ACT IV

[SCENE I.][1495]

[_Enter_] GALLUS, AGRIPPINA.

_Gal._ You must have patience, royal Agrippina.

_Agr._ I must have vengeance first; and that were nectar Unto my famish’d spirits. O, my fortune, Let it be sudden thou prepar’st against me; Strike all my powers of understanding blind, 5 And ignorant of destiny to come! Let me not fear, that cannot hope.

_Gal._ Dear princess. These tyrannies on yourself are worse than Caesar’s.

_Agr._ Is this the happiness of being born great? Still to be aim’d at? still to be suspected? 10 To live the subject of all jealousies? At least the colour[1496] made, if not the ground To every painted danger? Who would not Choose once to fall, than thus to hang for ever?

_Gal._ You might be safe if you would——

_Agr._ What, my Gallus! 15 Be lewd Sejanus’ strumpet? Or the bawd To Caesar’s lusts, he now is gone to practise? Not these are safe, where nothing is. Yourself, While thus you stand but by me, are not safe. Was Silius safe? Or the good Sosia safe? 20 Or was my niece, dear Claudia Pulchra, safe, Or innocent Furnius? they that latest have (By being made guilty) added reputation To Afer’s eloquence? O, foolish friends, Could not so fresh example warn your loves, 25 But you must buy my favours with that loss Unto yourselves; and when you might perceive That Caesar’s cause of raging must forsake him, Before his will! Away, good Gallus, leave me. Here to be seen, is danger; to speak, treason: 30 To do me least observance, is call’d faction. You are unhappy in me, and I in all. Where are my sons Nero and Drusus? We Are they he shot at; let us fall apart; Not in our ruins sepulchre our friends. 35 Or shall we do some action like offence,[1497] To mock their studies that would make us faulty, And frustrate practice by preventing[1498] it? The danger’s like: for what they can contrive, They will make good. No innocence is safe 40 When power contests: nor can they trespass more, Whose only being[1499] was all crime before.

[_Enter_ NERO, DRUSUS, _and_ CALIGULA.]

_Ner._ You hear Sejanus is come back from Caesar?

_Gal._ No. How? disgrac’d?

_Dru._ More graced now than ever.

_Gal._ By what mischance?

_Cal._ A fortune like enough Once to be bad.

_Dru._ But turn’d too good to both. 46

_Gal._ What was’t?

_Ner._ Tiberius sitting at his meat, In a farm-house they call Spelunca, sited By the sea-side, among the Fundane hills, Within a natural cave; part of the grot, 50 About the entry, fell, and overwhelmed Some of the waiters; others ran away: Only Sejanus with his knees, hands, face, O’erhanging Caesar, did oppose himself To the remaining ruins, and was found 55 In that so labouring posture by the soldiers That came to succour him. With which adventure, He hath so fixt himself in Caesar’s trust, As thunder cannot move him, and is come With all the height of Caesar’s praise to Rome.

_Agr._ And power to turn those ruins all on us, 61 And bury whole posterities beneath them. Nero, and Drusus, and Caligula, Your places are the next, and therefore most In their offence. Think on your birth and blood, 65 Awake your spirits, meet their violence; ’T is princely when a tyrant doth oppose, And is a fortune sent to exercise Your virtue, as the wind doth try strong trees, Who by vexation[1500] grow more sound and firm. After your father’s fall, and uncle’s fate, 71 What can you hope, but all the change of stroke That force or sleight can give? Then stand upright; And though you do not act, yet suffer nobly: 74 Be worthy of my womb, and take strong cheer; What we do know will come, we should not fear. [_Exeunt._]

[SCENE II.][1501]

[_Enter_] MACRO.

_Mac._ Return’d so soon! Renew’d in trust and grace! Is Caesar then so weak, or hath the place But wrought this alteration with the air; And he, on next remove, will all repair? Macro, thou art engag’d: and what before 5 Was public, now must be thy private more. The weal of Caesar, fitness did imply; But thine own fate confers necessity On thy employment; and the thoughts borne nearest 9 Unto ourselves, move swiftest still, and dearest. If he recover, thou art lost; yea, all The weight of preparation to his fall Will turn on thee, and crush thee: therefore strike Before he settle, to prevent the like Upon thyself. He doth his vantage know, 15 That makes it home,[1502] and gives the foremost blow. [_Exit._]

[SCENE III.][1503]

[_Enter_] LATIARIS, RUFUS, _and_ OPSIUS.

