 | The Tragedy of Nero |  |
Actus Secundus.
Enter Petronius Solus.Here waites Poppea her Nimphidius comming,
And hath this garden, and these walkes chose out,
To blesse her with more pleasures then their owne:
Not onely Arras hangings, and silke beeds
Are guilty of the faults we blame them for:
Somewhat these Arbors, and you trees doe know,
Whil'st your kind shades, you to these night sports show.
Night sports? Faith, they are done in open day,
And the Sunne see'th, and enuieth their play.
Hither haue I Loue-sicke Antonius brought,
And thrust him on occasion so long sought:
Shewed him the Empresse in a thicket by,
Her loues approach waiting with greedie Eye;
And told him, if he euer meant to proue,
The doubtfull issue of his hopelesse Loue;
This is the place, and time wherein to try it,
Women will heere the suite, that will deny it.
The suit's not hard, that she comes for to take;
Who (hott in lust of men) doth difference make?
At last, loath, willing, to her did he pace;
Arme him Priapus, with thy powerfull Mace.
But see, they comming are; how they agree
Heere will I harken, shroud me gentle tree.
Enter Poppea and Antonius.
Anto.
Seeke not to grieue that heart which is thine owne,
These browes could neuer yet to wrinckle learne,
Nor anger out of such faire eyes looke forth.
Poppea:
You may solicite your presumptuous suites;
You duety may, and shame too layd aside,
Disturbe my priuacies, and I forsooth,
Must be afeard euen to be angry at you.
Anto:
What shame is't to be mastred by such beautie?
Who, but to serue you, comes, how wants he dutie?
Or if it be a shame, the shame is yours;
The fault is onely in your Eies, they drew me;
Cause you were louely, therefore did I loue:
O, if to Loue you, anger you so much,
You should not haue such cheekes, nor lips to touch,
You should not haue your snow, nor currall spy'd;
If you but looke on vs, in vaine you chide,
We must not see your Face, nor heare your speech:
Now, whilst you Loue forbid, you Loue doe teach.
Pet.
He doth better then I thought he would.
Pop:
I will not learne my beauties worth of you,
I know you neither are the first, nor greatest
Whom it hath mou'd: He whom the World obayes
Is fear'd with anger of my threatning Eyes.
It is for you a farre off to adore it,
And not to reach at it with sawsie hands.
Feare, is the Loue that's due to Gods, and Princes
Pet.
All this is but to edge his appetite.
Ant.
O doe not see thy faire in that false glasse
Of outward difference; Looke into my heart,
There, shalt thou see thy selfe, Inthroaned set
In greater Maiesty, then all the pompe
Of Rome, or Nero; Tis not the crowching awe,
And Ceremony, with which we flatter Princes,
That can to Loues true duties be compar'd.
Pop:
Sir, let me goe, or Ile make knowne your Loue
To them, that shall requite it, but with hate.
Pet.
On, on, thou hast the goale, the fort is beaten,
Women are wonne when they begin to threaten.
Your Noblenesse doth warrant me from that,
Nor need you others helpe, to punish me,
Who, by your forehead am condem'd, or free.
They, that to be reuendg'd do bend their minde,
Seeke alwayes recompence, in that same kind
The wrong was done them; Loue was mine offence,
In that reuenge, in that seeke recompence.
Popp.
Further to auswere, will still cause replyes,
And those as ill doe please me, as your selfe:
If you'le an answere take, that's breefe, and true,
I hate my selfe, If I be lou'd of you.
exit Popp.
Petro.
What gone? but she will come againe sure, no;
It passeth cleane my cunning, all my rules;
For Womens wantonnesse there is no rule.
To take her, in the itching of her Lust,
A propper young-man putting forth himselfe?
Why Fate; There's Fate and hidden prouidence
In codpiece matters.
Anto:
O vnhappie Man,
What comfort haue I now Petronius?
Pet.
Counsell your selfe, Ile teach no more but learne.
Ant.
