Act 1 — [Scene II.][1421]

Sat. Here he will instant be; let’s walk a turn; You’re in a muse, Eudemus? Eud. Not I, sir. [Aside.] I wonder he should mark me out so. Well, Jove and Apollo form it for the best! Sat. Your fortune’s made unto you now, Eudemus,5 If you can but lay hold 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?10 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,15 Who’s 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.20 Sej. You minister to a royal lady, then. Eud. She is, my lord, and fair. Sej. That’s understood Of all their sex, who are or would be so; And those that would be, physic soon can make ’em: For those that are, their beauties fear no colours.[1422]25 Eud. Your lordship is conceited.[1423] 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.30 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 increas’d; what action caused that; What passion that; and answer to each point36 That you will put ’em? 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 court40 To ladies’ privacies. Faith, which of these Is the most pleasant lady in her physic? Come, you are modest[1424] now. Eud. ’T is fit, my lord. Sej. Why, sir, I do not ask you of their urines, Whose smell’s most violet, or whose siege is best,45 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 questions50 That might, perhaps, have put your gravity To some defence of blush. But, I inquir’d, Which was the wittiest, merriest, wantonest? Harmless interrogatories, but conceits.—— Methinks Augusta should be most perverse,55 And froward in her fit. Eud. She’s so, my lord. Sej. I knew it: and Mutilia the most jocund. Eud. ’T is 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,60 And will have strange thoughts, when she is at leisure: She tells ’em 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)65 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,70 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,75 (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:80 Should she suspect your faith? I would you could Tell me as much from her; see if my brain Could be turn’d jealous.[1425] Eud. Happily,[1426] my lord, I could in time tell you as much and more; So I might safely promise but the first85 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,90 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.95 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,[1427] Magistral[1428] syrups, or——Begone, my friend, Not barely styled, but created so;101 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,107 Have still the means to tempt; oft-times the power. If Livia will be now corrupted, then Thou hast the way, Sejanus, to work out110 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.

Tib. We not endure these flatteries; let him stand;115 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 Cæsar! Arr. [Aside to Cordus.] There, observe! He can endure that second, that’s no flattery. O, what is it proud slime will not believe,121 Of his own worth, to hear it equal prais’d Thus with the gods! Cor. He did not hear it, sir. Arr. He did not? Tut, he must not, we think meanly. ’T is your most courtly known confederacy,125 To have your private parasite redeem What he, in public subtilety, 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 us131 Or lord, or mighty, who profess ourself The servant of the senate, and are proud T’ enjoy them our good, just, and favouring lords. Cor. Rarely dissembled! Arr. Prince-like to the life.135 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, Whence these? [Lat. gives him letters.] Lat. From thence too. Tib. Are they sitting now? Lat. They stay thy answer, Caesar. Sil. If this man140 Hath but a mind allied unto his words, How blest a fate were it to us, and Rome! We could not think[1429] that state for which to change, Although the aim were our old liberty: The ghosts of those that fell for that, would grieve145 Their bodies liv’d not, now, again to serve. Men are deceiv’d, to 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,150 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,155 As, dead to virtue, he permits himself Be carried like a pitcher by the ears, To every act of vice: this is a case Deserves our fear, and doth presage the nigh And close approach of blood and tyranny.160 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 dissemble165 With fools and blind men: we that know the evil, Should hunt the palace-rats, or give them bane.[1430] Fright hence these worse than ravens, that devour The quick, where they but prey upon the dead: He shall be told it. Sab. Stay, Arruntius,170 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,175 (Say not but I do call upon thee now,) Of all wild beasts preserve me from a tyrant; And of all tame, a flatterer. Sil. ’T is 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,180 Whom they, out of their bounty, have instructed With so dilate[1431] 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’d185 The senate just and fav’ring lords unto us, Since their free loves do yield no less defence T’ 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[1432] than stay191 Behind their wills: ’t is empire to obey, Where such, so great, so good determine. Yet, for the suit of Spain t’ erect a temple In honour of our mother and our self,195 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 known200 In these brief reasons, with our after purpose. Since deified Augustus hind’red not A temple to be built at Pergamum, In honour of himself and sacred Rome; We, that have all his deeds and words observ’d Ever, in place of laws, the rather follow’d206 That pleasing precedent, because with ours, The senate’s reverence, also, there was join’d. But as, t’ have once receiv’d it, may deserve The gain of pardon; so, to be ador’d210 With the continu’d style and note[1433] of gods, Through all the provinces, were wild ambition, And no less pride: yea, ev’n Augustus’ name Would early vanish, should it be profan’d214 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: ’t were glory enough, Could we be truly a prince. And they shall add Abounding grace unto our memory,220 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,225 The fairest, and most during imag’ry: 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 then230 Make here our suit, alike to gods and men; The one, until the period of our race, T’ inspire us with a free and quiet mind, Discerning both divine and human laws; The other, to vouchsafe us after death,235 An honourable mention, and fair praise, T’ 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 memory240 They should, without being satisfied, pursue: Contempt of fame begets contempt of virtue. Nat. Rare! Sat. Most divine! Sej. The oracles are ceas’d, That only Caesar, with their tongue, might speak. Arr. Let me be gone: most felt and open this!245 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[1434] for our mother’s health, We will the senate know, we fairly like;250 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 th’ other isle Cithera, at the suit255 Of his religious sister, much commends Their policy, so temp’red with their mercy. But for the honours which they have decreed To our Sejanus, to advance[1435] his statue In Pompey’s theatre, (whose ruining fire260 His vigilance and labour kept restrain’d In that one loss,) they have therein outgone Their own great wisdoms, by their skilful choice And placing of their bounties on a man Whose merit more adorns the dignity265 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 modesty270 With off’ring at[1436] thy praise, for more we cannot, Since there’s no voice can take[1437] 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.275 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:280 Our loves unto the senate. [Exeunt Tib., Sejan., Natta., Hat., Sat., 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 soldiers284 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 heave289 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 ent’red once, there never wants or means, Or ministers, to help th’ aspirer on.296 Arr. True, gallant Drusus. Dru. We must shortly pray To Modesty, that he will rest contented— Arr. Ay, where he is, and not write emp’ror. Re-enter Sejanus, [Satrius, Latiaris,] Clients, etc. Sej. There is your bill, and yours; bring you your man.300 [To Satrius.] I have mov’d 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! 305 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 brav’ry fitter for a grave, Than for a triumph. I’ll advance[1438] a statue 310 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 mov’d, can bear it through 316 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[1439] late, I’ll now pursue, As my fell justice: this hath styl’d it new. 321 [Exit.] Chorus—of musicians.