Fletcher, Phineas · published 1631 · first performed or written 1615 [Mar 13] (Annals) pastoral · at University T20 Hercules: labours, suffering and virtue typicality 0.79 · 480 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T20: hercules, hercles, ioue, deianeira, alcides, hand, lo, death, skies, hell.
Is't good ah tell me, yet my grounded fear Pleads hope impossible. Were you away To the Echo I had told it, as grief, so joy Pressed down is burdensome, for now I see joy is no joy if bar from company Olinda by the Priests enchained-fast Unto the fatal rock down to the waist Was naked left, which thus was better dressed Beauty when most unclothed is clothed best: And now the Priest all rites had finished And those last words and hidden verses said Then thus he loud proclaims, who dare adventure Against this monstrous beast, now let him enter And if he conquer by his bold endeavour This goodly maid shall be his prize forever Straight was the monster loosed, whose ugly sight Struck every trembling heart with cold affright Some sweat, some freeze, some shriek, some silent wear The eye durst neither wink nor see for fear: Heaven hid his light, the fearful sun did shroud His glorious eye under a jetty cloud. sawst thou the ork? Yes, and my panting heart To think I saw it in my breast doth start. canst thou describe it? Never tongue can tell What to itself no thought can portray well. More big than monstrous Python, whom men fain By Phoebus first was bred, by Phoebus slain. His teeth thick ranked in many a double band Like to an armed battle ready stand His eyes sunk in's head, more fearful stood Like bloody flame or like to flaming blood Not any ear upon his head appears, No plaint nor prayer, no threat nor charm he fears In sea and land he lives and takes from both Each monsters part which most we fear and loath, Soon as he felt him lose, he shakes his crest And hungry posteth to his ready feast And as through seas his oars a passage tear The thronging waves fly fast, and roar for fear. methinks I see him and th' unhappy lover struck through with fright. In all their shrieks he smiles Stretching his arms, to fight himself composes And nothing feared his body interposes Shaking a dart the monster he defies Who scorning such a foe to's banquet flies But he with certain aim his javelin drives Which as the sender bad at's eye arrives. And fixed in's hollow sight, deep drenched stood Quenching the bloody fire with fiery blood The wounded monster loudly 'gins to yell If Hell do speak such is the voice of Hell, And to revenge his hurt he flies apace The other dart met him i'th' middle race And as along he blindly fast doth post His way and tother eye together lost Thus blind he quickly dies, and being dead Leaves to his foe his spoils, his paws his head. Hercules thy twelve works with this one conferred This one before thy twelve might be preferred.
seed 43: T17 · seed 44: T19 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Is'st good ah tell me, yet my grounded feare Pleads hope impossible. Were you away To the Ecco I had told it, as griefe, so ioy Prest downe is burthensome, for now I see Ioy is no ioy i bard from company Olinda by the Priests enchained-fast Vnto the fatall rocke downe to the wast Was naked left, which thus was better dreat Beauty when most vncloth'd is clothed best: And now the Priest all rites had finished And those last words and hidden verses sayd Then thus he loud proclaimes, who dare aduenture Against this monstrous beast, now let him enter And if he conquer by his bold ndeauour This goodly maid shall bee his prize foreuer Straight was the monster loos'd, whose vgly sight Strooke euery trembling heart with cold affright Some sweate, some freeze, some shreike, some silent weare The eye durst neyther winke nor see for feare: Heauen hid his light, the fearefull sunne did shrow'd His glorious eye vnder a iety cloud. Saw'st thou the Orke? Yes, and my panting heart To thinke I saw it in my brest doth start. Can't thou describe it? Neuer tongue can tell What to it selfe no thought can pourtray well. More bigge then monstrous Python, whom men faine By Phaebus first was bred, by Phaebus slaine. His teeth thicke rankt in many a double band Like to an armed battell ready stand His eyes sunke in's head, more fearefull stood Like bloodie flame or like to flaming blood Not any eare vpon his head appeares, No plaint nor prayer, no threat nor charme he feares In sea and land he liues and takes from both Each monsters part which most we feare and loath, Soone as he felt him loose, he shakes his crest And hungry posteth to his ready feast And as through seas his oares a passage teare The thronging waues fly fast, and roare for feare. Me thinks I see him and th' vnhappy louer Strook through with fright. In all their shreiks he smiles Stretching his armes, to fight himselfe composes And nothing fear'd his body enterposes Shaking a dart the monster he defies Who scorning such a foe to's banquet flyes But he with certaine aime his Iauelin driues Which as the sender bad at's eye arriues. And fixt in's hollow sight, deepe drenched stood Quenching the bloody fire with fiery blood The wounded monster lowdly gins to yell If Hell doe speake such is the voyce of Hell, And to reuenge his hurt he flies apace The other dart met him i'th middle race And as along he blindly fast doth post His way and t'ther eye together lost Thus blinde he quickly dies, and being dead Leaues to his foe his spoiles, his pawes his head. Hercules thy twelue works with this one conferd This one before thy twelue might be preferd.