Rouse up your wrath let anger chase away These sullen clouds Revenge will bring the day Again and make your honour shine more bright While it damns her to shades of death and night Otho Ha! thou hast wak'd my Soul from its dull rest Revenge thou gen'rous fire enrich my brest Poppea passes over the Stage O glorious Whore I 'le sink her with a blow She 's rotten ripe for ruin let me go Piso. You see her guards will your Revenge oppose And thus for nothing we our lives shall lose Otho Down down my swelling heart O I am sad Hold my weak eyes this sight has made me mad Piso. Blinded with rage our Reason's apt to stray Be rul'd by me I 'le shew the safest way Exennt Scae III. Britannicus reading Poppea enters Pop. Musing and all alone Syllana go The bottom of my Fate I 'le quickly know My Virtues are dethron'd and passions rule O Heav'ns my crimes you have reveng'd at full Brit. It is a truth or does Fame tell us lyes When it reports that the Soul never dyes But mantled sits and acts in gloomy shrouds Like Cynthia when she 's hemm'd with circling clouds When the soft partner of our griefs and joyes With trembling hands shall close our dying eyes When in sad sort our friends shall stand and mourn To see the Fatal torch those relicts burn Is there an end of thought no farther care No throne of bliss nor caverns of despair No dens of darkness nor no seats of Glory Then all our grave discourse is but a story Some full-gorg'd Priest nodding beneath a shade Tales of Elizium and the dull pool made Whither O whither go we when we dye Why there where babes not yet conceiv'd do lie Death's nothIng nothing after death will fall Time and dark Chaos will devour us all Pop. I come to kill thee Prince Brit. My Boy is dead To Heav'ns bright Throne his brighter Soul is fled Yonder he mounts on silver burnish'd wings Each God immortal sweets around him flings Now lkie a ship he cuts the liquid Sky His Rigging's Glorious and his Mast is high Fan'd with cool winds his Golden colours fly Ha! wilt thou follow him begin strike home Pop. I say to kill thee Prince I hither come Thy eyes sharp beams have run quite through my heart And I on thine will thus revenge the smart Brit. Strike and by Heav'n I 'le kiss thee for the blow Be quick my blood is black and full of woe Do me this welcome dangerous cruelty Fair Murdress if thou art my enemy Pop. Nay sure you flater'd when you term'd me fair Brit. If Lillyes snow and light be such you are Pop. If I am so this deed would make me foul And cast eternal spots upon my soul Therefore thou horrid instrument be gone VVithout thy help alas I am undone I faint Brit. VVithin my arms I 'le hold thee till Thy Soul return and greedy death beguile In Rosy gales life through her lips does stream Pop. VVhy did you wake me from this golden dream Oh I am sick Brit. I am contagious sure And all that touch me dye Pop. You are my cure 'T is only in your power to make me live From those lov'd eyes let me this Balm receive Within this circle let me ever grow Brit. Thou charmer speak what wouldst thou have me do Pop. Something why thus to press your hand that 's all Heav'n how he shakes why do you tremble Prince Cyara's Ghost Brit. Ha! what art thou thou ayry phantasm hence O Gods it is my Boy what would'st thou have How cold he looks just ris'n from the grave Cya Go not to bed but fly that Sorceress arms She tempts like Circe and has deadly charms Think on Cyara for she lov'd thee well Take heed beware thou' rt in the Rode to Hell Exit Brit. Stay I conjure thee stay leave me not thus If thou did'st ever love Britaennicus I 'le follow thee along thy Ayay track And mount above the clouds to fetch thee back Exit Enter Sylvana with a Taper Silva O Heav'ns How do you Madam what success Pop. I 'le tell thee Killing woe and deep distress Thy arm my Girl I 'le shew thee e're we part Sad things a troubled mind and wounded heart Ah! for my former peace what would I give My comfort is this shame I shame I sha'nt survive Oh dismal change nothing is constant found The Gods with whirl-winds drive our Fortunes round Exeunt Scae IV. Nero sleeping in a Couch Caligula's Ghost appears Ghost FRom the Infernal cave the wide the low Abyss the direful pit of endless woe On which each God that