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ACTVS, V.
SCÆNA, 1.
Enter Parthenius, Stephanos, Guard.Parth.
Keepe a strong guard vpon him, and admit not
Accesse to any, to exchange a word,
Or syllable with him, till the Emperour pleases
To call him to his presence. The relation
That you haue made me Stephanos of these late
Strange passions in Cæsar, much amaze me.
The informer Aretinus put to death
For yeelding him a true discouerie
Of th'Empresse wantonnesse; poore Paris kild first
And now lamented; and the Princesses
The machine on which all this mischiefe mou'd
Receiu'd againe to grace?
Steph.
Nay courted to it.
(Such is the impotence of his affection)
Yet, to conceale his weaknesse he giues out
The people made suit for her, whom they hate more
Then ciuill warre, or famine. But take heed
My Lord, that nor in your consent nor wishes
You lent or furtherance, or fauour to
The plot contriu'd against her, should she proue it,
Nay doubt it onely you are a lost man
Her power o're doting Cæsar being now
Greater then euer.
Parth.
'Tis a truth I shake at.
And when there's opportunitie.
Steph.
Say but doe
I am yours, and sure.
Parth.
I will Stand one tryall more
And then you shall heare from me.
Steph.
Now obserue
The fondnesse of this tyranne, and her pride.
Enter Cæsar and Domitia.
Cæs.
Nay all's forgotten.
Domit.
It may be on your part.
Cæs.
Forgiuen to Domitia 'tis a fauour
That you should welcome with more cheerefull lookes
Can Cæsar pardon what you durst not hope for
That did the iniurie, and yet must sue
To her whose guilt is wash'd off by his mercy
Onely to entertaine it?
Domit.
I ask'd none,
And I should be more wretched to receiue
Remission (for what I hold no crime)
But by a bare acknowledgement then if
By sleighting, and contemning it, as now
Perswade thee, that thy murthers, lusts, and rapes
Are vertues in thee, and what pleases Cæsar
Though neuer sowniust is right, and lawfull;
Or worke in thee a false beliefe that thou
Art more then mortall, yet I to thy teeth
(When circl'd with thy Guards, thy rods, thy axes,
And all the ensignes of thy boasted power)
Will say Domitian, nay adde to it Cæsar
Is a weake feeble man, a bondman to
His violent passions, and in that my slaue,
Nay more my slaue, then my affections made me
To my lou'd Paris.
Cæs.
Can I liue, and heare this?
Or heare and not reuenge it? come, you know
The strength that you hold on me, doe not vse it
VVith too much crueltie, for though 'tis granted
That Lidian Omphale had lesse command
O're Hercules, then you vsurpe ore me,
Reason may teach me to shake off the yoke
Of my fond dotage.
Domit.
Neuer, doe not hope it
It cannot be. Thou bring my beauties captiue
And not to be redeem'd, my Empire's larger
Then thine Domitian, which I'll exercise
VVith rigor on thee, for my Paris death.
And when I haue forc'd those eyes now red with fury
To drop downe teares, in vaine spent to appease me
I know thy feruor such to my embraces
(Which shall be, though still kneel'd for, stil deni'd thee)
That thou with languishment shalt with my Actor
Did liue againe, so thou might'st be his second
To feede vpon those delicates, when he's sated.
Cæs.
O my Minerua!
Domit.
There she is inuoke her
Shee cannot arme thee with abilitie
To draw thy sword on me, my power being greater.
Or onely say to thy Centurions
And in this womans death remoue the furies
That euery houre afflict mee? Lamias wrongs
When thy lust forc'd mee from him, are in mee
At the height reveng'd, nor would I out-liue Paris
But that thy loue increasing with my hate
May adde vnto thy torments, so withall
Contempt I can I leaue thee.
Exit Domitia.
Cæs.
I am lost
Nor am I Cæsar, when I first betray'd
The freedome of my faculties, and will
To this imperious Siren, I layd downe
The Empire of the world, and of my selfe
At her proud feete. Sleepe all my irefull powers?
Or is the magique of my dotage such
That I must still make suite to heare those charmes
That doe increase my thraldome? wake my anger,
For shame breake through this Lethargie, and appeare
With vsuall terror, and enable mee
(Since I weare not a sword to pierce her heart,
Nor haue a tongue to say this let her dye)
Though 'tis done with a feauer-shaken hand
Pulls out a Table booke.
To signe her death, assist mee great Minerua
And vindicate thy votarie. So shee's now
Among the list of those I haue prescrib'd.
And are to free mee of my doubts, and feares,
To dye to morrow.
(Writes.)
Steph.
That same fatall booke
Was neuer drawne yet, but some men of rancke
Were mark'd out for destruction.
Parth.
I begin
To doubt my selfe.
Cæs.
Who waites there?
Parth.
Cæsar.
Cæs.
So.