This comfort yet; He shall not so escape,
Who causeth my disgrace, Nimphidius
Whom had I here.—Well, For my true-hearts loue
I see she hates me; And shall I loue one
That hates me; and bestowes what I deserue
Vpon my riuall? no, Farewell Poppea,
Farewell Poppea, and farewell all Loue;
Yet thus much shall it still preuaile in me,
That I will hate Nimphidius for thee:
Pet.
Farewell to her, to my Enanthe welcome,
Who, now, will to my burning kisses stoope,
Now, with an easie cruelty deny,
That, which she, rather then the asker, would
Haue forced from her, then begins her selfe.
Their loues, that list vpon great Ladies set;
I still will loue the Wench that I can get.
Exeunt.
Nero:
Tigellinus, said the villaine Proculus
I was throwne downe in running?
Tigel:
My Lord, he said that you were crown'd for that
You could not doe.
Nero,
For that I could not doe?
Why, Elis saw me doe't, and doe't with wonder
Of all the Iudges, and the lookers on:
And yet, to see, A villane? could not doe't?
Who did it better? I warrant you he said
I from the Chariot fell against my will.
Tigil:
He said my Lord, you were throwne out of it,
All crusht, and maim'd, and almost bruis'd to death.
Nero,
Malicious Rogue, when I fell willingly,
To show of purpose, with what little hurt
Might a good rider beare a forced fall.
How sayest thou? Tigillinus, I am sure
Thou hast in driuing as much skill as he.
Tigil:
My Lord, you greater cunning shew'd in falling,
Then had you sate,
Nero,
I know I did; or bruised in my fall?
Hurt! I protest I felt no griefe in it.
Goe Tigillinus, fetch the villaines head,
This makes me see his heart in other things?
Fetch me his head, he nere shall speake againe.
ex. Tigil.
What doe we Princes differ, from the durt,
And basenesse of the common Multitude,
If to the scorne of each malicious tongue
We subiect are: For that I had no skill;
Not he, that his farre famed daughter set
A prise to victorie, and had bin crown'd
With thirteene Sutors deaths, till he at length
By fate of Gods, and seruants treason fell,
(Shoulder pack't Pelops glorying in his spoyles,)
Could with more skill his coupled horses guide.
Euen as a Barke, that through the moouing Flood.
The Byllowes fome, she smoothly cutts them through;
So past my burning Axeltree along,
The people follow, with their eyes and voyce,
And now the wind doth see it selfe outrun,
And the Clouds wonder to be left behind;
Whilst the void ayre is fild with shoutes and noyse
And Neroes name doth beate the brasen Skie,
Jubiter enuying, loath doth heare my praise:
Then there greene bowes, and Crownes of Oliue wre'aths
The Conquerors praise, they giue me as my due,
And yet this Rogue sayth, no we haue no skill.
Enter a seruant to them.
Seruant,
My Lord, the Stage, and all the furniture.
Nero:
I haue no skill to driue a Chariot:
Had he but robde me, broke my treasurie,
The red-Sea's mine, mine are the Indian stones,
The Worlds mine owne, then, cannot I be robde?
But spightfully, to vndermine my fame,
To take away my arte; he would my life
As well, no doubt; could he tould how.
Enter Tegilliuus, with Proculus head.
Neoph:
My Lord,
Tegillinus is backe come with Proculus head
Nero,
O cry thee mercie good Neophitus;
strikes him
Giue him fiue hundred sesterces for amends,
Hast brought him Tegillinus?
Tegil:
Heres his head my Lord.
Nero,
His tongue had bin enough,
Tegil:
I did as you commanded me my Lord.
Nero,
Thou toldst not me, though he had such a Nose.
Now are you quiet, and haue quieted me;
This tis to be commander of the World,
Let them extoll weake pittie that doe neede it,
Let meane men cry to haue Law, and Iustice done
And tell their griefes to Heauen, that heares them not
Kings must vpon the Peoples headlesse courses
Walke to securitie, and ease of minde.
(That old age, and Philosophers found out,)
Of Iustice, and ne're certaine Equitie;
The Gods reuenge themselues, and so will we;
Where right is scand, Authoritie'is orethrowne,
We haue a high prerogatiue aboue it;
Slaues may doe what is lust, we, what we please,
The people will repine, and thinke it ill,
But they must beare, and prayse too, what we will.
