University of Virginia Library

SCENE THE FOURTH.

Octavia, Seneca.
Sen.
What wouldst thou do?

Oct.
Expire before their eyes.

Sen.
What dost thou say? ... Alas if thou dost wish it,
He will forbid thy death.

Oct.
And would I ask
Such an inestimable gift from Nero?—
From others I demand it; and I hope ...

Sen.
Nero was once well known to me; but yet,
I must confess, that now I am o'erwhelm'd
With blank astonishment. Each moment he,
Passing all thought of other men, becomes
More terrible.

Oct.
For a most lofty purpose,
I in my secret thought have chosen thee,
Oh Seneca. Thou mayest prove to me,
If love, esteem, or pity in thy breast
Thou bear'st for me, to-day. To me wert thou
Of incorruptible and spotless virtue
The inculcator; thou art call'd upon
To be to me this day the minister
Of necessary death.

Sen.
What do I hear? ...
Oh heaven! ... A voluntary death should be
The offspring of involuntary impulse.

Oct.
Am I so sunken then in thy esteem,
That thou accountest me incapable
Of an immutable arbitrement?
Now, is not death of all the menaced evils,
Perhaps the least? What else remains for me?
Speak.—Thou art silent?

Sen.
Oh disastrous day!

Oct.
Speak; speak—What else remains for me to do?

Sen.
My heart thou rendest ... But can I e'er be
Cruel to such a pitch?

Oct.
Shall wisdom now
In thee be so fallacious? Canst thou be
So cruel as to see me dragged the victim
Of my ferocious rival, who esteems
My death an insufficient sacrifice
Not join'd with infamy? Hast thou the heart
To see Octavia again exposed
To the indecent and extorted charges
Of every ribald sycophant? To see her
Deliver'd over to the insatiable,
And frantic rage of Nero?

Sen.
Why have I
Lived to see this? ... Oh inauspicious day!

Oct.
But what now stops thee? ... And what fearest thou?
Perhaps thou hast yet a hope?

Sen.
Who knows?

Oct.
Thou, less
Than any other, hopest: thou dost know
Nero too well: thou for thyself hast fix'd
(And certainly wouldst not to me deny it)
To escape from him by voluntary death.
Thou firm in this, herein dost thou deem me
Inferior to thyself; and lovest me?
Nero is dreadful to me while I see
This wretched and tormented frame of mine,
The dwelling of my soul. He may subject it
To all that's exquisite in pain and sorrow.
And should I yield to menaces and torments?
And if from fear there should escape my lips
Of not committed, nor imagined faults,
A forced confession? ... For a length of time
Accustomed to behold death near at hand,
Thou art secure: not thus am I; in age
Yet immature, and in my heart unbraced;
Nursed in the lap of delicate indulgence;
Ne'er school'd by nature to the natural virtues;
And 'gainst a premature, and cruel death
Armed feebly, and imperfectly: by thee,
If so thou wilt, I may escape from life;
But have not constancy to wait for death.

Sen.
Oh wretched me! with my declining years
I hoped to rescue thine. 'Twas my design
That from my lips the people should have heard
The hidden, wicked, horrid arts of Nero; ...
But I have lived in vain: all Rome is hushed;
And only listens to its wretched fears.
To me the egress from this fatal place
Is now forbidden ... Oh heaven! who can prevail,
Himself not impious, 'gainst an impious master!

Oct.
Thou weepest? ... Me from infamy and pangs
Ah save! ... From death, thou seest 'tis in vain
To expect it. Save me, pity bids thee ...

Sen.
Though
I e'en were willing ... Now ... in such short space? ...
I have no sword with me; and instantly
Comes Nero ...

Oct.
Poison thou hast always with thee:
In these opprobrious thresholds, of the just
The sole resource.

Sen.
I, ... with me? ...

Oct.
Yes; thyself
Toldest me this in former times: ah then
Like a fond father to a daughter, thou
To me revealed'st the most secret thoughts
Of thy afflicted soul. Remember, ah!
I also wept with thee at thy recital.—
But, wouldest thou deny it? I already
Am risen above myself. Necessity
Makes e'en the weakest valiant. Instantly
Comes Nero; at his side he always wears
A dagger: I will spring towards it, and grasp it,
And with it pierce myself ... My hand perchance
May lack address; yet I will make the attempt.
Of having sought to murder him, at once
I shall be charged by Nero: and thou wilt see me
Doom'd to a death of unexampled suffering.

Sen.
Ah, spare me, lady: this is worse than death! ...
Thou would'st by me obtain it ... thou'rt mistaken ...
I have no poison with me ...

Oct.
Dost not thou
Wear on thy finger still a faithful ring?
Behold it; I will have it ...

Sen.
Ah! desist ...

Oct.
In vain ... I grasp it. And I know its use:
Its contents yield a swift and painless death.

Sen.
I call the heavens to witness ... I conjure thee, ...
Restore it to me ... If another way ...

Oct.
No other way remains. Behold it opened ...
I have already with my breath absorbed
The dust mortiferous ...

Sen.
Woe, woe is me!

Oct.
May heaven reward thee for the precious gift,
To me so opportune ... See, Nero comes ...
Ah hasten ... death ... to set my spirit ... free.