 | The Tragedy of Julia Agrippina ; Empresse of Rome |  |
Actus II.
Poppæa, Otho.Poppæa.
My love, deare Otho, faine would bid thee stay:
But danger now forbids it, for my Lord
Returnes by this time homewards from the Pallace.
Otho.
Wee must obey the times necessity
Sweetest Poppæa, though I part from thee
With such a sad'nesse as will loose by all
Comparisons, and cannot bee exprest
But by it selfe, to say that Otho parts
From faire Poppæa, is more tragicall
Then soule from body, honour from a man.
Poppæa.
I could, mee thinkes, flatter my feares, to keepe
Thee ever heere.
Otho.
And I can scorne all feares,
And dangers too, if thou command mee stay.
23
No, goe, my Love, and warily let's meete
That wee may often meete: but why should still
Our highest blisse want freedome?
Otho.
'Tis, my faire one,
The envy of the Gods, who thinke the state
Of men would æquall theirs, if greatest joyes
Were easyest to obtaine, and therfore still
In horrid dangers wrap their dearest guifts,
As all the Poëts ancient fables taught.
Fire-breathing Buls did guard the Colchian fleece;
A waking dragon kept the golden fruit.
But thou, Poppæa, in my thoughts a prize
Of greater value, and more lustre farre
Then that which drew the bold Thessalian forth
So farre from Greece, or made Alcmenaes sonne
Invade th'Hesperides, art kept from mee
By stronger guards, the awfull Roman lawes,
Those lawes resist our love.
Poppæa.
Oh where was Otho
Then, when my virgin blossome was the hope
Of thousand noble youths? hadst thou beene seene
Poppæaes bed and beautyes had beene thine,
And with a lawfull uncontrolled flame
Had met thy wish in those delights, which now
Wee are inforc'd to steale.
Otho.
Must it bee so.
For ever then?
Poppæa.
It must while Rufus lives.
Otho.
Nor can I blame blest Rufus, if hee strive
To keepe that wealth, which if it lay beyond
24
Or horned Ammons scorch'd and thirsty sands,
Would draw the Roman Monarch to forsake
His worlds Imperiall seat there to enjoy,
And think those banish'd that remain'd at Rome.
If I were Cæsar, and condemn'd by fate
To want Poppæaes love, I should bee poore.
No other deare prerogative could that
High wreath bestow, but only power to make
Thee mine without a rivall: I might then
With boldnesse take thee from Crispinus armes.
Poppæa.
But could that act bee lawfull?
Otho.
Canst thou doubt it?
Where two loves meete can marriage bee unlawfull?
Of which love is the soule, the very forme
That gives it being no dead outward ty,
But natures strong and inward sympathy.
Can make a marriage, which the Gods alone
Have power to breede in us, and therfore they
Have only power to ty so sweete a knot.
I am thy mate; nor did thy father, when
Hee gave that snowy hand unto another,
Ought but rebell against the Gods decree.
Poppæa.
Thou art to good an advocate, and I
Too partiall for a judge.
Otho.
Bee constant to mee
Till fortune give a bolder priviledge.
And warrant to our love, of which I have
Receiv'd such faire presages, as I cannot
Despaire; meane while by stealth I must behold
Those starry eyes, and think my selfe most happy
In that, though no man know my happinesse.
25
Can men count those delights a happinesse
Which they conceale?
Otho.
Yes, those that truly love.
Enter Fulvia.
Fulvia.
Madam, my Lord is come.
Poppæa.
Farewell deare Otho.
Otho.
Farewell: love guard thee till wee meete againe.
exit.
Enter Crispinus, Geta.
Crispinus.
Come Lucius study to forget it now,
And let's bee truly merry; my Poppæa
Bid' Lucius Geta welcome, my colleague
That was, but still my frend.
Poppæa.
You are most welcome.
Geta.
Thankes fairest Lady.
Poppæa.
But my Lord, what meanes
That speech of yours, that Lucius Geta once
Was your colleague and is not.
Crispinus.
I'l tell thee,
Great Agrippina has commanded Cæsar
To command Pallas to command us two.