These that command arm'd troupes quake, at my frownes
And yet a woman sleights 'em. Where's the Wizard
Wee charg'd you to fetch in?
Readie to suffer
What death you please t'appoint him.
Cæs.
Bring him in.
Enter Ascletario, Tribunes, Guard.
We'll question him our selfe. Now you that hold
Intelligence with the starres, and dare prefixe
The day and houre in which we are to part
With life and Empire, punctually fore-telling
The meanes, and manner of our violent end,
As you would purchase credit to your art
Resolue me since you are assur'd of vs
What fate attends your selfe?
Asclet.
I haue had long since
A certaine knowledge, and assure as thou
Shalt dye to morrow being the fourteenth of
The Kalends of October, the houre fiue
Spite of preuention, this carkasse shall be
Torne and deuourd by dogs, and let that stand for a firme prediction.
Cæs.
May our body wretch
Find neuer nobler Sepulcher if this
Fall euer on thee. Are we the great disposer
Of life, and death yet cannot mocke the starres
In such a trifle? Hence with the impostor,
And hauing cut his throat, erect a pile
Guarded with souldiers, till his cursed truncke
Be turn'd to ashes, vpon forfeite of
Your life, and theirs, performe it.
Asclet.
'Tis in vaine,
When what I haue foretold is made apparent
Tremble to thinke what followes.
Cæs.
Drag him hence
The Guard beare off Ascletario.
And doe as I command you. I was neuer
Fuller of confidence, for hauing got
The victorie of my passions, in my freedome
From proud Domitia (who shall cease to liue
Since she disdaines to loue) I rest vnmou'd
And in defiance of prodigious meteors,
Chaldeans vaine predictions, iealous feares
Of my neere friends, and freemen, certaine hate
The souldiers doubted faith, or peoples rage
Can bring to shake my constancie I am arm'd.
That scrupulous thing still'd Conscience is fear'd vp
And I insensible of all my actions
For which by morrall and religious fooles
I stand condemn'd, as they had neuer beene
And since I haue subdu'd triumphant loue
I will not deifie pale captiue feare
Nor in a thought receiue it. For till thou
Wisest Minerua that from my first youth,
Hast beene my sole protectresse, dost forsake me
Not Iunius Rusticus, threatned apparition,
Nor what this Southsayer but eu'n now foretold
(Being things impossible to humane reason)
Shall in a dreame disturbe me. Bring my couch there
Enter with couch.
A sudaine but a secure drousinesse
Inuites me to repose my selfe. Let Musicke
With some choyse dittie second it. I the meane time
Rest there deare booke, which open'd when I wake
Layes the booke vnder his Pillow, The Musicke and song. Cæsar sleepes.
Shall make some sleepe for euer.
Enter Parthenius and Domitia.
Domit.
Write my name
In his bloudie scrole Parthenius? the feare's idle
He durst not, could not.
Parth.
I can assure nothing
But I obseru'd when you departed from him
After some little passion, but much furie,
He drew it out, whose death he sign'd I know not
But in his lookes appear'd a resolution
Of what before he staggerd at. What he hath
Determin'd of is vncertaine, but too soone
Will fall on you, or me, or both, or any
Has pleasure knowne to the Tribunes, and Centurions.
Who neuer vse to enquire his will but serue it.
Now if out of the confidence of your power,
The bloudie Catalogue being still about him
You may instruct your selfe or what to suffer,
Or how to crosse it.
Domit.
I would not be caught
With too much confidence. By your leaue Sir. Ha!
No motion! you lye vneasie Sir,
Let me mend your Pillow.
Parth.
Haue you it?
Domit.
'Tis heere.
Cæs.
Oh.
Parth.
You haue wak'd him, softly gracious Madam
While we are vnknowne, and then consult at leisure.
Exeunt Parthenius, and Domitia.
A dreadfull Musicke sounding, Enter Junius Rusticus, and Palphurius Sura, with bloudie swords, they waue them ouer his head. Cæsar in his sleepe troubled, seemes to pray to the Jmage, they scornefully take it away.
[Cæs.]
Defend me goddesse, or this horrid dreame
Will force me to destraction. Whether haue
These furies borne thee? Let me rise! and follow
I am bath'd o're with the cold sweat of death,
And am depriu'd of organs to pursue
These sacriligious spirits. Am I at once
Robd of my hopes, and being? No, I liue
Rises destractedly.
Yes liue, and haue discourse to know my selfe
Of Gods, and men forsaken. What accuser
Within me cries aloud, I haue deseru'd it,
It being iust to neither. Who dares speake this?
Am I not Cæsar? how I againe repeate it?
Presumptuous traytor thou shalt dye, what traytor?
He that hath beene a traytor to himselfe
And stands conuicted heere. Yet who can sit
A competent Iudge ore Cæsar? Cæsar. Yes
Cæsar by Cæsar's, sentenc'd. and must suffer
Minerua cannot saue him. Ha! where is she?
