University of Virginia Library

SCENE THE FIRST.

Poppæa, Seneca.
Pop.
Of me what wouldst thou?

Sen.
Pardon me, I come
Inopportunely; but, perchance, I come
For thy advantage.

Pop.
Wherefore, now, in thee
Springs such solicitude for my advantage?
Say, wert thou ever, art thou now, my friend?
What other reason than to injure me? ...

Sen.
I never would, assuredly, assist thee,
Did not the means of least risk to Octavia,
With means of thy advantage, coalesce.
Pity for th'innocent, illustrious lady,
A love of justice, and long weariness
Of my disgraceful and unfruitful life,
Lead me to speak; and from no other source
Except thy interest, claim I, or expect,
From thee a patient hearing.

Pop.
Let us hear:
What canst thou say to me?

Sen.
That thou wilt soon
Become displeasing to the heart of Nero,
If he perceive the multitude persist
Tenaciously in hating thee. In this
I speak to thee the truth: I know Poppæa,
Nero, the times, and Rome.

Pop.
Thou knowest all
Except thyself.

Sen.
Men at my death will see
Whether I know myself. Hear me meanwhile;
Hear me, I pray thee. To thy own destruction,
With too much wishing to destroy Octavia,
Thou hastenest now. Rome taxes thee alone
Both with her exile and divorce: to thee
'Twill always be ascribed, if infamy,
Or greater punishment await her. Hence
The aversion 'gainst thyself, intense already,
The rancorous whisperings, a thousand-fold
Will be increased. The people, mutinous,
Are not dispersed; yet, grant that it were so,
Does not the day return in which 'twill be
Still more tremendous? Tremble for thyself,
Poppæa; for thy Nero has a heart,
If self-defence required the sacrifice,
To immolate the whole to save himself.
Perhaps a light obstacle allures to love;
But quickly one that's insurmountable
Destroys it in a bosom not sublime.
Then flatter not thyself: for Nero holds
(And for a long time has he held) the throne,
Far, far more precious than thy love, or thee.
And woe on thee, if he is forced by Rome,
To chuse betwixt you both.

Pop.
And I hold Nero
Far, far more precious than the throne. If I
Fear'd, on my own account, to risk his safety ...
But, what dost thou suggest? Is Nero not
The absolute lord of Rome? and shall he heed
A vile and apprehensive multitude,
Which silently, implicitly, obeyed
Tiberius and Caligula?

Sen.
Thou shouldst heed it,
If thou wilt not that Nero for himself
Should tremble at it; yes, defy all fear,
Remove the last remaining check from Nero;
And thou of this wilt be the first to feel
The sad effects. Useless is all the blood
Which solemnized thy fatal nuptial rites,
If ye dare add to-day Octavia's blood.
Reflect on Agrippina: her fierce son
She loved, but well she knew him; she would never,
From the apprehension of his rival brother,
Never exempt him. His ferocious cunning
At last prevail'd; and the unhappy youth
Imbibed the guilty poison in his breast.
Vain were the mother's arts, and soon for them
She paid herself the penalty. From thence
More resolute in crime, Nero we saw
Day after day more deeply plunge in blood.
Octavia now remains to such a monster
The only check; Octavia, Nero's terror,
Idol of Rome. Octavia take away;
Let him possess thee in tranquillity;
Soon wilt thou see him cloy'd. He loves thee now,
Because he has purchased thee with so much blood;
But if a danger, though a feeble one,
Thou cost him, love is gone. Ah then expect
That meed of which Nero was never sparing;
To those who love him most, the death most cruel.

Pop.
He comes; proceed.

Sen.
'Tis what I most desire.