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'Twas only fear first in the world made Tiberius, Sejanus.

Tib. Is yet Sejanus come?
Sej. He's here, dread Cæsar.

Tib. Let all depart that chamber, and the

next:

[prince
Sit down, my comfort. When the master
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 turn

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; [guilty. State is enough to make th' act just, them 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.

[bear, The prince who shames a tyrant's name to Shall never dare do any thing, but fear; All the command of sceptres quite doth perish,

If it begin religious thoughts to cherish: Whole empires fall, sway'd by those nice respects;

It is the licence of dark deeds protects 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.

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Tib. Knows yet Sejanus whom we point at ? Sej. I,

[err:

Or else my thought, my sense, or both do 'Tis Agrippina.

Tib. She, and her proud race.

Sej. Proud! dangerous, Cæsar. For in them apace

The father's spirit shoots up. Germanicus Lives in their looks, their gait, their form, t' upbraid us

With his close death, if not revenge the same. Tib. The act's not known.

Sej. Not prov'd: but whispering fame Knowledge and proof doth to the jealous give, [believe. 'Who, than to fail, would their own thought It is not safe, the children draw long breath, 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 Cæsar; then their crime

Will be enough, but late and out of time
For him to punish.

Tib. Do they purpose it? [till it hit.
Sej. You know, sir, thunder speaks not
Be not secure; none swiftlier are opprest,
Than they whom confidence betrays to rest.
Let not your daring make your danger such:
All power's to be fear'd, where 'tis too much.
The youths are of themselves hot, violent,
Full of great thought; and that male-spi-
rited dame,
[on:
Their mother, slacks no means to put them
By large allowance, popular presentings,
Increase of train, and state, suing for titles;
Hath them commended with like prayers,
like vows,
[nights

To the same gods, with Cæsar: days and
She spends in banquets and ambitious feasts
For the nobility; where Caius Silius,
Titius Sabinus, old Arruntius,
Asinius Gallus, Furnius, Regulus,
And others of that discontented list,
Are the prime guests. There, and to these,
[whose wife.
Whose niece she was, whose daughter, and
And then must they compare her with Au-

7

she tells

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''Twas only fear first in the world made gods.] A translation from Petronius Arbiter :

Primus in orbe deos fecit timor. Dr. GREY.

Laws of KIND forbid.] Laws of nature.

Who, than to fail, would their own thought believe.] i. e. Who, rather than want, or fail of proof, would believe the mere evidence of their own thoughts. Jonson affects great. brevity in his expression, and, in consequence of that, is not always so clear as he might be.

She tells,

Whose niece she was, whose daughter, and whose wife.] Agrippina was the niece of Augustus, the daugliter of Agrippa and Julia, and the wife of Germanicus.

D d

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(That's still the friend of novelty) with hope
Of future freedom, which on every change
That greedily, though emptily expects.
Cæsar, 'tis 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 height
And lustre to themselves.

Tib. We will command Their rank thoughts down, and with a stricter hand [must bate, Than we have yet put forth; their trains Their titles, feasts and factions.

Sej. Or

your state.

But how, sir, will you work? Tib. Confine 'em.

Stj. No.

1

They are too great, and that too faint a blow To give them now; it would have serv'd at first, [burst. When with the weakest touch their knot had But, now, your care must be, not to detect The smallest cord, or line of your suspect; For such, who know the weight of princes' fear, [rear Will, when they find themselves discover'd, Their forces, like seen snakes, that else would lie [high, Roul'd in their circles, close: nought is more Daring, or desperate, than offenders found; Where guilt is, rage and courage both [up, The course must be, to let them still swell Riot, and surfeit on blind fortune's cup; Give 'em more place, more dignities, more stile,

abound.

Call 'em to court, to senate; in the while, Take from their strength some one or twain,

or more,

Of the main fautors; (it will fright the store) And, by some by-occasion. Thus, with slight [night

You shall disarm them first; and they (in

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While thus your thought unto a mean is ty'd,

You neither dare enough, nor do provide. All modesty is fond; and chiefly where The subject is no less compell'd to bear, Than praise his sov'reign's acts.

Tib. We can no longer

Keep on our mask to thee, our dear Sejanus; Thy thoughts are ours, in all, and we but prov'd

[ing Their voice, in our designs, which by assentHath more confirm'd us, than if heart'ning Jove

Had, from his hundred statues, bid us strike, And at the stroke clickt all his marble But who shall first be struck? [thumbs:

Sej. First, Caius Silius; He is the most of mark, and most of danger: In power and reputation equal strong, Having commanded an imperial army 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, Command them stand aloof, and give more To our surprizing of the principal. [way Tib. But what, Sabinus?

