(SCENE 6.)

Enter Scevinus, Milichus.

Scevin. O Troy and O yee soules of our forefathers Which in your countreys fires were offered up, How neere your Nephews[59] to your fortunes come. Yet they were Grecian hands began your flame; But that our Temples and our houses smoake, Our Marble buildings turne to be our Tombes, Burnt bones and spurnt at Courses fill the streets, Not Pirrhus nor thou, Hanniball, art Author: Sad Rome is ruin'd by a Romane hand. But if to Neroes end this onely way Heavens Justice hath chose out, and peoples love Could not but by these feebling ills be mov'd, We doe not then at all complaine; our harmes On this condition please us; let us die And cloy the Parthian with revenge and pitie.

Mili. My Master hath seald up his Testament; Those bond-men which he liketh best set free; Given money, and more liberally then he us'd. And now, as if a farewell to the world Were meant, a sumpteous banquet hath he made; Yet not with countenance that feasters use, But cheeres his friends the whilest himselfe lookes sad.

Scevin. I have from Fortunes Temple[60] tane this sword; May it be fortunate and now at least, Since it could not prevent, punish the Evill. To Rome it had bin better done before, But though lesse helping now they'le praise it more. Great Soveraigne of all mortall actions. Whom only wretched men and Poets blame, Speed thou the weapon which I have from thee. 'Twas not amid thy Temple Monuments In vaine repos'd; somewhat I know't hath done: O with new honours let it be laid up. Strike bouldly, arme; so many powerful prayers Of dead and living hover over thee.

Mili. And though sometimes with talk impertinent And idle fances he would fame a mirth, Yet is it easie seene somewhat is heere The which he dares not let his face make shew of.

Scevin. Long want of use[61] hath made it dull and blunt.— See, Milichus, this weapon better edg'd.

Mili. Sharpning of swords? When must wee then have blowes? Or meanes my Master, Cato-like, to exempt Himselfe from power of Fates and, cloy'd with life, Give the Gods backe their unregarded gift? But he hath neither Catoes mind nor cause; A man given ore to pleasures and soft ease. Which makes me still to doubt how in affaires Of Princes he dares meddle or desires.

Scevin. We shall have blowes on both sides.—Milichus, Provide me store of cloathes to bind up wounds.— What an't be heart for heart; Death is the worst. The Gods sure keepe it, hide from us that live. How sweet death is because we should goe on And be their bailes.—There are about the house Some stones that will stanch blood; see them set up.— This world I see hath no felicitie: Ile trie the other.

Mili. Neroes life is sought;[62] The sword's prepar'd against anothers breast, The helpe for his. It can be no private foe, For then 'twere best to make it knowne and call His troupes of bond and freed men to his aide. Besides his Counsellors, Seneca And Lucan, are no Managers of quarrels.

Scevin. Me thinkes I see him struggling on the ground, Heare his unmanly outcries and lost prayers Made to the Gods which turne their heads away. Nero, this day must end the worlds desires And head-long send thee to unquenched fires. [Exit.

Mili. Why doe I further idly stand debating? My proofes are but too many and too frequent, And Princes Eares still to suspitions open. Who ever, being but accus'd, was quit? For States are wise and cut of ylls that may be. Meane men must die that t'other may sleepe sound. Chiefely that[63] rule whose weaknes, apt to feares, And bad deserts of all men makes them know There's none but is in heart what hee's accused. [Exit.

Finis Actus Tertii.

_Actus Quartus.

Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.

Nero. This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce Pannonian Or gray-eyed German ten times overcome. Let Iulius goe and fight at end oth' world And conquer from the wilde inhabitants Their cold and poverty, whilst Nero here Makes other warres, warres where the conquerd gaines, Where to orecome is to be prisoner. O willingly I give my freedome up And put on my owne chaines, And am in love with my captivitie. Such Venus is when on the sandy shore Of Xanthus or on Idas pleasant greene She leades the dance; her the Nymphes all a-rowe[64] And smyling graces do accompany. If Bacchus could his stragling Mynion Grace with a glorious wreath of shining Starres, Why should not Heaven my Poppaea Crowne? The Northerne teeme shall move into a round, New constellations rise to honour thee; The earth shall wooe thy favours and the Sea Lay his rich shells and treasure at thy feete. For thee Hidaspis shall throw up his gold, Panchaia breath the rich delightful smells; The Seres and the feather'd man of Inde Shall their fine arts and curious labours bring; And where the Sunn's not knowne Poppaeas name Shall midst their feasts and barbarous pompe be sung.