_Lat._ It is a service great Sejanus will See well requited, and accept of nobly. Here place yourselves between the roof and ceiling; And when I bring him to his words of danger, Reveal yourselves, and take him.

_Ruf._ Is he come? 5

_Lat._ I’ll now go fetch him. [_Exit._]

_Ops._ With good speed.—I long To merit from the state in such an action.

_Ruf._ I hope it will obtain the consulship For one of us.

_Ops._ We cannot think of less, To bring in one so dangerous as Sabinus. 10

_Ruf._ He was a follower of Germanicus, And still is an observer[1504] of his wife And children, though they be declin’d in grace; A daily visitant, keeps them company In private and in public, and is noted 15 To be the only client of the house: Pray Jove, he will be free to Latiaris.

_Ops._ He ’s alli’d to him, and doth trust him well.

_Ruf._ And he’ll requite his trust!

_Ops._ To do an office So grateful to the state, I know no man 20 But would strain nearer bands than kindred—

_Ruf._ List! I hear them come.

_Ops._ Shift to our holes with silence. [_They retire._]

[_Re-enter_] LATIARIS, SABINUS.

_Lat._ It is a noble constancy you show To this afflicted house; that not like others, The friends of season, you do follow fortune, 25 And, in the winter of their fate, forsake The place whose glories warm’d you. You are just, And worthy such a princely patron’s love, As was the world’s renown’d Germanicus, Whose ample merit when I call to thought, 30 And see his wife and issue objects made To so much envy, jealousy, and hate; It makes me ready to accuse the gods Of negligence, as men of tyranny.

_Sab._ They must be patient, so must we.

_Lat._ O Jove, What will become of us or of the times, 36 When, to be high or noble, are made crimes, When land and treasure are most dangerous faults?

_Sab._ Nay, when our table, yea our bed, assaults Our peace and safety? When our writings are By any envious instruments, that dare 41 Apply them to the guilty, made to speak What they will have to fit their tyrannous wreak? When ignorance is scarcely innocence; And knowledge made a capital offence? 45 When not so much, but the bare empty shade Of liberty, is reft[1505] us; and we made The prey to greedy vultures and vile spies, That first transfix us with their murdering eyes? 49

_Lat._ Methinks the genius of the Roman race Should not be so extinct, but that bright flame Of liberty might be reviv’d again, (Which no good man but with his life should lose) And we not sit like spent and patient fools, Still puffing in the dark at one poor coal, 55 Held on by hope, till the last spark is out. The cause is public, and the honour, name, The immortality of every soul, That is not bastard or a slave in Rome, Therein concern’d: whereto, if men would change 60 The weari’d arm, and for the weighty shield So long sustain’d, employ the facile sword, We might have soon assurance of our vows. This ass’s fortitude doth tire us all: It must be active valour must redeem 65 Our loss, or none. The rock and our hard steel Should meet t’ enforce those glorious fires again, Whose splendour cheer’d the world, and heat gave life No less than doth the sun’s.

_Sab._ ’T were better stay In lasting darkness, and despair of day. 70 No ill should force the subject undertake Against the sovereign, more than hell should make The gods do wrong. A good man should and must Sit rather down with loss than rise unjust; Though, when the Romans first did yield themselves 75 To one man’s power, they did not mean their lives, Their fortunes, and their liberties should be His absolute spoil, as purchas’d by the sword.

_Lat._ Why, we are worse, if to be slaves, and bond 79 To Caesar’s slave, be such, the proud Sejanus! He that is all, does all, gives Caesar leave To hide his ulcerous and anointed face, With his bald crown at Rhodes, while he here stalks Upon the heads of Romans and their princes, Familiarly to empire.

_Sab._ Now you touch 84 A point indeed, wherein he shows his art, As well as power.

_Lat._ And villany in both. Do you observe where Livia lodges? How Drusus came dead? What men have been cut off?