To quit our charge and suddainly resigne
The governement of the Prætorian campe
To Burrhus hand; at which hee stormes; but I
Am merryer farre, and lighter then before.
Wee may live freely now; Cæsar has tane
A weighty burthen from my weary necke
I thanke his goodnesse.
26
Thanke his sottishnesse,
Tis that has pleasured you. ah frend it needes
Must grieve all noble hearts, that can love justice,
And pity suffring innocence, to see
The harmelesse yeares of young Britannicus
Expos'd to all the malice of his foes,
And stupid Cæsar made the instrument
To ruine his owne sonne: whilest his great power
By others is abus'd against himselfe
And his posterity.
Crispinus.
I do beleive it.
Geta.
His servants all, that to himselfe were true,
Or faithfull to his sonne, are murther'd now,
Or else displac'd by her: our truth's the cause
That wee have lost our places.
Crispinus.
Tis no matter;
Wee loose no honour by our truth; and since
While wee had power, wee faithfully discharg'd
Our trust to Cæsar, let's no longer stirve
To guard him 'gainst his will; but take his gift.
Hee gives us ease, and freedome, to retire,
And tast the sweetes of privaty, and there
Enjoy our lives free from the glorious noise,
And troubles of a Court; instead of waiting
On Cæsar now, on thee I will bestow
That time, my faire Poppæa, and attend
On thy delights; thou wilt not cast mee off
As Cæsar does.
Fulvia.
Shee cannot promise you
I know her heart better then you in that.
27
None can describe the sweetes of countrey life
But those blest men that do enjoy, and tast them.
Plaine husband men, though farre below our pitch
Of fortune plac'd, enjoy a wealth above us.
To whome the earth with true and bountious justice
Free from warres cares returnes an easy food.
They breath the fresh and uncorrupted aire,
And by cleare brookes enjoy untroubled sleepes.
Their state is fearlesse, and secure, enrich'd
With severall blessings, such as greatest Kings
Might in true justice envy, and themselves
Would count too happy, if they truly knew them.
Geta.
Tis true, Crispinus, greatest Monarchs oft
Have in the midst of all theyr carefull gloryes
Desir'd such lives as those plaine people lead.
Crispinus.
Let us enjoy that huppinesse then Lucius
The countrey sports and recreations
And friends as innocent as wee, with whom
Wee need not feare the strength of richest wine
In drawing out our secrets: but well fill'd
At suppertime may hold a free discourse
Of Cæsar's weakenesse, of the wealth and pride
Of his freed'men, how lordly Pallas rules;
How feirce and cruell Arippina is,
What slaves the Roman Senate are become,
And yet next morne awake with confidence.
Poppæa.
All this, my Lord, you may discourse at Rome
If you can wisely choose your company.
Crispinus.
Well said Poppæa, thou art a woman right
Thou lov'st the city well.
28
I cannot blame her,
Such beauty seekes no corners, but may well
Become th'Imperiall city of the world.
Crispinus.
Come Lucius Geta, let's goe in and laugh
At our proud enemyes, enjoy theire malice,
And drowne our cares in rich Falernian wine
As ancient as Opimius Consulship.
Enter to them Narcissus.
Geta.
Here comes a man, Crispinus, I beleive
Is sory for this change.
Crispinus.
I thinke so Lucius.
Narcissus.
Haile noble Romans.
Crispinus.
Haile to you Narcissus.
How dare you venture a salute on us,
Or make a visite to such guilty men?
Narcissus.
Guilty my Lord, in what?
Crispinus.
In beeing wrong'd.
Those that are wrong'd in Court, are made offendours,
Narcissus.
I must confesse, my Lord, it was a wrong
To you and your Colleague to bee displac'd,
But you have spirits great enough to scorne
That injury, and pity him that did it,
I meane that suffer'd his proud foes to doo it
Rather against himselfe then you; the wrong
Must fall on Cæsar, and his haplesse house.
Blinded by fate, and neere his fall, hee throwes
Away the best supporters of his state.
