Sejanus: His Fall Part 14

We will not hold Your patience, fathers, with long answer; but Shall still contend to be what you desire, And work to satisfy so great a hope.

Proceed to your affairs.

Arr.

Now, Silius, guard thee; The curtain's drawing. Afer advanceth. [Aside.

Prae. Silence!

Afer. Cite Caius Silius.

Prae. Caius Silius!

Sil. Here.

Afer.

The triumph that thou hadst in Germany For thy late victory on Sacrovir, Thou hast enjoy'd so freely, Caius Silius, As no man it envied thee; nor would Caesar, Or Rome admit, that thou wert then defrauded Of any honours thy deserts could claim, In the fair service of the common-wealth: But now, if, after all their loves and graces, (Thy actions, and their courses being discover'd) It shall appear to Caesar and this senate, Thou hast defiled those glories with thy crimes----

Sil. Crimes!

Afer. Patience, Silius.

Sil.

Tell thy mule of patience; I am a Roman. What are my crimes? proclaim them.

Am I too rich, too honest for the times?

Have I or treasure, jewels, land, or houses That some informer gapes for? is my strength Too much to be admitted, or my knowledge?

These now are crimes.

Afer.

Nay, Silius, if the name Of crime so touch thee, with what impotence Wilt thou endure the matter to be search'd?

Sil.

I tell thee, Afer, with more scorn than fear: Employ your mercenary tongue and art.

Where's my accuser?

Var. Here.

Arr.

Varro, the consul!

Is he thrust in? [Aside.

Var.

'Tis I accuse thee, Silius.

Against the majesty of Rome, and Caesar, I do p.r.o.nounce thee here a guilty cause, First of beginning and occasioning, Next, drawing out the war in Gallia, For which thou late triumph'st; dissembling long That Sacrovir to be an enemy, Only to make thy entertainment more.

Whilst thou, and thy wife Sosia, poll'd the province: Wherein, with sordid, base desire of gain, Thou hast discredited thy actions' worth, And been a traitor to the state.

Sil. Thou liest.

Arr. I thank thee, Silius, speak so still and often.

Var.

If I not prove it, Caesar, but unjustly Have call'd him into trial; here I bind Myself to suffer, what I claim against him; And yield to have what I have spoke, confirm'd By judgment of the court, and all good men.

Sil.

Caesar, I crave to have my cause deferr'd, Till this man's consuls.h.i.+p be out.

Tib.

We cannot, Nor may we grant it.

Sil.

Why? shall he design My day of trial? Is he my accuser, And must he be my judge?

Tib.

It hath been usual, And is a right that custom hath allow'd The magistrate, to call forth private men; And to appoint their day: which privilege We may not in the consul see infringed, By whose deep watches, and industrious care It is so labour'd, as the common-wealth Receive no loss, by any oblique course.

Sil. Caesar, thy fraud is worse than violence.

Tib.

Silius, mistake us not, we dare not use The credit of the consul to thy wrong; But only to preserve his place and power, So far as it concerns the dignity And honour of the state.

Arr. Believe him, Silius.

Cot. Why, so he may, Arruntius.

Arr.

I say so.

And he may choose too.

Tib.

By the Capitol, And all our G.o.ds, but that the dear republic, Our sacred laws, and just authority Are interess'd therein, I should be silent.

Afer.

'Please Caesar to give way unto his trial, He shall have justice.

Sil.

Nay, I shall have law; Shall I not, Afer? speak.

Afer. Would you have more?

Sil.

No, my well-spoken man, I would no more; Nor less: might I enjoy it natural,.

Not taught to speak unto your present ends, Free from thine, his, and all your unkind handling, Furious enforcing, most unjust presuming, Malicious, and manifold applying, Foul wresting, and impossible construction.

Afer. He raves, he raves.

Sil.

Thou durst not tell me so, Hadst thou not Crease's warrant.

I can see Whose power condemns me.

Var.

This betrays his spirit: This doth enough declare him what he is.