Where is my goddesse? vanish'd! I am lost then
No 'twas no dreame, but a most reall truth
Although their ashes were cast in the sea
Were by their innocence made vp againe.
And in corporeall formes but now appear'd.
Wauing their bloudie swordes aboue my head,
As at their deathes they threatned. And me thought
Minerua rauish'd hence whisper'd that she
Was for my blasphemies disarm'd by Joue
And could no more protect me. Yes 'twas so,
His thunder does confirme it, against which
thunder and lightning.
Howe're it spare the lawrell, this proud wreath
Is no assurance. Ha! come you resolu'd
Enter 3. Tribunes.
To be my executioners?
1. Trib.
Allegeance
And faith forbid that we should lift an arme
Against your sacred head.
2. Trib.
We rather sue
For mercie.
3. Trib.
And acknowledge that in iustice
Our liues are forfeited for not performing
What Cæsar charg'd vs.
1. Trib.
Nor did we transgresse it
In our want of will, or care, for being but men
It could not be in vs to make resistance,
The Gods fighting against vs.
Cæs.
Speake in what
Did they expresse their anger? wee will heere it
But dare not say vndaunted.
1. Trib.
In briefe thus Sir.
The Sentence giuen by your imperiall tongue
For the Astrologer Ascletario's death
With speede was put in execution.
Cæs.
Well.
1. Trib.
For his throate cut, his legs bound, and his armes
Pinion'd behinde his backe, the breathlesse truncke
Was with all scorne dragg'd to the field of Mars
And there a pile being rais'd of old dry wood,
Smeer'd o're with oyle, and brimstone, or what else
The Carkasse was throwne on it; but no sooner
The stuffe, that was most apt, began to flame;
But sudainely to the amazement of
The fearelesse souldier, a sudaine flash
Of lightning breaking through the scatter'd cloudes
With such a horrid violence forc'd its passage
And as disdaining all heate but it selfe
In a moment quench'd the artificiall fire.
And before we could kindle it againe
A clap of thunder follow'd with such noyse,
As if then Ioue incens'd against mankind,
Had in his secret purposes determin'd
An vniuersall ruine to the world.
This horror past, not at Deucalions floud
Such a stormie shower of raine (and yet that word is
To narrow to expresse it) was e're seene
Imagine rather Sir, that with lesse furie
The Waues rush downe the Cataracts of Nile;
Or that the Sea spouted into the ayre
By the angry Orke, endaungering tall ships
But sayling neere it, so falls downe againe,
Yet heere the wonder ends not, but begins
For as in vaine we labour'd to consume
The witches bodye, all the Dogs of Rome
Howling, and yelling like to famish'd wolues
Brake in vpon vs, and though thousands were
Kild in th'attempt some did ascend the pile
And with their eager fangs ceas'd on the carkasse.
Cæs.
But haue they torne it?
1. Trib.
Torne it, and deuour'd it.
Cæs.
I then am a dead man since all predictions
Assure me I am lost, O my loud souldiers
Your Emperour must leaue you: yet howeuer
I cannot grant my selfe a short reprieue
I freely pardon you. The fatall houre
Steaks fast vpon me. I must dye this morning
By fiue my souldiers, that's the latest houre
1. Trib.
Ioue auert it
In our swords lies your fate, and we will guard it.
Cæs.
O no, it cannot be, it is decreed,
Aboue, and by no strengths heere to be alterd.
Let proud mortalitie but looke on Cæsar
Compass'd of late with armies, in his eyes
Carrying both life, and death, and in his armes
Fadoming the earth; that would be stilde a God,
And is for that presumption cast beneath
The low condition of a common man,
Sincking with mine owne waight,
1. Trib.
Doe not forsake,
Your selfe wee'll neuer leaue you.
2. Trib.
VVe'll draw vp
More cohorts of your Guard, if you doubt treason.
Cæs.
They cannot saue me. The offended Gods
That now sit iudges on me, from their enuie
Of my power and greatnesse heere, conspire against me.
1. Trib.
Endeauour to appease them.
Cæs.
'Twill be fruitlesse
I am past hope of remission. Yet could I
Decline this dreadfull houre of fiue, these terrors
That driue me to despaire would soone flye from me
And could you but till then assure me,
1. Trib.
Yes Sir,
Or wee'll fall with you, and make Rome the vrne
In which wee'll mix our ashes.
Cæs.
Tis said noblie,
I am something comforted. Howere to dye
Is the full period of calamitie.
Exeunt.
Scæna, 2.
Enter Parthenius, Domitia, Iulia, Cænis Domitilla, Stephanos, Sijeius, Entellus.Parth.
You see we are all condemnd, there's no euasion,
Steph.
But it must be sudaine
The least delay is mortall.
