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Liv. Not, I, my lord: my fear and love of him Left me at once.

Sej. Illustrious lady, stay.

Eud. [within.] I'll tell his lordship.

Re-enter EUDEMUS.

Sej. Who is it, Eudemus?

Eud. One of your lordship's servants brings you word

The emperor hath sent for

Sej. O! where is he?

you.

With your fair leave, dear princess, I'll but ask A question, and return.

Eud. Fortunate princess!

How are you blest in the fruition

[Exit.

Of this unequall'd man, the soul of Rome,
The empire's life, and voice of Cæsar's world!
Liv. So blessed, my Eudemus, as to know
The bliss I have, with what I ought to owe
The means that wrought it. How do I look to-day?
Eud. Excellent clear, believe it. This same
fucus

Was well laid on.

Liv. Methinks 'tis here not white.

Eud. Lend me your scarlet, lady. 'Tis the sun, Hath giv❜n some little taint unto the ceruse; You should have used of the white oil I gave you. Sejanus, for your love! his very name Commandeth above Cupid or his shafts

[Paints her cheeks.

Cerussa (apud Romanos) inter fictitiores colores erat et q solem ob calorem timebat. vid. Mart. Lib. ii. Epig. 41.

Quæ cretata timet Fabulla nimbum,

Cerussata timet Sabella solem.

Liv. Nay, now you've made it worse.
Eud. I'll help it straight-

And but pronounced, is a sufficient charm
Against all rumour; and of absolute power
To satisfy for any lady's honour.

Liv. What do you now, Eudemus ?
Eud. Make a light fucus,

To touch you o'er withal.-Honour'd Sejanus!
What act, though ne'er so strange and insolent,
But that addition will at least bear out,
If't do not expiate?

Liv. Here, good physician.

Eud. I like this study to preserve the love Of such a man, that comes not every hour To greet the world.-'Tis now well, lady, you

should

Use of the dentifrice I prescribed you too,
To clear your teeth, and the prepared pomatum,
To smooth the skin :-A lady cannot be

Too curious of her form, that still would hold
The heart of such a person, made her captive,
As you have his: who, to endear him more
In your clear eye, hath put away his wife,'
The trouble of his bed, and your delights,
Fair Apicata, and made spacious room
To your new pleasures.

Liv. Have not we return'd

That with our hate to Drusus, and discoveryk
Of all his counsels?

Eud. Yes, and wisely, lady.

The ages that succeed, and stand far off

To gaze at your high prudence, shall admire,
And reckon it an act without your sex:'

• An act without your sex.] i. e. an act beyond the weakness or fears of your sex.

WHAL.

i Ex qua tres liberos genuerat, ne pellici suspectaretur. Tacit. Ann. Lib. iv. p. 74. k Leg. Tacit. Ann. Lib. iv. p. 76.

It hath that rare appearance. Some will think Your fortune could not yield a deeper sound, Than mix'd with Drusus; but, when they shall hear

That, and the thunder of Sejanus meet,

Sejanus, whose high name doth strike the stars,
And rings about the concave; great Sejanus,
Whose glories, style, and titles are himself,
The often iterating of Sejanus:

They then will lose their thoughts, and be ashamed
To take acquaintance of them.

Re-enter SEJANUS.

Sej. I must make

prayer.

A rude departure, lady: Cæsar sends
With all his haste both of command and
Be resolute in our plot; you have my soul,
As certain yours as it is my body's.
And, wise physician,' so prepare the poison,
As you may lay the subtile operation
Upon some natural disease of his :

Your eunuch send to me. I kiss your hands,
Glory of ladies, and commend my love
To your best faith and memory.

Liv. My lord,

I shall but change your words. Farewell. Yet, this

Remember for your heed, he loves you not; You know what I have told you: his designs Are full of grudge and danger; we must use More than a common speed,

Sej. Excellent lady,

How you do fire my blood!
Liv. Well, you must go?

Tacit. ibid. et Dion. Rom. Hist. Lib. lvii. p. 709,

show.

The thoughts be best, are least set forth to
[Exit Sejanus.
Eud. When will you take some physic, lady?
Liv. When

I shall, Eudemus: but let Drusus' drug
Be first prepared.

Eud. Were Lygdus made,' that's done;
I have it ready. And to-morrow morning
I'll send you a perfume, first to resolve
And procure sweat, and then prepare a bath
To cleanse and clear the cutis; against when
I'll have an excellent new fucus made,
Resistive 'gainst the sun, the rain, or wind,
Which you shall lay on with a breath, or oil,
As you best like, and last some fourteen hours.
This change came timely, lady, for your health,
And the restoring your complexion,

Which Drusus' choler had almost burnt up; Wherein your fortune hath prescribed you better Than art could do.

Liv. Thanks, good physician,

I'll use my fortune, you shall see, with reverence. Is my coach ready?

Eud. It attends your highness.

SCENE II.

An Apartment in the Palace.

Enter SEJANUS.

[Exeunt.

If this be not revenge, when I have done
And made it perfect, let Egyptian slaves,"

9 Were Lygdus made, &c.] i. e. prepared for the business. See Vol. I. p. 145.

m Hi apud Romanos barbari et vilissimi æstimab. Juv. Mart. &c.

VOL. III.

E

Parthians, and bare-foot Hebrews brand my face, And print my body full of injuries.

Thou lost thyself, child Drusus, when thou thoughtst

Thou couldst outskip my vengeance; or outstand
The power I had to crush thee into air.

Thy follies now shall taste what kind of man
They have provoked, and this thy father's house
Crack in the flame of my incensed rage,
Whose fury shall admit no shame or mean.-
Adultery! it is the lightest ill

I will commit. A race of wicked acts
Shall flow out of my anger, and o'erspread
The world's wide face, which no posterity'
Shall e'er approve, nor yet keep silent: things
That for their cunning, close, and cruel mark,
Thy father would wish his; and shall, perhaps,
Carry the empty name, but we the prize.
On, then, my soul, and start not in thy course;
Though heaven drop sulphur, and hell belch out
fire,

Laugh at the idle terrors: tell proud Jove, Between his power and thine there is no odds: "Twas only fear first in the world made gods."

I

Enter TIBERIUS attended.

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

Which no posterity

Shall e'er approve, nor yet keep silent:] This sentiment, with what precedes and follows it, is from the Thyestes of Seneca: Age, anime, fac quod nulla posteritas probet,

Sed nulla taceat: aliquod audendum est nefas
Atrox, cruentum; tale quod frater meus
Suum esse malit.

Act. II. V. 192.

WHAL.

Idem, et Petro. Arbiter, Sat. et Statius, Lib. iii.

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