 | Seianus his Fall |  |
360
Act. I.
Sabinvs, Silivs, Natta, Latiaris, Cordvs, Satrivs, Arrvntivs, Evdemvs, Haterivs, &c.
Haile, Caivs, Silivs.
Sil.
Titivs Sabinvs, Haile.
Yo'are rarely met in court!
Sab.
Therefore, well met.
Sil.
'Tis true: Indeed, this place is not our sphære.
Sab.
No, Silivs, wee are no good inginers;
We want the fine arts, & their thriuing vse,
Should make vs grac'd, or fauour'd of the times:
We haue no shift of faces, no cleft tongues,
No soft, and glutinous bodies, that can sticke,
Like snailes, on painted walls; or, on our brests,
Creepe vp, to fall, from that proud height, to which
We did by slauerie, not by seruice, clime.
We are no guilty men, and then no great;
We haue nor place in court, office in state,
That we can say, we owe vnto our crimes:
We burne with no black secrets, which can make
Vs deare to the pale authors; or liue fear'd
Of their still waking iealosies, to raise
Our selues a fortune, by subuerting theirs.
We stand not in the lines, that doe aduance
To that so courted point.
Sil.
But yonder leane
A paire that doe.
Sab.
(Good cousin Latiaris.)
Sil.
Satrivs Secvndvs, and Pinnarivs Natta,
The great Seianvs clients: There be two,
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Were they rip'd vp to light, it would be found
A poore, and idle sinne, to which their trunkes
Had not beene made fit organs. These can lye,
Flatter, and sweare, forsweare, depraue, informe,
Smile, and betray; make guilty men; then beg
The forfeit liues, to get the liuings; cut
Mens throates with whisprings; sell to gaping sutors
The emptie smoake, that flyes about the Palace;
Laugh, when their patron laughes; sweat, when he sweates;
Be hot, and cold with him; change euery moode,
Habit, and garbe, as often as he varies;
Obserue him, as his watch obserues his clocke;
And true, as turkise in the deare lords ring,
Looke well, or ill with him: ready to praise
His lordship, if he spit, or but pisse faire,
Haue an indifferent stoole, or breake winde well,
Nothing can scape their catch.
Sab.
Alas! these things
Deserue no note, confer'd with other vile,
And filthier flatteries, that corrupt the times:
When, not alone our gentries chiefe are faine
To make their safety from such sordide acts,
But all our Consuls, and no little part
Of such as haue beene Prætors, yea, the most
Of Senators (that else not vse their voyces)
Start vp in publique Senate, and there striue
Who shall propound most abiect things, and base,
So much, as oft Tiberivs hath beene heard,
Leauing the court, to crie, ô race of men,
Prepar'd for seruitude! which shew'd, that, he
Who least the publique liberty could like,
As loathly brook'd their flat seruilitie.
Sil.
Well, all is worthy of vs, were it more,
Who with our ryots, pride, and ciuill hate,
Haue so prouok'd the iustice of the gods.
We, that (within these fourescore yeeres) were borne
Free, equall lords of the triumphed world,
And knew no masters, but affections,
To which betraying first our liberties,
We since became the slaues to one mans lusts;
And now to many: euery ministring spie
That will accuse, and sweare, is lord of you,
Of me, of all, our fortunes, and our liues.
Our lookes are call'd to question, and our wordes,
How innocent soeuer, are made crimes;
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Or thinke, but 'twill be treason.
Sab.
“Tyrannes artes
“Are to giue flatterers, grace; accusers, power;
“That those may seeme to kill whom they deuoure.
Now good Cremvtivs Cordvs.
Cor.
Haile, to your lordship.
They whisper.
Nat.
Who's that salutes your cousin?
Lat.
'Tis one Cordvs,
A gentleman of Rome: one, that has writ
Annal's of late, they say, and very well.
Nat.
Annal's? of what times?
Lat.
I thinke of Pompei's,
And Caivs Caesars; and so downe to these.
Nat.
How stands h'affected to the present state?
Is he or Drusian? or Germanican?
Or ours? or neutrall?
Lat.