looks scarce keeps his State But giddy grown turns and takes hold of Fate Caligula in vapors wrapt does come Nero thy friend and the sworn foe of ROME Not Hell's more deradful than these hated walls The Stygian waves and Terrhene water's falls Alike with fear confound my troubled Soul And sprinkle equal horrors as they rowl By Traytors hands I fell O that I could For every drop they shed Spill Seas of blood Oh Heav'n I 'de do what cannot be exprest VVith raging Plagues I 'de fill each Roman brest Burn Palaces like Thunder I would rave Tear the tall woods and rend each Sacred Grove But oh by pow'rful Fate I am confin'd And must not reak the madness of my mind Nero Act thou what can't be done by me Thy Genius I will aid thy cruelty With my pale hand I stroak thy troubled sense All poyson Hell contains I do dispense The scum of Lethe with Alecto's gall Maegera's sweat shall on thy vitals fall Errinnis shall about thy heart-strings twine Yet all 's too little for our great design Lo I am warn'd see where fierce Envy stands And summons me by Pluto's dread commands Go on be mad no more I must be gone And vanish like the light when day is done Nero Solus VVhere have I been thou Daemon of the night Return I 'm rack'd with this appalling sight The forked tongues of Furyes can't express The rage that burns within me Sulphur's less Not Hell it self fo full of dread appears Not Night nor darker Death such horror wears Not the destructive force of wind and fire VVhen some great City's ruin they conspire Not the davouring Sea when Neptune makes The Sea Gods drunk and draughts of ruin takes VVrong'd womens hate Sword Famine Plagues combine Your madness trebled cannot equal mine All you faint emblems of my fury are No tender Sex nor age my wrath shall spare Enter Drusillus bloody What news thy looks declare it to be good A hasty joy appears though drest in blood Drus. The rabble Sir with wine and rage inspir'd With Trayt'rous hands your Palace would have fir'd Your Guards they did assault but we withstood Their heat and soon allay'd it with their blood Few strokes were giv'n ere the base cowards fled Some pris'ners are some scap'd and some are dead Nero. Ha! do they bid me battle they shall die
At their own weapon I the slaves defy Nothing but flames can quench my kindled Ire Blood 's not enough Fire I 'le revenge with fire Fierce as young Phaeton I will return Great ROME the World's Metropolis shall burn On Tyber's flood new beams I will display And turn black Night into a golden Day The molten GODS shan't save their Capital Temples shall tumble down guilt roofs shall fall Bright Ruin with a noise shall swallow all Exeunt Finis Actus quarti Act. V. Scae. I. Britannicus Flavius Attendants Brit. FIre fire I 'm all one flame fly my friends fly Or I shall blast you O my breath is Brimstone My Lungs are Sulphur my hot brains boil over Or you that needs will stay let your eyes run If you did ever love this wretched Prince Now mourn now weep O I will catch your tears And drink the precious drops I burn I burn Fall fall you gentle Rills you melting show'rs Call all the winds to fan my furious fires Bring the cold North I 'le kiss his out-blown cheeks Upon my flaming brest I 'le lay his head And hug him in my heart for he is cold With my hot arms I 'le clapse his frosty limbs And twine about him like a wanton girle Oh! oh Fla. Can there be Gods and not revenge Can they behold this Noble copy of Their own bright excellence poluted thus Thus rent and torn by Sacrilegious hands Yet idle sit and sleep upon their Thrones The voice of Murder 's loud as their own Thunder Awake awake you drowsy Deityes Here is a sight so pitifully strange 'T would melt the Scythian's Soul who stands unmov'd And Sullen at his Mothers Funeral When Fame reports this deed the rugged Moore will stand abash'd and groan to hear it told Break break my heart Oh you great GODS of ROME Where are you all Is this my welcome home Brit. Ha! de does weep nay pry'thee do not hide it By Heav'n thou art my friend lend me thy store My eyes shall pay thee use trust me they shall Here in my bosome lay thy pearly stock Heav'ns how he weeps thou art a Virgin sure Fall you dear drops Oh let me hug thee close My Spirits are quite parch'd