Selected quad for the lemma: city_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
city_n	great_a	part_n	people_n	5,808	4	4.2401	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61163	The plague of Athens, which hapned in the second year of the Peloponnesian Warre first described in Greek by Thucydides, then in Latin by Lucretius / now attempted in English, by Tho. Sprat.	Sprat, Thomas, 1635-1713.; Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War.; Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Book 2. English.; Hobbes, Thomas, 1588-1679.	1665 (1665)	Wing S5040; ESTC R17244	14,883	38

Let this Book be Printed Roger L'Estrange March 28. 1665. THE Plague of Athens Which hapned in the SECOND YEAR OF THE Peloponnesian Warre First described in Greek by Thucydides Then in Latin by Lucretius Now attempted in English By THO. SPRAT LONDON Printed by E. C. for Henry Brome at the Gun in Ivy-lane 1665. To my Worthy and Learned Friend Dr. Walter Pope late Proctor of the Vniversity of Oxford SIR I Know not what pleasure you could take in bestowing your commands so unprofitably unless it be that for which Nature sometimes cherishes and allows Monsters The love of Variety This onely delight you will receive by turning over this rude and unpolisht Copy and comparing it with my excellent Patterns the Greek and Latin By this you will see how much a noble Subject is chang'd and disfigured by an ill hand and what reason Alexander had to forbid his Picture to be drawn but by some celebrated Pencil In Greek Thucydides so well and so lively expresses it that I know not which is more a Poem his description or that of Lucretius Though it must be said that the Historian had a vast advantage over the Poet He having been present on the place and assaulted by the disease himself had the horror familiar to his Eyes and all the shapes of the misery still remaining on his mind which must needs make a great impression on his Pen and Fancie Whereas the Poet was forced to allow his foot-steps and onely work on that matter he allow'd him This I speak because it may in some measure too excuse my own defects For being so far remov'd from the place whereon the disease acted its Tragedy and time having denied us many of the circumstances customes of the Countrey and other small things which would be of great use to any one who did intend to be perfect on the subject besides onely writing by an Idaea of that which I never yet saw nor care to feel being not of the humor of the Painter in Sir Philip Sidney who thrust himself into the midst of a Fight that he might the better delineate it having I say all these disadvantages and many more for which I must onely blame my self it cannot be expected that I should come near equalling him in whom none of the contrary advantages were wanting Thus then Sir by emboldning me to this rash attempt you have given opportunitie to the Greek and Latin to Triumph over our Mother tongue Yet I would not have the honour of the Countries or Languages engaged in the comparison but that the inequality should reach no farther than the Authors But I have much reason to fear the just indignation of that excellent Person the present Ornament and Honour of our Nation whose way of writing I imitate for he may think himself as much injured by my following him as were the Heavens by that bold mans counterfeiting the sacred and unimitable noise of Thunder by the sound of Brass and Horses hoofs I shall onely say for my self that I took Cicero's advice who bids us in imitation propose the Noblest pattern to our thoughts for so we may be sure to be raised above the common Level though we come infinitely short of what we aim at Yet I hope that renowned Poet will have none of my crimes any way reflect on himself for it was not any fault in the excellent Musician that the weak Bird indeavouring by straining its throat to follow his Notes destroyed her self in the Attempt Well Sir by this that I have chosen rather to expose my self than be disobedient you may guess with what zeal and hazard I strive to approve my self SIR Your most Humble and Affectionate Servant THO. SPRAT THUCYDIDES Lib. 2. As it is excellently Translated by Mr. Hobbs IN the very beginning of Summer the Peloponnesians and their Confederates with two thirds of their forces as before invaded Attica under the conduct of Archidamus the son of Zeuxidamas King of Lacedaemon and after they had encamped themselves wasted the Countrey about them They had not been many days in Attica when the Plague first began amongst the Athenians said also to have seized formerly on divers other parts as about Lemnos and elsewhere but so great a Plague and Mortality of Men was never remembred to have hapned in any place before For at first neither were the Physicians able to cure it through ignorance of what it was but died fastest themselves as being the men that most approach'd the sick nor any other art of man availed whatsoever All supplications to the Gods and enquiries of Oracles and whatsoever other means they used of that kind proved all unprofitable insomuch as subdued with the greatness of the evil they gave them all over It began by report first in that part of Aethiopia that lieth upon Aegypt and thence fell down into Aegypt and Afrique and