I know him not so far.
Nat.
Those times are somewhat queasie to be toucht.
Haue you or seene, or heard part of his worke?
Lat.
Not I, he meanes they shall be publike shortly.
Nat.
O. Cordvs do you cal him?
Lat.
I.
Sab.
But these our times
Are not the same, Arrvntivs.
Arr.
Times? the men,
The men are not the same: 'tis we are base,
Poore, and degenerate from th'exalted streine
Of our great fathers. Where is now the soule
Of god-like Cato? he, that durst be good,
When Caesar durst be euill; and had power,
As not to liue his slaue, to dye his master.
Or where the constant Brvtvs, that (being proofe
Against all charme of benefits) did strike
So braue a blow into the monsters heart
That sought vnkindly to captiue his countrie?
O, they are fled the light. Those mightie spirits
Lye rak'd vp, with their ashes in their vrnes,
And not a sparke of their eternall fire
Glowes in a present bosome. All's but blaze,
Flashes, and smoke, wherewith we labour so,
There's nothing Romanc in vs; nothing good,
Gallant, or great: 'Tis true, that Cordvs say's,
Braue Cassivs was the last of all that race.
Drusus passeth by.
Sab.
Stand by, lord Drvsvs.
Hat.
Th'Emp'rours son, giue place.
Sil.
I like the prince well.
Arr.
A riotous youth,
There's little hope of him.
Sab.
That fault his age
Will, as it growes, correct. Me thinkes, he beares
Himselfe, each day, more nobly then other:
And wins no lesse on mens affections,
Then doth his father lose. Beleeue me, I loue him;
And chiefly for opposing to Seianvs.
Sil.
And I, for gracing his yong kinsmen so,
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A gallant cleerenesse in him, a streight minde,
That enuies not, in them, their fathers name.
Arr.
His name was, while he liu'd, aboue all enuie;
And being dead, without it. O, that man!
If there were seedes of the old vertue left,
They liu'd in him.
Sil.
He had the fruits, Arrvntivs,
More then the seedes: Sabinvs, and my selfe
Had meanes to know him, within; and can report him.
We were his followers, (he would call vs friends.)
He was a man most like to vertue; In all,
And euery action, neerer to the gods,
Then men, in nature; of a body as faire
As was his mind; and no lesse reuerend
In face, then fame: He could so vse his state,
Temp'ring his greatnesse, with his grauitie,
As it auoyded all selfe-loue in him,
And spight in others. What his funeralls lack'd
In images, and pompe, they had supply'd
With honourable sorrow, souldiers sadnesse,
A kind of silent mourning, such, as men
(Who know no teares, but from their captiues) vse
To shew in so great losses.
Cor.
I thought once,
Considering their formes, age, manner of deaths,
The neerenesse of the places, where they fell,
T'haue paralell'd him with great Alexander:
For both were of best feature, of high race,
Yeer'd but to thirtie, and, in forraine lands,
By their owne people, alike made away.
Sab.
I know not, for his death, how you might wrest it:
But, for his life, it did as much disdaine
Comparison, with that voluptuous, rash,
Giddy, and drunken Macedon's, as mine
Doth with my bond-mans. All the good, in him,
(His valour, and his fortune) he made his;
But he had other touches of late Romanes,
That more did speake him: Pompei's dignitie,
The innocence of Cato, Caesar's spirit,
Wise Brvtvs temp'rance, and euery vertue,
Which, parted vnto others, gaue them name,
Flow'd mixt in him. He was the soule of goodnesse:
And all our praises of him are like streames
Drawne from a spring, that still rise full, and leaue
The part remayning greatest.
Arr.
I am sure
He was too great for vs, and that they knew
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Sab.
When men grow fast
Honor'd, and lou'd, there is a tricke in state
(Which iealous princes neuer faile to vse)
How to decline that growth, with faire pretext,
And honourable colours of employment,
Either by embassie, the war, or such,
To shift them forth into another aire,
Where they may purge, and lessen; so was he:
And had his secon'ds there, sent by Tiberivs,
And his more subtile damme, to discontent him;
To breede, and cherish mutinies; detract
His greatest actions; giue audacious check
To his commands; and worke to put him out
In open act of treason. All which snares
When his wise cares preuented, a fine poyson
Was thought on, to mature their practices.
