A Sacellum (or Chapel) in SEJANUS'S House.
Enter Praecones, Flamen, Tubicines, Tibicines, Ministri,
SEJANUS, TERENTIUS, SATRIUS, NATTA, etc.
Prae.
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.
Fla.
Bestow your garlands: and, with reverence, place
The vervin on the altar.
Prae.
Favour your tongues.
[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,
Redress of action, arbitress of fate,
To whom all sway, all power, all empire bows,
Be present; and propitious to our vows!
Prae.
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
We have neglected. Yet, heaven be appeased,
And be all tokens false and void, that speak
Thy present wrath!
Sej.
Be thou dumb, scrupulous priest:
And gather up thyself, with these thy wares
Which I, in spite of thy blind mistress, or
Thy juggling mystery, religion, throw
Thus scorned on the earth.
[Overturns the statue and the altar.
Nay, hold thy look
Averted till I woo thee turn again
And thou shalt stand to all posterity,
The eternal game and laughter, with thy neck
Writh'd to thy tail, like a ridiculous cat.
Avoid these fumes, these superstitious lights,
And all these cozening ceremonies: you,
Your pure and spiced conscience!
[Exeunt all but Sejanus, Terent., Satri., and Natta.
I, the slave
And mock of fools, scorn on my worthy head!
That have been titled and adored a god,
Yea, sacrificed unto, myself, in Rome,
No less than Jove: and I be brought to do
A peevish giglot, rites! perhaps the thought
And shame of that, made fortune turn her face,
Knowing herself the lesser deity,
And but my servant.-Bashful queen, if so,
Sejanus thanks thy modesty.——Who's that?
Enter POMPONIUS and MINUTIUS.
Pom.
His fortune suffers, till he hears my news:
I have waited here too long. Macro, my lord——
Sej.
Speak lower and withdraw.
[Takes him aside.
Ter.
Are these things true?
Min.
Thousands are gazing at it in the streets.
Sej.
What's that?
Ter.
Minutius tells us here, my lord,
That a new head being set upon your statue,
A rope is since found wreath'd about it! and,
But now a fiery meteor in the form
Of a great ball was seen to roll along
The troubled air, where yet it hangs unperfect,
The amazing wonder of the multitude!
Sej.
No more. That Macro's come, is more than all!
Ter.
Is Macro come?
Pom.
I saw him.
Ter.
Where? with whom?
Pom.
With Regulus.
Sej.
Terentius!
Per.
My lord.
Sej.
Send for the tribunes, we will straight have up
More of the soldiers for our guard.
[Exit Per.]
Minutius,
We pray you go for Cotta, Latiaris,
Trio, the consul, or what senators
You know are sure, and ours.
[Exit Min.]
You, my good Natta,
For Laco, provost of the watch.
[Exit Nat.]
Now, Satrius,
The time of proof comes on; arm all our servants,
And without tumult.
[Exit Sat.]
You, Pomponius,
Hold some good correspondence with the consul:
Attempt him, noble friend. [Exit Pomp.] These things begin
To look like dangers, now, worthy my fates.
Fortune, I see thy worst: let doubtful states,
And things uncertain, hang upon thy will:
Me surest death shall render certain still.
Yet, why is now my thought turn'd toward death,
Whom fates have let go on, so far in breath,
Uncheck'd or unreproved? I that did help
To fell the lofty cedar of the world,
Germanicus; that at one stroke cut down
Drusus, that upright elm; wither'd his vine;
Laid Silius and Sabinus, two strong oaks,
Flat on the earth; besides those other shrubs,
Cordus and Sosia, Claudia Pulchra,
Furnius and Gallus, which I have grubb'd up;
And since, have set my axe so strong and deep
Into the root of spreading Agrippina;
Lopt off and scatter'd her proud branches,
Nero. Drusus; and Caius too, although re-planted.
If you will, Destinies, that after all,
I faint now ere I touch my period,
You are but cruel; and I already have done
Things great enough. All Rome hath been my slave;
The senate sate an idle looker on,
And witness of my power; when I have blush'd
More to command than it to suffer: all
The fathers have sate ready and prepared.
To give me empire, temples, or their throats.
When I would ask 'em; and what crowns the top,
Rome, senate, people, all the world have seen
Jove, but my equal; Caesar, but my second.
'Tis then your malice, Fates, who, but your own,
Envy and fear to have any power long known.