Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Nay there's the sorrow of it, and a grief Worse than their death's are, in a single combat They slew each other. Oh black family? But yet relate the manner of their death. When this great war of one divided womb, Two brothers met, both armies stood at gaze, Amazed both; the grieved gods of war, Withdrew their presence from so black a fight. Bellona broke her lance, the blue-eyed maid Fled from the field ashamed, and Mars drove back His Thracian chariot; in whose stead the furies Marshaled the field, and all th' Ogygian ghosts In a black ring beset the combatants Blasting the day with damps of Acheron. No Trumpets sounded, nor shrill cornets pierced The wounded air; for these the nights sad King Thrice thundered from Avernus; thrice the Earth with mournful groans gave signal to the fight. Old men complained that they had lived too long. To see that horrid sight; the women shrieked, And weeping mothers from the walls forbade Their children to behold it, but the Princes With such a furious hatred both encounter As if the souls of all their slaughtered friends, And both the armies, whom their cause engaged, Had lived in them, till fate so cruelly Balanced their strength, that both were slain, yet both were guilty conquerors. But did they die Together then. Eteocles fell first; o'er whom, before death closed up his eyes, Bloodless and feeble Polynices stood, And from his head taking th'imperial crown Impaled himself therewith; at last (quoth he) Thou art mine own. oh do not close his eyes Pale death, till he have seen me wear the Crown. But I must leave it too; Oh short short reign. If there be justice in the other world, Before great Minos' urn, it Minos' urn Be not a fable, will I summon thee, Nor shall this combat end our enmity. Then on his brother falling down he died. Oh horrid fight! bright Phoebus hide thy head, Wrap up the day in foggy clouds, and make An endless night, to hide this tragedy From human eyes; a blacker deed than this Thy light did ne'er discover, here let all The prodigies that threatened us, have end. The Argives all with winged speed are fled, And Thebes once more has peace; but that, I fear Long cannot last. What storm can threaten now? Creon no sooner was saluted King (For so he was since both those Princes fell) But he commanded (Oh fond tyranny) No man on pain of death should dare to bury One body of the Argives, they (alas) Remain exposed in the open field To feed the fowls, or perish in the air. Nor must the Argives only want the rites Of funeral; but Theban Polynices Because with them he fought against his country, Remains exposed as the Argives are In th' open air, who ere shall bury him, His own dead carcase shall supply the place.
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)
Nay there's the ſorrow of it, and a griefe Worſe then their death's are, in a ſingle combate They ſlew each other. Oh blacke family? But yet relate the manner of their death. When this great warre of one diuided wombe, Two brothers mett, both armies ſtood at gaze, Amazed both; the greiued gods of warre, Withdrew their preſence from ſo blacke a fight. Bellona broke her lance, the blew-ey'd maide Fled from the field aſham'd, and Mars droue backe His Thracian charriot; in whoſe ſtead the furyes Marſhall'd the field, and all th' Ogygian ghoſts In a blacke ring beſet the combatants Blaſting the day with dampes of Acheron. No Trumpets ſounded, nor ſhrill cornets peirc'd The wounded aire; for theſe the nights ſad King Thrice thunder'd from Auernus; thrice the Earth with mournfull grones gaue ſignall to the fight. Old men complain'd that they had liu'd too long. To ſee that horrid ſight; the women ſhreik'd, And weeping mothers from the walls forbad Their children to behold it, but the Princes With ſuch a furious hatred both encounter As if the ſoules of all their ſlaughter'd friends, And both the armyes, whom their cauſe engag'd, Had liu'd in them, till fate ſo cruelly Ballanc'd their ſtrength, that both were ſlaine, yet both were guilty conquerours. But did they dy Together then. Eteocles fell firſt; Ore whom, before death cloſed vp his eyes, Bloodleſſe and feeble Polynices ſtood, And from his head taking th'imperiall crowne Empal'd himſelfe therewith; at laſt (quoth hee) Thou art mine owne. oh doe not cloſe his eyes Pale death, till he haue ſeene me weare the Crowne. But I muſt leaue it too; Oh ſhort ſhort raigne. If there be iuſtice in the other world, Before great Minos vrne, it Minos vrne Be not a fable, will I ſummon thee, Nor ſhall this combate end our enmity. Then on his brother falling downe he dy'd. Oh horrid fight! bright Phaebus hide thy head, Wrap vp the day in foggy clouds, and make An endleſſe night, to hide this tragedy From human eyes; a blacker deed then this Thy light did nere diſcouer, here let all The prodigyes that threaten'd vs, haue end. The Argiues all with winged ſpeede are fled, And Thebes once more has peace; but that, I feare Long cannot laſt. What ſtorme can threaten now? Creon no ſooner was ſaluted King (For ſo hee was ſince both thoſe Princes fell) But he commanded (Oh fond tyranny) No man on paine of death ſhould dare to bury One body of the Argiues, they (alas) Remaine expoſed in the open field To feede the foules, or periſh in the aire. Nor muſt the Argiues only want the rites Of funerall; but Theban Polynices Becauſe with them he fought againſt his countrey, Remaines expoſed as the Argiues are In th' open aire, who ere ſhall bury him, His owne dead carcaſſe ſhall ſupply the place.