Dekker, Thomas / Massinger, Philip · published 1622 · first performed or written 1620 [licensed for stage, Oct 6; revised and re-licensed for stage, Jul 7, 1624] (Annals) tragedy · Red Bull (Revels) Company (first) T60 Imperial Rome: rulers, favour and politi typicality 0.84 · 533 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T60: caesar, rome, emperor, empire, honour, lord, lucius, great, palsgrave, kings.
Mightiest Caesar Whose power upon this globe of earth, is equal To loves in heaven, whose victorious triumphs On proud rebellious Kings that stir against it Are perfect figures of his immortal trophies Won in the giants war, whose conquering sword Guided by his strong arm, as deadly kills As did his thunder, all that I have done, Or if my strength were centupled could do, Comes short of what my loyalty must challenge. But if in any thing I have deserved Great Caesar's smile, 'tis in my humble care Still to preserve the honour of those gods, That make him what he is: my zeal to them I ever have expressed in my fell hate Against the Christian sect, that with one blow Ascribing all things to an unknown power, Would strike down all their temples, and allows them Nor sacrifice nor altars. Thou in this Walkest hand in hand with me, my will and power Shall not alone confirm, but honour all That are in this most forward. Sacred Caesar; If your imperial Majesty stand pleased To shower your favours upon such as are The boldest champions of our religion, Look on this reverend man, to whom the power Of searching out, and punishing such delinquents, Was by your choice committed, and for proof He hath deserved the grace imposed upon him, And with a fair and even hand proceeded Partial to none, not to himself, or those Of equal nearness to himself, behold This pair of Virgins. What are these? His daughters. Now by your sacred fortune they are fair ones, Exceeding fair ones, would 'twere in my power To make them mine. They are the gods, great Lady, They were most happy in your service else, On these when they fell from their father's faith I used a judge's power, entreaties failing (They being seduced) to win them to adore The holy powers we worship, I put on The scarlet robe of bold authority, And as they had been strangers to my blood, Presented them in the most horrid forms All kind of tortures, part of which they suffered With Roman constancy. And could you endure Being a father, to behold their limbs Extended on the rack? I did, but must Confess there was a strange contention in me, Between the impartial office of a judge, And pity of a father, to help justice Religion stepped in, under which odds Compassion fell: yet still I was a father, For even then, when the flinty hangman's whips Were worn with stripes spent on their tender limbs, I kneeled, and wept, and begged them though they would Be cruel to themselves, they would take pity On my grey hairs. Now note a sudden change, Which I with joy remember, those whom torture Nor fear of death could terrify, were o'ercome By seeing of my sufferings, and so won, Returning to the faith that they were borne in, I gave them to the gods, and be assured I that used justice with a rigorous hand Upon such beauteous virgins, and mine own, Will use no favour where the cause commands me To any other, but as rocks be deaf To all intreaties.
seed 43: T1 · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Mightiest Caesar Whose power vpon this globe of earth, is equall To loues in heauen, whose victorious triumphs On prowd rebellious Kings that stir against it Are perfit figures of his immortall trophees Wonne in the gyants war, whose conquering sword Guided by his strong arme, as deadly kils As did his thunder, all that I haue done, Or if my strength were centupld could do, Comes short of what my loyalty must challenge. But if in any thing I haue deseru'd Great Casars smile, tis in my humble care Still to preserue the honour of those gods, That make him what he is: my zealc to them I euer haue expressd in my fell hate Against the Christian sect, that with one blow Ascribing all things to an vnknowne power, Would strike downe all their temples, and allowes them Nor sacrifice nor altars. Thou in this Walkest hend in hand with mee, my will and power Shall not alone confirme, but honor all That are in this most forward. Sacred Casar; If your imperiall Maiestie stand pleasd To showre your fauours vpon such as are The boldest champions of our religion, Looke on this reuerend man, to whom the power Of serching out, and punishing such delinquents, Was by your choyce committed, and for proofe He hath deseru'd the grace imposd vpon him, And with a fayre and euen hand proceeded Partiall to none, not to himselfe, or those Of equall neerenesse to himselfe, behold This paire of Virgins. What are these? His daughters. Now by your sacred fortune they are faire ones, Exceeding faire ones, would 'twere in my power To make them mine. They are the gods, great Lady, They were most happy in your seruice else, On these when they fell from their fathers faith I vsde a iudges power, entreaties failing (They being seduc'd) to win them to adore The holy powers we worship, I put on The scarlet robe of bold authority, And as they had bin strangers to my blood, Presented them in the most horrid forms All kind of tortures, part of which they sufferd With Roman constancy. And could you endure Being a father, to behold their limbs Extended on the racke? I did, but must Confesse there was a strange contention in me, Betweene the impartiall office of a Iudge, And pitty of a father, to helpe Iustice Religion stept in, vnder which ods Compassion fell: yet still I was a father, For euen then, when the flinty hangmans whips Were worne with stripes spent on their tender limbs, I kneeld, and wept, and begd them though they would Be cruell to themselues, they would take pittie On my gray haires. Now note a sodaine change, Which I with ioy remember, those whom torture Nor feare of death could terrifie, were orecome By seeing of my suffrings, and so wonne, Returning to the faith that they were borne in, I gaue them to the gods, and be assurde I that vsde iustice with a rigorons hand Vpon such beauteous virgins, and mine owne, Will vseno fauour where the cause commands me To any other, but as rocks be deafe To all intreatics.