Of his own worth, to hear it equal praised Cor. He did not hear it, sir. Arr. He did not! Tut, he must not, we think meanly. 'Tis your most courtly known confederacy, To have your private parasite redeem What he, in public, subtiley will lose, To making him a name. Hat. Right mighty lord [Gives him letters. Tib. We must make up our ears 'gainst these assaults Of charming tongues; we pray you use no more Or lord, or mighty, who profess ourself Arr. Prince-like to the life. Sab. When power that may command, so much descends, Their bondage, whom it stoops to, it intends. Hat. From the senate. Tib. So. Whence these? Lat. From thence too. [Lat. gives him letters Tib. Are they sitting now. Lat. They stay thy answer, Cæsar. Sil. If this man Had but a mind allied unto his words, How blest a fate were it to us, and Rome! We could not think that state for which to change, Cons. Tacit. Ann. Lib. ii. p. 50, et Suet. Tib. c. 27 et 29. f Nullam œque Tiberius ex virtutibus suis quam dissimulationens diligebat. Tacit. Ann, Lib. iv, p. 95. Although the aim were our old liberty: The ghosts of those that fell for that, would grieve His brutish sense with their afflicting sound, And nothing sooner doth help forth a tyrant, Than that and whisperers' grace, who have the time, The place, the power, to make all men offenders. Arr. He should be told this; and be bid dis semble With fools and blind men: we that know the evil, Should hunt the palace-rats, or give them bane; • Wish'd liberty, &c.] 86 k -Nunquam libertas gratior exstat, "Quam sub rege pio." Bruti, Cassii, Catonis, &c. Claud de laud. Stil. Lib. iii. Vid. Dio. Hist. Lib. lvii. de moribus Tiberii. Tyrannis fere oritur ex nimia procerum adulatione in princi. pem. Arist. Pol. Lib. v. c. 10, 11. et delatorum auctoritate. Leg. Tacit. Dio. Suet. Tib. per totum. Sub quo decreta accusatoribus præcipua præmia. Vid. Suet. Tib. c. 61. et Sen. Benef. Lib. iii. C. 6. * Tineas soricesque Palatii vocat istos Sex. Aurel. Vict. et Tacit, Fright hence these worse than ravens, that devour The quick, where they but prey upon the dead: He shall be told it. Sab. Stay, Arruntius, We must abide our opportunity; And practise what is fit, as what is needful. Arr. Ha, say you so? well! In the mean time, (Say not, but I do call upon thee now,) Of all wild beasts preserve me from a tyrant; Sil. 'Tis well pray'd. Tib. [having read the letters.] Return the lords this voice, We are their creature, And it is fit a good and honest prince, Whom they, out of their bounty, have instructed' Nor shall it e'er repent us to have wish'd Hist. Lib. i. p. 233, qui secretis criminat. infamant ignarum, et quo incautior deciperetur, palam laudatum, &c. 1 Vid. Suet. Tib. c. 20. et Dio. Hist. Lib. lvii. p. 696. Tacit. Ann. Lib. iv. p. 84 et 85. Assent thereto. Their lordships may object That our defence for suffering that be known A temple to be built at Pergamum, In honour of himself and sacred Rome; Posterity should know it, we are mortal; That shall report us worthy our fore-fathers, For public good. These things shall be to us Are more contemn'd as dying sepulchres, Cons. Strab. Lib. vi. de Tib. The one, until the period of our race, They should, without being satisfied, pursue: Sat. Most divine! Sej. The oracles are ceased, That only Cæsar, with their tongue, might speak. Arr. Let me be gone: most felt and open this! Cor. Stay. Arr. What! to hear more cunning, and fine words, With their sound flatter'd ere their sense be meant? Tib. Their choice of Antium, there to place the gift Vow'd to the goddess for our mother's health • Tacit. Lib. iii. p. 71. a Tacit. ibid. S P Fortuna equestris, ibid. • Torquata virgo vestalis, cujus memoriam servat marmor Roma. vid. Lips. comment. in Tacit. Tacit. Ann. Lib. iii. p. 71. |