Sejanus: His Fall Part 20

Well, my most reverend monsters, you may live To see yourselves thus snared.

Ops, Away with him!

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.

The year is well begun, and I fall fit To be an offering to Seja.n.u.s. Go!

Ops. Cover him with his garments, hide his face.

Sab.

It shall not need. Forbear your rude a.s.sault.

The fault's not shameful, villainy makes a fault. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.----The Street before AGRIPPINA.'S House.

Enter MACRO and CALIGULA.

Mac.

Sir, but observe how thick your dangers meet In his clear drifts! 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: The senators all strook 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, As now the object.

Gal. 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 accused To fly for succours to Augustus' statue, 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 Seja.n.u.s' plots: Which, you shall confidently urge to be 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.

Gal. Away then, let's prepare us for our journey. [Exeunt

SCENE V.-Another part of the Street.

Enter ARRUNTIUS.

Arr.

Still dost thou suffer, heaven! will no flame, No heat of sin, make thy just wrath to boil In thy distemper'd bosom, and o'erflow The pitchy blazes of impiety, Kindled beneath thy throne! Still canst thou sleep, Patient, while vice doth make an antick face At thy dread power, and blow dust and smoke Into thy nostrils! Jove! will nothing wake thee?

Must vile Seja.n.u.s pull thee by the beard, Ere thou wilt open thy black-lidded eye, And look him dead? Well! snore on, dreaming G.o.ds, 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 profaned; I see what's equal with a prodigy, A great, a n.o.ble Roman, and an honest, Live an old man!---- Enter LEPIDUS.

O Marcus Lepidus, When is our turn to bleed? Thyself and I, Without our boast, are almost all the few 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, And, what increased the direness of the fact, His faithful dog, upbraiding all us Romans, Never forsook the corps, but, seeing it thrown Into the stream, leap'd in, and drown'd with it.

Arr.

O act, to be envied him of us men!

We are the next the hook lays hold on, Marcus: What are thy arts, good patriot, teach them me, That have preserved thy hairs to this white dye, And kept so reverend and so dear a head Safe on his comely shoulders?

Lep.

Arts, Arruntius!

None, but the plain and pa.s.sive fort.i.tude, 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.

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 Seja.n.u.s? yes, I must, If I speak out. 'Tis hard that. May I think, And not be rack'd? 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 Upon the Gemonies? These now are things, Whereon men's fortune, yea, their faith 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, 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 the event Of any person, or for any crime, To be expected; for 'tis 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.

On pain of Caesar's wrath, no man attempt Speech with the prisoner.

Nero.

n.o.ble 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!

Lac. Lictors, away.

Lep. Where goes he, Laco?

Lac.

Sir, He's banish'd into Pontia by the senate.

Arr.

Do I see, 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!

I smell it now: 'tis rank. Where's Agrippina?

Lac. The princess is confined to Pandataria.