The tragedy of Julia Agrippina; Empresse of Rome. By T.M.

ACTUS II. (Book 2)

POPPAEA, OTHO.

Poppaea.

MY love, deare Otho, faine would bid thee stay: But danger now forbids it, for my Lord Returnes by this time homewards from the Pallace.

Otho.

Wee must obey the times necessity Sweetest Poppoea, though I part from thee With such a sad'nesse as will loose by all Comparisons and cannot bee exprest But by it selfe, to say that Otho parts From faire Poppaea, is more tragicall Then soule from body, honour from a man.

Poppoea.

I could, mee thinkes, flatter my feares, to keepe Thee ever heere.

Otho.

And I can scorne all feares, And dangers too, if thou command mee stay.

Poppaea.

No, goe, my Love, and warily let's meete That wee may often meete: but why should still Our highest blisse want freedome?

Otho.

'Tis my faire one, The envy of the Gods, who thinke the state Of men would aequall theirs, if greatest joyes Were easyest to obtaine, and therfore still In horrid dangers wrap their dearest guifts, As all the Poëts ancient fables taught. Fire-breathing Buls did guard the Colchian fleece; A waking dragon kept the golden fruit. But thou, Poppaea, in my thoughts a prize Of greater value, and more lustre farre Then that which drew the bold Thessalian forth So farre from Greece, or made Alcmenaes sonne Invade th' Hesperides, art kept from mee By stronger guards, the awfull Roman lawes, Those lawes resist our love.

Poppaea.

Oh where was Otho Then, when my virgin blossome was the hope Of thousand noble youths? hadst thou beene seene Poppaeaes bed and beautyes had beene thine, And with a lawfull uncontrolled flame Had met thy wish in those delights, which now Wee are inforc'd to steale.

Otho.

Must it bee so For ever then?

Poppaea.

It must while Rufus lives.

Otho.

Nor can I blame blest Rufus, if hee strive To keepe that wealth, which if it lay beyond

The Indian Ganges, Scythian Tanais, Or horned Ammons scorch'd and thirsty sands, Would draw the Roman Monarch to forsake His worlds Imperiall seat there to enjoy, And think those banish'd that remain'd at Rome. If I were Caesar, and condemn'd by fate To want Poppaeaes love, I should bee poore. No other deare prerogative could that High wreath bestow, but only power to make Thee mine without a rivall: I might then With boldnesse take thee from Crispinus armes.

Poppaea.

But could that act bee lawfull?

Otho.

Canst thou doubt it? Where two loves meete can marriage bee unlawfull? Of which love is the soule, the very forme That gives it being no dead outward ty, But natures strong and inward sympathy. Can make a marriage, which the Gods alone Have power to breede in us, and therfore they Have only power to ty so sweete a knot. I am thy mate; nor did thy father, when Hee gave that snowy hand unto another, Ought but rebell against the Gods decree.

Poppaea.

Thou art to good an advocate, and I Too partiall for a judge.

Otho.

Bee constant to mee Till fortune give a bolder priviledge. And warrant to our love, of which I have Receiv'd such faire presages, as I cannot Despaire; meane while by stealth I must behold Those starry eyes, and think my selfe most happy In that, though no man know my happinesse.

Poppaea.

Can men count those delights a happinesse Which they conceale?

Otho.

Yes, those that truly love.

Enter Fulvia.

Fulvia.

Madam, my Lord is come.

Poppaea.

Farewell deare Otho.

Otho.

Farewell: love guard thee till wee meete againe.

exit.

Enter CRISPINUS, GETA.

Crispinus.

Come Lucius study to forget it now, And let's bee truly merry; my Poppaea Bid' Lucius Geta welcome, my colleague That was, but still my frend.

Poppaea.

You are most welcome.

Geta.

Thankes fairest Lady.

Poppaea.

••ut my Lord, what meanes That speech of yours, that Lucius Geta once Was your colleague and is not.

