Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Nuce, ThomasPseudo-Seneca · published 1581 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi typicality 0.79 · 497 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
And error deep have fostered up apace. The heaps of vice raked up in years long passed, Abounding flow in these our days at last. And this same troublous time, and cumbrous age, Oppresseth all men sore, both young and sage. Wherein those wicked ways that be do reign, And cruel, romping woodness boils again. Lust strong in filthy touch, doth bear a sway. And Princes, riot, now doth catch away With greedy paws, to bring it to decay. Th' whole worlds uncredible wealth, without delay. But lo, which staggering steps where Nero flings, And visage grim, I fear what news he brings. DIspatch with speed that we commanded have: Go, send forthwith some one or other slave, That Plautius cropped scalp and Silla's eke, May bring before our face: go some man seek. I nill protract your noble grace's hest: But to their camps to go am ready priest. 'gainst lineage nought should rashly pointed be. A light thing 'tis for to be just, I see For him, whose heart is void of shrinking fear. A sovereign salve for fear is for to bear yourself debonair to your subjects all. Our foes to slay, a chieftain's virtue call. A worthier virtue 'tis in country's sire, His people to defend with sword and fire. It well beseems such aged wights, to teach, Unbridled springolds young, and not to preach, Both to a man and prince of riper years. May, rather frolic youthful blood appears, To have more need of counsel wise and grave This age sufficient reason ought to have. That heavenly powers your doings may allow. A madness 'twere to Gods for me to bow, When I myself can make such Gods to be: As Claudius now ycounted is we see. So much the more because so much you may. Our power permits us all without denay. Give slender trust to Fortune's flattering face: She topsy-turvy turns her wheel apace. A patch he is that knoweth not what he may. A PRINCE's praise I counted have always, To do that same which with his honour stood, Not that which frantic fancy counteth good. If that I were a meacock or a slouch, Each stubborn, clubbish daw would make me couch. And whom they hate, with force they overquell. Then dint of sword the prince defendeth well. But faith more sure defence doth seem to me. Full meet it is that Caesar dreaded be. More meet of subjects for to be beloved From subjects minds, fear must not be removed What so by force of arms you do wring out, A grievous work it is to bring about. Well hardly then our will let them obey. Will nothing then, but that which well you may. We will decree what we shall best suppose. What people's voice doth jointly bind or lose. Let that confirmed stand. swords bloody dint, Shall cause them else at me to take their hint. God shield, and far that fact from you remove.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Nuce, ThomasPseudo-Seneca
Publication year (edition)
1581
First performance / composition (Annals)
1566
First performance (BritDrama)
1566 [summer]
Genre (British Drama)
tragedy
Play type
Translation;Nonprofessional;Closet/Unacted
Edition / TCP / DEEP
edition 82 · TCP A11909 · DEEP 5015.09
Edition role
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 721–783 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 11 of 23 in this edition
Length
497 words · 667 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T25 — Kings, power and law: political sententiaecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.792 (cosine to the topic centroid) · placed after the fit (approximate_predict), not counted in the topic statistics
Other seeds
seed 43: T25 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
And errour deepe haue foſtred vp apace. The heaps of vyce rakte vp in yeares long paſt, Abounding flowe in theſe our dayes at laſt. And this ſame troublous tyme, and combrous age, Oppreſſeth all men ſore, both yong and ſage. Wherein thoſe wicked wayes that be do raygne, And cruell, raumping woodnes boyles agayne. Luſt ſtrong in filthy touch, doth beare a ſway. And Princes, ryot, now doth catch away With greedy pawes, to bring it to decay. Th whole worldes vncredible wealth, without delay. But loe, which ſtaggring ſteppes where Nero flinges, And viſage grymme, I feare what newes hee brynges. DIſpatch with ſpeede that we commaunded haue: Go, ſend forthwith ſome one or other ſlaue, That Plautius cropped ſcalpe and Sillas eke, May bring befor our face: goe ſome man ſeeke. I nill protract your noble graces heſt: But to their campes to goe am ready preſt. Gaynſt lynage naught ſhould raſhly poynted bee. A light thing tis for to be iuſt, I ſee For him, whoſe heart is voyd of ſhrinking feare. A ſoueraigne ſalue for feare is for to beare Your ſelfe debonair to your ſubiectes all. Our foes to ſlea, a cheftaynes vertue call. A worthier vertue tis in countries ſyre, His people to defend with ſword and fyre. It wel beſeemes ſuch aged wightes, to teach, Vnbridled ſpringolles yong, and not to preache, Both to a man and prince of ryper yeares. May, rather frolicke youthful bloud appeares, To haue more neede of counſell wyſe and graue This age ſufficient reaſon ought to haue. That heauenly powers your doinges may allow. A madnes t'were to Gods for me to bow, When I my ſelfe can make ſuch Gods to be: As Claudius now ycounted is we ſee. So much the more becauſe ſo much you may. Our power permittes vs all without denay. Geue ſlender truſt to Fortunes flattring face: She topſie turuy turnes her wheele apace. A patch he is that knoweth not what he may. A Princes prayſe I compted haue alway, To do that ſame which with his honor ſtoode, Not that which franticke fancy counteth good. If that I were a meacocke or a ſlouch, Each ſtubborne, clubbiſh daw would make mee couch. And whom they hate, with force they ouerquell. Then dynt of ſword the prince defendeth well. But fayth more ſure defence doth ſeeme to mee. Ful meete it is that Caeſar dreaded be. More meete of ſubiectes for to be belou'd From ſubiects myndes, feare muſt not be remou'd What ſo by force of armes you do wringe out, A grieuous worke it is to bring aboute. Well hardly then our will let them obay. Will nothing then, but that which wel you may. We wil decree what we ſhall beſt ſuppoſe. What peoples voyce doth ioyntly bynd or loſe. Let that confirmed ſtand. Swordes bloudy dynt, Shal cauſe them elſe at me to take their hint. God ſheeld, and far that facte from you remoue.