traytors Yong The Gods forbid my Prince should pitie need Somewhat the sad remembrance did me stirre Oth fraile and weake condition of our kind Somewhat his greatnesse then whom yesterday The world but Caesar could shew nothing higher Besides some vertues and some worth he had That might excuse my pitie to an end So cruell and vnripe Poppae: I know not how this stranger moues my mind His face me thinkes is not like other mens Nor doe they speake thus Oh his words inuade My weakned senses and ouercome my heart Nero Your pitie shewes your fauour and your will Which side you are inclinde too had your power You can but pitie else should Caesar feare Your ill affection then shall punisht bee Take him to execution he shall die That the death pities of mine enemie Yong This benefit at least Sad death shall giue to free me from the power Of such a gouernment and if I die For pitying humane chance and Pisoes end There will be some too that will pitie mine Poppa: O what a dauntlesse looke what sparkling eyes Threating in suffering sure some noble blood Is hid in ragges feares argues a base spirit In him what courage and contempt of death And shall I suffer one I loue to die He shall not die hands of this man away Nero thou shalt not kill this guiltlesse man Nero He guiltlesse strumpet Spurns her and Poppaa falls She 's in loue with the smooth face of the boy Neoph. Alas my Lord you haue slaine her Epaph: Helpe she dies Nero Poppaa Poppaa speake I am not angry I did not meane to hurt thee speake sweet loue Neoph: Shee 's dead my Lord Nero Fetch her againe she shall not die I le ope the Iron gates of hell And breake the imprisond shaddowes of the deepe And force from death this farre too worthy pray Shee is not dead The crimson red that like the morning shone When from her windowes all with Roses strewde She peepeth forth forsakes not yet her cheekes Her breath that like a hony-suckle smelt twining about the prickled Eglintine Yet moues her lipes those quicke and piercing eyes That did in beautie challenge heauens eyes Yet shine as they were wont O no they doe not See how they grow obscure O see they close And cease to take or giue light to the world What starres so ere you are assur'd to grace The firmament for loe the twinkling fires Together throng and that cleare milky space Of stormes and Phiades and thunder void Prepares your roome doe not with wry aspect Looke on your Nero who in blood shall mourne Your lucklesse fate And many a breathing soule Send after you to waite vpon their Queene This shall begin the rest shall follow after And fill the streets with outcryes and with slaughter Ex. Enter Seneca with two of his friends Senec: What meanes your mourning this vngratefull sorrow Where are your precepts of Philosophie Where our prepared resolution So many yeeres fore-studied against danger To whom is Neroes cruelty vnknowne Or what remained after mothers blood But his instructers death Leaue leaue these teares Death from me nothing takes but what 's a burthen A clog to that free sparke of Heauenly fire But that in Seneca the which you lou'd Which you admir'd doth and shall still remaine Secure of death vntouched of the graue 1. Friend Wee le not belie our teares we waile not thee It is our selues and our owne losse we grieue To thee what losse in such a change can bee Vertue is paid her due by death alone To our owne losses doe we giue these teares That loose thy loue thy boundlesse knowledge loose Loose the vnpatternd sample of thy vertue Loose whatsoeu'r may praise or sorrow moue In all these losses yet of this we glory That 't is thy happinesse that makes vs sorry 2. Friend If there be any place for Ghosts of good men If as we haue bin long taught great mens soules Consume not with their bodies thou shalt see Looking from out the dwellings of the ayre True duties to thy memorie perform'd Not in the outward pompe of funerall But in remembrance of thy deeds and words The oft recalling of thy many vertues The Tombe that shall th' eternall relickes keepe Of Seneca shall be his hearers hearts Senec: Be not afraid my soule goe cheerefully To thy owne Heauen from whence it first let downe Thou loath by this imprisoning flesh putst on Now lifted vp thou rauisht shalt behold The truth of things at which we wonder here And foolishly doe wrangle on beneath And like a God shalt walke the spacious ayre And see what euen to conceit 's deni'd Great soule o th' world that through the parts defus'd Of this vast All guid'st what thou dost informe You blessed mindes that from the Pbeares you moue Looke on mens actions not with idle eyes And Gods we goe to Aaid me in this strife And combat of my flesh that ending I May still shew Seneca and my selfe