_Sab._ Yes, those are things remov’d. I nearer lookt 90 Into his later practice, where he stands Declar’d a master in his mystery. First, ere Tiberius went, he wrought his fear To think that Agrippina sought his death. Then put those doubts in her; sent her oft word, 95 Under the show of friendship, to beware Of Caesar, for he laid to poison her: Drave them to frowns, to mutual jealousies, Which, now, in visible hatred are burst out. Since, he hath had his hired instruments 100 To work on Nero, and to heave him up; To tell him Caesar’s old, that all the people, Yea, all the army have their eyes on him; That both do long to have him undertake 104 Something of worth, to give the world a hope; Bids him to court their grace: the easy youth Perhaps gives ear, which straight he writes to Caesar; And with this comment: “See yon dangerous boy; Note but the practice of the mother, there; She’s tying him for purposes at hand, 110 With men of sword.” Here’s Caesar put in fright ’Gainst son and mother. Yet he leaves not thus, The second brother, Drusus, a fierce nature, And fitter for his snares, because ambitious And full of envy, him he clasps and hugs, 115 Poisons with praise, tells him what hearts he wears, How bright he stands in popular expectance; That Rome doth suffer with him in the wrong His mother does him, by preferring Nero: 119 Thus sets he them asunder, each ’gainst other. Projects the course that serves him to condemn, Keeps in opinion of a friend to all, And all drives on to ruin.

_Lat._ Caesar sleeps, And nods at this.

_Sab._ Would he might ever sleep, Bogg’d in his filthy lusts! [OPSIUS _and_ RUFUS _rush in_.]

_Ops._ Treason to Caesar! 125

_Ruf._ Lay hands upon the traitor, Latiaris, Or take the name thyself.

_Lat._ I am for Caesar.

_Sab._ Am I then catch’d?

_Ruf._ How think you, sir? You are.

_Sab._ Spies of this head, so white, so full of years! Well, my most reverend monsters, you may live To see yourself thus snar’d.

_Ops._ Away with him! 131

_Lat._ Hale him away.

_Ruf._ To be a spy for traitors, Is honourable vigilance.

_Sab._ You do well, My most officious instruments of state, Men of all uses. Drag me hence, away. 135 The year is well begun, and I fall fit To be an off’ring to Sejanus. Go!

_Ops._ Cover him with his garments, hide his face.

_Sab._ It shall not need. Forbear your rude assault. The fault’s not shameful, villany makes a fault. [_Exeunt._] 140

[SCENE IV.][1506]

[_Enter_] MACRO, CALIGULA.

_Mac._ Sir, but observe how thick your dangers meet In his clear drifts![1507] Your mother and your brothers, Now cited to the senate; their friend Gallus, Feasted to-day by Caesar, since committed! Sabinus here we met, hurried to fetters: 5 The senators all struck with fear and silence, Save those whose hopes depend not on good means, But force their private prey from public spoil. And you must know, if here you stay, your state Is sure to be the subject of his hate, 10 As now the object.

_Cal._ What would you advise me?

_Mac._ To go for Capreae presently; and there Give up yourself entirely to your uncle. Tell Caesar (since your mother is accus’d To fly for succours to Augustus’ statue, 15 And to the army, with your brethren) you Have rather chose to place your aids in him Than live suspected; or in hourly fear To be thrust out, by bold Sejanus’ plots: Which you shall confidently urge to be 20 Most full of peril to the state, and Caesar, As being laid to his peculiar ends, And not to be let run with common safety. All which, upon the second, I’ll make plain, So both shall love and trust with Caesar gain.

_Cal._ Away then, let’s prepare us for our journey. [_Exeunt._] 26

[SCENE V.][1508]

[_Enter_] ARRUNTIUS.

_Arr._ Still dost thou suffer, heaven! Will no flame, No heat of sin, make thy just wrath to boil In thy distemp’red bosom, and o’erflow The pitchy blazes of impiety, Kindled beneath thy throne! Still canst thou sleep, 5 Patient, while vice doth make an antic face At thy dread power, and blow dust and smoke Into thy nostrils! Jove, will nothing wake thee? Must vile Sejanus pull thee by the beard, Ere thou wilt open thy black-lidded eye, 10 And look him dead? Well! snore on, dreaming gods; And let this last of that proud giant-race Heave mountain upon mountain ’gainst your state.— Be good unto me, Fortune and you powers, Whom I, expostulating, have profan’d; 15 I see (what’s equal with a prodigy) A great, a noble Roman, and an honest, Live an old man!— [_Enter_ LEPIDUS.][1509] O Marcus Lepidus, When is our turn to bleed? Thyself and I, Without our boast, are a’most all the few 20 Left to be honest in these impious times.

