fall'n into a gentle slumber Deep sleeps his feaver will not let him take I 'll certify your highnesse when hee wakes And wait upon you Octavia Thankes good Xenophon Exeunt AGRIPPINA Agrippina I long to heare what favour Nero findes In the Pretorian campe how Caesar's death Is by the souldiers and the Senate taken Enter PALLAS Welcome my dearest Pallas What 's the newes Pallas Madam as good as Jove himselfe could send No sooner in the campe was Caesar's death Divulgd but Burrhus enters to his charge And Nero with him who by all the cohorts Was presently saluted Emperour Only some few were silent and a while Stood still expecting young Britannicus But when they saw their expectation Was all in vaine and none but Nero came Fearing at last to loose the Donative Which Burrhus promis'd them in Neros name They joyn'd themselves unto the greater part Agrippina Britannicus within the Pallace here Is safe enough for comming forth to day The Senate have scarse heard of Caesar's death For wee conceal'd it till all things were ready Pallas Now in a Princely chariot mounted high Guarded by Burrhus and the souldiers Nero sets forward to the Senate house But having past the campe you need not feare The Senate Madam Agrippina Pallas thou wert ever A messenger of lucky newes to mee A safe contriver of the highest plots A happy instrument thou hast deserv'd What ere thou hast enioy'd though thou have tasted That which a Caesar su'd to tast and bought The world in recompence Pallas If ever Pallas Had any fire that could advance his thoughts To high and great exploits hee kindled it At your caelestiall beauty as from heaven Prometheus stole that active fire by which Hee durst himself adventure to create The noblest creature man What act on earth What undertaking should he tremble at Whom Agrippinas favours animate And what had I been but a peece of earth Cold dull and uselesse had I not been quickn'd By your aetheriall touch Agrippina The happinesse Of this high day has made thee eloquent Pallas The love of royall Agrippina can Inspire the dullest Soule with life and language When the Idalian Queene was pleas'd to grace A shepheards boy more then his humble thoughts Could hope or wish the ravish'd tongue forgot That rurall language which before it us'd Agrippina Ah Pallas what a glorious change is here How is the lownesse of our late despaire Turn'd to the height of joy and happinesse Pallas Quicke resolution well pursu'd will cure The saddest state Agrippina Goe thou and heare more newes Whilest I dispose of things about the Palace Exeunt A SENATE POLLIO CONSUL VITELLIUS SENECA OTHO PETRONIUS MONTANUS Pollio May all the Gods accept our sacrifice And bee propitious to the vowes that wee Have vow'd for Caesar's safety Vitellius Let the great Divine and sacred Nero Claudius The care of heaven sole ruler of the earth And Romes high Father not forsake his world So soone t' encrease the number of the Gods Enter BURRHUS Burrhus Exile to the Consul and this sacred Senate Great Claudius Caesar's dead in whose high throne With one consent the souldiers have agreed To seat young Nero his adopted sonne And do by mee entreat your suffrages Fathers conscript to ratifie their choice Seneca Let not young Nero's yeeres disparage him Nor trouble you since happy presidents May well be showne grave Fathers Great Augustus Of glorious memory no more in debt To yeeres then hee began to rule the state With what successe not one in all this noble And great assembly can bee ignorant But weigh with mee the difference of the times The state is setled and has flourish'd long In peacefull government no civill rents No factions now nor armies are a foot To staine with Latian blood Philippi plaines To dye the Actiak and Sicilian Seas And through all regions beare th' unnaturall wounds Of bleeding Rome No such affrighting names As Marcus Brutus Cassius Lepidus Great Pompey's sonne or feirce Antonius Arm'd with the power of halfe the Roman world Stand to oppose him Oh yee Gods how great How many dangers had beset the state When young Augustus mannag'd it yet hee Withstood and vanquish'd all those difficulties And why should Nero our elected Prince Ag'd like Augustus not bee able now To sway a peacefull scepter for the right To this high wreath although Britannicus Were borne the naturall sonne of Claudius A Prince of hope enough and may by some Bee thought much wrong'd in this election Yet weigh it rightly and no wrong is done For Nero was adopted But besides The claime of his adoption hee is borne A truer heire to our Imperiall house Sprung up from the loines of great Augustus Caesar Britannicus from Liviaes sonnes alone Vitellius Nor are the yeeres of young Britannicus So ripe as his to govern Pollio Seneca Has wisely shewed his undoubted