into the greatest part of the Territories of the King It invaded Athens on a sudden and touched first upon those that dwelt in Pyraeus insomuch as they reported that the Peloponnesians had cast poyson into their Wells for Springs there were not any in that place But afterwards it came up into the high City and then they died a great deal faster Now let every man Physician or other concerning the ground of this sickness whence it sprung and what causes he thinks able to produce so great an alteration speak according to his own knowledge for my own part I will deliver but the manner of it and lay open onely such things as one may take his Mark by to discover the same if it come again having been both sick of it my self and seen others sick of the same This year by confession of all men was of all other for other Diseases most free and healthful If any man were sick before his disease turned to this if not yet suddenly without any apparent cause preceding and being in perfect health they were taken first with an extream ache in their Heads redness and i●flamation of the Eyes and then inwardly their Throats and Tongues grew presently bloody and their breath noysome and unsavory Upon this followed a sneezing and hoarsness and not long after the pain together with a mighty cough came down into the brest And when once it was setled in the Stomach it caused vomit and with great torment came up all manner of bilious purgation that Physicians ever named Most of them had also the Hickeyexe which brought with it a strong Convulsion and in some ceased quickly but in others was long before it gave over Their bodies outwardly to the touch were neither very hot nor pale but reddish livid and beflowred with little pimples and whelks but so burned inwardly as not to endure any the lightest cloaths or linnen garment to be upon them nor any thing but meer nakedness but rather most willingly to have cast themselves into the cold water And many of them that were not looked to possessed with

insatiate thirst ran unto the Wells and to drink much or little was indifferent being still from ease and power to sleep as far as ever As long as the disease was at the height their bodies wasted not but resisted the torment beyond all expectation insomuch as the most of them either died of their inward burning in 9 or 7 dayes whilest they had yet strength or if they escaped that then the disease falling down into their bellies and causing there great exulcerations and immoderate looseness they died many of them afterwards through weakness For the disease which took first the head began above and came down and passed through the whole body and he that overcame the worst of it was yet marked with the loss of his extreme parts for breaking out both at their Privy-members and at their Fingers and Toes many with the loss of these escaped There were also some that lost there Eys many that presently upon their recovery were taken with such an oblivion of all things whatsoever as they neither knew themselves nor their acquaintance For this was a kind of sickness which far surmounted all expression of words and both exceeded Humane Nature in the cruelty wherewith it handled each one and appeared also otherwise to be none of those diseases that are bred amongst us and that especially by this For all both Birds and Beasts that use to feed on Humane flesh though many men lay abroad unburied either came not at them or tasting perished An Argument whereof as touching the Birds is the manifest defect of such Fowl which were not then seen neither about the Carcasses or any where else but by the Dogs because they are familiar with Men this effect was seen much clearer So that this disease to pass over many strange particulars of the accidents that some had differently from others was in general such as I have shewn and for other usual sicknesses at that time no man was troubled with any Now they died some for want of attendance and some again with all the care and Physick that could be used Nor was there any to say certain Medicine that applied must have helped them for if it did good to one it did harm to another nor any difference of Body for strength or weakness that was able to resist it but it carried all away what Physick soever was administred But the greatest misery of all was the dejection of Mind in such as found themselves beginning to be sick for they grew presently desperate and gave themselves over without making any resistance as also their dying thus like Sheep infected by mutual visitation For if men forbore to visit them for fear then they died forlorn whereby many Families became empty for want of such as should take care of them If they forbore not then they died themselves and principally the honestest men For out of shame they would not spare themselves but went in unto their friends especially after it was come to this pass that even their Domesticks wearied with the lamentations of them that died and overcome with the greatness of the calamity were no longer moved therewith But those that were recovered had much compassion both on them that died and on them that lay sick as having both known the misery themselvs and now no more subject to the like danger For this disease never took any man the second time so as