29
The thought of that as I am true, Narcissus,
Afflicts mee more then mine owne losse can doe.
Crispinus.
For mee, I thinke my selfe well free'd from trouble
Were't not for feare of poore Britannicus.
Narcissus.
I doo beleeve it, noble Lords; but you
Are now dischar'gd, and may retire with safety.
My part is yet to play, a part of danger,
And I will act it bravely: here I vow
By all the Gods, no feare shall make mee shrinke
Till I have once more righted Claudius
Against the lusts and treasons of a wife.
Nor do I boast of Messalinaes death.
It was the times necessity, that made
Mee then to shew my power: that power perchance
Is yet as much; nor shall the Lordly Pallas,
Though swell'd with Agrippinaes lustfull favours,
And back'd by her authority, hee thinke
Himselfe sole ruler in th'Imperiall house,
Finde that Narcissus is so fall'n in spirit
But that I dare attempt as much as then.
Great Cæsar's safety is as much in danger
As then it was, his nuptiall bed as stain'd,
And I will dy, or take the same revenge,
That then was taken; all their plots and treasons
Will I reveale to Cæsar, and pursue it
With such a dauntlesse constancy, that if
The Gods forget not to bee just, this day
Proud Agrippina, and her minion fall.
The young Britannicus shall stand secure
In his high birthright; Messalinaes ghost
Shall then perchance, although shee hate mee now,
Forgive the hand that caus'd her overthrow,
30
Bravely resolu'd, Narcissus.
Crispinus.
You shall doe
An act that all good men shall thank you for.
Will you goe in, and tast my wine.
Narcissus.
Not now.
I came but only to reveale my purpose
To you, whose noble wishes may befriend it,
And when occasion serves, may truly witnesse
My just intents; this hower I am expected
By Cæsar in his gardens; there I'll put
My life upon the hazard; every minute
May breede a change, and all delayes have danger.
For Cæsar upon those discoveryes
That I already have made to him, utter'd
Some words last night at supper in his wine.
Of which I feare that Agrippina tooke
Too great a notice; therfore speede must helpe us.
Farewell my Lords.
Ambo.
Farewell: the Gods assist thee.
Exeunt.
Otho.
Otho.
So rich a bondage is Poppæas love,
That I were base if I should wish for freedome,
Nay more, ingrate, should I desire to change
So sweete a care for quietnesse it selfe;
Should I suppose that state, which some dull soules
Call calme content, were halfe so rich, so free
As are these pinings, this captivity.
Were there in love no cares, no sighs, no feares,
There were in love no happinesse at all.
What blisse, what wealth did e're the world bestow
On man, but cares and feares attended it?
31
Would throw away the highest blisse on earth?
Let silly shipheards, whose poore narrow soules
Not much exceede the beasts they tend and feede,
That know, like them, no farther regions
Then some few feilds, no larger bounds of pleasure
Then satisfaction of bare natures needes,
Bee still secure since they have nought to loose,
And rest content because they never knew
What cityes were, and gorgeous Pallaces.
Should Monarchs, who are taught to know th'extent
Of natures wealth, and what the world affords,
Forgoe their glorious fortunes, cause they want
That wretched thing, which only ignorance,
And low contempt can give, Security?
Should I forgoe my faire Poppæaes love
Because some cares, some feares, and sighs attend it:
When every smile of hers can recompence
A thousand such? were too much poorenesse in mee
Had I nere seene those starry eyes of hers
More haplesse farre my ignorance had beene.
I had, like wretched men, that are borne blinde,
Nere knowne there was a Sunne to guild the world.
But to injoy her love without all feares,
Without all rivalls, were a blisse beyond
Mortality: the Gods would envy mee.
Shee's now another mans: that may bee thought
The greatest barre to Otho's happinesse.
But I have framed in my jealous thoughts
A greater barre then that: young Nero Cæsar,
In whose acquaintance I of late have found
So neere a roome, as faire presages tell us,
Is like to weareth' Imperiall wreath: his power
May take her for mee from Crispinus armes.
But then perchance I loose her more then ever.
