Sejanus - His Fall E-Book

Ben Jonson

• Herausgeber: anamsaleem
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

This tragic masterpiece by English playwright Ben Jonson explores the life of Roman soldier Lucius Aelius Seianus, who was a close friend and confidant of the emperor TIberius. After a public performance of the play at the Globe theater, Jonson was accused of treason, as some believed the play to be a commentary on political events in England.

Leseprobe

Sejanus - His Fall

Ben Jonson

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ACT I

SCENE I.-A State Room in the Palace.

Enter SABINUS and SILIUS, followed by LATIARIS.

Sab. Hail, Caius Silius!

Sil. Titius Sabinus, hail! You're rarely met in court.

Sab. Therefore, well met.

Sil.'Tis true: indeed, this place is not our sphere.

Sab. No, Silius, we are no good inginers. We want their fine arts, and their thriving use Should make us graced, or favour'd of the times: We have no shift of faces, no cleft tongues, No soft and glutinous bodies, that can stick, Like snails on painted walls; or, on our breasts, Creep up, to fall from that proud height, to which We did by slavery, not by service climb. We are no guilty men, and then no great; We have no place in court, office In state, That we can say, we owe unto our crimes: We burn with no black secrets, which can make Us dear to the pale authors; or live fear'd Of their still waking jealousies, to raise Ourselves a fortune, by subverting theirs. We stand not in the lines, that do advance To that so courted point.

Enter SATRIUS and NATTA, at a distance.

Sil. But yonder lean A pair that do.

Sab. [salutes Latiaris.] Good cousin Latiaris.---

Sil. Satrius Secundus, and Pinnarius Natta, The great Sejanus' clients: there be two, Know more than honest counsels; whose close breasts, Were they ripp'd up to light, it would be found A poor and idle sin, to which their trunks Had not been made fit organs. These can lie, Flatter, and swear, forswear, deprave, inform, Smile, and betray; make guilty men; then beg The forfeit lives, to get their livings; cut Men's throats with whisperings; sell to gaping suitors The empty smoke, that flies about the palace; Laugh when their patron laughs; sweat when he sweats; Be hot and cold with him; change every mood, Habit, and garb, as often as he varies; Observe him, as his watch observes his clock; And, true, as turquoise in the dear lord's ring, Look well or ill with him: 6 ready to praise His lordship, if he spit, or but p--- fair, Have an indifferent stool, or break wind well; Nothing can 'scape their catch.

Sab. Alas! these things Deserve no note, conferr'd with other vile And filthier flatteries, that corrupt the times; When, not alone our gentries chief are fain To make their safety from such sordid acts; But all our consuls, and no little part Of such as have been praetors, yea, the most Of senators, that else not use their voices, Start up in public senate and there strive Who shall propound most abject things, and base. So much, as oft Tuberous hath been heard, Leaving the court, to cry, O race of men; Prepared for servitude!---which shew'd that he. Who least the public liberty could like, As lothly brook'd their flat servility.

Sil. Well, all is worthy of us, were it more, Who with our riots, pride, and civil hate, Have so provok'd the justice of the gods: We, that, within these fourscore years, were born Free, equal lords of the triumphed world, And knew no masters, but affections; To which betraying first our liberties, We since became the slaves to one man's lusts; And now to many: every minist'ring spy That will accuse and swear, is lord of you, Of me, of all our fortunes and our lives. Our looks are call'd to question, and our words, How innocent soever, are made crimes; We shall not shortly dare to tell our dreams, Or think, but 'twill be treason. Sab. Tyrants' arts Are to give flatterers grace; accusers, power; That those may seem to kill whom they devour.

Enter CORDUS and ARRUNTIUS.

Now, good Cremutius Cordus

Cor. [salutes Sabinus] Hail to your lordship!

Nat. [whispers Latiaris.] Who's that salutes your cousin?

