Agamemnon (Seneca's Eighth Tragedy) · chunk 9 of 28
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, John · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 493 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
He pardoned Helen, she is wed to Menela again Which Europe all with Asia did plunge alike in pain. No lady's Lust hath ravished yet Atrides in his life, Nor privily purloined his heart betrothed to his wife. To pick a quarrel he begins and matter thee to blame, Suppose thou nothing hast commit that worthy is of shame? What booteth him whom Princes hate an honest life to frame? He never doth complain his wrong, but ever bears the blame. Wilt thou repair to Spart and to thy country trudge aright? Wilt thou become a runagate from such a worthy wight? Divorcement made from Kings will not so let the matter scape. Thou easest fear by fickle hope, that falsely thou dost shape: My trespass is disclosed to none, but to a trusty wight: At PRINCE's gates fidelity yet never enter might. I will corrupt and feed him so with silver and with gold. That I by bribing bind him shall no secrets to unfold: The trust that hired is and bought by bribes and money's fee, Thy counsel to bewray again with bribes enticed will be The remnant left of shamefastness of those ungracious tricks, Wherein of late I did delight, my conscience freshly pricks. Why keepest thou such a busy stir and with thy flattering speech, Instructing me with lewd advise dost wicked counsel preach Shall I forsooth of royal blood with all the speed I can Refuse the King of Kings, and wed an outcast banished man: Why should you think in that Thyest was father unto me. And Agamemnon Atreus' son he should my better be? If that be but a trifle small, and nephew to the same. I am of Phoebus' lineage borne, whereof I do not shame. Why mak'st thou Phoebus author of thy wicked pedigree, Whom out of heaven ye forced to fly when bridle back he drew, When Lady Night with mantle black did spread her sudden shade, Why makest thou the Gods in such reproachfulness to wade? Whose father hath thee cunning made by sleight and subtle guile To make thy kinsman Cuckold while his wife thou do defile. What man is he whom we do know to be thy father's mate, Abusing lust of Lechery in such unlawful rate? avaunt, go pack thee hence in haste, dispatch out of my sight This infamy, whose blemish stains this blood of worthy wight. This is no new exile to me that wickedness do haunt, But if that thou (O worthy Queen) command me to avaunt, I will not only straight avoid the house the town and field My life on sword at thy request I ready am to yield This heinous deed permit shall I (most churlish cruel drab) Against my will though I offend, the fault I should not blab: Nay, rather come apart with me, and let us join our wits To wrap ourselves out of this woe and perilous threatening fits.
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)
He pardned Helen, ſhe is wed to Menela agayne Which Europe all with Aſia did plunge alike in payne. No Ladies Luſt hath rauiſht yet Atrides in his life, Nor priuily purloynd his hart betrothed to his wyfe. To picke a quarrel he beginnes and matter thee to blame, Suppoſe thou nothing haſt commit that worthy is of ſhame? What boteth him whom Princes hate an honeſt life to frame? He neuer doth complayne his wrong, but euer beares the blame. Wilt thou repayre to Spart and to thy countrey trudge aryght? Wilt thou become a ronnagate from ſuch a worthy wight? Deuorcement made from Kinges wil not ſo let the matter ſcape. Thou eaſeſt feare by fickle hope, that falſly thou doſt ſhape: My treſpas is diſcloſd to none, but to a truſty wight: At princes gates fidelity yet neuer enter might. I wil corrupt and feede him ſo with ſiluer and with gold. That I by bribing bynd him ſhall no ſecrets to vnfold: The truſt that hyred is and bought by brybes and moneis fee, Thy counſell to bewray agayne with brybes entyſte wil be The remnaunt left of ſhamefaſtnes of thoſe vngracious trickes, Wherin of late I did delyght, my conſcience freſhly prickes. Why kep'ſt thou ſuch a buſie ſturre and with thy flatring ſpeach, Enſtructing me with lewd aduyſe doſt wicked counſell preach Shall I forſooth of royal bloud with al the ſpeede I can Refuſe the King of Kinges, and wed an outcaſt baniſht man Why ſhould you thinke in that Thieſt was father vnto mee. And Agamemnon Atreus ſonne he ſhould my better be? If that be but a tryfle ſmall, and nephew to the ſame. I am of Phoebus linage borne, wherof I do not ſhame. Why makſte thou Phoebus author of thy wicked pedagrew, Whom out of heauen ye forſt to flye when bridle backe he drew, When Lady Night with mantel blacke did ſpread her ſoden ſhade, Why makeſt thou the Gods in ſuch reproachfulnes to wade? Whoſe father hath thee conning made by ſleight and ſubtil guyle To make thy kinſman Cockold whyle his wyfe thou do defyle. What man is he whom we do know to be thy fathers mate, Abuſing luſt of Lechery in ſuch vnlawful rate? Auaunt, go packe thee hence in haſt, diſpatch out of my ſight This infamy, whoſe blemiſh ſtaynes this bloud of worthy wyght. This is no new exile to me that wickednes do hannt, But if that thou (O worthy Queene) commaund me to auaunt, I wil not only ſtrayght auoyde the houſe the towne and field My life on ſword at thy requeſt I ready am to yeeld This heynous dede permit ſhall I (moſt churliſh cruell drab) Agaynſt my wil though I offend, the fault I ſhould not blabbe: Nay, rather come apart with mee, and let vs ioyne our wittes To wrap our ſelues out of this woe and parlous threatning fits.