up my palat's dry Th' Elizian shades are cool oh let me dye Flav. Sir I am Flavius have you quite forgot me Brit. I do remember thee I lov'd thee well Thou art a Noble youth the child of Honour Flav. From France I come and bring important news Brit. Ha! hold I 'le tell thee news Octavia's dead She 's cold alas but I am hot as fire You amiable floods when do you stray Oh come and quench me quench my raging flames Fla. O Hear me Heav'ns hear me you Just great Gods If still Your ears are open to our Pray'rs If yet you hold commerce with mortal sighs If yet the vows of humble Souls are heard Oh now look down and hear my short address No sort of sustenance will I receive Nor shall the sparkling bowl salute my lips Nor drowny sleep visit my weary eyes E're I the author of this Murder know Brit. 'T is like thee thou wert alwayes a true friend In a bright flaming Chariot I 'le ascend Cyara Oh Octavia my dear loves You Queens of Innocence you spotless Doves Meet me I come Flavius nay pry'thee nigher Thus in thy arms let me kind youth expire Dyes Fla. Farewel bright Soul thou Royal Excellence Rare union Grandeur joyn'd with Innocence The Fates of wicked Men are gross and slow Thine mov'd apace but I forgot my vow Enter Petronius Burrhus with Guards Bur. 'T is done my Lord ne'r doubt it Petr. What is he Bur. 'T is Flavius new returned from France he came Just as the Prince had drunk the poyson'd wine Petr. That was not quite so well for he is honest But take no notice where 's the Prince give way How came he dead I charge you speak answer me Lay hold of all in the name of the Emperour Fla. Hands off I will declare the author of This horrid Murder Speak who fill'd his wine Bur. That Sir did I. Fla. Then thou art his Murderer Start not base villain black as thou art the Prince With his last Noble breath did pardon thee Bur. Sir I was Order'd Fla. Ha! is it then a truth Bur. I know not but Fla. Thou ly'st it is too true Guilt and distraction sit upon thy brow And 't is as true that thou shalt dye for 't villain Draws Petr. Hold Sir by what authority dare you do this Fla. Why by the Gods by friendship Justice all I 'le answer thee no farther Petr Ha! forbear Take him or kill him Guards I do Command you Flavius beats down Petronius and kills Burrhus the Guards disarm him Fla. Pardon you Gods my former blasphemy O you are Just and I adore your powers Now lead me where you please to life or death Let me but pay my last observance here My vow I have perform'd and thou dear Prince Art in some part reveng'd what my poor power Could possibly effect is done the rest Belongs unto the Gods Petr. Remove the bodyes And bring him away Exeunt Scae. II. Plautus Mirmilon Plau. HEear you the news Mir. Not I you seem amaz'd Plau. A Currier from beyond the Alps arriv'd Reports the French are all in Arms resolv'd To bring the War ev'n to the gates of ROME Fierce Vindex heads the Rebels and all France Contributes largely this the Emperour hears And laughs slights them and swears he 'll hang 'em all The people mutiny in every street Their tongues are Lawless nay they Murmur loud Some modestly retire to comers where They curse and damn him call him paricide A burner of their houses friends and Gods Lo where he comes the Lion's rous'd his eyes Look red with anger Lightning flashes in them What Thunder follows Let 's stand by and hear Nero Flavius Guards Fla. Was 't not well done I did his Murd'rer kill Nero. Know hardy fool he suffer'd by my will I hated him and did his death contrive Now villain think how long thou hast to live Fla. To live Oh who would live thy humor 's slave A torment worse than blackest Devils have Let parasites the moths of Grandeur fawn These guilded canker-worms ambition's spawn I do despise thee Tyrant as thou art There 's nothing great nor Manly in thy heart Nero. Are you so hot I 'le alter your fierce tone Plautus go burn the villain see it done Fla. Mid'st of devouring flames I will despise All that the Master Devil thou Or the black crew of lesser Fiends devise Thou shalt not hear a groan till I expire But then I 'le shout defyance from the fire Smile at the shock of death and to the Gods retire Exeunt Enter Petronius Petr. Dread Sir two Messengers who come from Spain Report that Galba does new Wars maintain Heads the revolted Troops and joyns with France The Germans too come in and all advance Against