Lat. 'Tis one Cordus, A gentleman of Rome: one that has writ Annals of late, they say, and very well.

Nat. Annals! of what times?

Lat. I think of Pompey's, And Caius Caesar's; and so down to these.

Nat. How stands he affected to the present state! Is he or Drusian, or Germanic, Or ours, or neutral?

Lat. I know him not so far.

Nat. Those times are somewhat queasy to be touch'd. Have you or seen, or heard part of his work?

Lat. Not I; he means they shall be public shortly.

Nat. O, Cordus do you call him?

Lat. Ay. [Exeunt Natta and Satrius

Sab. But these our times Are not the same, Arruntius.

Arr. Times! the men, The men are not the same: 'tis we are base, Poor, and degenerate from the exalted strain Of our great fathers. Where is now the soul Of god-like Cato? he, that durst be good, When Caesar durst be evil; and had power, As not to live his slave, to die his master? Or where's the constant Brutus, that being proof Against all charm of benefits, did strike So brave a blow into the monster's heart That sought unkindly to captive his country? O, they are fled the light! Those mighty spirits Lie raked up with their ashes in their urns, And not a spark of their eternal fire Glows in a present bosom. All's but blaze, Flashes and smoke, wherewith we labour so, There's nothing Roman in us; nothing good, Gallant, or great: 'tis true that Cordus says, "Brave Cassius was the last of all that race."

Drusus passes over the stage, attended by HATERIUS, etc.

Sab. Stand by! lord Drusus.

Hat. The emperor's son! give place.

Sil. I like the prince well.

Arr. A riotous youth; There's little hope of him.

Sab. That fault his age Will, as it grows, correct. Methinks he bears Himself each day more nobly than other; And wins no less on men's affections, Than doth his father lose. Believe me, I love him; And chiefly for opposing to Sejanus.

Sil. And I, for gracing his young kinsmen so, The sons of prince Germanicus: it shews A gallant clearness in him, a straight mind, That envies not, in them, their father's name.

Arr. His name was, while he lived, above all envy; And, being dead, without it. O, that man! If there were seeds of the old virtue left, They lived in him.

Sil. He had the fruits, Arruntius, More than the seeds: Sabinus, and myself Had means to know him within; and can report him. We were his followers, he would call us friends; He was a man most like to virtue; in all, And every action, nearer to the gods, Than men, in nature; of a body as fair As was his mind; and no less reverend In face, than fame: he could so use his state, Tempering his greatness with his gravity, As it avoided all self-love in him, And spite in others. What his funerals lack'd In images and pomp, they had supplied With honourable sorrow, soldiers' sadness, A kind of silent mourning, such, as men, Who know no tears, but from their captives, use To shew in so great losses.

Cor. I thought once, Considering their forms, age, manner of deaths, The nearness of the places where they fell, To have parallel'd him with great Alexander: For both were of best feature, of high race, Year'd but to thirty, and, in foreign lands, By their own people alike made away. Sab, I know not, for his death, how you might wrest it: But, for his life, it did as much disdain Comparison, with that voluptuous, rash, Giddy, and drunken Macedon's, as mine Doth with my bondman's. All the good in him, His valour and his fortune, he made his; But he had other touches of late Romans, That more did speak him: Pompey's dignity, The innocence of Cato, Caesar's spirit, Wise Brutus' temperance; and every virtue, Which, parted unto others, gave them name, Flow'd mix'd in him. He was the soul of goodness; And all our praises of him are like streams Drawn from a spring, that still rise full, and leave The part remaining greatest.

Arr. I am sure He was too great for us, and that they knew Who did remove him hence.

Sab. When men grow fast Honour'd and loved. there is a trick in state, Which jealous princes never fail to use, How to decline that growth, with fair pretext, And honourable colours of employment, Either by embassy, the war, or such, To shift them forth into another air, Where they may purge and lessen; so was he: And had his seconds there, sent by Tiberius, And his more subtile dam, to discontent him; To breed and cherish mutinies; detract His greatest actions; give audacious check To his commands; and work to put him out In open act of treason. All which snares When his wise cares prevented, a fine poison Was thought on, to mature their practices.