Or should hee see her now to rivall mee
32
Sollicites mee to let him see my Mistres.
I for that frendship, which I dare not loose,
Dare not deny his importunity.
And therfore to prevent what may ensue
For yet hee never heard Poppæas name)
I have made love to the faire freed woman
Young Acte of meane ranke, but such a face,
As whosoever had not seene Poppæa
Would thinke this Acte natures Masterpeice.
On her will I divert young Nero's love.
And to that purpose I have got her picture.
But here hee comes.
Enter Nero.
Nero.
What Otbo, still retir'd?
Where lives the face that breedes this melancholy?
There is no other cause can doe't: I know
Thou art not busy'd with affaires of state.
I prithee let mee see her: a friends counsell
I say ease thy passion.
Otho.
Tis not fit a Prince
Should stoope so low as to the passions
Of privatemen.
Noro.
The name of friend admits
Of no such distance.
Otho.
A no man, whom you
Are pleas'd to call a friend, deserves that name,
Unlesse hee know himselfe to bee your servant.
Nero.
Come prithee leave thy fooling, and bee plaine.
Where there is no familiarity
Society is lost: why art thou fearfull
To let mee see her whosoere shee bee?
33
Sr. I could give you a plaine common reason,
If shee bee foule, shee is not worth your sight.
If faire, you are too great a rivall for mee.
But yet, know Sr. I am so free from those
Unworthy feares, that I dare trust my life,
My love, and all I have into your hands.
Nero.
Spoke like a friend, and thou maist safely doo't.
Then first behold her picture, and by that
Find whether shee bee worth the sight or no.
Nero.
Can any mortall beauty bee so sweete?
Otho.
I would there were not.
Nero.
Sure the painter flatters.
Otho.
Oh no, hee had not art enough to reach
The glory of it; were the substance here
How dull would this now lovely table show!
See how his greedy eyes devoure the picture.
Hee's caught, hee's caught; Cupid' I thanke thee now.
Nero.
I never saw true beauty till this houre.
But wherfore didst thou wish there were no substance
So sweete as this? why would'st thou bee depriv'd
Of such a happinesse? but I perceive
It is thy feare: come, let it not bee so.
I but desire to see whether the painter
Have err'd or no: and do not thinke, my Otho,
That I will wrong thy love so much, or make
My wife Octavia jealous.
Otho.
Sr. how ere,
My life, my love, and fortunes all are yours.
Exeunt.
34
Narcissus.
Your Majesty may yet prevent it all,
And justly throw upon the Traitors heads
That ruine which so boldly threatens you,
And your too much abused family.
Yet Cæsar may bee safe, if hee will use
That power the Gods have put into his hands.
Cæsar.
That course, Narcissus, can wee run, to make
The people sensible of our estate,
That danger threatens us, and how our Justice
Is forc'd to meete the treasons of a wife?
Narcissus.
Yet not too vaine a care of popular breath,
Or what the Vulgar may surmise, outweigh
The safety of youre person, and youre house.
But I am most assur'd that all the world
Except youre selfe, have long observ'd theire plots,
And if they see your waken'd Justice now
Arise to censure Agrippinaes death,
They will not thinke the execution done
Too soone on her: these humble knees, Oh Cæsar.
Which for your safety I so oft have bow'd
Before the Gods, now to your sacred selfe
I bow, entreating that you would bee safe,
And not beleeve the Gods by miracle
Will worke for you, whilest you neglect your selfe.
Cæsar.
Arise Narcissus, tis th'unhappy fate
Of Princes ever (as Augustus Cæsar
Was wont to say) the people ne're beleeve
That treasons were complotted 'gainst theire persons
Untill those treasons take effect, and then
Too late perchance they pity and beleeve.
35
But was the wise Augustus therfore slow
Or timorous to cut offenders off?
Fear'd hee the peoples whispers? Cæsar, no.
Hee well knew to use the sword hee had.
Hee had not else liv'd till times gentle hand
Dissolv'd in peace his long felicity,
And made the world by such continuance
Of power, beleeve hee was a God on earth.