die Exeunt Enter Antonius Enanthe Anto: Sure this message of the Princes So grieuous and vnlookt for will appall Petronius much Enan: Will not death any man Anto: It will but him so much the more That hauing liu'd to his pleasure shall forgoe So delicate a life I doe not maruell That Seneoa and such sowre fellowes can Leaue that they neu'r tasted But when we That haue the Nectar of thy kisses felt That drinkes away the troubles of this life And but one banquet make of forty yeeres Must come to leaue this but soft here he is Enter Petroneus and a Centurion Petron: Leaue me a while Centurion to my friends Let me my farewell take and thou shalt see Neroes commandement quickly obaid in mee ex Centurion Come let vs drinke and dash the posts with wine Here throwe your flowers fill me a swelling bowle Such as Mecenas or my Lucan dranke On Virgills birth day Enan: What meanes Petroneus this vnseasonable And causelesse mirth Why comes not from the Prince This man to you a messenger of death Petro: Here faire Enanthe whose plumpe ruddy cheeke Exceeds the grape it makes this here my gyrle He drinks And thinkst thou death a matter of such harme Why he must haue this pretty dimpling chin And will pecke out those eyes that now so wound Enan: Why is it not th' extreamest of all ills Petro: It is indeed the last and end of ills The Gods before th 'would let vs tast deaths Ioyes Plac't vs i th toyle and sorrowes of this world Because we should perceiue th' amends and thanke them Death the grim knaue but leades you to the doore Where entred once all curious pleasures come To meete and welcome you A troupe of beauteous Ladies from whose eyes Loue thousand arrowes thousand graces shootes Puts forth their faire hands to you and inuites To their greene arbours and close shadowed walles Whence banisht is the roughnesse of our yeeres Onely the west wind blowes i th euer Spring And euer Sommer There
circumstance thou wrackst my thoughts Meli My Lord your life is conspir'd against Nero By whom Meli I must be of the world excus'd in this If the great dutie to your Maiestie Makes me all other lesser to neglect Nero Th' art a tedious fellow speake by whom Melic: By my Master Nero Who 's thy Master Meli Sceuinus Poppae: Sceuinus why should he conspire Vnlesse he thinke that likenesse in conditions May make him too worthy o th' Empire thought Nero Who are else in it I thinke Natalis Subius Flauius Lucan Seneca and Lucius Piso Asper and Quintilianus Nero Ha done Thou'ilt reckon all Rome anone and so thou maist Th' are villaines all I le not trust one of them O that the Romanes had but all one necke Poppae: Pisoes she creeping into mens affections And popular arts haue giuen long cause of doubt And th' others late obseru'd discontents Risen from misinterpreted disgraces May make vs credit this relation Nero Where are they come they not vpon vs yet See the Guard doubted see the Gates shut vp Why the 'yle surprise vs in our Court anon Meli Not so my Lord they are at Pisoes house And thinke themselues yet safe and vndiscry'd Nero Le ts thither then And take them in this false security Tigel: 'T were better first publish them traytors Nymph: That were to make them so And force them all vpon their Enemies Now without stirre or hazard they le be tane And boldly tryall dare and law demaund Besides this accusation may be forg'd By mallice or mistaking Poppe: What likes you doe Nimphidius out of hand Two wayes distract when either would preuaile If they suspecting but this fellowes absence Should try the Citie and attempt their friends How dangerous might Pisoes fauour be Nimph: I to himselfe would make the matter cleare Which now vpon one seruants credit stands The Cities fauour keepes within the bonds Of profit they 'le loue none to hurt themselues Honour and friendship they heare others name Themselues doe neither feele nor know the same To put them yet though needlesse in some feare Wee le keepe their streets with armed companies Then if they stirre they see their wiues and houses Prepar'd a pray to th' greedy Souldier Poppe: Let vs be quicke then you to Pisoes house While I and Tigellinus further sift This fellowes knowledge Ex. omnes Pretor Nero Nero Looke to the gates and walles o th' Citie looke The riuer be well kept haue watches set In euery passage and in euery way But who shall watch these watches what if they Begin and play the Traitors first O where shall I Seeke faith or them that I may wisely trust The Citie fauours the conspirators The Senate in disgrace and feate hath liu'd The Camp why most are souldiers that be named Besides he knowes not all and like a foole I interrupted him else had he named Those that stood by me O securitie Which we so much