Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1599 [1598-1599] (Annals) tragedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi typicality 0.84 · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
But wherefore did you so much tempt the Heavens? It is the part of men, to fear and tremble, When the most mighty Gods, by tokens send Such dreadful Heralds, to astonish us. You are dull, Caska: And those sparks of Life, that should be in a Roman, You do want, or else you use not. You look pale, and gaze, and put on fear, And cast yourself in wonder, To see the strange impatience of the Heavens: But if you would consider the true cause, Why all these Fires, why all these gliding Ghosts, Why Birds and Beasts, from quality and kind, Why Old men, Fools, and Children calculate, Why all these things change from their Ordinance, Their Natures, and pre-formed Faculties, To monstrous quality; why you shall find, That Heaven hath infused them with these Spirits, To make them Instruments of fear, and warning, Unto some monstrous State. Now could I (Caska) name to thee a man, Most like this dreadful Night, That Thunders, Lightens, opens Graves, and roars, As doth the Lion in the Capitol: A man no mightier than thyself, or me, In personal action; yet prodigious grown, And fearful, as these strange eruptions are. 'Tis Caesar that you mean: It is not, Cassius? Let it be who it is: for Romans now Have Thews, and Limbs, like to their Ancestors; But woe the while, our Father's minds are dead, And we are governed with our Mother's spirits, Our yoke, and sufferance, show us Womanish. Indeed, they say, the Senators to morrow Mean to establish Caesar as a King: And he shall wear his Crown by Sea, and Land, In every place, save here in Italy. I know where I will wear this Dagger then; Cassius from Bondage will deliver Cassius: Therein, ye Gods, you make the weak most strong; Therein, ye Gods, you Tyrants do defeat. Nor Stony Tower, nor Walls of beaten Brass, Nor ayre-lesse Dungeon, nor strong Links of Iron, Can be retentive to the strength of spirit: But Life being weary of these worldly Bars, Never lacks power to dismiss itself. If I know this, know all the World besides, That part of Tyranny that I do bear, I can shake off at pleasure. So can I: So every Bondman in his own hand bears The power to cancel his Captivity. And why should Caesar be a Tyrant then? Poor man, I know he would not be a Wolf, But that he sees the Romans are but Sheep: He were no Lion, were not Romans Hinds. Those that with haste will make a mighty fire, Begin it with weak Straws. What trash is Rome? What Rubbish, and what Offal? when it serves For the base matter, to illuminate So vile a thing as Caesar. But oh Grief, Where hast-thou led me? I (perhaps) speak this Before a willing Bondman: then I know My answer must be made. But I am armed, And dangers are to me indifferent.
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)
But wherefore did you ſo much tempt the Heauens? It is the part of men, to feare and tremble, When the moſt mightie Gods, by tokens ſend Such dreadfull Heraulds, to aſtoniſh vs. You are dull, Caska: And thoſe ſparkes of Life, that ſhould be in a Roman, You doe want, or elſe you vſe not. You looke pale, and gaze, and put on feare, And caſt your ſelfe in wonder, To ſee the ſtrange impatience of the Heauens: But if you would conſider the true cauſe, Why all theſe Fires, why all theſe gliding Ghoſts, Why Birds and Beaſts, from qualitie and kinde, Why Old men, Fooles, and Children calculate, Why all theſe things change from their Ordinance, Their Natures, and pre-formed Faculties, To monſtrous qualitie; why you ſhall finde, That Heauen hath infus'd them with theſe Spirits, To make them Inſtruments of feare, and warning, Vnto ſome monſtrous State. Now could I (Caska) name to thee a man, Moſt like this dreadfull Night, That Thunders, Lightens, opens Graues, and roares, As doth the Lyon in the Capitoll: A man no mightier then thy ſelfe, or me, In perſonall action; yet prodigious growne, And fearefull, as theſe ſtrange eruptions are. 'Tis Caeſar that you meane: It is not, Caſſius? Let it be who it is: for Romans now Haue Thewes, and Limbes, like to their Anceſtors; But woe the while, our Fathers mindes are dead, And we are gouern'd with our Mothers ſpirits, Our yoake, and ſufferance, ſhew vs Womaniſh. Indeed, they ſay, the Senators to morrow Meane to eſtabliſh Caeſar as a King: And he ſhall weare his Crowne by Sea, and Land, In euery place, ſaue here in Italy. I know where I will weare this Dagger then; Caſſius from Bondage will deliuer Caſſius: Therein, yee Gods, you make the weake moſt ſtrong; Therein, yee Gods, you Tyrants doe defeat. Nor Stonie Tower, nor Walls of beaten Braſſe, Nor ayre-leſſe Dungeon, nor ſtrong Linkes of Iron, Can be retentiue to the ſtrength of ſpirit: But Life being wearie of theſe worldly Barres, Neuer lacks power to diſmiſſe it ſelfe. If I know this, know all the World beſides, That part of Tyrannie that I doe beare, I can ſhake off at pleaſure. So can I: So euery Bond-man in his owne hand beares The power to cancell his Captiuitie. And why ſhould Caeſar be a Tyrant then? Poore man, I know he would not be a Wolfe, But that he ſees the Romans are but Sheepe: He were no Lyon, were not Romans Hindes. Thoſe that with haſte will make a mightie fire, Begin it with weake Strawes. What traſh is Rome? What Rubbiſh, and what Offall? when it ſerues For the baſe matter, to illuminate So vile a thing as Caeſar. But oh Griefe, Where haſt-thou led me? I (perhaps) ſpeake this Before a willing Bond-man: then I know My anſwere muſt be made. But I am arm'd, And dangers are to me indifferent.