Cæsar.
But some offendours are too great to suffer
The common course of Justice: against such
Wise Princes have forborne to draw the sword,
And rather sought some wayes of policy
How to ensnare them.
Narcissus.
Cæsar, those are wayes
As much unfit for Princes as unsafe.
As many Monarchs have in dangerous times
Beene ruin'd quite by going wayes too low
(Though they have seemed subtle) as proud subjects
Have beene undone by playing Princes parts.
And as this high, and open way befits
The power and person of earths greatest Monarch:
So it befits the times necessity.
You have already, Cæsar, shew'd your sword,
And if you strike not now, you do not right
Your selfe at all, but only arme your foes
With plots of mischeife to prevent their owne,
And hasten on your quicke destruction.
You have already threaten'd, and those speeches
By Agrippina, and her minion Pallas
Were overheard; who, like seene snakes will now
Bestirre themselves in a more desperate fury.
I have already cast mine owne poore life
Into the utmost hazard; but alas!
36
The Gods above can tell how willingly
For Cæsar's safety I would sacrifice
This life; make mee the cheifest instrument
Impose what part of this exploit you please
Upon Narcissus hand, and if I faile
To execute, I'll not refuse to dy.
Cæsar.
Oh my Narcissus; I have found thy faith
In other services: it is resolv'd,
Their pride shall feele my justice; thou shalt see
How soone I will secure my self and thee.
Exeunt.
Agrippina, Pallas.
Agrippina.
Wee are discover'd Pallas: all our drifts
Are sounded by Narcissus, and by him
Lay'd ope to Cæsar, who dissembling yet
The knowledge of it, seekes a suddaine way
To ruine both of us: nor had wee fear'd
So soone as felt his fury, had not wine
Betray'd his thoughts to us; you know last night
What speeches Cæsar in his drunkennesse
Let fall before us; and twas lately told mee
That meeting young Britannicus hee wept,
Confest that hee had wrong'd him, and there vow'd
A quicke redresse: what counsell shall wee take?
Pallas.
Wee have no time for counsell: but must act
As soone as thinke: wee goe not now to worke
But to prevent a mischeife, and our cure
Must bee as strong, and quicke of operation
As our disease is dangerous and suddaine.
That bird, that sees the snare, and will be caught
Deserves his death: and since that Cæsar knowes
His purpose is discover'd (as Narcissus
Ha's before this inform'd him that wee heard it)
37
No way is left us but to meete the danger,
And for prevention first attempt to doe
That which wee feare to suffer.
Agrippina.
By what meanes
Shall wee procure his death? for poison slow
Perchance may faile to lend a timely helpe
Unto our safety; and too quicke a venome
May make the fact supected.
Pallas.
Should the fact
Bee nere so much suspected, your estate
Would bee more safe then now it is; but who
Would dare to utter it when Cæsar's dead,
And your owne Sonne the Emperour: for so
My confidence assures mee it will bee.
Therfore bee speedy, Madam; for your danger
Where fame, where life, and Empire all are threaten'd,
Gives you no nice election. So 't bee done
No matter how.
Agrippina.
Thou hast confirm'd mee, Pallas.
The way's resolv'd already; there were lately
The fairest mushromes sent from Lybia
That ere these eyes beheld, a meat which hee
Affects with greedinesse; in one of those
Cæsar shall meete his death; if that should faile
His cheife Physitian Xenophon is mine.
But are things stong, and ready to confirme
The Empire upon Nero.
Pallas.
Tis the best
And happiest time, before Britannicus
Bee growne to riper yeares, while yet hee weares
His childish robe, and Nero has beene showne
38
But when the deed is done, place warily
Your guards about the Pallace gates, and keepe
Britannicus within; whilest Nero back'd
By Seneca and Burrhus, by the campe
And Senate bee saluted Emperour,
And all be setled sure.
Agrippina.
How fit a time
To work his own destruction Cæsar chose
To tempt with threatning Agrippinas fury!
| The Tragedy of Julia Agrippina ; Empresse of Rome | |