt: Sleepe that doth ouercome and breake the bonds of griefe, It cannot eaſe theyr heartes, nor myniſter reliefe: What caſtell ſtrongly buylt, what bulwarke, tower, or towne, Is not by miſchyefes meanes, brought topſy turuye downe? What ramperd walles are not made weake by wicked warre? From ſtately courtes of Kings doth iuſtice fly afarre: In pryncely Pallaces, of honeſty the lore, And wedlocke vowe deuout, is ſet by lytle ſtore. The bloudy Bellon thoſe doth haunt with gory hand, Whoſe light and vaine conceipt in paynted pomp doth ſtand. And thoſe Erinnys wood turmoyles with frenſyes fits, That euer more in proud and hauty houſes ſits, Which ficle Fortunes hand in twinkling of an eye, From high and proude degre driues downe in duſt to lye. Although that ſkyrmiſhe ceaſe, no banners be diſplayed And though no wyles be wroughe, and pollecy be ſtayed, Downe payſed with theyr waight the maſſy things do ſinke, And from her burden doth vnable Fortune ſhrynke▪ The ſwelling Sayles puft vp with gale of weſtren wynde, Doe yet myſtruſt thereof a rempeſt in theyr mynde: The threatning tops (that touch the cloudes) of lofty towres Bee ſoneſt payde, and bet with ſouth wynde rainy ſhowres: The darkeſome woode doth ſee his tough and ſturdy Oke, Well waynde in yeares to be cleane ouer thrown and broke: The lyhhtnings flaſhing flame out breaking in the Sky, Firſt lyghteth on the mounts, and hilles that are moſt hy. The bodies corpulent and of the largeſt ſyſe Are ryfeſt ſtyll to catch diſeaſes when they ryſe. When as the flocke to graſe, in paſture fat is put, Whoſe Necke is larded beſt▪ his throate ſhall firſt be cut: What Fortune doth aduaunce and hoyſteth vp on hye, Shee lets it vp to all agayne more greeuouſly. The thinges of midle ſort, and of a meane degree, Endure aboue the reſt and longeſt dayes do ſee: The man of meane eſtate moſt happy is of all, Who pleaſed with the lot that doth to him befall, Doth ſayle on ſilent ſhore with calme and quiet tide, And dreads with bruiſed barge on ſwelling Seas to ryde: Nor launcing to the depe where bottom none is found, May with his rudder ſearch, and reach the ſhallow ground.