Caesar and Pompey (The Wars of Caesar and Pompey) · chunk 13 of 34
Chapman, George · published 1631 · first performed or written 1605 [1602-1605; Act 2, sc. 1 written 1610-1611(?)] (Annals) tragedy · Unacted (?) · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
Which right well You might have raised so high, that on their tops Your Throne was offered, ever t'overlook Subverted Caesar, had you been so blessed To give such honour to your captain's Counsels As their alacrities did long to merit With proof-ful action. O 'twas ill neglected. It was deferred with reason, which not yet Th'event so clear is to confute. If 'twere, Our likeliest than was, not to hazard battle, Th'adventure being so casual; if compared With our more certain means to his subversion? For finding now our army amply stored With all things fit to tarry surer time, Reason thought better to extend to length The war betwixt us; that his little strength May by degrees prove none; which urged now, (Consisting of his best and ablest soldiers) We should have found at one direct set battle Of matchless valours; their defects of victual Not tiring yet enough on their tough nerves, Where, on the other part, to put them still In motion, and remotion, here and there; Enforcing them to fortifying still wherever they set down; to siege a wall, Keep watch all night in armour: their most part Can never bear it, by their years' oppression; Spent heretofore too much in those steel toils. I so advised, and yet repent it not, But much rejoice in so much saved blood As had been poured out in the stroke of battle, Whose fury thus prevented, comprehends Your Country's good, and Empires; in whose care Let me beseech you that in all this war, You sack no City, subject to our Rule, Nor put to sword one Citizen of Rome; But when the needful fury of the sword Can make no fit distinction in main battle, That you will please still to prolong the stroke Of absolute decision to these jars, Considering you shall strike it with a man Of much skill and experience, and one That will his Conquest sell at infinite rate, If that must end your difference; but I doubt There will come humble offer on his part, Of honoured peace to you, for whose sweet name So cried out to you in our late-met Senate, Lost no fit offer of that wished treaty. Take pity on your country's blood as much As possible may stand without the danger Of hindering her justice on her foes, Which all the gods to your full wish dispose. Why will you leave us? whither will you go To keep your worthiest person in more safety Than in my army, so devoted to you? My person is the least, my Lord, I value; I am commanded by our powerful Senate, To view the Cities, and the kingdom's situate About your either army, that which side Soever conquer, no disordered stragglers Puffed with the Conquest, or by need impelled, May take their swinge more than the care of one May curb and order in these neighbour confines My chief pass yet resolves for Utica.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Which right well You might haue raiſde ſo high, that on their tops Your Throne was offer'd, euer t'ouerlooke Subuerted Caeſar, had you beene ſo bleſt To giue ſuch honor to your Captaines Counſailes As their alacrities did long to merit With proofefull action. O twas ill neglected. It was deferr'd with reaſon, which not yet Th'euent ſo cleare is to confute. If twere, Our likelieſt then was, not to hazard battaile, Th'aduenture being ſo caſuall; if compar'd With our more certaine meanes to his ſubuerſion? For finding now our army amply ſtorde With all things fit to tarry ſurer time, Reaſon thought better to extend to length The warre betwixt vs; that his little ſtrength May by degrees proue none; which vrged now, (Conſiſting of his beſt and ableſt ſouldiers) We ſhould haue found at one direct ſet battaile Of matchleſſe valours; their defects of victuall Not tyring yet enough on their tough nerues, Where, on the other part, to put them ſtill In motion, and remotion, here and there; Enforcing them to fortifying ſtill Where euer they ſet downe; to ſiege a wall, Keepe watch all night in armour: their moſt part Can neuer beare it, by their yeares oppreſſion; Spent heretofore too much in thoſe ſteele toyles. I ſo aduiſde, and yet repent it not, But much reioyce in ſo much ſaued blood As had beene pour'd out in the ſtroke of battaile, Whoſe fury thus preuented, comprehends Your Countreys good, and Empires▪ in whoſe care Let me beſeech you that in all this warre, You ſack no City, ſubiect to our Rule, Nor put to ſword one Citizen of Rome; But when the needfull fury of the ſword Can make no fit diſtinction in maine battaile, That you will pleaſe ſtill to prolong the ſtroke Of abſolute deciſion to theſe iarres, Conſidering you ſhall ſtrike it with a man Of much skill and experience, and one That will his Conqueſt ſell at infinite rate, If that muſt end your difference; but I doubt There will come humble offer on his part, Of honor'd peace to you, for whoſe ſweet name So cryed out to you in our late-met Senate, Loſt no fit offer of that wiſhed treaty. Take pity on your Countreys blood as much As poſſible may ſtand without the danger Of hindering her iuſtice on her foes, Which all the gods to your full wiſh diſpoſe. Why will you leaue vs? whither will you goe To keepe your worthyeſt perſon in more ſafety Then in my army, ſo deuoted to you? My perſon is the leaſt, my Lord, I value; I am commanded by our powerfull Senate, To view the Cities, and the kingdomes ſcituate About your either army, that which ſide Soeuer conquer, no diſordered ſtraglers Puft with the Conqueſt, or by need impeld, May take their ſwinge more then the care of one May curb and order in theſe neighbor confines My chiefe paſſe yet reſolues for Vtica.