right And I with joy approve the souldiers choise Octavia The Gods preserve Nero our Emperour Otho Now is the height of all my wishes reach'd Enter NERO with TRIBUNE Tribune Roome for Caesar Hee goes on and takes his state Pollio Haile Nero Caesar Seneca Haile great Emperour Vitellius Ever Augustus Otho Most invincible Petronius Most sacred Tribune Montanus Holyest highest Priest Pollio Father of Rome Nero That honorable title Is yet too weighty for my tender yeeres Then let mee weare it fathers when my paines My toile and travell for the publike weale By ayde and favour of the Gods have made Mee worthy of it But your free consent Fathers conscript your powerfull suffrages Powerfull and honor'd as the voice of heaven In confirmation of the souldiers choise Fils mee with joy immortall and shall binde My best indeavours to requite that love My heart is cleare my education Was not in factious in tumultuous times Or civil broiles my former life has been As free from doing as receiving wrong And therefore bring I to th' Imperiall Throne No feares no grudges hatred or revenge This sacred Senate which the world adores Shall still retaine her old prerogative While Nero lives My privat house affayres Shall from the free Republicke bee divided And never turne the course of common Justice No publike Office shall bee bought for gold The sacred Consulary power shall judge As heretofore th' affaires of Italy And forreigne provinces My care alone Sall bee to rule and lead the Souldiers And such to all the people will I bee As I would wish th' immortall Gods to mee Vitellius Oh speech most worthy Jupiter himselfe Worthy for ever to be registed In brazen Pillars for the world to read Pollio Let publike thanks by Senate bee decreed To Caesar's grace and goodnesse Nero No Asinius Let me deserve them first first give me leave What I have promis'd to performe in deedes That then if thankes or praises bee bestow'd They my bee judg'd as due and better Crowne Your owne true justice and the Princes merits Pollio Oh happy Rome in such an Emperour Long may hee reigne on
attires loose haire of men in whom All man is lost lo slaves from Affrick come Rich Citron boards bright purple which to view Cousening the senses beare a gold like hew A wanton traine in wine and surffets drown'd The far fetch'd table do encompasse round The wealth that all the spacious world containes By lawlesse armes the roming souldier gaines Their gluttony growes witty guilt-heads caught At Sea alive are to their tables brought Nero No more my furious Satyrist thou hast chid The times sufficiently Petronius If you bee pleas'd I have obey'd Nero Well I perceive Petronius A man may write a Satyre and yet bee No Scaurus Curius or Fabritius Petronius A Satyrist should bee the contrary And know those vices which hee meanes to tax Nero Brother Britannicus thy taske is next Stand up and sing a song Britannicus Give mee some time I cannot doo 't extempore what subject Nero Choose that your selfe Britannicus Then give me leave to sing Mine owne misfortunes how I came to loose The Roman scepter Nero How that will not fit A feast of mirth Britannicus No let them laugh that winne Petronius A good smart youth Nero This must not bee endur'd I must bee freed from this continuall feare Then bee excus'd be merry Gentlemen I wonder Anicetus stayes so long Enter ANICETUS with POPPAEA But see they come is this Poppaea Otho Otho 'T is shee great Caesar Nero Wonder of her sex Bright paragon of Rome all beautyes yet That I have seene have been but foiles to set A greater lustre on this starre of light Otho His eys are fixt his changing lookes do speake A depth of passion or my jealous feares Dazle mine eyes too much Petronius T is so shee 's lost If ever Lady were a tennis ball T is this shee 's bandy'd so from one to tother Nero Must then another reape the envy'd fruit Of my injustice must Poppaea bee My crime that tooke her from her other Lord To be his pleasure Otho Is great Caesar sad Nero No Otho still shee shewes more faire and faire I cannot check my love sit fairest Lady And with your lustre grace our feast I see Thou art a most incomparable judge In beauty Otho and were I to choose A wife againe I 'd trust no eye but thine Otho Would I might serve you Sr. in any thing Nero But tell mee thy oppinion in one question Which dost thou thinke the noblest in a Prince If hee would use his power and do an act That may bee thought unjust to do 't for frendship Or satisfaction of his owne delight Otho Sr. had you made the case a private man's For the delights of Princes as themselves Wee must count sacred I could soone resolve it Nero Let it bee so for t is the same in justice Otho I thinke it noblest then to do 't for frendship For frendship ever was held honorable