I am lost there there he kneels My flames increase my Soul new passions feels My flight from Parthia I 'll no more regard All was too little for so great reward Nero. To me Plau. Dread Sir the Prince Britanicus Ne. Say you Plau. He kneels Ne. Sir would you ought with me Brit. Not for my self but for the Queen thus low I fall and beg you would some pitty shew Cast from your brest this rank and Poys'nous hate Alas how many do repent too late In acts of Love KINGS are best understood Hell makes some great 't is GOD-like to be good It is your Mother Oh that that Sacred name should not avert Your wrath nor with its softness melt your heart Your Mother 't is whom you command to bleed What will the cens'ring World think of this deed Ne. Why let it think if Asses bray must I Regard I say again that she shall dye Why is she not to Execution led She 's plotting now Drusillus see her dead Sene. If for the guilty we to Heav'n may pray Can you the Innocent Ne. Old fool away Brit. Justice is robb'd his sword scales you move Sweet Mercy starts and striking flyes above Where to the Gods such horrid tales of you She does relate as they can scarce think true Fate trembles as she writes in her book Ev'n Iove with horror of this fact is shook New points his Thunder brandishes i th' Ayr Dread Lightning and and with Rome intends a War Ne. Let him begin my purpose I 'll maintain Though he should scorching showrs of Sulphur rain Though he stood near And from some neighbouring Cloud did hurl down fire With fresh recruits of men his arm I 'ld tire And she at last should spight of him expire Would he were here to end the grand debate But why with you do I catipulate My word 's an Oracle and stands her Fate Octa. Ah Caesar if you can thus cruel prove To her and lay aside all filial Love What must I then expect who am your wife But that you shortly too should take my life By all the pleasures of our marriage bed Ne. I swear speak one word more and thou art dead Brit. Tyrant this must not be while I draw breath Ner. then thou dy'st too Brit. Lo thus I brave my death Ne. Ha! does he smile By all the Gods I 'll quickly change your mirth With my own hand I 'll cut thee from the earth Oth. Dread Sir Ne. Was ever such an insolence Brit. Sir what I did was in my own defence When e're I rise against Sacred head In thought may loads of Thunder strike me dead You are my Master and Rome's Emperour May you live long and make right use of pow'r Cya Guard him you Gods and save his innocence Ne. So Sir yet she shall dye Go take her hence Octa. Oh how my tender heart does Sympathise Grief stirkes me dumb and pity fills my eyes Agr. Thou savage Monster seed of Rocks more wild More wild than the fierce Tygress of her young beguil'd Barbarian who in some dark cave wert bred Made drunk with poyson with corruption fed Offspring of Hell But oh my lab'ring mind Cannot get vent nor fit expressions find Why was I made so strong Oh my accurst Grief swells me up and yet I cannot burst Ne. Why would she thus in torments here remain I pitty her go put her out of pain Agr. Tyrant wherein have I deserv'd this base And barbarous usage Oh my foul disgrace Ha! shall I tell it to the World or dye And in my Vrn let all in silence lye My Soul doth struggle with its load of woes Woes much more horrid than those painful throws My body felt when first I brought to light This cursed Son now Basilisk to sight Ne. Am I to be obey'd how dare you stay Furies and Hell be gone take her away Agr. Oh stay a while ere I lose my breath Hear my last words more dreadful than my death Bear me some winged GOD and fix me High On some tall Pyramid that hits the Sky Place all the World on the vast rounds below And make my voice so loud that all may know This Monster under Tyrian purple hid Did force a passage to his Mother's bed Where are thy dreadful bolts to Iove I call Strike Him or me amiss they cannot fall Oh horrid fact to tell it wounds my ear The Day and Night together mingled were Monster of men who altered nature's course The stream ran backwards and found out the Source Nero. The Beldame raves Drusillus take