Cor.
Here comes Seianvs.
Sil.
Now obserue the stoupes,
The bendings, and the falls.
Arr.
Most creeping base!
They passe ouer the stage.
Seianvs
, Satrivs, Terentivs, &c.
I note 'hem well: No more. Say you.
Sat.
My lord,
There is a gentleman of Rome would buy—
Sei.
How cal you him you talk'd with?
Sat.
'Please your lordship,
It is Evdemvs, the physitian
To Livia, Drvsv's wife.
Sei.
On with your sute.
Would buy, you said—
Sat.
A Tribunes place, my lord.
Sei.
What will he giue?
Sat.
Fiftie sestertia.
Sei.
Livia's physitian, say you, is that fellow?
Sat.
It is, my lord; your lordships answere?
Sei.
To what?
Sat.
The place, my lord. 'Tis for a gentleman,
Your lordship will well like off, when you see him;
And one, you may make yours, by the grant.
Sei.
Well, let him bring his money, and his name.
Sat.
Thanke your lordship. He shall, my lord.
Sei.
Come hither.
Know you this same Evdemvs? Is he learn'd?
Sat.
Reputed so, my lord: and of deepe practice.
Sei.
Bring him in, to me, in the gallerie;
And take you cause, to leaue vs there, togither:
I would confer with him, about a griefe.—On.
Arr.
So, yet! another? yet? ô desperate state
Of grou'ling honour! Seest thou this, ô sunne,
And doe wee see thee after? Me thinkes, day
Should lose his light, when men doe lose their shames,
And, for the emptie circumstance of life,
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Sil.
Nothing so.
Seianvs can repaire, if Iove should ruine.
He is the now court-god; And well applyed
With sacrifice of knees, of crookes, and cringe,
He will doe more then all the house of heau'n
Can, for a thousand hecatombes. 'Tis he
Makes vs our day, or night; Hell, and Elysium
Are in his looke: We talke of Rhadamanth,
Furies, and fire-brands; But 'tis his frowne
That is all these, where, on the aduerse part,
His smile is more, then ere (yet) Poets fain'd
Of blisse, and shades, nectar—
Arr.
A seruing boy?
I knew him, at Caivs trencher, when for hyre,
He prostituted his abused body
To that great gourmond, fat Apicivs;
And was the noted pathick of the time.
Sab.
And, now, the second face of the whole world.
The partner of the empire, hath his image
Rear'd equall with Tiberivs, borne in ensignes,
Command's, disposes euery dignitie,
Centurions, Tribunes, Heads of prouinces,
Prætors, and Consuls, all that heretofore
Romes generall suffrage gaue, is now his sale.
The gaine, or rather spoile, of all the earth,
One, and his house, receiues.
Sil.
He hath of late
Made him a strength too, strangely, by reducing
All the Prætorian bands into one campe,
Which he command's: pretending, that the souldier
By liuing loose, and scattered, fell to ryot;
And that if any sodaine enterprise
Should be attempted, their vnited strength
Would be far more, then seuer'd; and their life
More strict, if from the citie more remou'd.
Sab.
Where, now, he builds, what kind of fort's he please,
Is hard to court the souldier, by his name,
Wooes, feasts the chiefest men of action,
Whose wants, not loues, compell them to be his.
And, though he ne're were liberall by kind,
Yet, to his owne darke ends, hee's most profuse,
Lauish, and letting flye, he cares not what
To his ambition.
Arr.
Yet, hath he ambition?
Is there that step in state can make him higher?
Or more? or any thing he is, but lesse?
Sil.
Nothing, but Emp'rour.
Arr.
The name Tiberivs
I hope, will keepe; how ere he hath fore-gone
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Sil.
Sure, while he liues.
Arr.
And dead, it comes to Drvsvs. Should he fayle,
To the braue issue of Germanicvs;
And they are three: Too many (ha?) for him
To haue a plot vpon?