_Lep._ What we are left to be, we will be, Lucius; Though tyranny did stare as wide as death, To fright us from it.

_Arr._ ’T hath so on Sabinus.

_Lep._ I saw him now drawn from the Gemonies,[1510] 26 And what increas’d the direness of the fact, His faithful dog, upbraiding all us Romans, Never forsook the corpse, but, seeing it thrown Into the stream, leap’d in, and drown’d with it.

_Arr._ O act, to be envi’d him of us men! 30 We are the next the hook lays hold on. Marcus What are thy arts, good patriot, teach them me, That have preserv’d thy hairs to this white dye, And kept so reverend and so dear a head Safe on his comely shoulders?

_Lep._ Arts, Arruntius! 35 None, but the plain and passive fortitude, To suffer and be silent; never stretch These arms against the torrent; live at home, With my own thoughts and innocence about me, Not tempting the wolves’ jaws: these are my arts. 40

_Arr._ I would begin to study ’em, if I thought They would secure me. May I pray to Jove In secret and be safe? ay, or aloud, With open wishes, so I do not mention Tiberius or Sejanus? Yes, I must, 45 If I speak out. ’T is hard, that. May I think, And not be rackt? What danger is ’t to dream, Talk in one’s sleep, or cough? Who knows the law? May I shake my head without a comment? say It rains, or it holds up, and not be thrown 50 Upon the Gemonies? These now are things, Whereon men’s fortune, yea, their fate depends. Nothing hath privilege ’gainst the violent ear. No place, no day, no hour, we see, is free, (Not our religious and most sacred times) 55 From some one kind of cruelty: all matter, Nay, all occasion pleaseth. Madmen’s rage, The idleness of drunkards, women’s nothing, Jester’s simplicity, all, all is good That can be catcht at. Nor is now th’ event 60 Of any person, or for any crime, To be expected;[1511] for ’t is always one: Death, with some little difference of place, Or time——What’s this? Prince Nero, guarded!

[_Enter_] LACO _and_ NERO [_with_ GUARDS.]

_Lac._ On, lictors, keep your way. My lords, forbear. 65 On pain of Caesar’s wrath, no man attempt Speech with the prisoner.

_Ner._ Noble friends, be safe; To lose yourselves for words, were as vain hazard, As unto me small comfort. Fare you well. Would all Rome’s sufferings in my fate did dwell! 70

_Lac._ Lictors, away.

_Lep._ Where goes he, Laco?

_Lac._ Sir, He’s banished into Pontia by the senate.

_Arr._ Do I see, and hear, and feel? May I trust sense, Or doth my phant’sie form it?

_Lep._ Where ’s his brother?

_Lac._ Drusus is prisoner in the palace.

_Arr._ Ha! 75 I smell it now: ’t is rank. Where’s Agrippina?

_Lac._ The princess is confin’d to Pandataria.

_Arr._ Bolts, Vulcan; bolts for Jove! Phoebus, thy bow; Stern Mars, thy sword; and, blue-ey’d Maid, thy spear; Thy club, Alcides: all the armoury 80 Of heaven is too little!—Ha! to guard The gods, I meant. Fine, rare dispatch! This same Was swiftly borne! Confin’d, imprison’d, banish’d? Most tripartite! The cause, sir?

_Lac._ Treason.

_Arr._ O! The complement of all accusings! That 85 Will hit, when all else fails.

_Lep._ This turn is strange! But yesterday the people would not hear, Far less objected, but cri’d Caesar’s letters Were false and forg’d; that all these plots were malice; And that the ruin of the prince’s house 90 Was practis’d ’gainst his knowledge. Where are now Their voices, now that they behold his heirs Lock’d up, disgrac’d, led into exile?

_Arr._ Hush’d, Drown’d in their bellies. Wild Sejanus’ breath Hath, like a whirlwind, scatter’d that poor dust, 95 With his rude blast.—We’ll talk no treason, sir. _Turns to_ LACO, _and the rest_. If that be it you stand for. Fare you well. We have no need of horse-leeches. Good spy, Now you are spi’d, be gone. [_Exeunt_ LACO, NERO, _and_ GUARDS.]

