The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 203 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla typicality 0.78 · 520 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
What companion then will they allot me of my misery? Pericles, that brave Athenian Captain? or valiant Xenophon? Tush, they lost sons indeed, but their sons died out of their sight, having lost their lives abroad in foreign Countries, far from home; so that it was not much for the one, not to change countenance, but to take it cheerfully: nor for the other to answer the messenger, who brought him the ill tidings of his son's deaths, that he should receive no punishment, because himself had received no grief; for all this is far differing from mine; less canst thou say (thou world replenished with evil) that Anaxagoras, and I, were alike in our loss; that we were equal in our griefs: and that I should say of my dead daughter, as he did of his only son, when he said; Being that I was mortal, I knew, that he whom I had begot was to die. For my Melibea, willingly, and out of her own election, killed herself before mine eyes, enforced thereunto through the extreme passion of her love, so great was her torment; whereas his son was slain in battle, in a just and lawful war. O incomparable loss; O most wretched and sorrowful old man that I am! who the more I seek after comfort, the less reason do I find for my comfort; for much more miserable do I find my misfortune, and do not so much grieve at her death, as I do lament the manner of her death. Now shall I lose together with thee (most unhappy daughter) those fears, which were daily wont to affright me. Only thy death is that which makes me secure of all suspicions and jealousies. What shall I do, when I shall come into thy chamber, and thy withdrawing room, and shall find it solitary and empty? What shall I do, whenas I shall call thee, and thou shalt not answer me? Who is he that can supply that want which thou hast caused? Who can stop up that great breach in my heart which thou hast made? Never any man did lose that which I have lost this day. Though in some sort, that great fortitude of Lambas de Auria, Duke of Genoa, seemeth to suit with my present estate and condition, who seeing his son was wounded to death, took him and threw him with his own arms forth of the ship into the sea. But such kind of deaths as these, though they take away life, yet they give reputation; and many times, men are enforced to undergo such actions, for to comply with their honour, and get themselves fame and renown. But what did enforce my daughter to die, but only the strong force of love? What remedy now, (thou flattering world) wilt thou afford my wearisome age? How wouldst thou have me to rely upon thee, I knowing thy falsehoods, thy gins, thy snares, and thy nets, wherein thou entrap'st and takest our weak and feeble wills? Tell me, what hast thou done with my daughter? where hast thou bestowed her?
seed 43: T30 · seed 44: T33 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
What companion then will they allot me of my misery? Pericles, that braue Athenian Captaine? or valiant Xenophon? Tush, they lost sonnes indeed, but their sonnes dyed out of their sight, hauing lost their liues abroad in forraine Countries, far from home; so that it was not much for the one, not to change countenanee, but to take it cheerefully: nor for the other to answer the messenger, who brought him the ill tydings of his sonnes deaths, that he should receiue no punishment, because himselfe had receiued no griefe; for all this is farre differing from mine; lesse canst thou say (thou world replenished with euill) that Anaxagoras, and I, were alike in our losse; that wee were equall in our griefes: and that I should say of my dead daughter, as he did of his onely sonne, when he said; Being that I was mortall, I knew, that he whom I had begot was to die. For my Melibea, willingly, and out of her owne election, killed her selfe before mine eyes, inforced thereunto through the extreme passion of her loue, so great was her torment; whereas his sonne was slaine in battell, in a iust and lawfull warre. O incomparable losse; O most wretched and sorrowfull old man that I am! who the more I seeke after comfort, the lesse reason doe I finde for my comfort; for much more miserable doe I finde my misfortune, and doe not so much grieue at her death, as I doe lament the manner of her death. Now shall I lose together with thee (most vnhappy daughter) those feares, which were daily wont to affright mee. Onely thy death is that which makes mee secure of all suspitions and iealousies. What shall I doe, when I shall come into thy chamber, and thy withdrawing roome, and shall finde it solitary and empty? What shall I doe, when as I shall call thee, and thou shalt not answer me? Who is he that can supply that want which thou hast caused? Who can stop vp that great breach in my heart which thou hast made? Neuer any man did lose that which I haue lost this day. Thogh in some sort, that great fortitude of Lambas de Auria, Duke of Genoa, seemeth to sute with my present estate and condition, who seeing his sonne was wounded to death, tooke him and threw him with his owne armes foorth of the shippe into the sea. But such kinde of deaths as these, though they take away life, yet they giue reputation; and many times, men are inforced to vndergoe such actions, for to cumply with their honour, and get themselues fame and renowne. But what did inforce my daughter to dye, but onely the strong force of loue? What remedy now, (thou flattering world) wilt thou affoord my wearisome age? How wouldst thou haue me to rely vpon thee, I knowing thy falsehoods, thy gins, thy snares, and thy nets, wherein thou intrap'st and takest our weake and feeble wills? Tell me, what hast thou done with my daughter? where hast thou bestow'd her?