"Oh! Words are weak, / To paint the Pangs, the Rage, the Indignation; / That whirl'd from Thought to Thought my Soul in Tempest, / Now on the Point to burst, and now by Shame / Repress'd."
— Thomson, James (1700-1748)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for A. Millar
Date
1745
Metaphor
"Oh! Words are weak, / To paint the Pangs, the Rage, the Indignation; / That whirl'd from Thought to Thought my Soul in Tempest, / Now on the Point to burst, and now by Shame / Repress'd."
Metaphor in Context
TANCRED.
O He advis'd it!
These many Years he has in secret hatch'd
This black Contrivance, glories in the Scheme,
And proudly plumes him with his traiterous Virtue.
But that was nought, Rodolpho, nothing, nothing!
O that was gentle, blameless to what follow'd!
I had, my Friend, to Sigismunda given,
To hush her Fears, in the full Gush of Fondness,
A Blank sign'd by my Hand--and he--O Heavens!
Was ever such a wild Attempt!--he wrote
Beneath my Name an absolute Compliance
To this detested Will; nay, dar'd to read it
Before my self, on my insulted Throne
His idle Pageant plac'd--Oh! Words are weak,
To paint the Pangs, the Rage, the Indignation;
That whirl'd from Thought to Thought my Soul in Tempest,
Now on the Point to burst, and now by Shame
Repress'd--But in the Face of Sicily,
All mad with Acclamation, what, Rodolpho,
What could I do? The sole Relief that rose
To my distracted Mind, was to adjourn
Th' Assembly till To-morrow--But To-morrow
What can be done?--O it avails not what!
I care not what is done--My only Care
Is how to clear my Faith to Sigismunda.
She thinks me false! She cast a Look that kill'd me!
O I am base in Sigismunda's Eye!
The lowest of Mankind, the most perfidious!
(II.ix)
O He advis'd it!
These many Years he has in secret hatch'd
This black Contrivance, glories in the Scheme,
And proudly plumes him with his traiterous Virtue.
But that was nought, Rodolpho, nothing, nothing!
O that was gentle, blameless to what follow'd!
I had, my Friend, to Sigismunda given,
To hush her Fears, in the full Gush of Fondness,
A Blank sign'd by my Hand--and he--O Heavens!
Was ever such a wild Attempt!--he wrote
Beneath my Name an absolute Compliance
To this detested Will; nay, dar'd to read it
Before my self, on my insulted Throne
His idle Pageant plac'd--Oh! Words are weak,
To paint the Pangs, the Rage, the Indignation;
That whirl'd from Thought to Thought my Soul in Tempest,
Now on the Point to burst, and now by Shame
Repress'd--But in the Face of Sicily,
All mad with Acclamation, what, Rodolpho,
What could I do? The sole Relief that rose
To my distracted Mind, was to adjourn
Th' Assembly till To-morrow--But To-morrow
What can be done?--O it avails not what!
I care not what is done--My only Care
Is how to clear my Faith to Sigismunda.
She thinks me false! She cast a Look that kill'd me!
O I am base in Sigismunda's Eye!
The lowest of Mankind, the most perfidious!
(II.ix)
Categories
Provenance
C-H Lion
Citation
At least 29 entries in ESTC (1745, 1748, 1749, 1752, 1755, 1758, 1759, 1761, 1764, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1770, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1779, 1784, 1787, 1790, 1792). [Robert Hume lists among the "few considerable new plays mounted" between 1737 and 1760.]
See Tancred and Sigismunda. A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal In Drury-Lane, By His Majesty's Servants. By James Thomson (London: Printed for A. Millar, 1745). <Link to ECCO>
See Tancred and Sigismunda. A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal In Drury-Lane, By His Majesty's Servants. By James Thomson (London: Printed for A. Millar, 1745). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
06/28/2013
