Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Royal Ladies, The night grows old, and danger threatens us. Be speedy now: these obsequies performed, You may with more security enjoy Each others mutual love, and then discourse Of Thebes, and Argos; danger, and the time Will not permit it now; not far from hence Are many fragments left of funeral fire, Where Thebans have been burned; those let us use, And then retire from this unhappy place. Where didst thou see those lights? 1. About the place Where Polynices' body lies. If any Have there performed forbidden obsequies, They cannot far escape; pursue with speed; Spare none; you know your oath, and penalty. The watch is up, and with a winged speed Pursues those lights, which my presaging soul Tells me attend on fair Antigone. Should what I fear prove true, they must not seize her, If all persuasions, promise of reward, Nor gold prevail not, the dear cause will lend This arm a strength above mortality. The watch is diligent; they do not know That I am in the field. No sure, my Lord. For your disguise is perfect, and no notice Was given from me at all. What things are these? Witches, my Lord, that come to exercise On these dead bodies that bestrew the field Their damned arts; here in the depth of night With incantations, and abused herbs They turn the dead's pale faces to inquire And hear the horrid oracles of death. Th' infernal gods over mastered by their power, Or else persuaded by some piety Which pleases them, deny these witches nothing Which they request, the souls of those dead men Are forced t' obey their charmings, and return Back to their ancient prisons, to reveal To these dire hags the secrecies of fate And things to come. I'll follow them Ianthus, And know what fortunes shall attend my reign. Ah good my Lord use not so bad away, You have at hand, a nobler means to know The truth of all; the old Tiresias Taught from the wisdom of the gods above, Who by a magic more divine and pure Surveys the course and influence of the stars, And in that glorious book reads the event Of future things, rather repair to him, Let him prepare a sacrifice, and ask The pleasure of the gods. Tut tut Ianthus, astrology's uncertain, and the gods In mystic riddles wrap their answers up. But he that dares with confidence to go inquire of deaths black oracles below In plainest terms the certain truth shall know. We come too late, nor can this field To us a speaking prophet yield. The carcases, whose cold dead tongues From whole, and yet unperished lungs, Twixt hell and us should hold commerce, And be the black interpreters Of Stygian counsels to relate The hid decrees of death and fate; Those carcases I say are grown Corrupt, and rotten every one, Their marrow's lost, their moisture's gone, Their Organs parched by the sun, That there the Ghost drawn up from hell's Dark entrance, nought, but broken yells, And dismal hizzings can afford, Not one intelligible word.
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)
Royall Ladyes, The night growes old, and danger threatens vs. Be ſpeedy now: theſe obſequies perform'd, You may with more ſecurity enioy Each others mutuall loue, and then diſcourſe Of Thebes, and Argos; danger, and the time Will not permit it now; not farre from hence Are many fragments left of funerall fire, Where Thebans haue beene burn'd; thoſe let vs vſe, And then retire from this vnhappy place. VVhere didſt thou ſee thoſe lights? 1. About the place VVhere Polynices body lyes. If any Haue there perform'd forbidden obſequies, They cannot farre eſcape; purſue with ſpeede; Spare none; you know your oath, and penalty. The watch is vp, and with a winged ſpeede Purſues thoſe lights, which my preſaging ſoule Tells me attend on faire Antigone. Should what I feare prooue true, they muſt not ſeize her, If all perſwaſions, promiſe of reward, Nor gold preuaile not, the deare cauſe will lend This arme a ſtrength aboue mortality. The watch is diligent; they doe not know That I am in the field. No ſure, my Lord. For your diſguiſe is perfect, and no notice VVas giuen from me at all. VVhat things are theſe? Witches, my Lord, that come to exerciſe On theſe dead bodyes that beſtrew the field Their damned arts; here in the depth of night With incantations, and abuſed herbes They turne the dead's pale faces to enquire And heare the horrid oracles of death. Th' infernall gods ore maſter'd by their power, Or elſe perſwaded by ſome piety Which pleaſes them, deny theſe witches nothing Which they requeſt, the ſoules of thoſe dead men Are forc'd t' obey their charmings, and returne Backe to their ancient priſons, to reueale To theſe dire haggs the ſecrecies of fate And things to come. Ile follow them Ianthus, And know what fortunes ſhall attend my reigne. Ah good my Lord vſe not ſo bad away, You haue at hand, a nobler meanes to know The truth of all; the old Tireſias Taught from the wiſedome of the gods aboue, Who by a magike more diuine and pure Surueyes the courſe and influence of the ſtarrs, And in that glorious booke reads the euent Of future things, rather repaire to him, Let him prepare a ſacrifice, and aske The pleaſure of the gods. Tut tut Ianthus, Aſtrolog'is vncertaine, and the gods In myſtike riddles wrap their anſwers vp. But he that dares with confidence to goe Enquire of deaths blacke oracles below In plaineſt terms the certaine truth ſhall know. We come too late, nor can this field To vs a ſpeaking prophet yeild. The carcaſſes, whoſe cold dead tongues From whole, and yet vnperiſh'd lungs, Twixt hell and vs ſhould hold commerce, And be the blacke interpreters Of Stygian counſells to relate The hid decrees of death and fate; Thoſe carcaſſes I ſay are growne Corrupt, and rotten euery one, Their marrow's loſt, their moiſtur's gone, Their Organs parched by the ſunne, That there the Ghoſt drawne vp from hells Darke entrance, nought, but broken yells, And diſmall hizzings can afford, Not one intelligible word.