Sab.
I doe not know
The heart of his designes; but, sure, their face
Lookes farther then the present.
Arr.
By the gods,
If I could gesse he had but such a thought,
My sword should cleaue him downe from head to heart,
But I would finde it out: and with my hand
I'ld hurle his panting braine about the ayre,
In mites, as small as atomi, to 'vndoe
The knotted bed—
Sab.
You are obseru'd, Arrvntivs.
He turnes to Seianus clyents.
Arr.
Death! I dare tell him so; and all his spies:
You, sir, I would, doe you looke? and you.
Sab.
Forbeare.
Satrivs
, Evdemvs, Seianvs.
Heere, he will instant be; Let's walke a turne.
Yo'are in a muse, Evdemvs?
Evd.
Not I, sir.
I wonder he should marke me out so! well,
Iove, and Apollo forme it for the best.
Sat.
Your fortune's made vnto you now, Evdemvs,
If you can but lay hold vpon the meanes;
Doe but obserue his humour, and—beleeue it—
He's the noblest Romane, where he takes—
Here comes his lordship.
Sei.
Now, good Satrivs.
Sat.
This is the gentleman, my lord.
Sei.
Is this?
Giue me your hand, we must be more acquainted.
Report, sir, hath spoke out your art, and learning:
And I am glad I haue so needfull cause,
(How euer in it selfe painefull, and hard)
To make me knowne to so great vertue. Looke,
Who's that? Satrivs—I haue a griefe, sir,
That will desire your helpe. Your name's Evdemvs?
Evd.
Yes.
Sei.
Sir?
Evd.
It is, my lord.
Sei.
I heare, you are
Physitian to Livia, the princesse?
Evd.
I minister vnto her, my good lord.
Sei.
You minister to a royall lady, then.
Evd.
She is, my lord, and fayre.
Sei.
That's vnderstood
Of all their sexe, who are, or would be so;
And those, that would be, physicke soone can make 'hem:
For those that are, their beauties feare no collours.
Evd.
Your lordship is conceited.
Sei.
Sir, you know it.
And can (if need be) read a learned lecture,
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What more of ladies, besides Livia,
Haue you your patients?
Evd.
Many, my good lord.
The great Avgvsta, Vrgvlania.
Mvtilia Prisca, and Plancina, diuers—
Sei.
And, all these tell you the particulars
Of euery seuerall griefe? how first it grew,
And then encreas'd, what action caused that;
What passion that: and answere to each point
That you will put 'hem.
Evd.
Else, my lord, we know not
How to prescribe the remedies.
Sei.
Goe to,
Yo'are a subtill nation, you Physitians!
And growne the onely cabinets, in court,
To ladies priuacies. Faith which of these
Is the most pleasant lady, in her physicke?
Come, you are modest now.
Evd.
'Tis fit, my lord.
Sei.
Why, sir, I doe not aske you of their vrines,
Whose smel's most violet? or whose seige is best?
Or who makes hardest faces on her stoole?
Which lady sleepes with her owne face, a nights?
Which puts her teeth off, with her clothes, in court?
Or, which her hayre? which her complexion?
And, in which boxe she puts it? These were questions
That might, perhaps, haue put your grauity
To some defence of blush. But, I enquir'd,
Which was the wittiest? meriest? wantonnest?
Harmelesse intergatories, but conceipts.
Methinks, Avgvsta should be most peruerse,
And froward in her fit?
Evd.
She's so, my lord.
Sei.
I knew it. And Mvtilia the most iocund?
Evd.
'Tis very true, my lord.
Sei.
And why would you
Conceale this from me, now? Come, what's Livia?
I know, she's quick, and quaintly spirited,
And will haue strange thoughts, when she's at leasure;
She tells 'hem all to you?
Evd.
My noblest lord,
He breaths not in the empire, or on earth,
Whom I would be ambitious to serue
(In any act, that may preserue mine honour)
Before your lordship.
Sei.