to be mortal And these men were both by others counted happy and they also themselves through excess of present joy conceived a kind of light hope never to die of any other sickness hereafter Besides the present affliction the reception of the Countrey people and of their substance into the City oppressed both them and much more the people themselves that so came in For having no Houses but dwelling at that time of the year in stifling Booths the Mortality was now without all form and dying men lay tumbling one upon another in the Streets and men half dead about every Conduit through desire of water The Temples also where they dwelt in Tents were all full of the dead that died within them for oppressed with the violence of the Calamity and not knowing what to do Men grew careless both of Holy and Prophane things alike And the Laws which they formerly used touching Funerals were all now broken every one burying where he could find room And many for want of things necessary after so many Death 's before were forced to become impudent in the Funerals of their Friends For when one had made a Funeral Pile another getting before him would throw on his dead and give it fire And when one was in burning another would come and having cast thereon him whom he carried go his way again And the great licentiousness which also in other kinds was used in the City began at first from this disease For that which a man before would dissemble and not acknowledge to be done for voluptuousness he durst now do freely seeing before his Eyes such quick revolution of the rich dying and men worth nothing inheriting their Estates insomuch as they justified a speedy fruition of their Goods even for their pleasure as Men that thought they held their Lives but by the day As for pains no man was forward in any action of Honour to take any because they thought it uncertain whether they should die or not before they atchieved it But what any man knew to be delightful and to be profitable to pleasure that was made both profitable and hononourable Neither the fear of the Gods nor Laws of men awed any man Not the former because they concluded it was alike to worship or not worship from seeing that alike they all perished nor the latter because no man expected that lives would last till he received punishment of his crimes by Iudgement But they thought there was now over their heads some far greater Iudgement decreed against them before which fell they thought to enjoy some little part of their Lives The Plague of ATHENS I. UNhappy Man by Nature made to sway And yet is every Creatures prey Destroy'd by those that should his power obey Of the whole World we call Man-kind the Lords Flattring our selves with mighty words Of all things we the Monarchs are And so we rule and so we domineer All creatures else about us stand Like some Praetorian Band To guard to help and to defend Yet they sometimes prove Enemies Sometimes against us rise Our very Guards rebel and tyrannize Thousand Diseases sent by Fate Unhappie Servants on us wait A thousand Treacheries within Are laid weak Life to win Huge Troops of Maladies without A grim a meager and a dreadful rout Some formal Sieges make And with sure slowness do our Bodies take Some with quick violence storm the Town And all in a moment down Some one peculiar sort assail Some by general attempt prevail Small Herbs alas can onely us relieve And small is the assistance

or heat did come They will rejoyce at such a doom They 'l bless thy Pestilential fire Though by it they expire They 'l thank the very Flames with which they do consume XXV Then if that banquet will not thee suffice Seek out new Lands where thou maist tyrannize Search every forrest every hill And all that in the hollow mountains dwell Those wild and untame troops devour Thereby thou wilt the rest of men secure And that the rest of men will thank thee for Let all those humane beasts be slain Till scarce their memory remain Thy self with that ignoble slaughter fill 'T will be permitted thee that blood to spill Measure the ruder world throughout March all the Ocean shores about Only pass by and spare the British Isle Go on and what Columbus once shall do When daies and time unto their ripeness grow Find out new lands and unknown countries too Attempt those lands which yet are hid From all Mortalitie beside There thou maist steal a victory And none of this world hear the cry Of those that by thy wounds shall die No Greek shall know thy cruelty And tell it to posterity Go and unpeople all those mighty Lands Destroy with unrelenting hands Go and the Spaniards sword prevent Go make the Spaniard innocent Go and root out all min-kind there That when the Europaean Armies shall appear Their sin may be the less They may find all a wilderness And without blood the gold and silver there possess XXVI Nor is this all which we thee grant Rather than thou should'st full imployment want We do permit in Greece it self thy kingdom plant Ransack Lycurgus streets throughout They 've no defence of walls to keep thee out On wanton and proud Corinth seise Nor let her double waves thy flames appease Let Cyprus feel more fires than those of Love Let Delos which at first did give the Sun See unknown Flames in her begun Now let her wish she might unconstant