her hence All this is forg'd Heav'n knows my innocence A moments respite I will not afford But when she 's dead let Otho bring me word Exe. severally Nero Agripp Manent Piso Plautus Mirmilon Piso. Very well Hark ye Gentlemen may we talk Plau. Treason No. Pis. Then I 'll hold my peace Mir. Faith I know not but there was a stranger here yesterday hang'd for looking suspitiously Pis. Very good 't was an excellent memorandum therefore I 'll shut my eyes and not look at all or hereafter always in company were a Masque Plau. Not so Sir if you tender your safety such reservation argues thoughtfulness now the Emperor can't endure a man that 's given to meditation hates a Philosopher as much as he loves a Fidler Seneca to my knowledge is burthen to him in my hearing he call'd him crazy Caterpillar and venerable Book-worm Mir. Right Plautus Therefore Piso be not thoughtful 't is dangerous A friend of mine heark ye this morning by the Emperor's Order had his throat cut for being thoughtful Pi. The good Empress Plau. How Sir Pis. Well the Empress then Alas how sudden from the top of Glory Mir. Alas do you pity her then Pis. I Sir Greatness and goodness are Plau. What Sir Pis. I know not nor where unless in the other world Mir. You weep Piso have a care a sort of liquid Treason Piso. 'T was your hair hit my eye and caused this Rheum I 'll to the Country again Farewel Gentlemen Long live the Emperor that 's no Treason Mir. No Sir no Adieu good Piso. He wears an honest heart Exeunt Scene the Court Nero Otho Seneca Drusillus c. Agrippina dead Oth. She is as you would have her Sir no more See where she lyes all stained with her own gore She said an antient man bid her beware Of ever seeing you made Emperor For you at last would cause her to be slain Then let me dye she said so he may Reign Ne. How wisely then did I her death Decree For 't would have been a great impiety To let her live and mar the Prophecy Oth. Choice of two deaths by your command we gave But She cry'd both a double death I 'le have One poys'nous drop for Heav'n I would not sell Each drop will sink his Soul more deep in Hell In her right hand the Dagger she did hold And with her left she heav'd the Fatal gold And
the theam's too stern Here Hell it self might witty horror learn Some whirl-wind snatch me headlong through the Ayr Wrapt round with clouds invelop'd in despair That I from Earth may hide this dismal deed Honour is stabb'd and all the Virtues bleed Cyara's faln Octavia too is gone In Death's damp vaults she wanders all alone I saw her Soul dive strangely through the ground In her own blood that spark of Heav'n was drown'd Treason against the Gods he did conspire Oh Traytor worse than he that stole their fire Nero. Who was that Traytor Prince Brit. I know not Sir Unless that Dog that was her Murderer Nero. Who was that Dog Brit. Why Cerberus I guess No Savage else could hurt such gentleness Such meekness would wilde Panthers fury charm And hungry Lyons of their rage disarm Ev'n o're their prey it would the conquest get Quell their swoln hearts and cool their bloody heat Nero. Madman begone Brit. This madman is a Prince Nero. I say again forbear this insolence Or thou shalt wish thou wert a Beggar born At once thou mov'st my pity and my scorn Brit. 'T was you that kill'd my Sister Nero. Ha! thou ly'st Stand not my rage for if thou dost thou dy'st Brit. Then I will sit and hear your Thunder roar Such humble shrubs it hurts not but flyes o're Nero. But you shall find for once 't will condescend I pity thee and will thy sorrows end Cya Hold by the Gods I do conjure you stay First through my bosom force your bloody way In policy you ought his life to spare For if you let him live Heav'n will forbear To punish you nor will due vengeance take The just good Gods will spare you for his sake Brit. How the Boy prattles 't is a pretty Boy Cyara's Image how that damps my Joy What mean these two by such an antick form Here 's a soft calm and there a blustring storm My Painter so shall draw me day and night Here horrid darkness stands there gaudy light There cruelty like the red Sea appears Here melting mercy flows in pitying tears Exquisite Emblems perfect good and evil A Heav'n a Hell an Angel and a Devil Nero. If I gaze