And I a Scholler too too forward then Oh would great Caesars power to cure my wound Could but bestow so privative a good As losse of memory but that alas Were too unjust a cure and I could wish Rather to suffer still then quite forget That I was once Poppaeaes envi'd love I 'll rather strive to solace my sick soul With contemplation of past happinesse And by recounting ore our former joyes Deceive those houres of sorrow I must passe Pop. And I for comfort of our absent love Will cherrish hopes that wee shall meet againe Oth. No thinke mee dead bright love and I 'll enforce My imagination to beleeve that thou Translated by some amorous Deity Hast left the earth to beautify the sky And turne Astronomer in love to finde Thy figure out among those radiant lights Which Joves transformed Paramours have made 'Mongst those I 'll seeke for faire Poppaeaes starre And sweare I see it rather then beleeve Thou liv'st on earth debarr'd from Otho's sight I must begin to part I see for thou In modesty art loath to chide mee hence And bid mee quit the place Farewell Poppaea Such height of happinesse mayst thou enjoy As Caesars constant love can bring to thee Pop. As much good fortune follow Otho still T is power that parts us all the Gods can tell Exit Otho How well I love thee Otho but those Gods That have ordain'd another fate for mee Must bee obey'd yet Nero must bee wrought With cunning to my ends or else my fortune Is low and poore my title nought at all T is not the love of Caesar but the honour And that high title which attends his love That is Poppaeaes aime Octavia Debarres mee yet from that and Agrippina Is fierce and keeps her sonne in Pupillage Enter NERO. Nero Now faire Poppaea thou art mine alone Otho 's remov'd embrace the happy change That fortune brings thee thou hast found instead Of him a Caesar who besides his state Has brought a heart as true to thee and love As strong and fervent as poore Otho's was Thou wert before a diamond coursly set A clouded starre the Fates did pitty thee And would no longer let that beauty ly Ecclippsed in a private family No seat but Romes Imperiall throne no sphaere But Caesars armes were fit for these bright eyes To shine in and the subject world t' adore Their lustre like some constellation New risen to amaze mortality Not Rome alone but all the farthest shores That Peleus silver-footed wife ere knew Shall call Poppaea mistresse Poppaea Those are honours Caesar too high too great for mee to hope Nero To hope my love they are thine owne already Poppaea Caesar thou know'st it cannot bee and I That might have liv'd content with Otho's love And there enjoy'd the honour'd name of wife Must in the Palace find a baser stile Nero Thou wrong'st my power Poppaea if thou thinke I cannot give the highest stile to thee And if thou thinke I meane it not thou wrong'st My truest love Poppaea Octavia is alive No love of thine can beare Augustus state But onely shee Nero Shee shall bee soon remov'd To make a roome for faire Poppaeaes honour Nor will the Senate dare to grumble at it Poppaea Though all were silent else fierce Agrippina Xiphilin Would in that act controll thee and thinke mee To meane for Caesars wife though I am sprung For I may speake a truth that Rome can witnesse From noble and triumphant Ancestors Nero There love thou strik'st upon the truest string That Agrippina was my greatest feare Though now shee is not for I 'll tell it thee If Anicetus stratagem have taken Ere this shee wanders on the Stygian shore Weary I was of her imperious pride And fear'd her cruell plots How that succeedes Is now my greatest expectation Nor do I live till Anicetus come And bring my safety in that womans death Enter ANICETUS Poppaea See Anicetus is return'd Nero Speake man What is my fate thou carriest in thy voyce The life and death of Caesar Anicetus Your command Was done great Caesar but your mother scap'd Nero Escap'd how could it bee but you were false And all conspir'd together to betray Xiphilin My life in saving hers how could shee scape Anicetus Wee chose the night to act it in but night Prov'd not so black as night the starrs gave light No wind at all blew as wee lanched forth Xiphilin Down in the Galley Agrippina lay And at her feet lay Aceronia With joy discoursing of your curtesie And favour lately shew'd her but when I The watch-word gave the covering of the place Loaden with lead fell downe and prest to death Her servant Gallus But when th' other part By fortune stronger broke not nor the vessell Was loos'd asunder all beeing in amaze The rowers straitway thought it best to weigh The galley at one side and sinke her so There Aceronia floating in the waves Faining her selfe to bee the Empresse cry'd Helpe helpe the Prince his mother But the rowers With poles and oares straight kill'd her as shee swamme But Agrippina in a silence caus'd By policy or feare swamme to the banke Having received but one wound and there Succour'd by little barkes through Lucrine lake To her owne house was carryed at the last Nero Oh I am lost and dead I shall bee straight Surpris'd and kill'd shee 'll arme her slaves and stirre The souldiers up or to the Senate house Complaine and shew the wound shee has receiv'd And tell the story there What shall I doo Advise mee my Poppaea Anicetus But yet advise mee nothing but her death No other course is safe Nero must dy If Arippina live call Burrhus to mee Send forth the souldiers to dispach her straight Poppaea It is no action for a souldiers hand Nor will the campe for brave Germanicus Her father's sake bee drawne to butcher her Let