Enter Cornutus to them.
Neoph:
My Lord, Cornutus whom you sent for's come.
Nero,
Welcome good Cornutus
Are all thigs ready for the Stage,
As I gaue charge.
Corn:
They onely stay your comming.
Nero,
Cornutus, I must act to day Orestus.
Cornu:
You haue done that alreadie; and too truely— aside
Nero,
And when our Sceane is done, I meane besides
To read some compositions of mine owne,
Which for the great opinion I my selfe,
And Rome In generall, of thy Iudgement, hath,
Before I publish them, Ile shew them thee.
Cornu:
My Lord, my disabilities
Nero:
I know thy modestie,
Ile onely shew thee, now, my works beginning:
Goe see Epaphroditus,
Musick made ready, I will sing to day.
Exit Epa.
Cornutus I pray thee, come neere,
And let me heare thy Iudgement in my paynes;
I would haue thee more familiar good Cornutus,
Nero doth prise desert, and more esteemes
Them, that in knowledge second him then power,
Marke with what style, and state my worke begins.
Cornu:
Might not my Interuption offend
Whats your workes name my Lord, what write you of?
Nero,
I meane to write the deeds of all the Romans
Cornu:
Of all the Romans? a huge argument
Nero,
I haue not yet bethought me of a Title
he reade;
Of Empyre crown'd, seauen Mountaine-seated Rome
Full blowne; Inspire me with Machlæan rage,
That J may bellow out Romes Prentisage,
As when the Menades doe fill their Drums
And crooked hornes with Mimalonean humme:
And Ennion doe Ingeminate a round
Which reparable Ecchoe doth resound.
How doest thou like our Muses paines Cornutus.
Cornu:
The verses haue more in them, then I see;
Your worke my Lord I doubt will be too long.
Nero,
Too long?
Tigel:
Too long?
Cornu:
I, If you write the deedes of all the Romans
How many Bookes thinke you t'include it in?
Nero,
I thinke to write about foure hundred Bookes.
Cornu:
Foure hundred? why my Lord the'yle nere be read.
Nero,
Hah?
Tigil:
Why he, whom you esteeme so much Crisippus,
Wrote many more.
Cornu:
But they were profitable to common life
And did Men, Honestie, and Wisedome teach.
Nero:
Tigillinus?
Exit Nero & Tigeli.
Cornu:
See with what earnestnesse he crau'd my Iudgment,
And now he freely hath it, how it likes him?
Neoph:
The Prince is angry, and his fall is neere;
Let vs begon, least we partake his ruines.
Exeunt omnes præter Cornu.
Manet Cornutus solus.
What should I doe at Court? I cannot lye;
Why didst thou call me, Nero, from my Booke?
Didst thou for flatterie of Cornutus looke?
No, let those purple Fellowes that stand by thee,
(That admire shew, and things that thou canst giue,
Leaue to please Truth, and Vertue, to please thee.
Nero, there's nothing in thy power, Cornutus
Doth wish or feare.
Tigel:
Tis Neroes pleasure that you straight depart
To Giaræ, and there remaine confin'd:
Thus he, out of his Princely Clemencie,
Hath Death, your due, turn'd but to banishment.
Cornu:
Why Tigellinus?
Tigel:
I haue done, vpon your perill goe, or stay,
ex Ti.
Cornu:
And why should Death? or Banishment be due?
For speaking, that which was requir'd, my thought;
O why doe Princes loue to be deceiu'd?
And, euen, doe force abuses on themselues?
There Eares are so with pleasing speech beguil'd,
That Truth they mallice, Flatterie, truth account,
And their owne Soule, and vnderstanding lost,
Goe (what they are) to seeke in other men.
Alas, weake Prince, how hast thou punisht me,
To banish me from thee? O let me goe
And dwell in Taurus, dwell in Ethiope,
So that I doe not dwell at Rome, with thee.
The farther, still, I goe from hence, I know,
The farther I leaue Shame and Vice behind.