Sir, you can loose no honor,
By trusting ought to me. The coursest act
Done to my seruice, I can so requite,
As all the world shall stile it honorable:
“Your idle, vertuous definitions
“Keepe honor poore, and are as scorn'd, as vaine:
“Those deeds breathe honor, that do sucke in gaine.
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But, good my lord, if I should thus betray
The counsels of my patient, and a ladies
Of her high place, and worth; what might your lordship,
(Who presently are to trust me with your owne)
Iudge of my faith?
Sei.
Only the best, I sweare.
Say now, that I should vtter you my griefe;
And with it, the true cause; that it were loue;
And loue to Livia: you should tell her this?
Should she suspect your faith? I would you could
Tell me as much, from her; see, if my braine
Could be turn'd iealous.
Evd.
Happily, my lord,
I could, in time, tell you as much, and more;
So I might safely promise but the first,
To her, from you.
Sei.
As safely, my Evdemvs,
(I now dare call thee so) as I haue put
The secret into thee.
Evd.
My lord—
Sei.
Protest not.
Thy lookes are vowes to me, vse onely speed,
And but affect her with Seianvs loue,
Thou art a man, made, to make Consuls. Goe.
Evd.
My lord, Ile promise you a priuate meeting
This day, together.
Sei.
Canst thou?
Evd.
Yes.
Sei.
The place?
Evd.
My gardens, whither I shall fetch your lordship.
Sei.
Let me adore my Æscvlapivs.
Why, this indeed is physick! and out-speakes
The knowledge of cheape drugs, or any vse
Can be made out of it! more comforting
Then all your opiates, iulebes, apozemes,
Magistrall syrrupes, or—Be gone, my friend,
Not barely stiled, but created so;
Expect things, greater then thy largest hopes,
To ouertake thee: Fortune, shall be taught
To know how ill she hath deseru'd thus long,
To come behinde thy wishes. Goe, and speed.
“Ambition makes more trusty slaues, then need,
These fellowes, by the fauour of their arte,
Haue, still, the meanes to tempt, oft-times, the power.
If Livia will be now corrupted, then
Thou hast the way, Seianvs, to worke out
His secrets, who (thou knowest) endures thee not,
Her husband Drvsvs: and to worke against them.
Prosper it, Pallas, thou, that betterst wit;
For Venvs hath the smallest share in it.
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, Seianvs, Drvsvs.
Wee not endure these flatteries, let him stand;
One kneeles to him.
Our empire, ensignes, axes, roddes, and state
Take not away our humane nature from vs:
Looke vp, on vs, and fall before the gods.
Sei.
How like a god, speakes Caesar!
Arr.
There, obserue!
He can indure that second, that's no flattery.
O, what is it, proud slime will not beleeue
Of his owne worth, to heare it equall prais'd
Thus with the gods?
Cor.
He did not heare it, sir.
Arr.
He did not? Tut, he must not, we thinke meanely.
'Tis your most courtly, knowne confederacy,
To haue your priuate parasite redeeme
What he, in publique subtilty, will lose
To making him a name.
Hat.
Right mighty lord—
Tib.
We must make vp our eares, 'gainst these assaults
Of charming tongues; we pray you vse, no more
These contumelies to vs: stile not vs
Or lord, or mighty, who professe our selfe
The seruant of the Senate, and are proud
T'enioy them our good, iust, and fauouring lords.
Cor.
Rarely dissembled.
Arr.
Prince-like, to the life.
Sab.
“When power, that may command, so much descends,
“Their bondage, whom it stoupes to; it intends.
Tib.
Whence are these letters?
Hat.
From the Senate.
Tib.
So.
Whence these?
La.
From thence too.
Tib.
Are they sitting, now?
Lat.
They stay thy answere, Caesar.
Sil.
If this man
Had but a minde allied vnto his words,
How blest a fate were it to vs, and Rome?
We could not thinke that state, for which to change,
Although the ayme were our old liberty:
The ghosts of those that fell for that, would grieue
Their bodies liu'd not, now, againe to serue.
“Men are deceiu'd, who thinke there can be thrall
“Beneath a vertuous prince. Wish'd liberty
“Ne're louelier lookes, then vnder such a crowne.