Crispinus.

I tell thee, ••reat Agrippina has commanded Caesar ••o command Pallas to command us two. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quit our charge and suddainly resigne ••he governement of the Praetorian campe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Burrhus hand; at which hee stormes; but I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 merryer farre, and lighter then before. ••ee may live freely now; Caesar has tane 〈◊〉〈◊〉 weighty burthen from my weary necke. ••hanke his goodnesse.

Geta.

Thanke his sottishnesse, Tis that has pleasured you. ah frend it needes Must grieve all noble hearts, that can love justice, And pity suffring innocence, to see The harmelesse yeares of young Britannicus Expos'd to all the malice of his foes, And stupid Caesar made the instrument To ruine his owne sonne: whilest his great power By others is abus'd against himselfe And his posterity.

Crispinus.

I do beleive it.

Geta.

His servants all, that to himselfe were true, Or faithfull to his sonne, are murther'd now, Or else displac'd by her: our truth's the cause That wee have lost our places.

Crispinus.

Tis no matter; Wee loose no honour by our truth; and since While wee had power, wee faithfully discharg'd Our trust to Caesar, let's no longer stirve To guard him 'gainst his will; but take his gift. Hee gives us ease, and freedome, to retire, And tast the sweetes of privaty, and there Enjoy our lives free from the glorious noise, And troubles of a Court; instead of waiting On Caesar now, on thee I will bestow That time, my faire Poppaea, and attend On thy delights; thou wilt not cast mee off As Caesar does.

Fulvia.

Shee cannot promise you I know her heart better then you in that.

Crispinus.

None can describe the sweetes of countrey life But those blest men that do enjoy, and tast them. Plaine husband men, though farre below our pitch Of fortune plac,d, enjoy a wealth above us. To whome the earth with true and bountious justice Free fhom warres cares returnes an easy food. They breath the fresh and uncorrupted aire, And by cleare brookes enjoy untroubled sleepes. Their state is fearlesse, and secure, enrich'd With severall blessings, such as greatest Kings Might in true justice envy, and themselves Would count too happy, if they truly knew them.

Geta.

Tis true, Crispinus, greatest Monarchs oft Have in the midst of all theyr carefull gloryes Desir'd such lives as those plaine people lead.

Crispinus.

Let us enjoy that huppinesse then Lucius The countrey sports and recreations And friends as innocent as wee, with whom Wee need not feare the strength of richest wine In drawing out our secrets: but well fill'd At suppertime may hold a free discourse Of Caesar's weakenesse, of the wealth and pride Of his freed'men, how lordly Pallas rules; How feirce and cruell Arippina is, What slaves rhe Roman Senate are become, And yet next morne awake with confidence.

Poppoea.

All this, my Lord, you may discourse at Rome ••f you can wisely choose your company.

Crispinus.

Well said Poppaea, thou art a woman right Thou lov'st the city well.

Geta.

I cannot blame her, Such beauty seekes no corners, but may well Become th' Imperiall city of the world.

Crispinus.

Come Lucius Geta, let's goe in and laugh At our proud enemyes, enjoy theire malice, And drowne our cares in rich Falernian wine As ancient as Opimius Consulship.

Enter to them NARCISSUS.

Geta.

Here comes a man, Crispinus, I beleive Is sory for this change.

Crispinus.

I thinke so Lucius.

Narcissus.

Haile noble Romans.

Crispinus.

Haile to you Narcissus. How dare you venture a salute on us, Or make a visite to such guilty men?

Narcissus.

Guilty my Lord, in what?

Crispinus.

In beeing wrong'd. Those that are wrong'd in Court, are made offendours▪

Narcissus.

I must confesse, my Lord, it was a wrong To you and your Colleague to bee displac'd, But you have spirits great enough to scorne That injury, and pity him that did it, I meane that suffer'd his proud foes to doo it Rather against himselfe then you; the wrong Must fall on Caesar, and his haplesse house. Blinded by fate, and neere his fall, hee throwes Away the best supporters of his state.