Enter SEJANUS talking to TERENTIUS, followed by SATRlUS, NATTA, etc.

Cor. Here comes Sejanus.

Sil. Now observe the stoops, The bendings, and the falls.

Arr. Most creeping base!

Sej. [to Natta.] I note them well: no more. Say you?

Sat. My lord, There is a gentleman of Rome would buy-

Sej. How call you him you talk'd with?

Sat. Please your lordship, It is Eudemus, the physician to Livia, Drusus' wife.

Sej. On with your suit. Would buy, you said-

Sat. A tribune's place, my lord.

Sej. What will he give?

Sat. Fifty sestertia.

Sej. Livia's physician, say you, is that fellow?

Sat. It is, my lord: Your lordship's answer.

Sej. To what?

Sat. The place, my lord. 'Tis for a gentleman Your lordship will well like of, when you see him; And one, that you may make yours, by the grant.

Sej. Well, let him bring his money, and his name.

Sat. 'Thank your lordship. He shall, my lord.

Sej. Come hither. Know you this same Eudemus? is he learn'd?

Sat. Reputed so, my lord, and of deep practice.

Sej. Bring him in, to me, in the gallery; And take you cause to leave us there together: I would confer with him, about a grief--- On. [Exeunt Sejanus, Satrius, Terentius, etc.

Arr. So! yet another? yet? O desperate state Of grovelling honour! seest thou this, O sun, And do we see thee after? Methinks, day Should lose his light, when men do lose their shames, And for the empty circumstance of life, Betray their cause of living.

Sil. Nothing so. Sejanus can repair, if Jove should ruin. He is now the court god; and well applied With sacrifice of knees, of crooks, and cringes; He will do more than all the house of heaven Can, for a thousand hecatombs. 'Tis he Makes us our day, or night; hell, and elysium Are in his look: we talk of Rhadamanth, Furies, and firebrands; but it is his frown That is all these; where, on the adverse part, His smile is more, than e'er yet poets feign'd Of bliss, and shades, nectar---

Arr. A serving boy! I knew him, at Caius' trencher, when for hire He prostituted his abused body To that great gormond, fat Apicius; And was the noted pathic of the time.

Sab. And, now, the second face of the whole world! The partner of the empire, hath his image Rear'd equal with Tiberius, born in ensigns; Commands, disposes every dignity, Centurions, tribunes, heads of provinces, Praetors and consuls; all that heretofore Rome's general suffrage gave, is now his sale. The gain, or rather spoil of all the earth, One, and his house, receives.

Sil. He hath of late Made him a strength too, strangely, by reducing All the praetorian bands into one camp, Which he commands: pretending that the soldiers, By living loose and scatter'd, fell to riot; And that if any sudden enterprise Should be attempted, their united strength Would be far more than sever'd; and their life More strict, if from the city more removed.

Sab. Where, now, he builds what kind of forts he please, Is heard to court the soldier by his name, Woos, feasts the chiefest men of action, Whose wants, not loves, compel them to be his. And though he ne'er were liberal by kind, Yet to his own dark ends, he's most profuse, Lavish, and letting fly, he cares not what To his ambition.

Arr. Yet, hath he ambition? Is there that step in state can make him higher, Or more, or anything he is, but less?

Sil. Nothing but emperor.

Arr. The name Tiberius, I hope, will keep, howe'er he hath foregone The dignity and power.

Sil. Sure, while he lives.

Arr. And dead, it comes to Drusus. Should he fail, To the brave issue of Germanicus; And they are three: too many-ha? for him To have a plot upon!

Sab. I do not know The heart of his designs; but, sure, their face Looks farther than the present.

