Tasso, Torquato / Reynolds, Henry · published 1628 · first performed or written 1628 (Annals) pastoral unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 483 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Alas I fear Lest he have slain himself with his own hand. Slain with his own hand? how so? what might cause Such vengeance on himself? Why love, and hate. Two powerful enemies: What cannot they do, when they meet together? But speak yet clearer. His too much love, and her too much disdain Whom he loved so. Ah tell thy story out; This is a way of passage, and ere long Perhaps some one will bring us news of him, Or himself come. I'll tell it willingly; For 'tis not just that such ingratitude Should rest without the due deserved blame. Aminta heard (and I had told it him, And was his conduct too, the gods forgive me) That Silvia was with Daphne gone to'a Fount To wash themselves; thither then (not without A thousand doubts and fears in him) we went; And twenty times we turned again, (his heart Being all against it,) but that I was fain Almost against his will to force him onn; But drawing near unto the Fount, we heard A sad lamenting voice; and all at once Daphne we spied wring her hands, and strait Seeing us coming, ah run, run (she cries) Siluia's deflowered. Th'enamoured Aminta No sooner heard it, but swift as a Pard He fling away; and I made after him: Nor far we went, when lo before our eyes We saw the young maid naked as at her birth, Fast fettered by the fair hair to a tree; About whose branches in a thousand knots The curls were linked, and entertwin'de, the girdle That wont to deck, and guard her maiden loins, Served as an actor in her ravishment; Binding her arms about the trees hard trunk, The tree itself became a helper too, For by her feet a branch or two grew out, Which (easy bending) both her tender legs Had fastened to the tree; and face to face A beastly satire stood; who but even then Had newly made an end of binding her, All the defence she could (poor soul) she made; But sure'twould have but little steeded her, Had not we come. Aminta with his dart Slew like a Lion Upon the satire; and I gathered stones; Whereat he fled; and gave Aminta leisure To feast his greedy eyes with her fair limbs, Which trembling seemed as tender, white, & soft, As unpressed curds new from the whey divided. Full was her face of anger, grief, and spite; He gently accosting her with modest looks, Spoke thus; O lovely Silvia pardon me; Fardon my hands for daring to approach So near these beauteous limbs of thine; alas It is necessity enforceth them, Necessity t'unloose these bands of thine; And let it (I beseech thee) not displease thee, That Fate has raised them to this happiness. Words that would mollify a heart of flint; But what reply made she?
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Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Alas I feare Leſt he haue ſlaine himſelfe with his owne hand. Slaine with his owne hand? how ſo? what might cauſe Such vengeance on himſelfe? VVhy loue, and hate. Two powerfull enemies: VVhat cannot they doe, when they meet together? But ſpeake yet clearer. His too much loue, and her too much diſdaine VVhom he lou'd ſo. Ah tell thy ſtory out; This is a way of paſſage, and ere long Perhaps ſome one will bring vs newes of him, Or himſelfe come. I'le tell it willingly; For 'tis not iuſt that ſuch ingratitude Should reſt without the due deſerued blame. Aminta heard (and I had told it him, And was his conduct too, the gods forgiue mee) That Siluia was with Daphne gone to'a Founte To waſh themſelues; thither then (not without A thouſand doubts and feares in him) we went; And twenty times we turn'd againe, (his heart Being all againſt it,) but that I was faine Almoſt againſt his will to force him onn; But drawing neere vnto the Fount, we heard A ſadd lamenting voice; and all at once Daphne wee ſpy'de wringing her hands, and ſtraite Seeing vs comming, ah runne, runne (ſhee cryes) Siluia's deflowr'd. Th'inamoured Aminta No ſooner heard it, but ſwift as a Pard He flung away; and I made after him: Nor farre we went, when loe before our eyes We ſaw the young mayde nak'd as at her birth, Faſt fettr'd by the faire haire to a tree; About whoſe branches in a thouſand knotts The curles were link'd, and entertwin'de, the girdle That wont to decke, and guard her mayden loynes, Seru'd as an actor in her rauiſhment; Binding her armes about the trees hard trunke, The tree it ſelfe became a helper too, For by her feete a branch or two grew out, Which (eaſie bending) both her tender leggs Had faſtned to the tree; and face to face A beaſtly Satyr ſtood; who but eu'ne then Had newly made an ende of binding her, All the defence ſhee could (poore ſoule) ſhee made; But ſure'twould haue but little ſteeded her, Had not we come. Aminta with his dart Flue like a Lyon Vpon the Satyr; and I gathered ſtones; VVhereat he fledd; and gaue Aminta leaſure To feaſt his greedy eyes with her faire limbes, VVhich trembling ſeem'd as tender, white, & ſoft, As vnpreſt curds new from the whay diuided. Full was her face of anger, griefe, and ſpight; He gently accoſting her with modeſt lookes, Spake thus; O louely Siluia pardon me; Fardon my hands for daring to approache So neere theſe beauteous limbes of thine; alas It is neceſsity inforceth them, Neceſsitie t'unlooſe theſe bands of thine; And let it (I beſeech thee) not displeaſe thee, That Fate has rais'd them to this happineſſe. VVords that would mollifie a heart of flint; But what reply made ſhee?