Geta.

The thought of that as I am true, Narcissus, Afflicts mee more then mine owne losse can doe.

Crispinus.

For mee, I thinke my selfe well free'd from trouble Were't not for feare of poore Britannicus.

Narcissus.

I doo beleeve it, noble Lords; but you Are now dischar'gd, and may retire with safety. My part is yet to play, a part of danger, And I will act it bravely: here I vow By all the Gods, no feare shall make mee shrinke Till I have once more righted Claudius Against the lusts and treasons of a wife. Nor do I boast of Messalinaes death. It was the times necessity, that made Mee then to shew my power: that power perchance Is yet as much; nor shall the Lordly Pallas, Though swell'd with Agrippinaes lustfull favours, And back'd by her authority, hee thinke Himselfe sole ruler in th' Imperiall house, Finde that Narcissus is so fall'n in spirit But that I dare attempt as much as then. Great Caesar's safety is as much in danger As then it was, his nuptiall bed as stain'd, And I will dy, or take the same revenge, That then was taken; all their plots and treasons Will I reveale to Caesar, and pursue it With such a dauntlesse constancy, that if The Gods forget not to bee just, this day Proud Agrippina, and her minion fall. The young Britannicus shall stand secure In his high birthright; Messalinaes ghost Shall then perchance, although shee hate mee now, ••orgive the hand that caus'd her overthrow,

Geta.

Bravely resolu'd, Narcissus.

Crispinus.

You shall doe An act that all good men shall thank you for. Will you goe in, and tast my wine'.

Narcissus.

Not now. I came but only to reveale my purpose To you, whose noble wishes may befriend it, And when occasion serves, may truly witnesse My just intents; this hower I am expected By▪ Caesar in his gardens; there I'll put My life upon the hazard; every minute May breede a change, and all delayes have danger. For Caesar upon those discoveryes That I already have made to him, utter'd Some words last night at supper in his wine. Of which I feare that Agrippina tooke Too great a notice; therfore speede must helpe us. Farewell my Lords.

Ambo.

Farewell: the Gods assist thee.

Exeunt.

OTHO.

Otho.

So rich a bondage is Poppaeas love, That I were base if I should with for freedome, Nay more, ingrate, should I desire to change So sweete a care for quietnesse it selfe; Should I suppose that state, which some dull soules Call calme content, were halfe so rich, so free As are these pinings, this captivity. Were there in love no cares, no sighs, no feares, There were in love no happinesse at all. What blisse, what wealth did e're the world bestow On man, but cares and feares attended it?

Yet who so base, as, to bee freed from those, Would throw away the highest blisse on earth? Let silly shipheards, whose poore narrow soules Not much exceede the beasts they tend and feede, That know, like them, no farther regions Then some few feilds, no larger bounds of pleasure Then satisfaction of bare natures needes, Bee still secure since they have nought to loose, And rest content because they never knew What cityes were, and gorgeous Pallaces. Should Monarchs, who are taught to know th' extent Of natures wealth, and what the world affords, Forgoe their glorious fortunes, cause they want That wretched thing, which only ignorance, And low contempt can give, Security? Should I forgoe my faire Poppaeaes love Because some cares, some feares▪ and sighs attend it: When every smile of hers can recompence A thousand such? were too much poorenesse in mee Had I nere seene those starry eyes of hers More haplesse farre my ignorance had beene. I had, like wretched men, that are borne blinde, Nere knowne there was a Sunne to guild the world. But to injoy her love without all feares, Without all rivalls, were a blisse beyond Mortality: the Gods would envy mee. Shee's now another mans: that may bee thought The greatest barre to Otho's happinesse. But I have framed in my jealous thoughts A greater barrethen that: young Nero Caesar, In whose acquaintance I of late have found So neere a roome, as faire presages tell us, Is like to weareth' Imperiall wreath: his power May take her for mee from Crispinus armes. But then perchance I loose her more then ever. Or should hee see her now to rivall mee

I were undone: hee's amorous, and oft Sollicites mee to let him see my Mistres. I for that frendship, which I dare not loose, Dare not deny his importunity. And therfore to prevent what may ensue (For yet hee never heard Poppaeas name) I have made love to the faire freed woman Young Acte of meane ranke, but such a face, As whosoever had not seene Poppaea Would thinke this Acte natures Masterpeice. On her will I divert young Nero's love. And to that purpose I have got her picture. But here hee comes.