Poppea. I, now I am worthy to be Queene oth' world, Fairer then Venus or the Bacchus love; But you'le anon unto your cutt-boy[65] Sporus, Your new made woman; to whom now, I heare, You are wedded too.

Nero. I wedded?

Poppaea. I, you wedded. Did you not heare the words oth' Auspyces? Was not the boy in bride-like garments drest? Marriage bookes seald as 'twere for yssue to Be had betweene you? solemne feasts prepar'd, While all the Court with God-give-you-Ioy sounds? It had bin good Domitius your Father Had nere had other wife.

Nero. Your froward, foole; y'are still so bitter. Whose that?

Enter Milichus to them.

Nimph. One that it seemes, my Lord, doth come in hast.

Nero. Yet in his face he sends his tale before him. Bad newes thou tellest?

Mili. 'Tis bad I tell, but good that I can tell it Therefore your Maiestie will pardon me If I offend your eares to save your life.

Nero. Why? is my life indangerd? How ends the circumstance? thou wrackst my thoughts.

Mili. My Lord, your life is conspir'd against.

Nero. By whom?

Mili. I must be of the world excus'd in this, If the great dutie to your Maiestie, Makes me all other lesser to neglect.

Nero. Th'art a tedious fellow. Speake: by whom?

Mili. By my Master.

Nero. Who's thy Master?

Mili. Scevinus.

Poppea. Scevinus? why should he conspire?— Unlesse he thinke that likenesse in conditions May make him, too, worthy oth' Empire thought.

Nero. Who are else in it?

[Mili]. I thinke Natalis, Subrius, Flavus,[66] Lucan, Seneca, and Lucius Piso, Asper and Quintilianus.

Nero. Ha done, Thou'ilt reckon all Rome anone; and so thou maist, Th'are villaines all, Ile not trust one of them. O that the Romanes had all but one necke!

Poppea. Pisoes slie creeping into mens affections And popular arts have given long cause of doubt; And th'others late observed discontents, Risen from misinterpreted disgraces, May make us credit this relation.

Nero. Where are they? come they not upon us yet? See the Guard doubled, see the Gates shut up. Why, they'le surprise us in our Court anon.

Mili. Not so, my Lord; they are at Pisoes house And thinke themselves yet safe and undiscry'd.

Nero. Lets thither then, And take them in this false security.

Tigell. 'Twere better first to publish them traytors.

Nimph. That were to make them so And force them all upon their Enemies. Now without stirre or hazard theyle be tane And boldly triall dare and law demaund; Besides, this accusation may be forg'd By mallice or mistaking.

Poppea. What likes you doe, Nimphidius, out of hand: Two waies distract when either would prevaile. If they, suspecting but this fellowes absence, Should try the Citie and attempt their friends How dangerous might Pisoes favour be?

Nimph. I to himselfe[67] would make the matter cleare Which now upon one servants credit stands. The Cities favour keepes within the bonds Of profit, they'le love none to hurt themselves; Honour and friendship they heare others name, Themselves doe neither feele nor know the same. To put them yet (though needlesse) in some feare Weele keepe their streets with armed companies; Then, if they stirre, they see their wives and houses Prepar'd a pray to th'greedy Souldier.

Poppea. Let us be quicke then, you to Pisoes house, While I and Tigellinus further sift This fellowes knowledge.

[Ex. omnes praeter Nero.

Nero. Looke to the gates and walles oth' Citie; looke The river be well kept; have watches set In every passage and in every way.— But who shall watch these watches? What if they, Begin and play the Traitors first? O where shall I Seeke faith or them that I may wisely trust? The Citie favours the conspirators; The Senate in disgrace and feare hath liv'd; The Camp—why? most are souldiers that he named; Besides, he knowes not all, and like a foole I interrupted him, else had he named Those that stood by me. O securitie, Which we so much seeke after, yet art still To Courts a stranger and dost rather choose The smoaky reedes and sedgy cottages Then the proud roofes and wanton cost of kings. O sweet dispised ioyes of poverty, A happines unknowne unto the Gods! Would I had rather in poore Gabii[68] bin Or Ulubrae a ragged Magistrate, Sat as a Iudge of measures and of corne Then the adored Monarke of the world. Mother, thou didst deservedly in this, That from a private and sure state didst raise My fortunes to this slippery hill of greatnesse Where I can neither stand nor fall with life. [Exit.