Sej. Let him grow a while,

His fate is not yet ripe: we must not pluck
At all together, lest we catch ourselves.
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
[tius
Thither in time. Then is there one Cremu-
Cordus, a writing fellow, they have got
To gather notes of the precedent times,
And make them into annals; a most tart
And bitter spirit (I hear;) who under colour
Of praising those, doth tax the present state,
Censures the men, the actions, leaves no

trick,

No practice unexamin'd, parallels
The tunes, the governments; a profest
champion

For the old liberty
Tib. A perishing wretch.

And at the stroke clickt all his marble thumbs.] The sense is obscure; but the poet hath let us into his meaning, by his own note upon the place. It alludes to the Roman eustom of shewing favour, or pronouncing death, to the vanquished gladiators, by bending the thumb. Jonson's words are these: Premere pollicem, apud Romanos, maximi favoris erat signum. Horat. ep. ad Lollium. Fautor utroque tuum laudabit pollice ludum. Et Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 28. cap. 2. Pollices, cum faveumus, premere etiam proverbio jubemur.

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To be quite broken, and ta'en hence by us, Than have the strain to be preserv'd by such. Have we the means to make these guilty [power,

first?

Sej. Trust that to me; let Cæsar," by his But cause a formal meeting of the senate, I will have matter, and accusers ready. Tib. But how? let us consult.

Sej. We shall mispend

The time of action. Counsels are unfit
In business, where all rest is more pernicious
Than rashness can be. Acts of this close
kind

Thrive more by execution than advice.
There is no lingering in that work begun,
Which cannot praised be, until through
done.
[a court.
Tib. Our edict shall forthwith command
While I can live, I will prevent earth's fury:
* Ἐμε θάνοντο γαῖα μιχθήτω τυρί.

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9

cess;

And (by your kindest friend) get swift ac[Mutilia Prisca. Acquaint her with these meetings: tell the words

10 You brought me (th' other day) of Silius, Add somewhat to 'em. Make her understand

The danger of Sabinus, and the times, Out of his closeness. Give Arruntius words Of malice against Cæsar; 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, And threatens Cæsar. Pray Augusta then, That for her own, great Cæsar's, and the public [gers. Safety, she be pleas'd to urge these danCæsar is too secure (he must be told, And best he'll take it from a mother's tongue:)

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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, be
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,
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,
With all her utmost credit with Augusta.
Pos. I shall not fail in my instructions.
Sej. This second (from his mother) will
well urge

Our late design, and spur on Cæsar's rage: Which else might grow remiss. The way to put

fear;

A prince in blood, is to present the shapes Of dangers, greater than they are (like late, Or early shadows) and, sometimes, to feign Where there are none, only to make him [entred, His fear will make him cruel: and once He doth not easily learn to stop, or spare Where he may doubt. This have I made my rule,

Epu dávoνros yaia xew upi.] This Greek verse, as the historians say, Tiberius had often in his mouth, and the poet thought it too memorable to omit it.

10

-Tell the words

You brought me (th' other day) of Silius.] The words of Silius, to which the poet refers, are related by Tacitus in this manner: Immodicè jactantis (sc. Silii) suum militem in obsequio duravisse, cùm alii ad seditiones prolaberentur: neque mansurum Tiberio imperium, si iis quoque legionibus cupido novandi fuisset. Anual. 1. 4. c. 18.

"The public safety, &c.] To complete the measure of the verse, Jonson, by a licence common in the ancient poets, divides the word public into both these verses; ending one of them with the first syllable of it, and beginning the other with the last;

That for her own, great Cæsar's, and the pub

lic safety, she be pleas'd to urge these dangers.

And they are so printed in the folio of 1616.

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must rouse,

To make the great ones sport.

Cor. Did you observe

How they inveigh'd'gainst Cæsar?
Arr. I, baits, baits,

For us to bite at: would I have my flesh
Torn by the public hook, these qualified
Should be my company.
[hangmen

Cor. Here comes another.

Arr. I, there's a man, Afer the orator! One that hath phrases, figures, and fine flowers, [haste To strew his rhetorick with, and doth make To get him note, or name, by any offer Where blood, or gain be objects; steeps his

words,

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I dare not, with my manners, to attempt
Your trouble farther.