But, when his grace is meerely but lip-good,
And that no longer, then he aires himselfe
Abroad in publique, there, to seeme to shun
The strokes, and stripes of flatterers, which within
Are lechery vnto him, and so feed
His brutish sense with their afflicting sound,
As (dead to vertue) he permits himselfe
Be carried like a pitcher, by the eares,
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Deserues our feare, and doth presage the nigh,
And close approach of bloud and tyranny.
“Flattery is midwife vnto princes rage:
“And nothing sooner, doth helpe foorth a tyranne,
“Then that, and whisperers grace, who haue the time,
“The place, the power, to make all men offenders.
Arr.
He should be told this; and be bid dissemble
With fooles, and blinde men: We that know the euill,
Should hunt the Palace-rattes, or giue them bane;
Fright hence these worse then rauens, that deuoure
The quicke, where they but prey vpon the dead:
He shall be told it.
Sab.
Stay, Arrvntivs,
We must abide our oportunity:
And practise what is fit, as what is needfull.
“It is not safe t'enforce a soueraigne's eare:
“Princes heare well, if they at all will heare.
Arr.
Ha? Say you so? well. In the meane time, Iove,
(Say not, but I doe call vpon thee now.)
Of all wilde beasts, preserue me from a tyranne;
And of all tame, a flatterer.
Sil.
'Tis well pray'd.
Tib.
Returne the lords this voyce, we are their creature:
And it is fit, a good, and honest prince,
Whom they, out of their bounty, haue instructed
With so dilate, and absolute a power,
Should owe the office of it, to their seruice;
And good of all, and euery citizen.
Nor shall it e're repent vs, to haue wish'd
The Senate iust, and fau'ring lords vnto vs,
“Since their free loues doe yeeld no lesse defence
“T' a princes state, then his owne innocence.
Say then, there can be nothing in their thought
Shall want to please vs, that hath pleased-them;
Our suffrage rather shall preuent, then stay
Behind their wills: 'tis empire, to obey
Where such, so great, so graue, so good determine.
Yet, for the sute of Spaine, t'erect a temple
In honour of our mother, and our selfe,
We must (with pardon of the Senate) not
Assent thereto. Their lordships may obiect
Our not denying the same late request
Vnto the Asian cities: We desire
That our defence, for suffering that, be knowne
In these briefe reasons, with our after purpose.
Since deified Avgvstvs hindred not
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In honour of himselfe, and sacred Rome,
We, that haue all his deedes, and wordes obseru'd
Euer, in place of lawes, the rather follow'd
That pleasing precedent, because, with ours,
The Senates reuerence also, there, was ioyn'd.
But, as, t'haue once receiu'd it, may deserue
The gaine of pardon, so, to be ador'd
With the continew'd stile, and note of gods,
Through all the prouinces, were wild ambition,
And no lesse pride: Yea, eu'n Avgvstvs name
Would early vanish, should it be prophan'd
With such promiscuous flatteries. For our part,
We here protest it, and are couetous
Posteritie should know it, we are mortall;
And can but deedes of men: 'twere glory 'inough,
Could we be truely a prince. And, they shall adde
Abounding grace, vnto our memorie,
That shall report vs worthy our fore-fathers,
Carefull of your affaires, constant in dangers,
And not afraid of any priuate frowne
For publike good. These things shall be to vs
Temples, and statues, reared in your mindes,
The fairest, and most during imag'rie:
For those of stone, or brasse, if they become
Odious in iudgement of posteritie,
Are more contemn'd, as dying sepulchres,
Then tane for liuing monuments. We then
Make here our suite, alike to gods, and men,
The one, vntill the period of our race,
T'inspire vs with a free, and quiet mind,
Discerning both diuine, and humane lawes;
The other, to vouchsafe vs after death,
An honourable mention, and faire praise,
T'accompanie our actions, and our name:
The rest of greatnesse princes may command,
And (therefore) may neglect, only, a long,
A lasting, high, and happy memorie
They should, without being satisfied, pursue.
Contempt of fame begets contempt of vertue.
Nat.
Rare!
Sat.
Most diuine!
Sei.