seeke after yet art still To Courts a stranger and dost rather choose The smoaky reedes and sedgy cottages Then the proud roofes and wanton cost of Kings O sweet dispised ioyes of pouerty A happines vnknowne vnto the Gods Would I had rather in poore Gallij bin Or Vlubrae a ragged Magistrate Sat as a Iudge of measures and of corne Then the adored Monarke of the world Mother thou didst deseruedly in this That from a priuate and sure state didst raise My fortunes to this slippery hill of greatnesse Where I can neither stand nor fall with life Exit Enter Piso Lucan Sceuinus Flauius Flau: But since we are discouer'd what remaines But put our liues vpon our hands these swords Shall try vs Traitors or true Citizens Sceui: And what should make this hazard doubt successe Stout men are oft with sudden onsets danted What shall this Stage-player be Luc: It is not now Augustus grauitie nor Tiberius craft But Tigellinus and Crisogorus Eunuckes and women that we goe against Sceui: This for thy owne sake this for ours we begg That thou wilt suffer him to be orecome Why shouldst thou keepe so many vowed swords From such a hated throate Flaui: Or shall we feare To trust vnto the Gods so good a cause Luca: By this we may our selues Heauens fauour promise Because all noblenesse and worth on earth We see 's on our side Here the Faby's sonne Here the Coruini are and take that part There noble Fathers would if now they liu'd There 's not a soule that claimes Nobilitie Either by his or his fore-fathers merit But is with vs with vs the gallant youth Whom passed dangers or hote bloud makes bould Staid men suspect their wisedome or their faith To whom our counsels we haue not reueald And while our party seeking to disgrace They traitors call vs Each man treason praiseth And hateth faith when Piso is a traitor Sceui: And at aduenturer what by stoutnesse can Befall vs worse then will by cowardise If both the people and the souldier failde vs Yet shall we die at least worthy our selues Worthy our ancestors O Piso thinke Thinke on that day when in the Parthian fields Thou cryedst to th' flying Legions to turne And looke Death in the face he was not grim But faire and louely when he came in armes O why there di'd we not on Syrian swords Were we reseru'd to prisons and to chaines Behold the Galley-asses in euery street And euen now they come to clap on yrons Must Pisoes head be shewed vpon a pole Those members torne rather then Roman-like And Piso-like with weapons in our hands Fighting in throng of enemies to die And that it shall not be a ciuill warre Nero preuents whose cruelty hath left Few Citizens we are not Romans now But Moores and Iewes and vtmost Spaniards And Asiaes refuge that doe fill the Citie Piso Part of vs are already tak'n the rest Amaz'd and seeking holes Our hidden ends You see laid open Court and Citie arm'd And for feare ioyning to the part they feare Why should we moue desperate and hopelesse armes And vainely spill that noble bloud that should Christall Rubes and the Median fields Not Tiber colour And the more your show be Your loues and readinesse to loose your liues The lother I am to aduenture them Yet am I proud you would for me haue dy'd But liue and keepe your selues to worthier ends No Mother but my owne shall weepe my death Nor will I make by ouerthrowing vs Heauen guiltie of more faults yet from the hopes Your owne good wishes rather then the thing Doe make you see this comfort I receiue Of death vnforst O friends I would not die When I can liue no longer 'T is my glory That free and willing I giue vp this breath Leauing such courages as yours vntri'd But to belong in talke of dying would Shew a relenting and a doubtfull mind By this you shall my quiet thoughts intend I blame nor Earth nor Heauen for my end He dies Lucan O that this noble courage had bin
impunitie But with our fellowes part o th' guift proclaim'd Nero meets them Nero Whether goe you stay my friends 'T is Caesar calles you stay my louing friends Tigell: We were his slaues his footstooles and must crouch But now with such obseruance to his feet It is his misery that calles vs friends Nero And moues you not the misery of a Prince O stay my friends stay harken to the voyce Which once yee knew Tigell: Harke to the peoples cryes Harke to the streets that Galba Galba ring Nero The people may forsake me without blame I did them wrong to make you rich and great I tooke their houses to bestow on you Treason in them hath name of libertie Your fault hath no excuse you are my fault And the excuse of others treachery Tigell: Shall we with staying seeme his tyrannies T' vphold as if we were in loue with them We are excus'd vnlesse we stay too long As forced Ministers and