Topic 34 — Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, slaughter and funeral rites
Dominant work: Jocasta · genre mix of this topic (British Drama labels): tragedy 85%; tragedy; literary play 4%; comedy 4%
47chunks
23,534words
15works
3works with ≥3 chunks
26 %dominant work
66 %top-3 works
All statistics on this page are on the representative editions (one per work). Including the other editions, placed after the fit: 64 chunks · 16 works · 31,993 words — those 17 chunks are listed at the end of the page and are not part of any figure above.
Classificationcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · confirmed by the researcher Label (researcher): Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, slaughter and funeral rites Notes (researcher): follow-up reading confirms a Theban core: Jocasta, Thebais and Antigone supply 31 of 47 chunks (66%). Full chunks reviewed: 106_00019; 132_00011; 965_00006. Their content connects siege, dynastic conflict, royal violence and funeral obligations. Retain Thebes in the label; the previously sampled Tamburlaine and Cleopatra passages (156_00031; 1099_00023) represent related catastrophe and mourning at the boundary. Include as a shared narrative and thematic domain, with its concentration in three related works explicitly acknowledged. This is a sampled interpretation, not exhaustive validation of all members.Original AI draft — before researcher review
draft label: Thebes: Oedipus' sons, Antigone and Creon · pattern basis: shared_narrative 47 chunks, 15 works, Jocasta 26 %, top three 66 % (Jocasta, May's Antigone, Seneca's Thebais). One legend, the Theban cycle; keywords are names. Group decision (single-story clusters T7, T20, T34, T54, T55, T59): decide once whether a shared story counts as a subject for genre comparison, as subject areas already do (T2 Rome, T10/T18 English chronicle matter, T12 the gods); if yes → candidate with the concentration noted, if no → contextual_only. chunks read for the draft: 106_00019;965_00006;132_00011;1003_00002;65_00008;85_00018;140_00002
Gascoigne, George / Kinwelmershe, Francis / , 1573 · tragedy · 12 chunks of this work here
And who is he that seeks to have my blood, And shall not shed his own as fast as mine? By thee he stands, and thou standst him before, Lo here the sword that shall perform his word…
May, Thomas, 1631 · tragedy · 11 chunks of this work here
My Lord, I will obey; And thus I take my leave. Too cruel Dircus. Was I not miserable enough before, But thou must load my sufferings with thy death? What cause hadst thou to die? …
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Newton, Thomas, 1581 · tragedy · 8 chunks of this work here
And to promote thy hot desire both willing were, and priest: Yet all thy friends are fled away, and all recoiled back, And Soldiers here and there in Fields are come to deadly wrac…
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, 1561 · tragedy; literary play · 2 chunks of this work here
Then brother, father, kingdom, house, that dearer is to me The hate of thee: the which to me with people for to be In common, woe I am: how great is mine alonely part? Rule on full…
Lyly, John, 1584 · comedy · 2 chunks of this work here
Then if it be such a thing to be Alexander, I hope it shallbe no miserable thing to be a virgin. For if he save our honours, it is more than; to restore our goods. And rather do I …
Shakespeare, William / Fletcher, John, 1634 · tragicomedy · 2 chunks of this work here
Sir I'll follow you at heeles; The Feasts solemnity Shall want till your return. cousin I charge you Budge not from Athens; We shall be returning Ere you can end this Feast; of whi…
May, Thomas, 1639 · tragedy · 2 chunks of this work here
Is she living? 'tis welcome news, convey me quickly, friends, Oh quickly thither, that I may expire That breath that's left in Cleopatrae's arms. Go you, Epaphroditus, and besiege …
Heywood, Jasper / Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, 1560 · tragedy · 1 chunks of this work here
A lust reward for such desertis, the god (o brother dear) repay to thee: but on my head a regal crown to wear, My loathsome life denies: and far doth from the sceptre flee My hand …
Genre mix (chunks of this topic, British Drama labels)
tragedy
40 (85 %)
tragedy; literary play
2 (4 %)
comedy
2 (4 %)
tragicomedy
2 (4 %)
tragicomedy; literary play
1 (2 %)
This is the direction topic → genre, on the raw British Drama labels; the share of each genre group's text that falls in this topic is on the Genre page.