But satisfaction of our own delights A thing of weakenesse rather then of honour Petronius I see his drift Nero Augustus Caesar then And I by power have done the selfe same act But in the cause I have excell'd Augustus For hee to satisfie his own hot love From Claudius Nero tooke faire Livia I from Crispinus took a brighter beauty To shew my selfe no lover but a frend Doo not mistake mee Otho and suppose I do repent the favour I have done I know t is well bestow'd Otho T was such a favour That I confesse great Caesar as no tongue Can bee enough expressive so t is hard To find a heart that 's large enough to pay Sufficient thankes in thought but pious men Have still acknowledg'd that no thankes of ours Can aequalize the bounty of the Gods And Princes are like them should I thinke lesse I should both wrong the giver and the gift Nero In valuing her aright thou shew'st thy selfe As wise as just I wish thee joy of her But fairest Lady since it was so late Before you grac'd our feast I cannot thinke That I have entertain'd you yet at all The scene shall therefore change another roome Shall bid Poppaea wellcome to the Court Exeunt VITELLIUS POLLIO Vitellius Yet Caesar and his mother well agree Pollio The Gods continue it but Vitellius I feare the sequell Agrippinaes fierce And haughty disposition will too much Provoke her sonne 't is thought and hee too forward To throw all nature off Vitellius I thinke so too And therefore I could wish that Agrippina Would go a gentler way shee must not build Too much upon her merits though wee know T was shee that put the scepter in his hand For vicious natures where they once begin To take distast and purpose no requitall The greater debt they owe the more they hate Pollio Besides shee 'll find it harder far to worke Her ends upon a sonne then t was to rule A doating husband Pollio Time will shew it all And we ere long shall know which way to leane Exeunt BURRUS SENECA Burrhus Will Agrippina sit to day with Caesar On his Tribunall to give audience To those Armenian Embassadors Seneca There is no doubt shee would but I have spoil'd That state I hope for I have councell'd Nero That if shee come hee shall arise and meet her As if he did it in respect and duty Deferring th' audience of th' Embassador I hope shee will not understand our drift Burrhus Pray heaven shee do not for you know her fircenesse Seneca It would bee Romes disgrace the Senates shame And my great crime if the Embassadors That come to plead their countryes cause at Rome Should see a woman perching up with Caesar Into the chare to give them audience And sit commanding ore the Roman ensignes T was not the custome of our Ancestors To see such sights Burrhus True Lucius Seneca Our Ancestours had no such kinde of women Shee in her heart 's a man and you mistake If you esteem her onely Caesars mother Not his Colleague and partner in the Empire Or more then so Seneca I am not so ingratefull To hate the woman since I know it was Her favour that repeal'd my banishment But I dislike these things that forreigne states In her unseemly carriage should behold Xiphilin The shame of Rome and would shee keepe a temper Fitting the quality of her sex and place I should admire the bravery of her minde Enter NERO VITELLIUS POLLIO NERO takes his state after them the Embassadors Embassadors Long live great Nero Caesar the cheife care Of heaven and highest Souveraigne of the Earth The Princes of Armenia Vologeses And Tiridates greete your Majesty By us and do congratulate the honor Which since divinest Claudius left the earth To make a God in'heaven is fall'n on you And to your high Tribunall doo referre The controversie that is now betwixt them Nero Enter Agrippina My mother 's come defer th' Embassadors As t was appointed Seneca Seneca I will Nero Haile dearest mother Agrippina Wherefore rises Caesar From his Tribunall when affaiers of state Are
earth and late oh late Become a glorious starre in Heaven Tribune What word Will Caesar give the watching souldiers Nero The excellent mother Tribune is their word Your company noble Consul wee 'll entreate Home to the Pallace Pollio I 'll attend on Caesar Exeunt Manent OTHO PETRONIUS MONTANUS Montanus The Prince has promis'd faire Petronius Life Seneca That made the speech for him had been too blame Otho Well let him speake as Seneca instructs In publicke still say I I know his heart And secret thoughts better then Seneca Shall ever doe and there are Joviall dayes A comming gallants say I prophecy Montanus Will it bee lawfull to eat Lybian mushroms And British oysters without being cited Before the censor Otho Yes Curtius and to whore For vacuation after them those gifts Will bee Court vertues Come the Prince is hopefull Petronius Would I might have the bringing of him