Arr. By the gods, If I could guess he had but such a thought, My sword should cleave him down from head to heart, But I would find it out: and with my hand I'd hurl his panting brain about the air In mites, as small as atomi, to undo The knotted bed-

Sab. You are observ'd, Arruntius.

Arr. [turns to Natta, Terentius, etc.] Death! I dare tell him so; and all his spies: You, sir, I would, do you look? and you.

Sab. Forbear.

 

SCENE ll.

(The former scene continued.) A Gallery discovered opening into the state Room. Enter SATRIUS with EUDEMUS.

Sat. Here he will instant be: let's walk a turn; You're in a muse, Eudemus.

Eud. Not I, sir. I wonder he should mark me out so! well, Jove and Apollo form it for the best. [Aside.

Bat. Your fortune's made unto you now, Eudemus, If you can but lay bold upon the means; Do but observe his humour, and--believe it-- He is the noblest Roman, where he takes---

Enter SEJANUS. Here comes his lordship.

Sej. Now, good Satrius.

Sat. This is the gentleman, my lord.

Sej. Is this? Give me your hand--we must be more acquainted. Report, sir, hath spoke out your art and learning: And I am glad I have so needful cause, However in itself painful and hard, To make me known to so great virtue.---Look, Who is that, Satrius? [Exit Sat.] I have a grief, sir, That will desire your help. Your name's Eudemus!

Eud. Yes.

Sej. Sir?

Eud. It is, my lord.

Sej. I hear you are Physician to Livia, the princess.

Eud. I minister unto her, my good lord.

Sej. You minister to a royal lady, then.

Eud. She is, my, lord, and fair.

Sej. That's understood Of all her sex, who are or would be so; And those that would be, physic soon can make them: For those that are, their beauties fear no colours.

Eud. Your lordship is conceited.

Sej. Sir, you know it, And can, if need be, read a learned lecture On this, and other secrets. 'Pray you, tell me, What more of ladies besides Livia, Have you your patients?

Eud. Many, my good lord. The great Augusta, Urgulania, Mutilia Prisca, and Plancina; divers---

Sej. And all these tell you the particulars Of every several grief? how first it grew, And then increased; what action caused that; What passion that: and answer to each point That you will put them?

Eud. Else, my lord, we know not How to prescribe the remedies.

Sej. Go to, you are a subtile nation, you physicians! And grown the only cabinets in court, To ladies' privacies. Faith, which of these Is the most pleasant lady in her physic? Come, you are modest now.

Eud. 'Tis fit, my lord.

Sej. Why, sir, I do not-ask you of their urines, Whose smell's most violet, or whose siege is best, Or who makes hardest faces on her stool? Which lady sleeps with her own face a nights? Which puts her teeth off, with her clothes, in court? Or, which her hair, which her complexion, And, in which box she puts it; These were questions, That might, perhaps, have put your gravity To some defence of blush. But, I enquired, Which was the wittiest, merriest, wantonnest? H armless intergatories, but conceits.--- Methinks Augusta should be most perverse, And froward in her fit.

Eud. She's so, my lord.

Sej. I knew it: and Mutilia the most jocund.

Eud. 'Tis very true, my lord.

Sej. And why would you Conceal this from me, now? Come, what is Livia? I know she's quick and quaintly spirited, And will have strange thoughts, when she is at leisure: She tells them all to you.

Eud. My noblest lord, He breathes not in the empire, or on earth. Whom I would be ambitious to serve In any act, that may preserve mine honour, Before your lordship.

Sej. Sir, you can lose no honour, By trusting aught to me. The coarsest act Done to my service, I can so requite, As all the world shall style it honourable: Your idle, virtuous definitions, Keep honour poor, and are as scorn'd as vain: Those deeds breathe honour that do suck in gain.

Eud. But, good my lord, if I should thus betray The counsels of my patient, and a lady's Of her high place and worth; what might your lordship, Who presently are to trust me with your own, Judge of my faith?

