Religion makes of men! Believes Terentius,
If these were dangers, as I shame to think them,
The gods could change the certain course of fate?
Or, if they could they would, now in a moment,
For a beeve's fat, or less, be bribed to invert
Those long decrees? Then think the gods, like flies,
Are to be taken with the steam of flesh,
Or blood, diffused about their altars: think
Their power as cheap as I esteem it small..
Of all the throng that fill th' Olympian hall,
And, without pity, lade poor Atlas' back,
I know not that one deity, but Fortune,
To whom I would throw up, in begging smoke,
One grain of incense; or whose ear I'd buy
With thus much oil. Her I, indeed, adore;
And keep her grateful image in my house,
Sometime belonging to a Roman king,
But now call'd mine, as by the better style:
To her I care not, if, for satisfying

g

Your scrupulous phant'sies, I go offer. Bid
Our priest prepare us honey, milk, and poppy,
His masculine odours, and night-vestments: say,
Our rites are instant; which perform'd, you'll see
How vain, and worthy laughter, your fears be.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Another Room in the same.

Enter COTTA and POMPONIUS.

Cot. Pomponius, whither in such speed?
Pom. I go

To give my lord Sejanus notice

e Grani turis. Plaut. Panu. A. I. Sc. 1. et Ovid. Fast. Lib. iv.

f Dio. Hist. Rom. Lib. Lib. lviii. p 717.

• De sacris Fortunæ, vid. Lil. Gre. Gyr. Synt. 17. et Stuch. lib.

de Sacrif. Gent. p. 48.

Cot. What?

Pom. Of Macro.

Cot. Is he come?

Pom. Enter'd but now
The house of Regulus."

Cot. The opposite consul!
Pom. Some half hour since.

Cot. And by night too! Stay, sir;

I'll bear you company.

Pom. Along then

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

A Room in Regulus's House.

Enter MACRO, REGULUS, and Attendant.

Mac. 'Tis Cæsar's will to have a frequent senate; And therefore must your 'edict lay deep mulct On such as shall be absent.

Reg. So it doth.

Bear it my fellow consul to adscribe.

Mac. And tell him it must early be proclaim'd:

The place Apollo's temple.

Reg. That's remember'd.

Mac. And at what hour?

[Exit Attendant.

To send one for the provost of the watch.
Reg. I have not: here he comes.

h Dio. Hist. Rom. Lib. lviii. p. 718.

i Edicto ut plurimum senatores in curiam vocatos constat, ex Tacit. Ann. Lib. i. et Liv. Lib. ii. Fest. Pon. Lib. xv. vid. Bar. Briss. de Form. Lib. i. et Lips. Sat. Menip.

Dio, Rom. Hist. Lib. lvii. p. 718.

1 Dio. ibid.

Enter LACO.

Mac. Gracinus Laco,

You are a friend most welcome: by and by,
Ill speak with you.-You must procure this list
Of the prætorian cohorts, with the names
Of the centurions, and their tribunes.

Reg. Ay.

m

Mac. I bring you letters, and a health from Cæsar

Lac. Sir, both come well.

Mac. And hear you? with your note,

Which are the eminent men, and most of action. Reg. That shall be done you too.

Mac. Most worthy Laco,

Cæsar salutes you. [Exit Regulus.]-Consul! death and furies!

Gone now!-The argument will please you, sir.
Ho! Regulus! The anger of the gods
Follow your diligent legs, and overtake 'em,
In likeness of the gout!-

Re-enter REGULUS.

O, my good lord,

We lack'd you present; I would pray you send Another to Fulcinius Trio, straight,

To tell him you will come, and speak with him : The matter we'll devise, to stay him there,

While I with Laco do survey the watch.

[Exit Regulus.

What are your strengths, Gracinus?

Lac. "Seven cohorts.

m Dio. Rom. Hist. Lib. lviii. p. 718.

"De prefecto vigilum vid. Ros. Antiq. Rom. Lib. vii. et Dio. Rom. Hist. Lib. lv.

Mac. You see what Cæsar writes; and
Gone again!

H' has sure a vein of mercury in his feet.
Know you what store of the prætorian soldiers
Sejanus holds about him, for his guard?

Lac. I cannot the just number; but, I think, Three centuries.

Mac. Three! good.

Lac. At most not four.

Mac. And who be those centurions?

Lac. That the consul

Can best deliver you.

Mac. When he's away!

Spite on his nimble industry-Gracinus,

You find what place you hold, there, in the trust Of royal Cæsar?

Lac. Ay, and I am――

Mac. Sir,

The honours there proposed are but beginnings Of his great favours.

Lac. They are more

Mac. I heard him

When he did study what to add.

Lac. My life,

And all I hold

Mac. You were his own first choice:

Which doth confirm as much as you can speak; And will, if we succeed, make more-Your guards

Are seven cohorts, you say?

Lac. Yes.

Mac. Those we must

Hold still in readiness and undischarged.

Lac. I understand so much. But how it canMac. Be done without suspicion, you'll object?

• Dio. Rom. Hist. Lib. lviii. p. 718.

Re-enter REGULUS.

Reg. What's that?

Lac. The keeping of the watch in arms,
When morning comes.

Mac. The senate shall be met, and set
So early in the temple, as all mark
Of that shall be avoided.

Reg. If we need,

We have commission to possess the palace,
Enlarge prince Drusus, and make him our chief.
Mac. That secret would have burnt his reve-
rend mouth,

Had he not spit it out now: by the gods,
You carry things too--Let me borrow a man
Or two, to bear these--That of freeing Drusus,
Cæsar projected as the last and utmost;
Not else to be remember'd.

Enter Servants.

Reg. Here are servants.

Mac. These to Arruntius, these to Lepidus. This bear to Cotta, this to Latiaris.

If they demand you of me, say I have ta'en Fresh horse, and am departed. [Exeunt Servants.] You, my lord,

To your colleague, and be you sure to hold him With long narration of the new fresh favours, Meant to Sejanus, his great patron; I,

With trusted Laco, here, are for the guards: Then to divide. For, night hath many eyes, Whereof, though most do sleep, yet some are spies. [Exeunt.

Vid. Tacit. Ann. Lib. vi. p. 107. et Suet. Tib. c. 65.