Domit.
Would I were
A man to giue it action.
Domit:
Could I make my approaches though my stature
Does promise little, I haue a spirit as daring
As hers, that can reach higher.
Steph.
I will take
That burthen from you Madam. All the art is
To draw him from the Tribunes that attend him
For could you bring him but within my swords reach
The world should owe her freedome from a tyranne,
To Stephanos.
Sige.
You shall not share alone
The glorie of a deed that will endure
To all posteritie.
Entel.
I will put in
For a part my selfe.
Parth.
Be resolute, and stand close.
I haue conceiu'd a way, and with the hazard
Of my life I'll practise it to fetch him hither.
But then no trifling.
Steph.
We'l despatch him feare not
A dead dog neuer bites.
Parth.
Thus then at all
Parthenius goes off the rest stand aside
Enter Cæsar and the Tribunes.
Cæs.
How slowe pac'd are these minutes! in extreames
How miserable is the least delay!
Could I iumpe feathers to the wings of time
Or with as little ease command the Sunne
To scourge his coursers vp heauens easterne hill
Making the houre I tremble at past recalling
As I can moue this dyals tongue to six,
My veines, and arteries emptied with feare
Would fill and swell againe. How doe I looke?
Doe you yet see death about me:
Thinke not of him
There is no danger all these prodegies
That doe affright you rise from naturall causes,
And though you doe ascribe them to your selfe,
Had you ne're beene, had happen'd.
Cæs.
'Tis well said,
Exceeding well braue souldier. Can it be
That I that feele my selfe in health and strength
Should still beleeue I am so neare my end,
And haue my guards about me? perish all
Predictions, I grow constant they are false
And built vpon vncertainties.
1. Trib.
This is right.
Now Cæsar's hard like Cæsar.
Cæs.
We will to
The Campe, and hauing there confirmd the souldier
With a large Donatiue, and increase of pay
Some shall. I say no more.
Enter Parthenius.
Parth.
All happinesse
Securitie, long life attend vpon
The Monarch of the World.
Cæs.
Thy lookes are cheerefull,
Parth.
And my relation full of ioy and wonder.
Why is the care of your imperiall body
My Lord neglected the fear'd houre being past
In which your your life was threatned.
Cæs.
Is't past fiue?
Parth.
Past six vpon my knowledge, and iniustice
Your Clocke master should dye that hath deferd
Your peace so long. There is a post new lighted
That brings assur'd intelligence, that your legions
In Siria haue wonne a glorious day,
And much enlarg'd your Empire. I haue kept him
Conceal'd that you might first pertake the pleasure
In priuate, and the Senate from your selfe
Be taught to vnderstand how much they owe
To you and to your fortune.
Cæs.
Hence pale feare then
1. Trib.
Shall we waite you?
Cæs.
No
After losses Guards are vsefull, know your distance.
Exeunt Cæsar and Parthenius.
2. Trib.
How strangely hopes delude men, as I liue
The houre is not yet come.
1. Trib.
Howere we are
To pay our duties, and obserue the sequele.
Exeunt Trib.
Enter Cæsar, and Parthenius.
Domit.
I heare him comming, be constant.
Cæs.
Where Parthenius is this glad messenger.
Steph.
Make the doore fast. Heere, a messenger of horror.
Cæs.
How! betraid?
Domit.
No taken tyranne.
Cæs.
My Domitia in the conspiracie!
Parth.
Behold this booke.
Cæs.
Nay then I am lost. Yet though I am vnarm'd
I'll not fall poorely.
Ore throwes Stephanos.
Steph.
Helpe me.
Entel.
Thus, and thus.
Sije.
Are you so long a falling?
Cæs.
'Tis done, 'tis done basely.
falls, and dyes.
Parth.
This for my Fathers death.
Domit.
This for my Paris,
Iul,
This for thy Incest
These seuerally stab him.
Domit.
This for thy abuse of Domitilla.
Enter Tribunes.
1. Trib.
Force the doores. O Mars!
What haue you done.
Parth.
What Rome shall giue vs thanks for.
Steph.
Despatch'd a Monster.
1. Trib.
Yet he was our Prince
How euer wicked, and in you this murther
Which whosoe're succeeds him will reuenge,
Nor will we that seru'd vnder his command
(For in thy wickednesse, Augusta's title
Hath quite forsooke thee) thou that wert the ground
Of all these mischiefes, shall goe hence vnpunish'd.
Lay hands on her. And drag her to sentence,
We will referre the hearing to the Senate
Who may at their best leisure censure you
Take vp his body. He in death hath payd
For all his cruelties. Heere's the difference
Good Kings are mourn'd for after life, but ill
And such as gouern'd onely by their will
And not their reason. Vnlamented fall
No Goodmans teare shed at their Funerall.
Exeunt omnes.
Florish.
FINIS.
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