Where can I goe, but I shall see thee, Sunne?
And Heauen will be as neere me, still, as here.
Can they, so farre, a knowing soule exyle,
That her owne roofe she sees not ore her head?
Exit.
Enter Piso, Sceuinus, Lucan, Flauius.
Piso,
Noble Gentlemen, what thankes, what recompence
Shall hee giue you, that giue to him the world;
One life to them, that must so many venture,
And that, the worst of all, is too meane paye;
Yet can I giue no more; Take that, bestow it
Vpon your seruice.
Lucan:
O Piso, that vouchsafest,
To grace our headlesse partie with thy name;
Whom, hauing our conductors, we need not
Haue fear'd to goe again the well try'd vallor
Of Iulius, or stayednesse of Augustus,
Much lesse the shame, and Womanhood of Nero;
Were all for thee, our end, to make thee Prince,
They thronging came to giue their names, Men, Women,
Gentlemen, People, Soldiers, Senators,
The Campe, and Cittie, grew asham'd that Nero,
And Piso should be offered them together.
Sceu.
We seeke not now (as in the happy dayes
O'th common wealth they did, for libertie;
O you, deere ashes, Cassius and Brutus
That was with you entomb'd, there let it rest,
We are contented with the galling yoke,
If they will only leaue vs necks to beare it;
We seeke no longer freedome, we seeke life
At least, not to be murdred, let vs die
On Enemies swords; Shall we, whom neither
The Median Bow, nor Macedonian Speare
Nor the firce Gaule, nor painted Briton could
Subdue, lay downe our neckes to Tyrants axe?
Why doe we talke of Vertue, that obay
Weakenesse, and Vice.
Piso:
Haue patience good Sceuinus
Lucan:
Weakenesse, and seruile gouernment we hitherto
Obeyed haue, which, that we may no longer,
We haue our liues, and fortunes now set vp,
And haue our cause with Pisoes credit strengthned.
Flaui:
Which makes it doubtfull, whether loue to him
Or Neroes hatred, hath drawne more vnto vs.
Piso:
I see the good thoughts you haue of me, Lords.
Lets now proceede to th'purpose of our meeting,
I pray you take your places.
Lets haue some Paper brought
Sceuin:
Whose within
Enter Milichus to them.
Meli.
My Lord
Sceu.
Some Inke, and Paper
Exit Moli. & enter againe with Incke, and Paper.
Flaui:
Whose that Sceuinus?
Sceui:
It is my freed man Melichus.
Luca:
Is he trustie?
I for as great matters, as we are about.
Piso:
And those are great ones.
Luca:
I aske not that we meane to neede his trust.
Gaine hath great soueragintie ore seruile mindes.
Sceui:
O but my benifits haue bound him to me.
I, from abondman, haue his state not onely
Aduanc't to freedome, but to wealth and credit.
Piso:
Meli. waire ith'next chamber tell we call.
abscondit se
The thing determinde on our meeting now,
Is of the meanes, and place, due circumstance,
As to the doing of things t'is requir'd,
So done it names the action.
Melic:
I wonder,
What makes this new resort to haunt our house,
When wonted Lucius Piso to come hither?
Or Lucan, when so oft, as now of late.
aside
Piso:
And since the field, and open shew of armes
Dislike you, and that for the generall good,
You meane to end all styrres, in end of him:
That, as the ground, must first be thought vpon.
Melic:
Besides, this comming cannot be for forme,
Our visitation, they goe aside,
aside
And haue long conferences by themselues.
Luca:
Piso, his comming to your house at Baiæ
To bathe, and banquet, will fit meanes afford,
amidst his cups, to end his hated life,
Let him die drunke, that nere liu'd soberly.
Pisa:
O be it farre, that I should staine my Table,
And Gods of Hospitalitie with blood;
Let not our cause (now Innocent) be soyld
With such a blot, nor Pisoes name made hatefull.
What place can better fit our action
Then his owne house? that boundlesse enuied heape,
Built with the spoyles, and blood of Cittizens
That hath taken vp the Citie, left no roome
For Rome to stand on; Romanes get you gone
And dwell at Ueiæ, If that Veiæ too
This house ore runne not.