Sej. Only the best I swear. Say now that I should utter you my grief, And with it the true cause; that it were love, And love to Livia; you should tell her this: Should she suspect your faith; I would you could Tell me as much from her; see if my brain Could be turn'd jealous.

Eud. Happily, my lord, I could in time tell you as much and more; So I might safely promise but the first To her from you.

Sej. As safely, my Eudemus, I now dare call thee so, as I have put The secret into thee.

Eud. My lord---

Sej. Protest not, Thy looks are vows to me; use only speed, And but affect her with Sejanus' love, Thou art a man, made to make consuls. Go.

Eud. My lord, I'll promise you a private meeting This day together.

Sej. Canst thou?

Eud. Yes.

Sej. The place?

Eud. My gardens, whither I shall fetch your lordship

Sej; Let me adore my AEsculapius. Why, this indeed is physic! and outspeaks The knowledge of cheap drugs, or any use Can be made out of it! more comforting Than all your opiates, juleps, apozems, Magistral syrups, or--- Be gone, my friend, Not barely styled, but created so; Expect things greater than thy largest hopes, To overtake thee: Fortune shall be taught To know how ill she hath deserv'd thus long, To come behind thy wishes. Go, and speed. [Exit Eudemus. Ambition makes more trusty slaves than need. These fellows, by the favour of their art, Have still the means to tempt; oft-times the power. If Livia will be now corrupted, then Thou hast the way, Sejanus, to work out His secrets, who, thou know'st, endures thee not, Her husband, Drusus: and to work against them. Prosper it, Pallas, thou that better'st wit; For Venus hath the smallest share in it. Enter TIBERIUS and DRUSUS, attended. Tib. [to Haterius, who kneels to him.] We not endure these flatteries; let him stand; Our empire, ensigns, axes, rods and state Take not away our human nature from us: Look up on us, and fall before the gods.

Sej. How like a god speaks Caesar!

Arr. There, observe! He can endure that second, that's no flattery. O, what is it, proud slime will not believe Of his own worth, to hear it equal praised Thus with the gods!

Oar. He did not hear it, sir.

Arr. He did not! Tut, he must not, we think meanly. 'Tis your most courtly known confederacy, To have your private parasite redeem, What he, in public, subtilely will lose, To making him a name.

Hat. Right mighty lord--- [Gives him letters.

Tib. We must make up our ears 'gainst these assaults Of charming tongues; we pray you use no more These contumelies to us; style not us Or lord, or mighty, who profess ourself The servant of the senate, and are proud T' enjoy them our good, just, and favouring lords.

Car. Rarely dissembled!

Arr. Prince-like to the life.

Sab. When power that may command, so much descends, Their bondage, whom it stoops to, it intends.

Tib. Whence are these letters?

Hat. From the senate.

Tib. So. [Lat. gives him letters. Whence these?

Lat. From thence too.

Tib. Are they sitting now?

Lat. They stay thy answer, Caesar.

Sil. If this man Had but a mind allied unto his words, How blest a fate were it to us, and Rome! We could not think that state for which to change, Although the aim were our old liberty: The ghosts of those that fell for that, would grieve Their bodies lived not, now, again to serve. Men are deceived, who think there can be thrall Beneath a virtuous prince: Wish'd liberty Ne'er lovelier looks, than under such a crown. But, when his grace is merely but lip-good. And that, no longer than he airs himself Abroad in public, there, to seem to shun The strokes and stripes of flatterers, which within Are lechery unto him, and so feed His brutish sense with their afflicting sound, As, dead to virtue, he permits himself Be carried like a pitcher by the ears, To every act of vice: this is the case Deserves our fear, and doth presage the nigh And close approach of blood and tyranny. Flattery is midwife unto prince's rage: And nothing sooner doth help forth a tyrant, Than that and whisperers' grace, who have the time, The place, the power, to make all men offenders.