prove And from her place might truly move Let Lemnos all thy anger feel And think that a new Vulcan fell And brought with him new Anvils and new hell Nay and at Athens too we give thee up All that thou find'st in Field or camp or shop Make havock there without controul Of every ignorant and common soul But then kind Plague thy conquests stop Let Arts and let the learned there escape Upon Minerva's self commit no rape Touch not the sacred throng And let Apollo's Priests be like him young Let him be healthful too and strong But ah too ravenous plague whilst I Strive to keep off the misery The learned too as fast as others round me die They from corruption are not free Are mortal though they give an immortality XXVII They turn'd their Authors o're to try What help what cure what remedy All Natures stores against this Plague supply And though besides they shunn'd it every where They search'd it in their books and fain would meet it there They turn'd the Records of the antient times And chiefly those that were made famous by their crimes To find if men were punish'd so before But found not the Disease nor cure Nature alas was now surpriz'd And all her Forces seiz'd Before she was how to resist advis'd So when the Elephants did first affright The Romans with unusual fight They many battels lose Before they knew their foes Before they understood such dreadful troops t' oppose XXVIII Now ev'ry different Sect agrees Against their common adversary the disease And all their little wranglings cease The Pythagoreans from their precepts swerve No more their silence they observe Out of their Schools they run Lament and cry and groan They now desir'd their Metempsychosis Not onely do dispute but wish That they might turn to beasts or fowls or fish If the Platonicks had been here They would have curs'd their Masters year When all things shall be as they were When they again the same disease should bear And all Philosophers would now What the great Stagyrite shall do Themselves into the waters head-long throw XXIX The Stoick felt the deadly stroke At first assault their courage was not broke They call'd to all the Cobweb aid Of rules and precepts which in store they had They bid their hearts stand out Bid them be calm and stout But all the strength of precepts will not do'r They cannot the storms of passions now asswage As common men are angry grieve and rage The Gods are called upon in vain The Gods gave no release unto their pain The Gods to fear even for themselves began For now the sick unto the Temples came And brought more than a holy flame There at the Altars made their prayer They sacrific'd and died there A sacrifice not seen before That Heaven onely us'd unto the gore Of Lambs or Bulls should now Loaded with Priests see its own Altars too XXX The woods gave fun'ral piles no more The dead the very fire devour And that almighty Conqueror over-power The noble and the common dust Into each others graves are thrust No place is sacred and no tomb 'T is now a priviledge to consume Their ashes no distinction had Too truly all by death are equal made The Ghosts of those great Heroes that had fled From Athens long since banished Now o're the City hovered Their anger yielded to their love They left th' immortal joyes above So much their Athens danger did them move They came to pity and to aid But now alas were quite dismay'd When they beheld the marbles open lay'd And poor mens bones the noble Urns invade Back to the blessed seats they went And now did thank their banishment By which they were to die in forreign Countries sent XXXI But what Great Gods was worst of all Hell forth its magazines of Lusts did call Nor would it be content With the thick troops of souls were thither sent Into the upper world it went Such guilt such wickedness Such irreligion did increase That the few good who did survive Were angry with the Plague for suffring them to live More for the living than the dead did grieve Some robb'd the very dead Though sure to be infected ere they fled Though in the very Air sure to be punished Some nor the shrines nor temples spar'd Nor Gods nor Heavens fear'd Though such examples of their power appear'd Vertue was now esteem'd an empty name And honesty the foolish voice of fame For having pass'd those tort'ring flames before They thought the punishment already o're Thought Heaven no worse torments had in store Here having felt one Hell they thought there was no more FINIS A List of some choice Poems Printed for Henry Brome at the Gun in Ivy-lane POems Lyrique Macronique Heroique c. by Mr. Henry Bold Songs and Poems by Mr. A. Brome the second Edition All the Songs and Poems on the Long Parliament from 1640. till 1661. by Persons of Quality Songs and Poems by the Wits of both Universities Scarronnides or Virgil Travestie a Mock-Poem being the first Book of Virgils Aeneis in English Burlesque Scarronnides or Virgil Travestie a Mock-Poem being the fourth Book of Virgils Aeneis in English Burlesque both by a Person of Honour Also a List of what Damages we have received by the Dutch And a brief History of the late War with the Turks PLAYES The English Moor. The Love-sick Court The New Academy The Weeding of Covent-Garden The Royal Exchange The Jovial Crew or the Merry Beggars All by Mr. Richard Brome