Lac. But is that true, it is prohibited To sacrifice unto him? Ter. Some such thing Cæsar makes scruple of, but forbids it not; No more than to himself: says he could wish It were forborn to all. Lac. Is it no other? Ter. No other, on my trust. For your more surety, Here is that letter too. Arr. How easily Do wretched men believe, what they would have! Looks this like plot? Lep. Noble Arruntius, stay. Lac. He names him here without his titles. In him that writes: here he gives large amends. Mar. And with his own hand written? Pom. Yes. Lac. Indeed? Ter. Believe it, gentlemen, Sejanus' breast Never received more full contentments in, Than at this present. Pom. Takes he well the escape Of young Caligula, with Macro? Ter. Faith, At the first air it somewhat troubled him. P Dio. Hist. Rom. Lib. lviii. p. 718. q Dio. ibid. Dio. p. 717. Arr. Nothing; riddles. Till I see Sejanus struck, no sound thereof strikes me. [Exeunt Arrun. and Lepidus. Pom. I like it not. Imuse he would not attempt Somewhat against him in the consulship, Seeing the people 'gin to favour him. Ter. He doth repent it now; but he has employ'd t Pagonianus after him: and he holds That correspondence there, with all that are Near about Cæsar, as no thought can pass Without his knowledge, thence in act to front him. Pom. I gratulate the news. Lac. But how comes Macro So in trust and favour with Caligula? Pom. O, sir, he has a wife; and the young prince An appetite: he can look up, and spy Flies in the roof, when there are fleas i' the bed; s Dio. p. 717. At your [Exeunt. * De Pagoniano, vid. Tacit. Ann. Lib. vi. p. 101. alibi Paconiano. ▪ Tacit. cons. Ann. Lib. vi. p. 114. ACT V. SCENE I. An Apartment in Sejanus's House. Enter SEJANUS. Sej. Swell, swell, my joys; and faint not to declare Yourselves as ample as your causes are. I did not live till now; this my first hour; Would thou stood'st stiff, and many in our way! Sejanus' strife; durst fates but bring it forth. * De fastu Sejani leg. Dio. Hist. Rom. Lib. lviii. p. 715, et Tacit. Ann. Lib. iv. p. 96. Enter TERENTIUS. Ter. Safety to great Sejanus! Sej. Now, Terentius? Ter. Hears not my lord the wonder? Ter. I meet it violent in the people's mouths, Who run in routs to Pompey's theatre, To view your statue,' which, they say, sends forth To stir the people.-How now! why return you? Re-enter TERENTIUS, with SATRIUS and NATTA. Sat. The head, my lord, already is ta'en off, I saw it; and, at opening, there leapt out A great and monstrous serpent. Sej. Monstrous! why? Had it a beard, and horns? no heart? a tongue To such as live in great men's bosoms? was Nat. May it please The most divine Sejanus, in my days, (And by his sacred fortune, I affirm it,) Sej. O, the fates! What a wild muster's here of attributes, Y Dio. Hist. Rom. Lib. lviii. p. 717. z Dio. ibid. Ter. But how that should Sej. What, and you too, Terentius ! Ter. Can the wise Sejanus Think heaven hath meant it less? a Why, then the falling of our bed, that brake Or running of the cat betwixt our legs, Ter. I think them ominous : And would they had not happen'd! As, to-day, No prosperous bird appear'd; but croking ravens Sej. What excellent fools 7 Who, declining their way,] Turning out of the way. This is from the folio, 1616: the quarto reads diverting; but as declining seems to have been the poet's own choice, and the language of that age, I have given it the preference. So the author of Aulicus Coquinaria, speaking of sir Walter Raleigh, when out of place, says, that, "when it fell out to be so, he would wisely decline himself out of the court-road." WHAL. a Dio. Rom. Hist. Lib. lviii. p. 715. b Dio. ibid. p. 716. |