_Lep._ I fear you wrong him: He has the voice to be an honest Roman. 100

_Arr._ And trusted to this office! Lepidus, I’d sooner trust Greek Sinon than a man Our state employs. He’s gone: and being gone, I dare tell you, whom I dare better trust, That our night-ey’d Tiberius doth not see 105 His minion’s drifts; or, if he do, he ’s not So arrant subtile, as we fools do take him; To breed a mongrel up, in his own house. With his own blood, and, if the good gods please, At his own throat flesh him to take a leap. 110 I do not beg it, heav’n; but if the fates Grant it these eyes, they must not wink.

_Lep._ They must Not see it, Lucius.

_Arr._ Who should let[1512] ’em?

_Lep._ Zeal, And duty; with the thought he is our prince.

_Arr._ He is our monster: forfeited to vice 115 So far, as no rack’d virtue can redeem him. His loathed person fouler than all crimes: An emp’ror only in his lusts. Retir’d, From all regard of his own fame, or Rome’s, Into an obscure island, where he lives 120 Acting his tragedies with a comic face, Amidst his rout of Chaldees: spending hours, Days, weeks, and months, in the unkind[1513] abuse Of grave astrology, to the bane of men, Casting the scope of men’s nativities, 125 And having found aught worthy in their fortune, Kill, or precipitate them in the sea, And boast he can mock fate. Nay, muse not: these Are far from ends of evil, scarce degrees. He hath his slaughter-house at Capreae; 130 Where he doth study murder as an art; And they are dearest in his grace that can Devise the deepest tortures. Thither, too, He hath his boys, and beauteous girls ta’en up Out of our noblest houses, the best form’d, 135 Best nurtur’d, and most modest; what’s their good, Serves to provoke his bad. Some are allur’d, Some threat’ned; others, by their friends detain’d, Are ravish’d hence, like captives, and, in sight Of their most grieved parents, dealt away 140 Unto his spintries,[1514] sellaries,[1515] and slaves Masters of strange and new commented lusts, For which wise nature hath left not a name. To this (what most strikes us, and bleeding Rome) He is, with all his craft, become the ward 145 To his own vassal, a stale catamite.[1514] Whom he, upon our low and suffering necks, Hath raised from excrement to side the gods, And have his proper sacrifice in Rome: Which Jove beholds, and yet will sooner rive 150 A senseless oak with thunder than his trunk!

[_Re-enter_] LACO, POMPONIUS, MINUTIUS.

_Lac._ These letters make men doubtful what t’ expect, Whether his coming, or his death.

_Pom._ Troth, both: And which comes soonest, thank the gods for.

_Arr._ (_Aside._) List! Their talk is Caesar; I would hear all voices. 155 [ARRUNT. _and_ LEPIDUS _stand aside_.]

_Min._ One day, he’s well; and will return to Rome; The next day, sick; and knows not when to hope it.

_Lac._ True; and to-day, one of Sejanus’ friends Honour’d by special writ; and on the morrow Another punish’d——

_Pom._ By more special writ. 160

_Min._ This man receives his praises of Sejanus, A second but slight mention, a third none, A fourth rebukes: and thus he leaves the senate Divided and suspended, all uncertain.

_Lac._ These forked tricks, I understand ’em not: 165 Would he would tell us whom he loves or hates, That we might follow, without fear or doubt.

_Arr._ (_Aside._) Good Heliotrope! Is this your honest man? Let him be yours so still; he is my knave.

_Pom._ I cannot tell, Sejanus still goes on, 170 And mounts, we see; new statues are advanc’d,[1516] Fresh leaves of titles, large inscriptions read, His fortune sworn by, himself new gone out Caesar’s colleague in the fifth consulship; More altars smoke to him than all the gods: 175 What would be more?

_Arr._ (_Aside._) That the dear smoke would choke him, [That would I more.

_Lep._ Peace, good Arruntius.][1517]

_Lat._ But there are letters come, they say, ev’n now, Which do forbid that last.

_Min._ Do you hear so?

_Lac._ Yes.

_Pom._ By Castor that’s the worst.

_Arr._ (_Aside._) By Pollux, best.