Enter Nero.

Nero.

What Otho, still retir'd? Where lives the face that breedes this melancholy? There is no other cause can doe't: I know Thou art not busy'd with affaires of state. I prithee let mee see her: a friends counsell May ease thy passion.

Otho.

Tis not fit a Prince Should stoope so low as to the passions Of privatemen.

Noro.

The name of friend admits Of no such distance.

Otho.

S^r. no man, whom you Are pleas'd to call a friend, deserves that name, Unlesse hee know himselfe to bee your servant.

Nero.

Come prithee leave thy fooling, and bee plaine. Where there is no familiarity Society is lost: why art thou fearfull To let mee see her whosoere shee bee?

Otho.

Sr. I could give you a plaine common reason, If shee bee foule, shee is not worth your sight. If faire, you are too great a rivall for mee. But yet, know S^r. I am so free from those Unworthy feares, that I dare trust my life, My love, and all I have into your hands.

Nero.

Spoke like a friend, and thou maist safely doo't. Then first behold her picture, and by that Find whether shee bee worth the sight or no.

Nero.

Can any mortall beauty bee so sweete?

Otho.

I would there were not.

Nero.

Sure the painter flatters.

Otho.

Oh no, hee had not art enough to reach The glory of it; were the substance here How dull would this now lovely table show! See how his greedy eyes devoure the picture. Hee's caught, hee's caught; Cupid' I thanke thee now.

Nero.

I never saw true beauty till this houre. But wherfore didst thou wish there were no substance So sweete as this? why would'st thou bee depriv'd Of such a happinesse? but I perceive It is thy feare: come, let it not bee so. I but desire to see whether the painter Have err'd or no: and do not thinke, my Otho, That I will wrong thy love so much, or make My wife Octavia jealous.

Otho.

S_r. how ere, My life, my love, and fortunes all are yours.

Exeunt.

CLAUDIUS, NARCISSUS.

Narcissus.

Your Majesty may yet prevent it all, And justly throw upon the Traitors heads That ruine which so boldly threatens you, And your too much abused family. Yet Caesar may bee safe, if hee will use That power the Gods have put into his hands.

Caesar.

What course, Narcissus, can wee run, to make The people sensible of our estate, What danger threatens us, and how our Justice Is forc'd to meete the treasons of a wife?

Narcissus.

Let not too vaine a care of popular breath, Or what the Vulgar may surmise, outweigh The safety of youre person' and youre house. But I am most assur'd that all the world Except youre selfe, have long observ'd theire plots, And if they see your waken'd Justice now Arise to censure Agrippinaes death, They will not thinke the execution done Too soone on her: these humble knees, Oh Caesar. Which for your safety I so oft have bow'd Before the Gods, now to your sacred selfe I bow, entreating that you would bee safe, And not beleeve the Gods by miracle Will worke for you whilest you neglect your selfe.

Caesar.

Arise Narcissus, tis th' unhappy fate Of Princes ever (as Augustus Caesar Was wont to say) the people ne're beleeve That treasons were complotted 'gainst theire persons Untill those treasons take effect, and then Too late perchance they pity and beleeve.

Narcissus.

But was the wise Augustus therfore slow Or timorous to cut offenders off? Fear'd hee the peoples whispers? Caesar, no. Hee well knew to use the sword hee had. Hee had not else liv'd till times gentle hand Dissolv'd in peace his long felicity, And made the world by such continuance Of power, beleeve hee was a God on earth.