apart of wrong ex preter Nero Nero O now I see the vizard from my face So louely and so fearefull is fall'n off That vizard shadow nothing Maiestie Which like a child acquainted with his feares But now men trembled at and now contemne Nero forsaken is of all the world The world of truth O fall some vengeance downe Equall vnto their falsehoods and my wrongs Might I accept the Chariot of the Sunne And like another Phaeton consume In flames of all the world a pile of Death Worthy the state and greatnesse I haue lost Or were I now but Lord of my owne fires Wherein false Rome yet once againe might smoake And perish all vnpitied of her Gods That all things in their last destruction might Performe a funerall honour to their Lord O loue dissolue with Caesar Caesars world Or you whom Nero rather should inuoake Blacke Chaos and you fearefull shapes beneath That with a long and not vaine enuy haue Sought to destroy this worke of th' other Gods Now let your darkenesse cease the spoyles of day And the worlds first contention end your strife Enter two Romanes to him 1 Rom: Though others bound with greater benefits Haue left your changed fortunes and doe runne Whither new hopes doe call them yet come we Nero O welcome come you to aduersitie Welcome true friends why there is faith on earth Of thousand seruants friends and followers Yet two are left your countenance me thinkes Giues comfort and new hopes 2 Rom: Doe not deceiue your thoughts My Lord we bring no comfort would we could But the last duty to performe and best We euer shall a free death to perswade To cut off hopes of fearcer cruelty And scorne more cruell to a worthy soule 1 Rom: The Senate haue decreed you 're punishable After the fashion of our ancestors Which is your necke being locked in a forke You must be naked whipt and scourg'd to death Nero The Senate thus decreed they that so oft My vertues flattered haue and guifts of mine My gouernment preferr'd to ancient times And challenge Numa to compare with me Haue they so horrible an end sought out No here I beare which shall preuent such shame This hand shall yet from that deliuer me And faithfull be alone vnto his Lord Alasse how sharpe and terrible is death O must I die must now my senses close For euer die and nere returne againe Neuer more see the Sunne nor Heauen nor Earth Whither goe I what shall I be anone What horred iourney wandrest thou my soule Vnder th' earth in darke dampe duskie vaults Or shall I now to nothing be resolu'd My feares become my hopes O would I might Me thinkes I see the boyling Phlegeton And the dull poole feared of them we feare The dread and terror of the Gods themselues The furies arm'd with linkes with whippes with snakes And my owne furies farre more mad then they My mother and those troopes of slaughtred friends And now the Iudge is brought vnto the throne That will not leaue vnto authoritie Nor fauour the oppressions of the great 1 Rom: These are the idle terrors of the night Which wise men though they teach doe not beleeue To curbe our pleasures faine and aide the weake 2 Rom: Deaths wrongfull defamation which would make Vs shunne this happy hauen of our rest This end of euils as some fearefull harme 1 Rom. Shadowes and fond imaginations Which now you see on earth but children feare 2 Rom: Why should our faults feare punishment from them What doe the actions of this life concerne The tother world with which is no commerce 1 Rom: Would Heauen and Starres necessitie compell Vs to doe that which after it would punish 2 Rom: Let vs not after our liues end beleeue More then you felt before it Nero If any words haue made me confident And boldly doe for hearing others speake Boldly this night But will you by example Teach me the truth of your opinion And make me see that you beleeue your selues Will you by dying teach me to beare death With courage 1 Rom: No necessitie of death Hangs ore our heads no dangers threatens vs Nor Senates sharpe decree nor Galbaes armes 2 Rom: Is this the thankes then thou dost pay our loue Die basely as such a life deseru'd Reserue thy selfe to punishment and scorne Of Rome and of thy laughing enemies exeunt Manet Nero Nero They hate me cause I would but liue what was 't You lou'd kind friends and came to see my death Let me endure all torture and reproach That earth or Galbaes anger can inflict Yet hell and Rodamanth are more pittilesse The first Romane to him Rom: Though not deseru'd yet once againe I come To warne thee to take pitie on thy selfe The troupes by the Senate sent discend the hill And come Nero To take me and to whip me vnto death O whither shall I flye Rom: Thou hast no choice Nero O hither must I flye hard is his happe Who from death onely must by death