_Min._ I did not like the sign, when Regulus, Whom all we know no friend unto Sejanus, 182 Did, by Tiberius’ so precise command, Succeed a fellow in the consulship: It boded somewhat.

_Pom._ Not a mote. His partner, Fulcinius Trio, is his own, and sure.— 186 Here comes Terentius. [_Enter_ TERENTIUS] He can give us more. [_They whisper with_ TERENTIUS.]

_Lep._ I’ll ne’er believe but Caesar hath some scent Of bold Sejanus’ footing. These cross points Of varying letters, and opposing consuls, 190 Mingling his honours and his punishments, Feigning now ill, now well, raising Sejanus, And then depressing him, as now of late In all reports we have it, cannot be Empty of practice: ’t is Tiberius’ art, 195 For, having found his favourite grown too great, And with his greatness strong; that all the soldiers Are, with their leaders, made at his devotion; That almost all the senate are his creatures, Or hold on him their main dependencies, 200 Either for benefit, or hope, or fear; And that himself hath lost much of his own, By parting unto him; and, by th’ increase Of his rank lusts and rages, quite disarm’d Himself of love, or other public means 205 To dare an open contestation; His subtilty hath chose this doubling line, To hold him even in: not so to fear him, As wholly put him out, and yet give check Unto his farther boldness. In mean time, 210 By his employments, makes him odious Unto the staggering rout, whose aid, in fine, He hopes to use, as sure, who, when they sway, Bear down, o’erturn all objects in their way. 214

_Arr._ You may be a Lynceus, Lepidus: yet I See no such cause, but that a political tyrant, Who can so well disguise it, should have ta’en A nearer way: feign’d honest, and come home To cut his throat, by law.

_Lep._ Ay, but his fear Would ne’er be mask’d, all be his vices were.

_Pom._ His lordship then is still in grace?

_Ter._ Assure you, Never in more, either of grace or power. 223

_Pom._ The gods are wise and just.

_Arr._ (_Aside._) The fiends they are, To suffer thee belie ’em.

_Ter._ I have here His last and present letters, where he writes him, 225 “The partner of his cares,” and “his Sejanus.”—

_Lac._ But is that true, if ’t is prohibited To sacrifice unto him?

_Ter._ Some such thing Caesar makes scruple of, but forbids it not; No more than to himself: says he could wish It were forborne to all.

_Luc._ Is it no other? 231

_Ter._ No other, on my trust. For your more surety, Here is that letter too.

_Arr._ (_Aside._) How easily Do wretched men believe what they would have! 234 Looks this like plot?

_Lep._ (_Aside._) Noble Arruntius, stay.

_Lac._ He names him here without his titles.

_Lep._ (_Aside._) Note!

_Arr._ (_Aside._) Yes, and come off your notable fool. I will.

_Lac._ No other than Sejanus.

_Pom._ That’s but haste In him that writes: here he gives large amends.

_Mar._ And with his own hand written?

_Pom._ Yes.

_Lac._ Indeed?

_Ter._ Believe it, gentlemen, Sejanus’ breast Never receiv’d more full contentments in, 242 Than at this present.

_Pom._ Takes he well th’ escape Of young Caligula, with Macro?

_Ter._ Faith, At the first air it somewhat troubled him. 245

_Lep._ (_Aside._) Observe you?

_Arr._ (_Aside._) Nothing; riddles. Till I see Sejanus struck, no sound thereof strikes me. [_Exeunt_ ARRUNTIUS _and_ LEPIDUS.]

_Pom._ I like it not. I muse he ’d not attempt Somewhat against him in the consulship, Seeing the people ’gin to favour him. 250

_Ter._ He doth repent it now; but he ’s employ’d Pagonianus after him: and he holds That correspondence there, with all that are Near about Caesar, as no thought can pass Without his knowledge, thence, in act to front him. 255

_Pom._ I gratulate the news.

_Lac._ But how comes Macro So in trust and favour with Caligula?

_Pom._ O, sir, he has a wife; and the young prince An appetite: he can look up and spy Flies in the roof, when there are fleas i’ bed; 260 And hath a learned nose t’ assure his sleeps. Who to be favour’d of the rising sun, Would not lend little of his waning moon? It is the saf’st ambition. Noble Terentius!

_Ter._ The night grows fast upon us. At your service. [_Exeunt._] 265

CHORUS—of Musicians.