Act 2 — [Scene II.][1448]

Sej. If this be not revenge, when I have done And made it perfect, let Egyptian slaves, Parthians, and barefoot Hebrews brand my face, And print my body full of injuries. Thou lost thyself, child Drusus, when thou thought’st5 Thou couldst outskip my vengeance, or outstand The power I had to crush thee into air. Thy follies now shall taste what kind of man They have provok’d, and this thy father’s house Crack in the flame of my incensed rage,10 Whose fury shall admit no shame or mean.— Adultery! it is the lightest ill I will commit. A race of wicked acts Shall flow out of my anger, and o’erspread The world’s wide face, which no posterity15 Shall e’er approve, nor yet keep silent: things, That for their cunning, close,[1449] and cruel mark Thy father would wish his, and shall, perhaps, Carry the empty name, but we the prize. On, then, my soul, and start not in thy course; Though heav’n drop sulphur, and hell belch out fire,21 Laugh at the idle terrors: tell proud Jove, Between his power and thine there is no odds: ’T was only fear first in the world made gods.

Tib. Is yet Sejanus come? Sej. He’s here, dread Caesar. Tib. Let all depart that chamber, and the next.25 [Exeunt Attendants.] Sit down, my comfort. When the master prince Of all the world, Sejanus, saith he fears, Is it not fatal? Sej. Yes, to those are fear’d. Tib. And not to him? Sej. Not if he wisely turn30 That part of fate he holdeth, first on them. Tib. That nature, blood, and laws of kind forbid. Sej. Do policy and state forbid it? Tib. No. Sej. The rest of poor respects, then let go by; State[1450] is enough to make th’ act just, them guilty.35 Tib. Long hate pursues such acts. Sej. Whom hatred frights, Let him not dream of sov’reignty. Tib. Are rites Of faith, love, piety, to be trod down, Forgotten, and made vain? Sej. All for a crown. The prince who shames a tyrant’s name to bear, Shall never dare do anything but fear;41 All the command of sceptres quite doth perish, If it begin religious thoughts to cherish: Whole empires fall, sway’d by those nice[1451] respects; It is the licence of dark deeds protects45 Ev’n states most hated, when no laws resist The sword, but that it acteth what it list. Tib. Yet so, we may do all things cruelly, Not safely. Sej. Yes, and do them thoroughly. Tib. Knows yet Sejanus whom we point at? Sej. Ay,50 Or else my thought, my sense, or both do err: ’T is Agrippina. Tib. She, and her proud race. Sej. Proud! dangerous, Caesar: for in them apace The father’s spirit shoots up. Germanicus Lives in their looks, their gait, their form, t’ upbraid us56 With his close death, if not revenge the same. Tib. The act’s not known. Sej. Not prov’d; but whisp’ring Fame Knowledge and proof doth to the jealous[1452] give, Who, than to fail,[1453] would their own thought believe. It is not safe the children draw long breath,60 That are provoked by a parent’s death. Tib. It is as dangerous to make them hence, If nothing but their birth be their offence. Sej. Stay, till they strike at Caesar; then their crime Will be enough; but late and out of time65 For him to punish. Tib. Do they purpose it? Sej. You know, sir, thunder speaks not till it hit. Be not secure;[1454] none swiftlier are opprest Than they whom confidence betrays to rest. Let not your daring make your danger such:70 All power ’s to be fear’d, where ’t is too much. The youths are of themselves hot, violent, Full of great thought; and that male-spirited dame, Their mother, slacks no means to put them on, By large allowance, popular presentings,75 Increase of train and state, suing for titles; Hath them commended with like prayers, like vows, To the same gods, with Caesar: days and nights She spends in banquets and ambitious feasts For the nobility; where Caius Silius,80 Titius Sabinus, old Arruntius, Asinius Gallus, Furnius, Regulus, And others of that discontented list, Are the prime guests. There, and to these, she tells Whose niece she was, whose daughter, and whose wife.85 And then must they compare her with Augusta, Ay, and prefer her too; commend her form, Extol her fruitfulness, at which a shower Falls for the memory of Germanicus, Which they blow over straight with windy praise90 And puffing hopes of her aspiring sons; Who, with these hourly ticklings, grow so pleas’d, And wantonly conceited of themselves, As now they stick not to believe they ’re such As these do give them out; and would be thought95 More than competitors,[1455] immediate heirs. Whilst to their thirst of rule, they win the rout (That’s still the friend of novelty) with hope Of future freedom, which on every change That greedily, though emptily expects.100 Caesar, ’t is age in all things breeds neglects, And princes that will keep old dignity Must not admit too youthful heirs stand by; Not their own issue; but so darkly set As shadows are in picture, to give height105 And lustre to themselves. Tib. We will command Their rank thoughts down, and with a stricter hand Than we have yet put forth; their trains must bate,[1456] Their titles, feasts, and factions. Sej. Or your state. But how, sir, will you work? Tib. Confine ’em. Sej. No.110 They are too great, and that too faint a blow To give them now; it would have serv’d at first, When with the weakest touch their knot had burst. But now, your care must be, not to detect The smallest cord, or line of your suspect;115 For such, who know the weight of princes’ fear, Will, when they find themselves discover’d, rear Their forces, like seen snakes, that else would lie Roll’d in their circles, close. Nought is more high, Daring, or desperate, than offenders found;120 Where guilt is, rage and courage doth abound. The course must be, to let ’em still swell up, Riot, and surfeit on blind Fortune’s cup; Give ’em more place, more dignities, more style, Call ’em to court, to senate; in the while,125 Take from their strength some one or twain or more, Of the main fautors[1457] (it will fright thy store), And, by some by-occasion. Thus, with sleight You shall disarm first; and they, in night Of their ambition,[1458] not perceive the train,130 Till in the engine[1459] they are caught and slain. Tib. We would not kill, if we knew how to save; Yet, than a throne, ’t is cheaper give a grave. Is there no way to bind them by deserts? Sej. Sir, wolves do change their hair, but not their hearts.135 While thus your thought unto a mean[1460] is tied, You neither dare enough, nor do provide. All modesty is fond,[1461] and chiefly where The subject is no less compell’d to bear, Than praise his sov’reign’s acts. Tib. We can no longer140 Keep on our mask to thee, our dear Sejanus; Thy thoughts are ours, in all, and we but prov’d Their voice, in our designs, which by assenting Hath more confirm’d us, then if heart’ning Jove Had, from his hundred statues, bid us strike,145 And at the stroke clickt all his marble thumbs. But who shall first be struck? Sej. First, Caius Silius; He is the most of mark, and most of danger: In power and reputation equal strong, Having commanded an imperial army150 Seven years together, vanquish’d Sacrovir In Germany, and thence obtain’d to wear The ornaments triumphal. His steep fall, By how much it doth give the weightier crack, Will send more wounding terror to the rest,155 Command them stand aloof, and give more way To our surprising of the principal. Tib. But what, Sabinus? Sej. Let him grow awhile, His fate is not yet ripe: we must not pluck At all together, lest we catch ourselves.160 And there’s Arruntius too, he only talks. But Sosia, Silius’ wife, would be wound in Now, for she hath a fury in her breast, More than hell ever knew: and would be sent Thither in time. Then is there one Cremutius Cordus, a writing fellow, they have got166 To gather notes of the precedent times, And make them into Annals; a most tart And bitter spirit, I hear: who, under colour169 Of praising those, doth tax[1462] the present state, Censures[1463] the men, the actions, leaves no trick, No practice unexamin’d, parallels The times, the governments; a profest champion For the old liberty—— Tib. A perishing wretch! As if there were that chaos bred in things,175 That laws and liberty would not rather choose To be quite broken, and ta’en hence by us, Than have the stain to be preserv’d by such. Have we the means to make these guilty first? Sej. Trust that to me: let Caesar, by his power,180 But cause a formal meeting of the senate, I will have matter and accusers ready. Tib. But how? Let us consult. Sej. We shall misspend The time of action. Counsels are unfit In business where all rest is more pernicious185 Than rashness can be. Acts of this close kind Thrive more by execution than advice. There is no ling’ring in that work begun, Which cannot praised be, until through done. Tib. Our edict shall forthwith command a court.190 While I can live, I will prevent earth’s fury: Ἐμοῦ θανόντος γαῑα μιχθήτω πυρί.[1464] [Exit.]