escape Where are they yet O may I not a little Bethinke my selfe Rom: They are at hand harke thou maist heare the noise Nero O Rome farewell farewell you Theaters Where I so oft with popular applause In song and action O they come I die He fals on his sword Rom: So base an end all iust commiseration Doth take away yet what we doe now spurne The morning Sunne saw fearefull to the world Enter some of Galbaes friends Antoneus and others with Nimphidius bound Gal: You both shall die together Traitors both He to the common wealth and thou to him And worse to a good Prince what is he dead Hath feare encourag'd him and made him thus Preuent our punishment then die with him Fall thy aspyring at thy Masters feete He kils Nimph Anton: Who though he iustly perisht yet by thee Deseru'd it not nor ended there thy treason But euen thought o th' Empire thou conceiu'st Galbaes disgrace in receiuing that Which the sonne of Nimphidia could hope Rom: Thus great bad men aboue them finde a rod People depart and say there is a God Exeunt FJNJS
sit on the proudest browe And boasting valour looseth his red cheeke A Romane to them Rom: Fire fire helpe we burne 2. Rom: Fire water fire helpe fire Senec: Fire where Petron: Where what fire Rom: O round about here there on euery side The girdling flame doth with vnkind embraces Compasse the Citie Petro: How came this fire by whom Senec: Wast chance or purpose Petro: Why is 't not quencht Rom: Alas there are a many there with weapons And whether it be for pray or by command They hinder nay they throwe on fire-brands Enter Antonius to them Anton: The fire encreaseth and will not be staid But like a streame that tumbling from a hill Orewhelmes the fields orewhelmes the hopefull toyle o th' husbandman and headlong beares the woods The vnweeting Shepheard on a Rocke a farre Amazed heares the fearefull noyse so here Danger and Terror striue which shall exceed Some cry and yet are well some are kild silent Some kindly runne to helpe their neighbours house The whilest their own 's a fire some saue their goods And leaue their dearer pledges in the flame One takes his litle sonnes with trembling hands Tother his house-Gods saues which could not him All bann the doore and with wishes kill Their absent murderer Petro: What are the Gaules returnd Doth Brenius brandish fire-brands againe Senec: What can Heauen now vnto our suffrings adde Enter Another Romane to them Rom: O all goes downe Rome falleth from the Roofe The wind 's aloft the conquering flame turnes all Into it selfe Nor doe the Gods escape Pleidds burnes Iupiter Stator burnes The Altar now is made a sacrifice An Vesta mournes to see her Virgin fires Mingle with prophane ashes Senec: Heauen hast thou set this end to Roman greatnesse Were the worlds spoyles for this to Rome deuided To make but our fires bigger You Gods whose anger made vs great grant yet Some change in misery We begge not now To haue our Consull tread on Asian Kings Or spurne the quiuerd Susa at their feet This we haue had before we begg to liue At least not thus to die Let Cannos come Let Allius waters turne againe to blood To these will any miseries be light Petro: Why with false Auguries haue we bin deceiu'd Why was our Empire told vs should endure With Sunne and Moone in time in brightnesse passe them And that our end should be o th' world and it What can Celestiall Godheads double too Senec: O Rome the enuy late But now the pitie of the world thee gets The men of Choleos at thy sufferings griue The shaggy dweller in the Scithian Rockes The most condemned to perpetuall snowe That neuer wept at kindreds burials Suffers with thee and feeles his heart to soften O should the Parthyan heare these miseries He would his low and natiue hate apart Sit downe with vs and lend an Enemies teare To grace the funerall fires of ending Rome Exeunt Soft Musique Enter Nero aboue alone with a Timbrell I now my Troy lookes beautious in her flames The Trirhnen Seas are bright with Roman fires Whilest the amazed Marriner a farre Gazing on th' vnknowne light wonders what starre Heauen hath begot to ease the aged Moone When Pirrhus stryding ore the cynders stood On ground where Troy late was and with his Eye Measur'd the height of what he had throwne downe A Citie great in people and in power Walls built with hands of Gods He now forgiue The ten yeares length and thinkes his wounds well heald Bath'd in the blood of Priams fifty sonnes Yet am not I appeas'd I must see more Then Towers and Collomns tumble to the ground 'T was not the high built walles and guiltlesse stones That Nero did prouoke Themselues must be the wood To feed this fire or quench it with their blood Enter a Woman with a burnt Child Wom O my