Anicetus finish the exploit Hee has begunne Nero It must be so go on With thy religious act good Anicetus Thou art obleig'd to finish it or else What thou hast done already will procure My ruine rather then security Choose thee what aide thou wilt Anicetus I have them ready Feare it not Caesar Agrippinaes dead Nero Oh comfortable voice thou art the man Thou only Anicetus that bestow'st The Empire upon Nero to thy guift I will acknowlegd it and celebrate This as my day of coronation What plot shall wee invent to hide the deede And put th' intent of murder upon her To bring you newes of her escape I 'll finde A way to doo 't t is strange none yet come from her See Agerinus comes Enter Agerinus Agrerinus All health to Caesar Augusta by the favour of the Gods Has lately scap'd a strange and wounderfull Danger at Sea Ani. Caesar when any of her servants come What meanes this ponyard Anicetus lets fall a ponyard behinde Agerinus In Caesars presence Agerinus Nero Treason Ziphilin Shee sends to murder mee dragge hence the slave And torture him to death Agerinus I am as free From guilt in this as innocence it selfe Nero Hence with the villaine to his death and thou Deare Anicetus forward with thy plot Exeunt AGRIPPINA brought in by Mnester and Seleucus shee sits Agripina Leave mee alone but bee not farre from mee Exeunt Who would rely upon the gratitude Of men or trust the fruit of benefits That now behold or shall hereafter reade My wofull fortune I that have bestow'd What ere the world containes to bee possest By impious Nero in reward expect Nothing but bloody death t was too too true That strange deceitfull galley was a plot An impious engine made to murder mee As by the fiercenesse of the slaves my wound And Aceroniaes death it did appeare Can I expect that Nero should relent Or that the tyrant in a brothers blood Embrew'd already should not rather thinke No mischeife can bee safe till fully done Oh had his thoughts beene good had my escape Beene gratefull to him all the house ere this With visitants and clients had been fill'd To aske and see how Caesars mother did Where now are all the hailes the bended knees Low prostrate faces and officious tongues That strove in honoring Agrippinaes name Vanish'd alas and nought but solitude Ill-boding silence and neglect remaine In this forsaken Palace But too soone Ay mee I feare the approach of vilany What noise is that at doore where are my servants Mnester Seleucus Galla Xenophon No answer made are they departed too Then vanish all my hopes false world farewell With all thy fading glories But alas Whither from hence shall Agrippina fly What regions are there in the other world But my injustice has already fill'd With wronged Ghoasts there young Silanus wanders Lollia Paullina and great Claudius My murdred Lord yet those sad spirits perchance Abhorring Nero's base ingratitude And glutted with revenge will cease to hate At last and pitty Agrippinas state Enter ANICETUS OLOARITUS and others Ay mee is Anicetus come againe Then I am dead past hope murder helpe help Xiphilin Anicetus You guesse our businesse right but t is in vaine To call for helpe your guards are farre enough Agrippina Oh hold your hands a while heare mee but speake Consider with your selves before you act A deed so execrable as will stick A lasting brand on your abhorred names This murder will bee famous through the world All men will fly your hated company Like birds of night shall you for ever hide Youre guilty heads or which is worse then that Nero himselfe who did command the deede As you pretend shall guerdon you with death And quit himselfe by punishing of you O rather venter Neros frowne and keepe Your innocence Anicetus Can they bee innocent That disobey their Prince his will Agrippina But sure You did mistake the Prince I am his mother T was I that gave him birth nay more that put Into his hand the scepter of the world Could hee command my death Anicetus Wee did not stand Examining the cause Agrippina Then strike this wombe This tragicall and ever cursed wombe That to the ruine of mankinde brought forth Xiphilin That monster Nero here here take revenge Here Justice bids you strike let these sad wounds Serve to appease the hatred of the earth 'Gainst Agrippina for dire Nero's birth shee dyes FINIS
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
which then told mee Great ruines have been wrought by foolish pity Seneca Would shee had such a nature but 't is now Too late to give her counsell Pallas So let all That dare contest with Agrippina fall Enter servant Servant Caesar is come to visite you Agrippina Now friends Vitellius Pollio Pallas second mee Enter CAESAR ANTISTIUS Caesar How fares my Agrippina Agrippina Wondrous well When I am blest with Caesars company Caesar That shall be oft my love when Romes affaires And publike businesse will give me leave Agrippina I would partake my selfe of those affaires Rather then want your presence Pallas I beleeve it Caesar Thou shalt 't is onely for thy dearest sake I love my fortunes thy sweet fellowship Makes light the burthen of my government Agrippina To ease great Caesars care shall ever bee The height of my desires before you came My heart was sad I sent for these my friends T' impart the reason to them Caesar Sad for what Agrippina Weighing the troubles of a Princely state And all the dangers that still threaten it Caesar Dangers Pallas Shee strikes upon the fittest string No passion reignes in him so much as feare Agrippina Wee were devising of the fittest meanes To give your state security you know Your strongest