Sejanus: His Fall Part 19

The weal of Caesar, fitness did imply; But thine own fate confers necessity On thy employment; and the thoughts born nearest 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, That makes it home, and gives the foremost blow. [Exit.

SCENE Ill.-An upper Room of AGRIPPINA'S HOUSE.

Enter LATIARIS, RUFUS, and OPSIUS

Lat.

It is a service lord Seja.n.u.s will See well requited, and accept of n.o.bly.

Here place yourself between the roof and ceiling; And when I bring him to his words of danger, Reveal yourselves, and take him.

Ruf. Is he come?

Lat. I'll now go fetch him.

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.

Ruf.

He was follower of Germanicus, And still is an observer of his wife And children, though they be declined in grace A daily visitant, keeps them company In private and in public, and is noted To be the only client of the house: Pray Jove. he will be free to Latiaris.

Ops.

He's allied 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 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 and SABINUS.

Lat.

It is a n.o.ble constancy you shew To this afflicted house; that not like others, The friends of season, you do follow fortune, 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, And see his wife and issue, objects made To so much envy, jealousy, and hate; It makes me ready to accuse the G.o.ds 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, When, to be high or n.o.ble, are made crimes, When land and treasure are most dangerous faults!

Sab.

Nay, when our table, yea our bed, a.s.saults Our peace and safety? when our writings are, By any envious instruments, that dare 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!

When not so much, but the bare empty shade Of liberty is raft us; and we made The prey to greedy vultures and vile spies, That first transfix us with their murdering eyes.

Lat.

Methinks the genius of the Roman race Should not be so extinct, but that bright flame Of liberty might be revived 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, 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 b.a.s.t.a.r.d or a slave in Rome, Therein concern'd: whereto, if men would change The wearied arm, and for the weighty shield So long sustain'd, employ the facile sword, We might soon have a.s.surance of our vows.

This a.s.s's fort.i.tude doth tire us all: It must be active valour must redeem Our loss, or none. The rock and 'our hard steel Should meet to enforce those glorious fires again, Whose splendour cheer'd the world, and heat gave life, No less than doth the sun's. Sab. 'Twere better stay In lasting darkness, and despair of day.

No ill should force the subject undertake Against the sovereign, more than h.e.l.l should make The G.o.ds do wrong. A good man should and must Sit rather down with loss, than rise unjust.

Though, when the Romans first did yield themselves To one man's power, they did not mean their lives, Their fortunes and their liberties, should be His absolute spoil, as purchased by the sword.

Lat.

Why we are worse, if to be slaves, and bond To Caesar's slave be such, the proud Seja.n.u.s!

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 A point indeed, wherein he shews his art, As well as power.

Lat.

And villainy in both.

Do you observe where Livia lodges? how Drusus came dead? what men have been cut off?

Sab.

Yes, those are things removed: I nearer look'd Into his later practice, where he stands Declared 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.

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 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 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, 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, 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: 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 l.u.s.ts! [Opsius and Rufus rush in.

Ops. Treason to Caesar!

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!