Agr. Farewell, noble Silius.
Sil. Most royal princess.
Agr. Sosia stays with us?

Sil. She is your servant, and doth owe
your grace

An honest, but unprofitable love.

Agr. How can that be, when there's no gain, but virtuous 13 ?

Sil. You take the moral, not the politic

sense.

I meant, as she is bold, and free of speech,
Earnest to utter what her zealous thought
Travails withal, in honour of your house;
Which act, as it is simply born in her,
Partakes of love and honesty; but may,
By th' over-often, and unseason'd use,
Turn to your loss and danger: for your

state

Is waited on by envies, as by eyes;
And every second guest your tables take
Is a fee'd spy, t'observe who goes, who

comes.

What conference you have, with whom, where, when,

What the discourse is, what the locks, the
thoughts

Of ev'ry person there, they do extract,
And make into a substance.

Agr. Hear me, Silius.

Were all Tiberius' body stuck with eyes,
And ev'ry wall and hanging in my house
Transparent, as this lawn I wear, or air;
Yea, had Sejanus both his ears as long
As to my inmost closet, I would hate
To whisper any thought, or change an act,
To be made Juno's rival. Virtue's forces
Shew ever noblest in conspicuous courses.

Sil. 'Tis great, and bravely spoken, like
the spirit

Of Agrippina: yet, your highness knows,
There is nor loss, nor shame in providence :
Few can, what all should do, beware enough.
You may perceive with what officious face,
Satrius, and Natta, Afer, and the rest
Visit your house, of late, t' enquire the
secrets;
[they rail
And with what bold and privileg'd art,
Against Augusta: yea, and at Tiberius;
Tell tricks of Lvia, and Sejanus; all
T'excite, and call your indignation on,
That they might hear it at more liberty.
Agr. You're too suspicious, Silius.
Sil. Pray the gods,

I be so, Agrippina: but I fear

[strike

Some subtle practice. They that durst to

Till all my BETS be clear'd.] This reading is corrupt, and the expression unintelligible: the quarto gives us the true word lets; obstructions, impediments. It occurs likewise in the argument," Finding the lets he must encounter to be many and hard." Mr. Seward and Mr. Sympson both corrected it in this manner by conjecture.

13 How can that be, when there's no gain, but VIRTUous?] i. e. no real gain, but virtuous gain; what is acquired and proceeds from virtue. The quarto, with less embarrassment of the sense, reads virtue's.

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Sil. Toys, mere toys;

What wisdom's now i' th' streets, i' th'
common mouth?

Dru. Fears, whisp'rings, tumults, noise,
I know not what :

They say the senate sit.
Sil. I'll thither straight;
And see what's in the forge.
Agr. Good Silius, do;
Sosia and I will in.

Sil. Haste you, my lords,

To visit the sick prince; tender your loves,
And sorrows to the people. This Sejanus
(Trust my divining soul) hath plots on all !
No tree, that stops his prospect, but must fall.

Chorus-of Musicians.

14 At So EXAMP-LESS and unblam'd a life.] At a life that had no parallel; was beyond all example, or imitation. Examp-less is a term of the author's coining; and by the same poetical prerogative, Chapman, in his verses on this tragedy, uses the word exampling:

Our Phoebus may with his exampling beams."

" He threatens many, that hath injur'd one.]

Multis minatur, qui uni facit injuriam.-PUB. SYRUS.

In this fulness and frequency of sentence, as he calls it in his preface, Jonson placeth one part of the office of a tragic poet: and the learned reader will perceive, from the brevity and number of these maxims, that instead of copying after the models of antient Greece, he hath conformed to the practice of Seneca the tragedian.

The SENATE.

ACT III.

Sejanus, Varro, Latiaris, Cotta, Afer. Gallus, Lepidus, Arruntius. Præcones, Lic

tores.

Sej. "TIS

IS only you must urge against
him, Varro;

Nor I, nor Cæsar may appear therein,
Except in your defence, who are the consul:
And, under colour of late enmity
Between your father, and his, may better
do it,

As free from all suspicion of a practice.
Here be your notes, what points to touch
at; read:

Be cunning in them. Afer has them too.
Var. But is he summon'd?

Sej. No. It was debated

By Cæsar, and concluded as most fit
To take him unprepar'd.

Afer. And prosecute
All under name of treason.

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