Pos. My lord Sejanus—— Sej. Julius Posthumus! Come with my wish! What news from Agrippina’s? Pos. Faith, none. They all lock up themselves a’ late,195 Or talk in character; I have not seen A company so chang’d. Except they had Intelligence by augury of our practice— Sej. When were you there? Pos. Last night. Sej. And what guests found you? Pos. Sabinus, Silius, (the old list,) Arruntius, Furnius, and Gallus. Sej. Would not these talk? Pos. Little.201 And yet we offered choice of argument.[1465] Satrius was with me. Sej. Well: ’t is guilt enough Their often meeting. You forgot t’ extol The hospitable lady? Pos. No; that trick205 Was well put home, and had succeeded too, But that Sabinus cough’d a caution out; For she began to swell. Sej. And may she burst! Julius, I would have you go instantly Unto the palace of the great Augusta,210 And, by your kindest friend, get swift access; Acquaint her with these meetings: tell the words You brought me th’ other day, of Silius, Add somewhat to ’em. Make her understand The danger of Sabinus, and the times,215 Out of his closeness. Give Arruntius’ words Of malice against Caesar; so, to Gallus: But, above all, to Agrippina. Say, As you may truly, that her infinite pride, Propt with the hopes of her too fruitful womb, With popular studies gapes for sovereignty,221 And threatens Caesar. Pray Augusta then, That for her own, great Caesar’s, and the public Safety, she be pleas’d to urge these dangers. Caesar is too secure,[1466] he must be told,225 And best he’ll take it from a mother’s tongue. Alas! what is ’t for us to sound, t’ explore, To watch, oppose, plot, practise, or prevent, If he, for whom it is so strongly labour’d, Shall, out of greatness and free spirit, be230 Supinely negligent? Our city ’s now Divided as in time o’ th’ civil war, And men forbear not to declare themselves Of Agrippina’s party. Every day The faction multiplies; and will do more,235 If not resisted: you can best enlarge it, As you find audience. Noble Posthumus, Commend me to your Prisca: and pray her, She will solicit this great business To earnest and most present execution,240 With all her utmost credit with Augusta. Pos. I shall not fail in my instructions. [Exit.] Sej. This second, from his mother, will well urge Our late design, and spur on Caesar’s rage; Which else might grow remiss. The way to put A prince in blood, is to present the shapes245 Of dangers greater than they are, like late Or early shadows: and, sometimes, to feign Where there are none, only to make him fear. His fear will make him cruel: and once ent’red He doth not easily learn to stop, or spare251 Where he may doubt. This have I made my rule To thrust Tiberius into tyranny, And make him toil to turn aside those blocks, Which I alone could not remove with safety.255 Drusus once gone, Germanicus’ three sons Would clog my way; whose guards have too much faith To be corrupted: and their mother known Of too unreprov’d[1467] a chastity To be attempted, as light Livia was.260 Work then, my art, on Caesar’s fears, as they On those they fear, till all my lets[1468] be clear’d, And he in ruins of his house, and hate Of all his subjects, bury his own state; When with my peace, and safety, I will rise,265 By making him the public sacrifice. [Exit.]