Lapas attēli
PDF
ePub

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.

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,
Ho! Regulus! The anger of the gods

Follow your diligent legs, and overtake 'em,
In likeness of the gout!-

Re-enter REGULUS.

sir.

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.

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

"De prefecto vigilum vid. Ros. Antiq. Rom. Lib. vii. et Die. 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 can-
Mac. 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.

SCENE IV.

A Sacellum (or Chapel) in Sejanus's House. Enter Præcones, Flamen,' Tubicines, Tibicines, Ministri, SEJANUS, TERENTIUS, SATRIUS, NATTA, &c.

Præ. Be all profane far hence; fly, fly far off: Be absent far; far hence be all profane!

[Tub. and Tib. sound while the Flamen washeth. Fla. We have been faulty, but repent us now, And bring pure "hands, pure vestments, and pure minds.

1 Min. Pure vessels.

2 Min. And pure offerings.

3 Min. Garlands pure.

X

Fla. Bestow your garlands: and, with reverence, place

The vervin on the altar.

Præ. Favour your tongues.

a Pracones, Flamen, hi omnibus sacrificiis interesse solebant. Ros. Ant. Rom. Lib. iii. Stuch. de Sac. p. 72.

T

Ex iis, qui Flamines Curiales dicerentur, vid. Lil. Greg. Gyr.

Synt. 17. et Onup. Panvin. Rep. Rom. Comment. 2.

[ocr errors]

Moris antiqui erat, Præcones præcedere, et sacris arcere profanos. Cons. Briss. Ross. Stuch. Lil. Gyr. &c.

* Observatum antiquis invenimus, ut qui rem divinam facturus erat, lautus, ac mundus accederet, et ad suas levandas culpas, se imprimis reum dicere solitum, et noxa panituisse. Lil. Gyr. Synt. 17.

"In sacris puras manus, puras vestes, pura vasa, &c. antiqui desiderabunt; ut ex Virg. Plaut. Tibul. Ovid. &c. pluribus locis

constat.

* Alius ritus sertis aras coronare, et verbenas imponere.

▾ Hujusmodi verbis silentium imperatum fuisse constat. Vid. Sen. in lib. de beata vita. Serv. et Don. ad eum versum, Lib. v. Eneid. Ore favete omnes, et cingite tempora ramis.

[ocr errors]

a

[While they sound again, the Flamen takes of the honey with his finger, and tastes, then ministers to all the rest: so of the milk in an earthen vessel, he deals about; which done, he sprinkleth upon the altar, milk; then imposeth the honey, and kindleth his gums, and after censing about the altar, placeth his censer thereon, into which they put several branches of poppy, and the music ceasing, proceeds.

Fla. Great mother Fortune, queen of human state, Rectress of action, arbitress of fate,

To whom all sway, all power, all empire bows,
Be present, and propitious to our vows!
Præ. Favour it with your tongues.

Min. Be present, and propitious to our vows! Omnes. Accept our offering, and be pleased, great goddess.

Ter. See, see, the image stirs !

Sat. And turns away!

Nat. Fortune' averts her face!

Fla. Avert, you gods,

The prodigy. Still! still! some pious rite

z Vocabatur hic ritus Libatio. Lege Rosin. Ant. Lib. iii. Bar. Brisson. de form. Lib. i. Stuchium de Sacrif. et Lil. Synt. 17.

a

In sacris Fortunæ lacte non vino litabant. iisdem test. Talia sacrificia aoiva et mpánia dicta. Hoc est sobria, et vino carentia.

Hoc reddere erat et litare, id est propitiare, et votum impetrare; secundum Nonium Marcellum. Litare enim Mac. Lib. iii. c. 5. explicat, sacrificio facto placare numen. In quo sens. leg. apud Plaut. Senec. Suct. &c.

His solemnibus præfationibus in sacris utebantur.

Quibus, in clausu, populus vel cætus a præconibus favere jubebatur; id est, bona verba fari. Talis enim altera hujus forma interpretatio apud Briss. Lib. i. extat. Ovid. Lib. i. Fast. Linguis animisque favete. Et Metam. Lib. xv.

piumque

Eneada præstant et mente, et voce favorem.
Solennis formula in donis cuivis nomini offerendis.

f Leg. Dio. Rom. Hist. Lib. lviii. p. 717. de hoc sacrificio.

« iepriekšējāTurpināt »