up Otho If I can helpe it thou shalt have a share In his tuition Welcome Anicetus Anicetus Is it to mee you come Anicetus To you my Lord Caesar desires your company at the pallace Otho Caesars desire is a command which I With joy obey returne my humble duty Good Anicetus I 'll attend him strait Exit Anicetus Otho Now my mad shavers do you know me yet Petronius Yes very well the question is if thou Wilt know us now Otho Tut man Nero shall know you I 'll bring you both into his neare acquaintance Now faire Poppaea's mine and mine alone Caesar must grant my first petition Or else deny the love hee swore to mee If ere hee wore the worlds Imperiall wreath His power must fetch Poppaea from her husband Nor is the deed so envious Other Princes Have done the like and yet not tax'd in story Petronius Besides hee knowes Crispinus never lov'd him And was an enemy to his adoption 'Gainst him perchance hee will the sooner grant it Exeunt Agrip This is the day that sets a glorious Crown On all my great designes this day declares My power and makes the trembling world to know That Agrippina only can bestow The Roman Empire and command the wheel Of suffring Fortune holding in her hand The fate of nation Is there not a name Above Augusta to enforme the world How great I am What Roman Deity Shall I assume the petty Goddesses Would all resigne but that they blushing think Their stiles and altars are too meane for mee â—acinion Juno shall bee proud to share Her gloryes all with mee and think her power Grac'd with my fellowship would brighter shine Or leave her name and bee ador'd by mine Enter NERO POLLIO SENECA Burrhus My Nero is return'd haile Nero Caesar Nero Haile great and deare Augusta best of Mothers To whose sole care and goodnesse Caesar owes All those rich honours that he weares to day And will ackowledge ever Agrippina Brighter still For many yeeres let this blest day returne That does bestow for my deare Lord and husband The ne're enough lamented Claudius To true a solace on my greiv'd Soule This is that Caesar now on whom my hopes And comforts all rely Nero This is that Caesar Who in obedience and true filiall love To Agrippina will for ever strive With vertuous aemulation to excell Her most admir'd and exemplary goodnesse Pollio How well this piety becomes them both Pallas Enter Pallas Long live great Nero Caesar Nero Thankes good Pallas Wee are indebted to thy faithfull service And therefore till wee finde some greater meanes To make requitall still retaine that office Which in our father Claudius time thou held'st Bee still our steward of th' Emperiall house Agrippina Hee has deserv'd it Nero For the funerals Of our dead father in what state and order They shall bee celebrated wee refer To you deare Mother Agrippina Let the order of them Bee like Augustus Caesar's Let him have A Censors funeralls with divine honours And put among the number of the Gods Nor shall our grandmother great Livia With her Tiberius to Augustus show More piety or more magnificence Then wee to our divinest Claudius Exeunt ACTUS IIII NARCISSUS GETA Narcissus If wee bee bound to think the Gods consider This humane world why are wee not as well Bound to beleeve the greatest members of it On whom the fates of all the rest depend Should be their greatest care why should the Gods Extend their narrow providence and show Their power in woods and rurall villages Yet thinke th' Imperiall family of Rome Not worth their care at all for if they had Where slept their justice when great Claudius Was murdred by his servants and his wife And they ador'd and honour'd by the state For acting that accursed deed what right Can all the subject world receive from thence What good can dwell upon the earth with safety Proud Pallas thou hast got the victory O're poore Narcissus and mayest safely triumph With thy false Empresse for no law can reach The height you soare at now but yet take heed That very crime the same Impiety That aided you in your foule enterprise To vanquish mee and justice on my side May one day pull you downe Geta. Alas Narcissus Too truly Rufus thou and I foresaw This fatall storme 'gainst Claudius wofull house Britannicus is now the object growne Of all mens pitty Narcissus In the wrong hee did Into his hopefull sonne hee needs must see His own destruction woven But if Claudius When I detected all their plots to him Had beene of nature quick and resolute Hee had prevented all and scap'd his murder T is certaine hee was poison'd Geta. Rome it selfe I feare will rue that sad adoption And in the wrongs of young Britannicus Will beare too deepe a share while the firce rule Of Agrippina lasts Narcissus What better hope Does Nero promise us Those that are neere Xiphilin And inward with his nature doe suspect In him all seedes of