The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 196 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 557 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
They have all of them left me. I am now alone by myself, and nobody with me. The manner of my death falls fit and pat to my mind; it is some ease unto me, that I and my beloved Calisto shall so soon meet again. I will shut and make fast the door, that nobody may come up to hinder my death, nor disturb my departure, nor to stop me in my journey, wherein I purpose to post unto him; not doubting, but to visit him as well this very day, as he did me this last night. All things fadge aright, and have fall'n out as luckily, as I could wish it; I shall now have time and leisure enough, to recount to my father Pleberio, the cause of this my short and sudden end. I confess, I shall much wrong his silver hairs, and offer much injury to his elder years; I shall work great woe unto him by this my error; I shall leave him in great heaviness and desolation all the days of his life: But admit my death will be the death of my dearest parents, and put case, that the shortening of my days, will be the shortening of theirs; who doth not know, but that others have been more cruel to their parents then I am? Prusias, King of Bythinia, without any cause, not enduring that pain, which I do, slew his own father Ptolemy, King of Egypt, slew both father and mother, and brother and wife, and all for the love of his Mistress. Orestes killed his mother, Clytaemnestra, and that cruel Emperor Nero, only for the fulfilling of his pleasure, murdered his own mother. These, and such as they, are worthy of blame. These are true Parricides; not I; who with mine own punishment, and with mine own death, purge away the guilt, which otherwise, they might more justly lay upon me for their deaths. There have been others, far more cruel, who have slain their own children, and their own brothers, in comparison of whose errors, mine is as nothing; at least nothing so great. Philip, King of Macedon; Herod, King of Jewry; Constantine, Emperor of Rome; Laodice, Queen of Cappadocea; and Medea the Sorceress; all these slew their own sons and dearest children, and that without any reason or just cause, preserving their own persons still in safety. To conclude, that great cruelty of Phraates, King of the Parthians, occurs to my remembrance, who, because he would have no successor behind him, murdered Orodes, his aged father, as also his only son, besides some thirty more of his brethren. These were delicts worthy blame indeed; because they keeping their own persons free from peril, butchered their Ancestors, their successors, and their brethren. True it is, that though all this be so, yet are we not to imitate them in those things wherein they did amiss; but it is not in my power to do otherwise. And thou great Governor of the heavens, who art witness to my words, thou seest the small power that I have over my passion; thou seest how my liberty is captivated, and how my senses are taken with that powerful love of that late deceased Gentleman, who hath deprived me of that love, which I bear to my living parents.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
They haue all of them left me. I am now alone by my selfe, and no body with mee. The manner of my death falls fit and pat to my minde; it is some ease vnto mee, that I and my beloued Calisto shall so soone meet againe. I will shut and make fast the dore, that no body may come vp to hinder my death, nor disturbe my departure, nor to stop me in my iourney, wherin I purpose to poast vnto him; not doubting, but to visit him as well this very day, as he did mee this last night. All things fadge aright, and haue falne out as luckily, as I could wish it; I shall now haue time and leysure enough, to recount to my father Pleberio, the cause of this my short and sudden end. I confesse, I shall much wrong his siluer hayres, and offer much iniury to his elder yeers; I shall work great wo vnto him by this my errour; I shall leaue him in great heauinesse and desolation all the daies of his life: But admit my death will be the death of my dearest parents, and put case, that the shortning of my daies, will be the shortning of theirs; who doth not know, but that others haue beene more cruell to their parents then I am? Prusias, King of Bythinia, without any cause, not induring that paine, which I doe, slew his owne father Ptolomy, King of Egypt, slew both father and mother, and brother and wife, and all for the loue of his Mistris. Orestes kil'd his mother, Clytemnestar, and that cruell Emperour Nero, onely for the fulfilling of his pleasure, murdred his owne mother. These, and such as they, are worthy of blame. These are true Parricides; not I; who with mine owne punishment, and with mine owne death, purge away the guilt, which otherwise, they might moe iustly lay vpon mee for their deaths. There haue beene others, far more cruell, who haue slaine their own children, and their owne brothers, in comparison of whose errours, mine is as nothing; at least nothing so great. Philip, King of Macedon; Herod, King of Iuryne; Constantine, Emperour of Rome; Laodice, Queene of Cappadocea; and Medea the Sorceresse; all these slew their owne sonnes and dearest children, and that without any reason or iust cause, preseruing their owne persons still in safety. To conclude, that great cruelty of Phrates, King of the Parthians, occurres to my remembrance, who, because hee would haue no successour behinde him, murdred Orodes, his aged father, as also his onely sonne, besides some thirty more of his brethren. These were delicts worthy blame indeed; because they keeping their owne persons free from perill, butchered their Ancestours, their successours, and their brethren. True it is, that though all this be so, yet are we not to imitate them in those things wherein they did amisse; but it is not in my power to doe otherwise. And thou great Gouernour of the heauens, who art witnesse to my words, thou see'st the small power that I haue ouer my passion; thou seest how my liberty is captiuated, and how my senses are taken with that powerfull loue of that late deceased Gentleman, who hath depriued mee of that loue, which I beare to my liuing parents.