Arr. He should be told this; and be bid dissemble With fools and blind men: we that know the evil, Should hunt the palace-rats or give them bane; Fright hence these worse than ravens, that devour T he quick, where they but prey upon the dead: He shall be told it.

Sab. Stay, Arruntius, We must abide our opportunity; And practise what is fit, as what is needful. It is not safe t' enforce a sovereign's ear: Princes hear well, if they at all will hear.

Arr. Ha, say you so? well! In the mean time, Jove, (Say not, but I do call upon thee now,)

Sil. 'Tis well pray'd.

Tib. [having read the letters.] Return the lords this voice,--- We are their creature, And it is fit a good and honest prince, Whom they, out of their bounty, have instructed With so dilate and absolute a power, Should owe the office of it to their service. And good of all and every citizen. Nor shall it e'er repent us to have wish'd The senate just, and favouring lords unto us, Since their free loves do yield no less defence To a prince's state, than his own innocence. Say then, there can be nothing in their thought Shall want to please us, that hath pleased them; Our suffrage rather shall prevent than stay Behind their wills: 'tis empire to obey, Where such, so great, so grave, so good determine. Yet, for the suit of Spain, to erect a temple In honour of our mother and our self, We must, with pardon of the senate, not Assent thereto. Their lordships may object Our not denying the same late request Unto the Asian cities: we desire That our defence for suffering that be known In these brief reasons, with our after purpose. Since deified Augustus hindered not A temple to be built at Pergamum, In honour of himself and sacred Rome; We, that have all his deeds and words observed Ever, in place of laws, the rather follow'd That pleasing precedent, because with ours, The senate's reverence, also, there was join'd. But as, t' have once received it, may deserve The gain of pardon; so, to be adored With the continued style, and note of gods, Through all the provinces, were wild ambition. And no less pride: yea, even Augustus' name Would early vanish, should it be profaned With such promiscuous flatteries. For our part, We here protest it, and are covetous Posterity should know it. we are mortal; And can but deeds of men: 'twere glory enough, Could we be truly a prince. And, they shall add Abounding grace unto our memory, That shall report us worthy our forefathers, Careful of your affairs, constant in dangers, And not afraid of any private frown For public good. These things shall be to us Temples and statues, reared in your minds, The fairest, and most during imagery: For those of stone or brass, if they become Odious in judgment of posterity, Are more contemn'd as dying sepulchres, Than ta'en for living monuments. We then Make here our suit, alike to gods and men; The one, until the period of our race, To inspire us with a free and quiet mind, Discerning both divine and human laws; The other, to vouchsafe us after death, An honourable mention, and fair praise, To accompany our actions and our name: The rest of greatness princes may command, And, therefore, may neglect; only, a long, A lasting, high, and happy memory They should, without being satisfied, pursue: Contempt of fame begets contempt of virtue.

Nat. Rare!

Bat. Most divine!

Sej. The oracles are ceased, That only Caesar, with their tongue, might speak.

Arr. Let me be gone: most felt and open this!

Cor. Stay.

Arr. What! to hear more cunning and fine words, With their sound flatter'd ere their sense be meant?

Tib. Their choice of Antium, there to place the gift Vow'd to the goddess for our mother's health, We will the senate know, we fairly like: As also of their grant to Lepidus, For his repairing the AEmilian place, And restoration of those monuments: Their grace too in confining of Silanus To the other isle Cithera, at the suit Of his religious sister, much commends Their policy, so temper'd with their mercy. But for the honours which they have decreed To our Sejanus, to advance his statue In Pompey's theatre, (whose ruining fire His vigilance and labour kept restrain'd In that one loss,) they have therein out-gone Their own great wisdoms, by their skilful choice, And placing of their bounties on a man, Whose merit more adorns the dignity, Than that can him; and gives a benefit, In taking, greater than it can receive. Blush not, Sejanus, thou great aid of Rome, Associate of our labours, our chief helper; Let us not force thy simple modesty With offering at thy praise, for more we cannot, Since there's no voice can take it. No man here Receive our speeches as hyperboles: For we are far from flattering our friend, Let envy know, as from the need to flatter. Nor let them ask the causes of our praise: Princes have still their grounds rear'd with themselves, Above the poor low flats of common men; And who will search the reasons of their acts, Must stand on equal bases. Lead, away: Our loves unto the senate. [Exeunt Tib., Sejan., Natta, Hat., Lat., Officers, etc.