vice and tyranny Though smoother'd for a time at least not hurtfull While he refraines from medling with the state That his night rambling revels drinking feasts And cruell sports that he 's delighted in Are vices of his nature not his youth Geta T is true Narcissus I of late have heard Many beginne to feare the prophecy of Aenobarbus his detested sire Xiphilin That nothing good could be begot twixt him And Agrippina Too too true alas Such prophecies of some of our late Princes Have prov'd to Rome as that Augustus made Of the slow-jaw'd Tiberius and Tiberius Of his successour Caius whom hee nam'd A Phaëton to the unhappy world Narcissus All that I hope for is a wretched life If that bee not too much for mee to hope Into Campania will I go but there If death pursue mee Caesars armes are long And I am arm'd for any accident Let none but with a spirit prepar'd to dye Dare to adventure on prosperity Geta. Rufus and I are both resolv'd to leave The city too wee are not safe within it But farre perchance removed from her
sight Wee may escape fell Agrippinas spight Enter to them CRISPINUS Crispinus Ah Lucius Geta I am now enforc'd To that retirement which wee lately talk'd of Because my danger mov'd mee not before Fresh cause is giv'n mee Now I would not breath The aire of Rome for all the wealth within it Geta. What cause is that Crispinus speake Crispinus Poppaea That was my wife is carried from my house And divoc'd from mee by command from Caesar Narcissus The Prince begins his reigne most hopefully Crispinus Do you not wonder how I beare it thus Geta. I must confesse the losse is wondrous great Crispinus True had shee been my chast and faithfull wife The losse had been beyond all aestimation Nor could a manly spirit have borne the wrong But shee was none of mine her heart my Lucius As I have since discover'd long ago Was given to wanton Otho and with him T is thought she stole her close adulterous houres For on that Otho Nero has bestow'd her Xiphilin ex Dione Wanting her heart that gawdy peice of Earth That men call beauty I should soone have scorn'd Though Caesar's warrant had not come at all Shall wee be gone my freind Geta. With all my heart It was my feare Poppaea would have caus'd Your stay too long Crispinus I 'll put her from my thoughts Narcissus Farewell my Lords all happinesse attend Your Country life though I can hope for none Crispinus Farewell Narcissus may the Gods protect thee Exeunt Otho Otho Poppaea Thus greatest Monarchs oft have given away What they themselves ne're saw nor e're knew how To value truely Nero has bestow'd A guift unknown on mee which I that taste How sweet it is would not againe forgo For all his Empires wealth Poppaea Nor would I change My Otho's love for great Augustus state Otho There to enjoy where both extreamly love Is such a happines as I have heard Some do observe it seldome does befall A marryed paire or if it doe that blisse Endures not long so envious are the fates But that 's a dreame my love I doe not feare Poppaea Thou need'st not feare Poppaeas constancy Though Caesar were thy rivall Otho Sweet I do not I dare not wrong thy truth or take so much From mine own happinesse as to suspect Thy constant minde at all but Caesar's power Is of extent as large as mans desire 'T was that that made thee mine and nought but that That gave can take my happinesse away Thou hast a face Poppaea that would cleare A ravisher from guilt that would excuse The treason of a freind and make my wrong No staine to Caesar 's honour though the Gods Or Cato were his judges Poppaea Caesar would not Hee loves thee wel besides a noble minde Would scorne to taste the fruites of forced love Otho A long beseidging is as forcible As an assault and wins the fort as sure Though not so soone Poppaea Nay spare your arguments I can looke through them thou art fearfull Otho That I should long to see the Court alas I have no such ambition to bee known To Agrippina or Octavia Otho Mistake mee not sweete love I am so farre From jealousy of thee that 't was my purpose To make it my request that thou would'st go And see great Caesar's Court nor do I thinke Octavia would bee jealous or that danger That once befell the faire Calphurnia Whom Agrippina banish'd Italy Because that Claudius Caesar prais'd her beauty Should fall on thee Poppaea It shall not fall on mee I will noe see the Court fy Otho fy How wretchedly in striving to conceale Thy jelousy thou dost betray it to mee Why dost thou tell mee so of Caesar's power Octaviaes wrath Calphuniaes banishment Through Agrippinaes envy t is thy love Better then all these subtle tricks will keepe My thoughts at home Otho It shall appeare to thee I do not feare at all or if I did T is not the failing of thy constancy Enjoy what freedome thou