guard is the Praetorian campe Caesar Most true Agrippina That campe commanded now by two May be by Captaines too ambitious strife Divided into factions and so made Lesse serviceable should your safety need them Vitellius Caesar remembers when that bold attempt Of Silius was how the Praetorian campe Was by their generall strife in mutiny And had not one been chosen for that day To rule them all Caesar had not been safe Pollio Wise men in calmes provide for stormes to come None knowes how dangerous the times may prove Though now the state be safe and may the Gods To Caesar's honor long preserve it so Seneca What new designe is this that all of them aside Second so readily and I was not Acquainted with it If 't prove mischievous I thanke the Empresse for my ignorance Agrippina Burrhus Afranius is a worthy man Fit for the place and faithfull well-belov'd By all the souldiers such a change my Lord None can except against Let him take all Seneca What ere her ends may bee this proposition For noble Burrhus sake I must approve Caesar 'T is true my love I make no question Of Burrhus worth and fitnesse for the place But what offence have Geta and Crispinus Been e're accus'd of Or what just suspitions Are there of them Agrippina I will not be unjust To accuse guiltlesse men although I price Thy safety Caesar equall to my life I know no crimes of note they have committe Vitellius Caesar it is no losse to them at all They both have plentious fortunes to retire to Pollio And in so neere a cause who dares examine Great Caesar's counsells or enquire the reason Agrippina Shall Burrhus have it Caesar speake thy pleasure Or if my care offend I shall hereafter Forbeare to meddle Caesar No sweet Agrippina Since thou wilt have it so goe Pallas draw The warrant straight and seale it in our name Let Geta and Crispinus be remoov'd And Burrhus take possession presently This day my love the Britane prisoners Sent from Ostorius Scapula and late Arriv'd at Rome shall be in publike shew'd There thou shalt see that brave Barbarian Prince That bold Caractacus whose stubborne spirit So many yeares contemn'd the Roman power Hee now is taken Pollio 'T was a victory Sent from the Gods to honor Claudius reigne Agrippina Had he been basely taken or at first Yeelded himselfe as hee had got no honour But been forgotten in his fall and nought Had e're been mention'd of him but his death So had thy glory Caesar been farre lesse Vitellius Not warre-like Syphax the Numidian King Stubborne Jugurtha nor great Perseus Ere brought to Rome by their captivity More reall honour then this Britane Prince Caesar Nor doe wee price our name Brittannicus Fetch'd from that Iland lesse then Scipio His honour'd name of Africanus priz'd Pollio Thy stile O Caesar is the greater farre Drawne from the conquest of another world Which nature ment by enterposing cold And stormy seas to guard from Latian armes Vitellius Great Julius Caesar did but only shew That land to us whose conquest was reserv'd By heavens decree to honour Claudius name Agrippina Caesar let 's sit together one Tribunall Will hold us both Caesar It shall bee so my love Thou as my selfe shalt pardon or condemne ACTUS II. POPPAEA OTHO Poppaea MY love deare Otho faine would bid thee stay But danger now forbids it for my Lord Returnes by this time homewards from the Pallace Otho Wee must obey the times necessity Sweetest Poppoea though I part from thee With such a sad'nesse as will loose by all Comparisons and cannot bee exprest But by it selfe to say that Otho parts From faire Poppaea is more tragicall Then soule from body honour from a man Poppoea I could mee thinkes flatter my feares to keepe Thee ever heere Otho And I can scorne all feares And dangers too if thou command mee stay Poppaea No goe my Love and warily let 's meete That wee may often meete but why should still Our highest blisse want freedome Otho 'T is my faire one The envy of the Gods who thinke the state Of men would aequall theirs if greatest joyes Were easyest to obtaine and therfore still In horrid dangers wrap their dearest guifts As all the Poëts ancient fables taught Fire-breathing Buls did guard the Colchian fleece A waking dragon kept the golden fruit But thou Poppaea in my thoughts a prize Of greater value and more lustre farre Then that which drew the bold Thessalian forth So farre from Greece or made Alcmenaes sonne Invade th' Hesperides art kept from mee By stronger guards the awfull Roman lawes Those lawes resist our love Poppaea Oh where was Otho Then when my virgin blossome was the hope Of thousand noble youths hadst thou beene seene Poppaeaes bed and beautyes had beene thine And with a lawfull uncontrolled flame Had met thy wish in those delights which now Wee are inforc'd to steale Otho Must it bee so For ever then Poppaea It must while Rufus lives Otho Nor can I blame blest Rufus if hee strive To keepe that wealth which if it lay beyond The Indian Ganges Scythian Tanais Or horned Ammons scorch'd and thirsty sands Would draw the Roman Monarch to forsake His worlds Imperiall seat there to enjoy And think those banish'd that remain'd at Rome If I were Caesar and condemn'd by fate To want Poppaeaes love I should bee poore No other deare prerogative could that High wreath bestow but only power to make Thee mine without a rivall I might then With boldnesse take thee from Crispinus armes Poppaea But could that act bee lawfull Otho Canst thou doubt it Where two loves meete can marriage bee unlawfull Of which love is the soule the very forme That gives
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