Arr. Caesar!

Sab. Peace.

Cor. Great Pompey's theatre was never ruin'd Till now, that proud Sejanus hath a statue Rear'd on his ashes.

Arr. Place the shame of soldiers, Above the best of generals? crack the world, And bruise the name of Romans into dust, Ere we behold it!

Sil. Check your passion; Lord Drusus tarries.

Dru. Is my father mad, Weary of life, and rule, lords? thus to heave An idol up with praise! make him his mate, His rival in the empire!

Arr. O, good prince.

Dru. Allow him statues, titles, honours, such As he himself refuseth!

Arr. Brave, brave Drusus!

Dru. The first ascents to sovereignty are hard; But, entered once, there never wants or means, Or ministers, to help the aspirer on.

Arr. True, gallant Drusus.

Dru. We must shortly pray To Modesty, that he will rest contented---

Arr. Ay, where he is, and not write emperor.

Re-enter SEJANUS, SATBIUS, LATIARIS, Clients, etc. Sej. There is your bill, and yours; bring you your man. [To Satrius. I have moved for you, too, Latiaris.

Dru. What! Is your vast greatness grown so blindly bold, That you will over us?

Sej. Why then give way.

Dru. Give way, Colossus! do you lift? advance you? Take that! [Strikes him.

Arr. Good! brave! excellent, brave prince!

Dru. Nay, come, approach. [Draws his sword. What, stand you off? at gaze? It looks too full of death for thy cold spirits. Avoid mine eye, dull camel, or my sword Shall make thy bravery fitter for a grave, Than for a triumph. I'll advance a statue O' your own bulk; but 't shall be on the cross; Where I will nail your pride at breadth and length, And crack those sinews, which are yet but stretch'd With your swoln fortune's rage.

Arr. A noble prince!

All. A Castor, a Castor, a Castor, a Castor! [Exeunt all but Sejanus. Sej. He that, with such wrong moved, can bear it through With patience, and an even mind, knows how To turn it back. Wrath cover'd carries fate: Revenge is lost, if I profess my hate. What was my practice late, I'll now pursue, As my fell justice: this hath styled it new. [Exit.

 

ACT II SCENE I.---The Garden of EUDEMUS. Enter SEJANUS, LIVIA, and EUDEMUS.

Sej. Physician, thou art worthy of a province. For the great favours done unto our loves; And, but that greatest Livia bears a part In the requital of thy services, I should alone despair of aught, like means, To give them worthy satisfaction.

Liv. Eudemus, I will see it, shall receive A fit and full reward for his large merit.--- But for this potion we intend to Drusus, No more our husband now, whom shall we choose As the most apt and able instrument, To minister it to him?

Eud. I say, Lygdus.

Sej. Lygdus what's he?

Liv. An eunuch Drusus loves.

Eud. Ay, and his cup-bearer.

Sej. Name not a second. If Drusus love him, and he have that place, We cannot think a fitter.

Eud. True, my lord. For free access and trust are two main aids.

Sej. Skilful physician!

Liv. But he must be wrought To the undertaking, with some labour'd art.

Sej. Is he ambitious?

Liv. No.

Sej. Or covetous?

Liv. Neither.

Eud. Yet, gold is a good general charm.

Sej. What is he, then?

Liv. Faith, only wanton, light.

Sej. How! is he young and fair?

Eud. A delicate youth.