The Oracles are ceas'd,
That only Caesar, with their tongue, might speake.
Arr.
Let me be gone, most felt, and open this!
Cor.
Stay.
Arr.
What? to heare more cunning, and fine wordes;
With their sound flatter'd, ere their sense be meant?
372
Their choise of Antium, there to place the guift
Vow'd to the goddesse, for our mothers health,
We will the Senate know, we fairely like;
As also, of their grant to Lepidvs,
For his repayring the Æmilian place,
And restauration of those monuments:
Their grace too in confining of Silanvs,
To th'other Is'le Cithera, at the sute
Of his religious sister, much commends
Their policie, so temp'red with their mercy.
But, for the honours, which they haue decreed
To our Seianvs, to aduance his statue
In Pompei's theatre (whose ruining fire
His vigilance, and labour kept restrain'd
In that one losse) they haue, therein, out-gone
Their owne great wisedomes, by their skilfull choise,
And placing of their bounties, on a man,
Whose merit more adornes the dignitie,
Then that can him: and giues a benefit,
In taking, greater, then it can receiue.
Blush not, Seianvs, thou great aide of Rome,
Associate of our labours, our chiefe helper,
Let vs not force thy simple modestie
With offring at thy praise, for more we cannot,
Since there's no voice can take it. No man, here,
Receiue our speeches, as hyperbole's;
For we are far from flatt'ring our friend,
(Let enuy know) as from the need to flatter.
Nor let them aske the causes of our praise;
Princes haue still their grounds rear'd with themselues,
Aboue the poore low flats of common men,
And, who will search the reasons of their acts,
Must stand on equall bases. Lead, away.
Our loues vnto the Senate.
Arr.
Cæsar.
Sab.
Peace.
Cor.
Great Pompei's theatre was neuer ruin'd
Till now, that proud Seianvs hath a statue
Rear'd on his ashes.
Arr.
Place the shame of souldiers,
Aboue the best of generalls? cracke the world!
And bruise the name of Romanes into dust,
Ere we behold it!
Sil.
Checke your passion;
Lord Drvsvs tarries.
Drv.
Is my father mad?
Wearie of life, and rule, lords? thus to heaue
An idoll vp with praise! make him his mate!
His riuall in the empire!
Arr.
O, good prince!
Drv.
Allow him statues? titles? honours? such,
373
Arr.
Braue, braue Drvsvs!
Drv.
The first ascents to soueraigntie are hard
But, entred once, there neuer wants or meanes,
Or ministers, to helpe th'aspirer on.
Arr.
True, gallant Drvsvs.
Drv.
We must shortly pray
To Modestie, that he will rest contented—
Arr.
I, where he is, and not write emp'rour.
Seianvs
, Drvsvs, Arrvntivs, &c.
He enters, follow'd with clients.
There is your bill, and yours; Bring you your man:
I haue mou'd for you, too, Latiaris.
Drv.
What?
Is your vast greatnesse growne so blindly bold,
That you will ouer vs?
Sei.
Why, then giue way.
Drv.
Giue way, Colossus? Doe you lift? Aduance you?
Take that.
Arr.
Good! braue! excellent braue prince!
Drusus strikes him.
Drv.
Nay, come, approch. What? stand you off? at gaze?
It lookes too full of death, for thy cold spirits.
Auoid mine eye, dull camell, or my sword
Shall make thy brau'rie fitter for a graue,
Then for a triumph. I'le aduance a statue,
O'your owne bulke; but't shall be on the crosse:
Where I will naile your pride, at breadth, and length,
And cracke those sinnewes, which are yet but stretch'd
With your swolne fortunes rage.
Arr.
A noble prince!
All.
A Castor, a Castor, a Castor, a Castor!
Seianvs.
He that, with such wrong mou'd, can beare it through
With patience, and an euen mind, knowes how
To turne it backe. Wrath, couer'd, carryes fate:
Reuenge is lost, if I professe my hate.
What was my practice late, I'le now pursue
As my fell iustice. This hath stil'd it new.
CHORVS—Of Musicians.
| Seianus his Fall | |