desir'st Poppaea Now for a little while excuse my absence I must forsake thee though unwillingly Caesar I feare expected my return Long before this love has beguil'd the time And made my stay seeme shorter then it is But I shall think till I returne againe The houres are long till then farewell Poppaea Exit Poppaea I finde his feares alreadie my estate Was better farre before Rufus Crispinus Was grave and knew not wantonnesse enough To make him jealous as this Otho does That too unlawfull love which then I shew'd To Otho is the mother of these feares Is old Seleucus the Magician come Enter Fulvia Fulvia Madam hee waites without Poppaea Go call him hither Seleucus is the master of his Art All his praedictions hitherto have prov'd Most true and certaine why should I desire To know my future fate and hasten woe Should it prove ill before the time of woe But t is a longing that I cannot check Enter Seleucus Welcom Seleucus have you found it out Seleucus Madam your scheme is drawn and there I finde The stars alot another husband to you Poppaea Another after Otho Seleucus Yes a third Poppaea What shall hee bee Seleucus The greatest Prince on earth Poppaea Ha Caesar Seleucus Yes it must be Caesar Madam And t is as true as if the oracles Of Jove and Phoebus had foretold it both Poppaea This Caesar that now lives Seleucus I can no further Instruct you Madam what you heare is true Poppaea Drinke this Seleucus for my sake Farewell Exit Seleucus To bee Augusta is the greatest gift The fates can give nor does it seems to mee A thing so much unlikely Otho's feare Perchance was fatall If it were in vaine His care will bee nor can hee then accuse Mee but the fates that overrul'd my love AGRIPPINA PALLAS Agrippina It is decreed Silanus must not live Th' Imperial blood that runs within his veines Were there no other cause is crime enough Hee is descended in the same degree That Nero is from great Augustus loines And some have lately whisper'd that his age Is more mature for soveraignty then Nero's Besides thou know'st his brother Lucius That should have marryed young Octavia By us was hunted to his death and hee May meditate revenge Pallas You need not feare A spirit so sluggish as Silanus is Your brother Caius Caesar in the midd'st Of all his feares and jealousyes to which Hee sacrific'd so many noble branches Of your Imperiall house contemn'd Silanus As one in whom there was no spirit or danger And call'd him nothing but the golden beast Agrippina Wee cannot tell if times of trouble come How much that beast by courage of attendants And confluence of souldiers may bee chang'd Hee is Proconsul now of Asia And may here after if the people should Maligne our government bring power against us Pallas If you will have it so Publius Celerius And Aelius now going for Asia Have undertaken there to poison him Agrippina Let it bee done But
With mee my frends are hated Oh sad fate That followes impious actions well perchance And happily might I have liv'd if wrong'd Britannicus had reign'd Oh would the losse Of this unworthy life could yet procure That injur'd Prince his due Pallas Can fortune turne The course of things so strangely that you Madam The Prince his mother and his raiser too Should wish the others reigne Agrippina It can it can This is the power and justice of the Gods That when wee thinke our selves most safe in ill Can frustrate all our confidence and make That power which seem'd to bee our prop to bee Our onely cause of ruine wee are children Vice makes us children like to them wee cry For Knives to hurt our selves with and the Gods To punish us oft grant what wee desire An horse brought in OCTAVIA following Pall. What dolefull noise is this Agrippina Ay mee I feare Octavia Oh dismall day Oh wretched family Fly back bright Phoehus to the Easterne shore Or hide thy head thou hast at Rome beheld A feast more black then ere Mycenae saw Oh dearest brother sweet Britannicus Agrippina Britannicus Octavia Murder'd Britannicus Poison'd at Nero's table Agrippina Breake my heart The greatest woe that could befall is come Forgive mee gentle Soule t was I that gave That viper life and rule to ruin thee Thou need'st not curse mee the impiety Of him that kill'd thee will revenge thy death Pallas Faire hope of Rome sweet flower untimely cropt What parentasion shall sad Pallas make T' appease thy wronged ghost and expiate My foule offences to the King and Queene Of fable night I 'll build two grassey altars And yeerely there if any yeeres at all I have to live with sad libations Invoke the manes of Britannicus Thou from the groves of faire Elysium For ever wail'd for ever honour'd Prince Deigne to accept my humble sacrifice Or if those rights bee too too meane for thee Perchance the Genius of afflicted Rome Shall weep