deare Infant O my Child my Child Vnhappy comfort of my nine moneths paines And did I beare thee onely for the fire Was I to that end made a Mother Nero I now begins the sceane that I would haue Enter a Man bearing another dead Man O Father speake yet no the mercilesse blowe Hath all bereft speech motion sense and life Wom O beauteous innocence whitnes ill blackt How to be made a coale couldst thou deserue Man O reuerend wrinckles well becomming palenesse Why hath death now lifes colours giuen thee And mockes thee with the beauties of fresh youth Wom Why wert thou giuen me to be tane away So soone or could not Heauen tell how to punish But first by blessing mee Man Why were thy yeares lengthned so long To be cut off vntimely Nero Play on play on and fill the golden skies With cryes and pitie with your blood Mens Eyes Wom Where are thy flattering smiles thy pretty kisses And armes that wont to writhe about my necke Man Where are thy Counsels where their good example And that kind roughnes of a Fathers anger Wom Whom haue I now to leaue my old age on Man Who shall I now haue to set right my youth within Gods if yee be not fled from Heauen helpe vs Nero I like this Musique well they like not mine Now in the teares of all men let me sing Cantat And make it doubtfull to the Gods aboue Whether the Earth be pleas'd or doe complaine Man But may the man that all this blood hath shed Neuer bequeath to th' earth an old gray head Let him vntimely be cut off before And leaue a course like this all wounds and gore Be there no friend at hand no standers by In loue or pittie mou'd to close that Eye O let him die the wish and hate of all And not a teare to grace his Funerall exeunt Wom Heauen you will heare that which the world doth scorne The prayers of misery and soules forlorne Your anger waxeth by delaying stronger O now for mercy be dispis'd no longer Let him that makes so many Mothers childlesse Make his vnhappy in her fruitfulnesse Let him no issue leaue to beare his name Or some to right a Fathers wronged fame Our flames to quit be righteous in your yre And when he dies let him want funerall fire exeunt Nero Let Heauen doe what it will this I haue done Already doe you feele my furies waight Rome is become a graue of her late greatnes Her clowdes of smoke haue tane away the day Her flames the night Now vnbeleeuing Eyes what craue you more Enter Neophilus to him Neoph: O saue your selfe my Lord your Pallace burnes Nero My Pallace how what traiterous hand Enter Tigellinus to them Tigel: O flie my Lord and saue your selfe betimes The winde doth beate the fire vpon your house The eating flame deuoures your double gates Your pillars fall your golden roofes doe melt Your antique Tables and Greeke Imagery The fire besets and the smoake you see Doth choake my speech O flie and saue your life Nero Heauen thou dost striue I see for victory exeunt Enter Nimphideus
the laden bowes Offer their tempting burdens to your hand Doubtfull your eye or tast inuiting more There euery man his owne desires enioyes Faire Lucrese lies by lusty Tarquins side And wooes him now againe to rauish her Nor vs though Romane Lais will refuse To Corinth any man may goe no maske No enuious garment doth those beauties hide Which Nature made so mouing to be spide But in bright Christall which doth supply all And white transparent vailes they are attyr'd Through which the pure snowe vnderneath doth shine Can it be snowe from whence such flames arise Mingled with that faire company shall we On bankes of Violets and of Hiacinths Of loues deuising sit and gently sport And all the while melodious Musique heare And Poets songs that Musique farre exceed The old Anaicean crown'd with smyling flowers And amorous Sapho on her Lesbian Lute Beauties sweet Scarres and Cupids godhead sing Anto: What be not rauisht with thy fancies doe not Court nothing nor make loue vnto our feares Petro: I st nothing that I say Anto: But empty words Petro: Why thou requir'st some instance of the eye Wilt thou goe with me then and see that world Which either will returne thy old delights Or square thy appetite anew to theirs Anto: Nay I had rather farre beleeue thee here Others ambition such discoueries seeke Faith I am satisfied with the base delights Of common men A wench a house I haue And of my owne a garden I le not change For all your walkes and Ladies and rare fruits Petro: Your pleasures must of force resigne to these In vaine you shunne the sword in vaine the sea In vaine is Nero fear'd or flatered Hether you must and leaue your purchast houses Your new made garden and your blacke browd wife And of the trees thou hast so quaintly set Not one but the displeasant Cipresse shall Goe with thee Anton: Faith 't is true we must at length But yet Petroneus while we may awhile We would enioy them those we haue w' are sure of When that you talke of 's doubfull and to come Petro: Perhaps thou thinkst to liue yet twenty yeeres Which may vnlookt for be cut off as mine If not to endlesse time compar'd is nothing What you endure must euer endure now Nor stay not to be last at table set Each best day of our life at first doth goe To them succeeds diseased age and woe Now die your pleasures and the dayes your pray Your rimes and loues and iests will take away Therefore my sweet yet thou wilt goe with mee And not liue here to what thou wouldst not see Enan: Would y'haue me then kill my selfe and die And goe I know not to what places there Petro: What places dost thou feare The 'll fauoured lake they tell thee thou must passe And thy blacke frogs that croake about the brim Enan: O pardon Sir though death affrights a woman Whose pleasures though you timely here diuine The paines we know and see Petron: The paine is lifes death rids that paine away Come boldly there 's no danger in this foord Children passe through it If it be a paine You haue this comfort that you past it are Enan: Yet all as well as I are loath to die Petron Iudge them by deed you see them doe 't apace Enan: I but t is loathly and against their wils Petro. Yet know you not that any being dead Repented them and would haue liu'd againe They then there errors saw and foolish prayers But you are blinded in the loue of life Death is but sweet to them that doe approach it To me as one that taken with Delphick rage When the diuining God his breast doth fill He sees what others cannot standing by It seemes a beauteous and a pleasant thing Where is my deaths Phisitian Phisi: Here my Lord Petro: Art ready Phisi: I my Lord Petro And I for thee Nero my end shall mocke thy tyranny Exeunt Finis Actus Quarti Actus Quintus Enter Nero Nimphidius Tigellinus Neophilus Epaporoditus and other attendants Nero ENough is wept Poppaea for thy death Enough is bled so many teares of others Wailing their losses haue wipt mine away Who in the common funerall of the world Can mourne on death Tigell: Besides your Maiestie this benefit In their diserued punishment shall reape From all attempts hereafter to be freed Conspiracy is now for euer dasht Tumult supprest rebellion out of heart In Pisoes death danger it selfe did die Nimph: Piso that thought to climbe by bowing downe By giuing a way to thriue and raising others To become great himselfe hath now by death Giuen quiet to your thoughts and feare to theirs That shall from treason their aduancement plot Those dangerous heads that his ambition leand on And they by it crept vp and from their meannesse Thought in this stirre to rise aloft are off Now peace and safetie waite vpon your throne Securitie hath wall'd your seat about There is no place for feare left Nero Why I neuer feard them Nimph: That was your fault Your Maiestie must giue vs leaue to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule Too prodigall of it selfe Nero A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened But it with nothing I at first contemn'd Their weake deuises and faint enterprise Why thought they against him to haue preuail'd Whose childhood was from Messalinas spight By Dragons that the earth gaue vp preseru'd Such guard my cradle had for fate had then Pointed me out to be what now I am Should all the Legions and the prouinces In one vnited against me conspire I could disperce them with one angry eye My brow 's an host of men Come Tigellinus Let turne this bloody banquet Piso meant vs Vnto a merry feast wee le drinke and challenge Fortune whos 's that Neophilus Enter a Roman Neoph: A Currier from beyond the Alpes my Lord Nero Newes of some German victorie belike Or Britton ouerthrow Neoph: The Letters come from France Nimp: Why smiles your Maiestie Nero So I smile I should be afraid there 's one In Armes Nimphidius Nimp: What arm'd against your Maiestie Nero Our Lieuetenant of the Prouince Iulius Vindex Tigell: Who that guiddy French-man Nimp: His Prouince is disarm'd my Lord he hath No legion not a souldier vnder him Epaph: One that by blood and rapine would repaire His state consum'd in vanities and lust Enter another Roman Tigell: He would not find out three to follow him A mess More newes my Lord Nero Is it of Vindex that thou hast to say Mess: Vindex is vp and with him France in Armes The Noble men and people throng to th' cause Money and Armour Cities doe conferre The contrey doth send in prouision Yong men bring bodies old men lead them forth Ladies doe coine their Iewels into pay The sickle now is fram'd into a sword And drawing horses are to manage