Caesar.

But some offendours are too great to suffer The common course of Justice: against such Wise Princes have forborne to draw the sword, And rather sought some wayes of policy How to ensnare them.

Narcissus.

Caesar, those are wayes As much unfit for Princes as unsafe. As many Monarchs have in dangerous times Beene ruin'd quite by going wayes too low (Though they have seemed subtle) as proud subjects Have beene undone by playing Princes parts. And as this high, and open way befits The power and person of earths greatest Monarch: So it befits the times necessity. You have already, Caesar, shew'd your sword, And if you strike not now, you do not right Your selfe at all, but only arme your foes With plots of mischeife to prevent their owne, And hasten on your quicke destruction. You have already threaten'd, and those speeches By Agrippina, and her minion Pallas Were overheard; who, like seene snakes will now Bestirre themselves in a more desperate fury. I have already cast mine owne poore life Into the utmost hazard: but alas!

That is a thing not now considerable. The Gods above can tell how willingly For Caesar's safety I would sacrifice This life; make mee the cheifest instrument Impose what part of this exploit you please Upon Narcissus hand, and if I faile To execute, I'll not refuse to dy.

Caesar.

Oh my Narcissus; I have found thy faith In other services: it is resolv'd, Their pride shall feele my justice; thou shalt see How soone I will secure my self and thee.

Exeunt.

AGRIPPINA, PALLAS.

Agrippina.

Wee are discover'd Pallas: all our drifts Are sounded by Narcissus, and by him Lay'd ope to Caesar, who dissembling yet The knowledge of it, seekes a suddaine way To ruine both of us: nor had wee fear'd So soone as felt his fury, had not wine Betray'd his thoughts to us; you know last night What speeches Caesar in his drunkennesse Let fall before us; and twas lately told mee That meeting young Britannicus hee wept, Confest that hee had wrong'd him, and there vow'd A quicke redresse: what counsell shall wee take?

Pallas.

Wee have no time for counsell: but must act As soone as thinke: wee goe not now to worke But to prevent a mischeife, and our cure Must bee as strong, and quicke of operation As our disease is dangerous and suddaine. That bird, that sees the snare, and will bee caught Deserves his death: and since that Caesar knowes His purpose is discover'd (as Narcissus Ha's before this inform'd him that wee heard it)

Hee'l quickly act what else hee had deferr'd. No way is left us but to meete the danger, And for prevention first attempt to doe That which wee feare to suffer.

Agrippina.

By what meanes Shall wee procure his death? for poison slow Perchance may faile to lend a timely helpe Unto our safety; and too quicke a venome May make the fact supected.

Pallas.

Should the fact Bee nere so much suspected, your estate Would bee more safe then now it is; but who Would dare to utter it when Caesar's dead, And your owne Sonne the Emperour: for so My confidence assures mee it will bee. Therfore bee speedy, Madam; for your danger Where fame, where life, and Empire all are threaten'd, Gives you no nice election. So't bee done No matter how.

Agrippina.

Thou hast confirm'd mee, Pallas. The way's resolv'd already; there were lately The fairest mushromes sent from Lybia That ere these eyes beheld, a meat which hee Affects with greedinesse; in one of those Caesar shall meete his death; if that should faile His cheife Physitian Xenophon is mine. But are things stong, and ready to confirme The Empire upon Nero.

Pallas.

Tis the best And happiest time, before Britannicus Bee growne to riper yeares, while yet hee weares His childish robe, and Nero has beene showne

To all the people in triumphall weedes. But when the deed is done, place warily Your guards about the Pallace gates, and keepe Britannicus within; whilest Nero back'd By Seneca and Burrhus, by the campe And Senate bee saluted Emperour, And all be setled sure.

Agrippina.

How fit a time To work his own destruction Caesar chose To tempt with threatning Agrippinas fury!