hereafter ore thy grave and waile Th' untimely death of her Britannicus Agrippina Gentle to thee let earth and water prove Exit Octavia This wofull murder of Britannicus funus Bodes ill to mee and my presaging soule Is fill'd with ghastly feares Ah Pallas Pallas This is the entrance into Paricide And but the Prologue to a mothers death Pallas Would I could speake to your destresse and feares A true and reall comfort such a one As might not flatter your estate and make You weaker then before by taking from you All study of prevention Servant Servant Caesar Madam Is come to visit you Agrippina Pallas farewell Enter Nero Nero What weeping Madam what unworthy cause Dares force a teare from greate Augustaes eye While Nero lives if 't bee my brother's death That caus'd this sorrow I could joyne in teares Had not that tragedy already rob'd Mine eyes of moysture Agrippina This hypocrisie Makes mee lesse trust his nature then before Nero The Gods have rob'd mee of one comfort now The fellowship of sweet Britannicus That all my piety may bee confin'd To you deare mother you containe alone Within a Parents sacred name all stiles Of kindred now all bonds of pious love Feare not a change in mee Agrippina I do not Caesar Nero Minarvus feast is celebrated now Nero Minervaes feast is celebrated now Five dayes at Baiae thither you shall go Xiphilin And feast with mee deare mother there forget All jealous feares and you shall never more Complaine of Nero If the stratagem aside Of Anicetus prosper her complaint Shall be to Pluto and the Ghosts below exeunt OTHO with his Commission Otho The Gouernment of Lusitania By Nero's grace and favor is bestow'd On mee Oh glorious name of banishment Yet welcome now since faire Poppaea's lost I thanke thee Nero thou provid'st a brave And honourable cure for that sad wound Thou hast inflicted on my love-sicke Soule How great a torture had it been to mee To live in Rome divorc'd from her and see That beauty folded in another's armes Hence wanton thoughts fond love for ever vanish Collect my soule what ere thou hast within thee Of Roman left and answer to the call Bright honour makes some favourable God Pittying the lusts and riots of a youth So much misled has sent this seeming losse To wake me from so base a lethargy Employ'd in forreigne action I shall live Free from th' infectious vices of this Court And farre from seeing the abhorr'd effects Of future tyranny which needs must breake From Nero's vicious nature At my birth The Augures promis'd high and glorious hopes This is the way to bring them Spaine shall find Another Otho then was sent from Rome Poppaea promis'd here to meete and take Her last leave of mee why should I againe Renue my passion by the sight of her But 't is but one poore look and so farewell Enter SELEUCUS Seleucus Haile Marcus Otho Emperour of Rome Caesar that shall bee Otho Ha! Seleucus It is thy fate Which shall not bee prevented Otho Tell mee father For your predictions ever have been true Shall I behold Poppaeaes face againe When I have left the City Seleucus Never more Exit Seleucus Otho Never a heavy doome yet I in lieu Of her shall gaine the Empire of the world Juno will heale the wounds that Venus gives Enter POPPAEA See there shee comes her beauty waxes still Or else the sad concit of never more Seeing that face makes it appeare more faire How dull the edge of Honour growes already Here could I stay and like the Trojan Prince Lockt in faire Diodes armes forget forever Th' Italian land and all my future fame Him Jove admonish'd to depart from thence Mee the command of Caesar forces hence And leaves no power in my election Farewell Poppaea Poppaea Oh hard fate in love Is mine whose joyes were never lasting yet Speake not so soone that killing word farewell Otho What gaine alas can one small minute bee Or if t were gaine to mee to the Poppaea T were losse to keepe thee from thy Caesars sight Hee is thy servant whom the world obeyes Poppaea Ah Otho love can witnesse that this fortune Was never sought by mee Otho Thou wert too great A treasure for a privat man to keep No live still happy with thy Caesar here And grant mee one request if of that love Which once wee vow'd so deare there yet remaines So small a part as may deserve the name Of comon frendship use thy power with Caesar My goverment may be continu'd long Poppaea Rather let mee intreate the contrary And keepe thee hereat Rome Otho It must not bee Never while Nero lives and lives with thee It must bee love no more but frendship now Twixt us Poppaea which may still bee kept In absence by good wishes and without Those nearer comforts which fond love requires But who shall teach mee to forget that sweet Delicious lesson which loves schoole did teach When thy admired beauty was the booke