The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 109 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play T26 Devils, hell and fiends typicality 0.85 · 483 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T26: devil, hell, devils, sure, soul, fiend, sr, wife, lord, men.
lo (Sir) here it is. Give it me hither. See, how fast it goes down! I think the Devil makes him make such quick work. Look, if he does not swallow it whole, that he may the sooner have done? My spirits are returned unto me again; I promise you it hath done me much good. My Sons both, farewell. Go look after the old woman, and wait for good news, that I may reward you for your labour. So, now he is gone. The devil and ill fortune follow thee; for in the very same hour hast thou eaten this Citron, as Apuleius did that poison which turned him into an Ass. Parmeno, I pray thee bring down our Cloaks, and our Rapiers; for I think it be time for us to go to dinner. Come, let us go presently; for I think they will find fault with us, for staying so long. Let us not go thorough this, but that other street, that we may go in by the Vestals, so shall we see, whether Celestina have ended her devotions, and take her along with us. What? Do you think to find her at her Theme now? Is this a fit hour? This a time for her to be at her Orisons? That can never be said out of time, which ought to be done at all times. It is true, but I see, you know not Celestina; when she has any thing to do, she never thinks upon heaven, the devil a whit that she cares then for devotion; when she hath any thing in the house to gnaw upon, farewell all holiness, farewell all prayers: and indeed, her going to any of these Ceremonies, is but to spy and pry only upon advantages for such persons as she may prevaricate and make for her profit. And though she bred thee up, I am better acquainted with her qualities, than you are. That which she doth ruminate: how many cracked maidenheads she hath then in cure; how many Lovers in this City; how many young wenches are recommended unto her; what Stewards afford her provision; which is the more bountiful: and how she may call every man by his name; that when she chanceth to meet them, she may not salute them as strangers. When you see her lips go, then is she inventing of lies, and devising sleights, and tricks for to get money; then doth she thus dispute with herself; In this manner will I make my speech; In this fashion will I close with him. Thus then will he answer me; And to this I must thus reply. Thus lives this creature, whom we so highly honour. Tush, this is nothing; I know more than this. But because you were angry the tother day, when I told Calisto so much, I will forbear to speak of it.
nodes 743–753 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 109 of 205 in this edition
Length
483 words · 607 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T26 — Devils, hell and fiendscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.851 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T23 · seed 44: T23 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Loe (Sir) heere it is. Giue it me hither. See, how fast it goes downe! I thinke the Diuell makes him make such quicke worke. Looke, if hee does not swallow it whole, that hee may the sooner haue done? My spirits are returned vnto me againe; I promise you it hath done me much good. My Sonnes both, farewell. Goe looke after the old woman, and waite for good newes, that I may reward you for your labour. So, now hee is gone. The diuell and ill fortune follow thee; for in the very same houre hast thou eaten this Citron, as Apuleius did that poyson which turned him into an Asse. Parmeno, I pray thee bring downe our Cloakes, and our Rapiers; for I thinke it be time for vs to goe to dinner. Come, let vs goe presently; for I thinke they will finde fault with vs, for staying so long. Let vs not goe thorow this, but that other streete, that wee may goe in by the Vestals, so shall we see, whether Celestina haue ended her deuotions, and take her along with vs. What? Doe you thinke to finde her at her Theme now? Is this a fit houre? This a time for her to be at her Orizons? That can neuer be said out of time, which ought to be done at all times. It is true, but I see, you know not Celestina; when she ha's any thing to do, she neuer thinks vpon heauen, the diuell a whit that she cares then for deuotion; when she hath any thing in the house to gnaw vpon, farewell all holinesse, farewell all prayers: and indeed, her going to any of these Ceremonies, is but to spy and pry only vpon aduantages for such persons as she may preuaricate and make for her profit. And though shee bred thee vp, I am better acquainted with her qualities, then you are. That which shee doth ruminate: how many crack't maiden-heads shee hath then in cure; how many Louers in this City; how many young wenches are recommended vnto her; what Stewards afford her prouision; which is the more bountifull: and how she may call euery man by his name; that when shee chanceth to meet them, shee may not salute them as strangers. When you see her lips goe, then is she inuenting of lies, and deuising seights, and tricks for to get money; then doth she thus dispute with her selfe; In this maner will I make my speech; In this fashion will I cloze with him. Thus then will he answer mee; And to this I must thus reply. Thus liues this creature, whom we so highly honour. Tush, this is nothing; I know more then this. But because you were angry the to' ther day, when I told Calisto so much, I will forbeare to speake of it.