The Argument.
Ælius
Seianus, sonne to Seius Strabo, a gentleman of
Rome, and borne at Vulsinium, after his long seruice in
court; first, vnder Augustus, afterward, Tiberius: grew
into that fauour with the latter, and won him by those artes, as there
wanted nothing; but the name, to make him a copartner of the Empire.
Which greatnesse of his, Drusus, the Emperors sonne not brooking,
after many smother'd dislikes (it one day breaking out) the
Prince strooke him publikely on the face. To reuenge which disgrace,
Liuia, the wife of Drusus (being before corrupted by him to her dishonour,
and the discouery of her husbands councells) Seianus practiseth
with, together with her Physitian, called Eudemus, and one
Lygdus, an Eunuch, to poyson Drusus. This their inhumane act
hauing successefull, and vnsuspected passage, it emboldeneth Seianus
to farther, & more insolent proiects, euen the ambition of the Empire:
where finding the lets, he must encounter, to be many, & hard, in respect
of the issue of Germanicus (who were next in hope for the succession)
he deuiseth to make Tiberius selfe, his meanes: & instill's into
his eares many doubts, and suspicions, both against the Princes, and
their mother Agrippina: which Cæsar iealously hearkning to, as couetously
consenteth to their ruine, and their friends. In this time, the
better to mature and strengthen his designe, Seianus labors to marry
Liuia, and worketh (with all his ingine) to remoue Tiberius from
the knowledge of publike businesse, with allurements of a quiet and
retyred life: the latter of which, Tiberius (out of a prouenesse to
lust, and a desire to hide those vnnaturall pleasures, which he could
not so publikely practise) embraceth: the former inkindleth his feares,
and there, giues him first cause of doubt, or suspect toward Seianus.
Against whom, he raiseth (in priuate) a new instrument, one Sertorius
Macro, and by him vnder-worketh, discouers the others counsells,
his meanes, his ends, sounds the affections of the Senators, diuides,
distracts them: at last, when Seianus least looketh, and is
most secure (with pretext of doing him an vn-wonted honour in the
Senate) he traines him from his guardes, and with a long doubtfull
letter, in one day, hath him suspected, accused, condemned, and turne
in pieces, by the rage of the people,