Antigone, the Theban Princess (1631) · typ. 0.89 …ered foes. Let cruel Creon too, though he at all Deserve it not, have rites of funeral. Those pious rites will we perform with joy, And thanks to mighty Theseus, may the Gods. Assist thee ever; and great Hercules Beholding thy brave actions from the sky Rejoice, and not disdain at all to be Esteemed thy equal by posterity. Send back Argia…
Thebais (Seneca's Third Tragedy) (1581) · typ. 0.89 …hou wouldst bewail his death. And therefore make no more ado, but cease from wicked brawl, Rid country out of trembling fear, and parent's dole forestall. What, shall my Brother for this vile and shameful breach of pacie Go scotfree thus? shall he receive no guerdon for his fact? Fear not my Son, he shall be paid, and paid again, I trow: …
Jocasta (1573) · typ. 0.88 … soil besprinkled with thy blood. Not one small drop of my blood shalt thou spill, But buy it dear against thy cankered will. O sons, my sons, for pity yet refrain. Good Gods, whoever saw so strange a sight? True love and friendship both be put to flight. Yield villain, yield my right which thou withholds. Cut of thy hope to reign in Theb…
Thebais (Seneca's Third Tragedy) (1581) · typ. 0.88 … whilom reigned King Labdack many a day. The greatest share and portion that I do look to have Out of my Father's Kingdom, is my Father's life to save. Him neither shall Eteocles my elder brother take Away from me, who now by force the Theban realm doth rake. Ne Polynices, who as now is Mustering men apace. From Argos Land: with full inte…
Jocasta (1573) · typ. 0.87 …untry for to spoil, But if so please to fortune and to fate That other end than I do think may fall, To thee my friend it resteth to procure The marriage twixt my sister Antigone And thy dear son Haemon, to whom for dower At parting thus I promise to perform As much as late I did behest to thee: My mother's blood and brother dear thou art…
Antigone, the Theban Princess (1631) · typ. 0.87 … Go you to Athens, sister, and entreat Great Theseus' aid, whilst I, whose fatal quarrel Was cause of all this dire and mournful war, Will try what mercy can be found in Thebes. Do not expose your life to such an hazard. What mischief can an humble suppliant fear? Besides my suit to Creon will in Thebes Be seconded by Polynices' friends. …
Antigone, the Theban Princess (1631) · typ. 0.86 … but now a word of horror, And endless sorrow! yet give leave t' enterre My husband's hearse, and I will love thee still, And leave my heart for evermore to dwell On thy dear ground, behold with what attendance, What state the great Adrastus' daughter comes To claim her right at Thebes; how poor a claim The wronged wife of Polynices makes…
The Two Noble Kinsmen (1634) · typ. 0.86 … say Groan under such a Mastery. As we are men Thus should we do, being sensually subdued We lose our humane title; good cheer Ladies. Now turn we towards your Comforts. Dear Palamon, dearer in love then Blood And our prime Cosen, yet unhardened in The Crimes of nature; Let us leave the City Thebes, and the tempt in't, before we further S…
Jocasta (1573) · typ. 0.85 …s both friends behold. At thy depart, O lovely child, thou left My house in tears, and me thy wretched dame, Mirror of martyrdom, waymenting still Th' unworthy exile thy brother thee gave: Ne was there ever son or friend far off, Of his dear friends or mother so desired, As thy return, in all the town of Thebes. And of myself more than th…
Antigone, the Theban Princess (1631) · typ. 0.85 …o me More pleasing than a palace. Heaven forefend; May the just gods hereafter recompense Argia's virtue with a happier love Than Polynices was, and happier friends Than Thebes can give, do not lament for me, Not fear the torments of my lingering death. I am provided of a remedy That shall delude the cruelty of Creon. Farewell my dearest …
Thebais (Seneca's Third Tragedy) (1581) · typ. 0.85 …ifold. Call now to thy remembrance here, thy Father OEdipus, Whose doom, did Facts (by error done) even plague, & punish thus. With Fire, & sword subvert not clean (good Son) thy country dear, And Thebes whereof thou wouldst be king) surcease with force to tear. What Bedlam pang enchants thy mind? what might thy meaning be? Thou claim'st …
Antigone, the Theban Princess (1631) · typ. 0.85 May Thebes prove gentle when Argia enters. Now I am free to act what I design. Shall I expect the doubtful grant of Creon, Or Theseus lingering aid, whilst thou, dear Lord, Art food for vultures? whilst thy funeral Decreases daily, and thy wandering Ghost Perchance complaining to th'infernal gods Callest me unkind, and cruel? I wi…
All 47 chunks of the representative editions (chronological; click a header to sort)