long I shall my nature lose Mid'st of my full carreer I stop and muse Whence does this poor unworthy pause proceed Can I repent my rage No he shall bleed Cya Hold Sir you cannot strike Nero. How cannot Boy Cya Alas I ly'd I know you can destroy You can do all things Sir both drown and burn Nay the whole World to its first Chaos turn You are a God to damn a King to kill You can do all things if had the will But you are kind and soft I know you are Your eyes are Noble and delight to spare O Heav'n how Men will lye nay now I find You have a gentle Great and GOD-like mind The Prince is Mad and you are pleas'd to see 't Na y pardon all O let me kiss your feet You 'll win all hearts by such kind acts as these With my warm tears I 'le bath your sacred knees Nero. Shall I be branded with the name of good Begone thou soft invader of my blood Mercy and I no correspondence have Pity 's a whining tender-hearted slave Fury I love because she 's bold and brave As I scan things Virtue 's the greatest crime Stand off or I will pass through thee to to him kills her Pop. Hold Caesar now I take you at your word If you will keep your promise sheath your sword Nero. 'T were less to give the world than let him live Yet your commands with Joy I do receive Brit. What barbarous hand has done this horrid deed Oh my dear Boy look up thou dost not bleed Stop stop thou bloody Spring my hair perforce Shall bind thee and damn up the Scarlet source I will my self thy kind Phisician be When I was sick thou still wert so to me At my bed side strict watch all night he 'ld keep And with his Songs rock my dull cares a sleep His cheeks are pale Roses look forth again And smile for Joy your pretty Rival's slain Fate wove thy thred of life too fine to last All 's lost at once O Sad O desp'rate cast Thus in my arms I 'le bear thy beauty 's hence No guilty hand shall touch thy innocence Thus arm in arm we in one grave will lye Wretched we liv'd but happy we will dye Exit with Cyara Pop. What means my trembling heart by this surprize Why do I sigh why do these blushes rise Before my soul a mournful Troop appears Hopes stifled in their birth starts sudden fears Languishing Joys and solitary tears I love him 't is too plain Just Heav'n has sent On my inconstancy this punishment I 've gone too far to think of a return I must enjoy him O my heart does burn My blood boils high and beats with strange desires 'T is just that madness mingle with such fires Exit Nero. Thou hast a Wit some sudden means contrive Pet. Believe me Sir this night he sha'nt survive Exit Nero c. Solus Contrivance gives a mischief gloss 't is fine I ha 't my kinsman Burrhus fills his wine By nature bloody then the pow'rful charm Of gold a present gain no future harm Safe in the Emp'ro'rs favour he shall live All this well weigh'd my black design must thrive Nature has not been overkind to me Her limber Sons and I cannot agree She is my Stepdame but my comfort is To pay her home this night her darling dyes Exit Scae. II. Otho Piso. Piso. YEt be advis'd and let us end this strife Oth. Deny thy words and I will spare thy life Piso. Deny my words what didst thou ever see In all my life to raise this thought in thee My Nature's hot provoke me Sir no more I do prononce again she is a whore Otho Blasphemer Peace rage does my heart-strings tear Wert thon my Father I could not forbear Piso. Sir I dare Fight Otho Guard well thy Life Piso. I do This sport was ne'r unwelcom until now Fight You bleed Otho No matter Sir the wound 's but slight Piso. O Brother hear me for I will not Fight Otho You must Piso. I cannot Heav'ns what have I done Otho Thou art a coward pr'ythee Boy begone Piso Curse on my hand that drew your preious blood Poppea is an Angel chaste and good I 'le flatter you I care not what I say Rather than still pursue this fatal fray Otho Now I believe what thou hast said is true Pity has done what anger could not do O she is false forsworn and I am lost My Soul is ship-wrack'd on its most lov'd coast By thy Victorious mercy I 'm undone Go Noble brother leave this wretch alone O my heart 's sick your pardon pray no more Here I will lie and my hard hap deplore Piso. Then I will sit for ever by your side Take it not ill if I this tameness chide