But twill be hard to doe it in his house,
And harder to escape being done.
Piso.
Not so,
Rufus the Captaine of the Guard's with vs,
And diuers other oth'Pretorian Band
Already made; many, though vnacquainted
With our intents, haue had disgrace and wrongs,
Which grieue them still; most will be glad of change,
And euen they that lou'd him best, when once
They see him gone, will smile o'th comming times,
Let goe things past, and looke to their owne safetie:
Besides, th'astonishment and feare will be
So great, so sodaine, that 'twill hinder them
From doing any thing.
Meli.
No priuate businesse can concerne them all;
aside.
Their countenances are troubled, and looke sad,
Doubt and Importance in their face is read.
Lucan.
Yet still I thinke it were
Safer t'attempt him priuate, and alone.
Flaui.
But 'twill not carry that opinion with it,
Twill seeme more foule, and come from priuate malice.
Brutus, and they, to right the common cause,
Did chuse a publike place.
Serui.
Our deed is honest, why should it seeke corners?
Tis for the people done, let them behold it;
Let me haue them a witnesse of my truth,
And loue toth'Common-wealth; The danger's greater,
So is the glory. Why should our pale counsels
Tend whether feare, rather then vertue calls them:
I doe not like these cold considerings;
First, let our thoughts looke vp to what is honest,
Next, to what's safe; If danger may deterre vs,
Nothing that's great, or good shall ere be done;
And, when we first gaue hands vpon this deed
Toth'commons safetie, we our owne gaue vp.
Let no man venture on a princes death,
How bad soeuer, with beliefe to escape;
Dispaire must be our hope, fame, or reward.
To make the generall liking to concurre
Or (as he thinks) his glory, on the Stage,
And so too truely make't a Tragedy;
When all the people cannot chuse but clap
So sweet a close, and 'twill not Cæsar be
That shall be slaine, a Romane Prince:
Twill be Alcmæon, or blind Oedipus.
Meli.
And if it be of publique matters, 'tis not
aside.
Like to be talke, or idle fault finding,
On which the coward onely spends his wisedome:
These are all men of action, and of spirit,
And dare performe what they determine on.
Luca.
What thinke you of Poppea, Tigellinus.
And tho'ther odious Instruments of Court:
Were it not best at once to rid them all?
Serui.
In Cæsars ruine, Anthony was spared:
Lets not our cause with needlesse blood distaine,
One onely mou'd, the change will not appeare
When too much licence giuen to the sword,
Though against ill, will make euen good men feare:
Besides, things setled, you at pleasure may
By Law, and publique Iudgement haue them rid.
Meli.
And if it be but talke oth'State, 'tis Treason,
Like it they cannot, that they cannot doe:
If seeke to mend it, and remooue the Prince,
That's highest Treason; change his Councellours,
aside.
That's alteration of the gouernment,
The common cloke that Treasons mufled in;
If laying force aside, to seeke by suite,
And faire petition, t'haue the State reform'd,
That's tutering of the Prince, and takes away,
Thone his person, this his Soueraigntie;
Barely in priuate talke to shew dislike
Of what is done, is dangerous; therefore the action
Mislike you, cause the doer likes you not?
Men are not fit to liue ith state they hate.
Piso.
Though we would all haue that imployment sought,
Yet, since your worthy forwardnesse, Seruinus,
Be this the chosen hand to doe the deed,
The fortune of the Empire speed your sword.
Sceui:
Vertue, and Heauen speed it; O you homeborne
Gods of our countrey, Romulus, and Vesta,
That Thuscan Tiber, and Romes towers defends:
Forbid not yet at length a happie end
To former euils; Let this hand reuenge
The wronged world; enough we now haue suffered.
exeunt.
Manet Melichus solus.
Meli.
Tush, all this long Consulting's more then words,
It ends not there; th'haue some attempt, some plot,
Against the state: well, Ile obserue it farther,
And if I find it, make my profit of it.
exeunt.
Finis Actus Secundus.
| The Tragedy of Nero | |