Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

EUDEMUS

in Sejanus His Fall — Jonson, Ben

Metadata

PlaySejanus His Fall
AuthorJonson, Ben
Year (catalogued)1640
First performance1603
Decade1640s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
Speech prefix(es)EVD.
Words702
Characters3801
Typicality0.38 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA04632.5
BritDrama no.1412
ClusterCluster 1 — Wives, widows & intimate counsel

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 1 (nony, tailors, butler, mall, jesu, massinissa…). Matches are highlighted.

shall fetch your lordship. I say, LYGDUS. I, and his cupbearer. True, my lord, For free access, and trust, are two main aides. Yet, gold is a good general charm. A delicate youth. I'll tell his lordship. One of your Lordship's servants, brings you word The Emperor hath sent for you. Fortunate Princess! How are you blessed in the fruition

Full speech

Not I, sir. I wonder he should mark me out so! well, JOVE, and APOLLO form it for the best. Yes. It is, my lord. I minister unto her, my good lord. She is, my lord, and fair. Your lordship is conceited. Many, my good lord. The great AUGUSTA, URGULANIA. MUTILIA PRISCAM, and PLANCINA, diverse — Else, my lord, we know not How to prescribe the remedies. It's fit, my lord. She's so, my lord. It's very true, my lord. My noblest lord, He breathes not in the empire, or on earth, Whom I would be ambitious to serve (In any act, that may preserve mine honour) Before your lordship. But, good my lord, if I should thus betray The counsels of my patient, and a ladies Of her high place, and worth; what might your lordship, (Who presently are to trust me with your own) Judge of my faith? Happily, my lord, I could, in time, tell you as much, and more; So I might safely promise but the first, To her, from you. My lord — My lord, I'll promise you a private meeting This day, together. Yes. My gardens, whither I shall fetch your lordship. I say, LYGDUS. I, and his cupbearer. True, my lord, For free access, and trust, are two main aides. Yet, gold is a good general charm. A delicate youth. I'll tell his lordship. One of your Lordship's servants, brings you word The Emperor hath sent for you. Fortunate Princess! How are you blessed in the fruition Of this unequaled man, this soul of Room , The empires life, and voice of CAESARS world! Excellent clear, believe it. This same fucus Was well laid on. Lend me your scarlet, lady. It's the sun Hath given some little taint unto the ceruse , You should have used of the white oil I gave you. SEIANUS, for your love! his very name Commands above CUPID, or his shafts— I'll help it straight.) And, but pronounced, is a sufficient charm Against all rumour; and of absolute power To satisfy for any ladies honour. Make a light fucus , To touch you over withal.) Honoured SEIANUS! What act (though never so strange, and insolent) But that addition will at least bear out, If it do not expiate? I Like this study to preserve the love Of such a man, that comes not every hour To greet the world. (It's now well, lady, you should Use of the dentisrice , I prescribed you, too, To clear your teeth, and the prepared pomatum , To smooth the skin:) A lady cannot be Too curious of her form, that still would hold The heart of such a person, made her captive, As you have his: who, to endear him more In your clear eye, hath put away his wife, The trouble of his bed, and your delights, Fair Apicata , and made spacious room To your new pleasures. Yes, and wisely, lady, The ages that succeed, and stand far off To gaze at your high prudence, shall admire And reckon it and act, without your sex: It hath that rare appearance. Some will think Your fortune could not yield a deeper found, Then mixed with DRUSUS; But, when they shall hear That, and the thunder of SEIANUS meet, SEIANUS, whose high name does strike the stars, And rings about the concave, great SEIANUS, Whose glories, style, and titles are himself, The often iterating of SEIANUS: They then will loose their thoughts, and be ashamed To take acquaintance of them. When will you take some physic, lady? Were LYGDUS made, that's done; I have it ready. And to morrow-morning, I'll send you a perfume, first to resolve, And procure sweat, and then prepare a both To cleanse, and clear the cutis ; against when, I'll have and excellent new fucus made, Resistive against the sun, the rain, or wind, Which you shall lay on with a breath, or oil, As you best Like, and last some fourteen hours. This change came timely, lady, for your health; And the restoring your complexion, Which DRUSUS choler had almost burned up: Wherein your fortune hath prescribed you better Then art could do. It attends your highness.

Plot summary

Plot — Sejanus His Fall
While disaffected Romans whisper, the favourite Séjamus dominates the court with his spies and corruptly sells offices; it is rumoured that he seeks imperial status for himself. He has an affair with Livia and arranges the death by poison of her husband Drasiis} He and the Emperor MibETUS plot to destabilize the opposition, effectively led by Agtippinal To that end, they have Silii§ and @6rdus tried for treason before the Senate; Silius pre-empts the verdict by publicly committing suicide. Sejanus persuades Tiberius to retire from: Rome, but makes him suspicious by seeking to marry Livia (and so become part of the imperial family). Leaving Sejanus as his deputy in Rome, Tiberius also assigns Maer to watch and act against him. Sejanus returns to favour when he saves the Emperor’s life after a rockfall. The legalized harassment of dissent is stepped up: Agrippina’s son @aligala escapes from Rome with Macro, but his mother and brothers are arrested and condemned. Rumours of Tiberius’ debaucheries circulate in Rome, while his treatment of Sejanus seems increasingly ambiguous: the favourites’ allies and enemies seem both to be given high office. Portents like the appearance of a Biantisiake inside Sejanus’ statue prefigure his fall. He professes atheism, accepting only the power of Fertile, but at a religious ceremony the statue of Fortune turns her face from him. The Senate is summoned to hear a communication from the Emperor, and rumours circulate that Sejanus is to be invested with supreme power. Meanwhile, Macro plans a coup with selected officials. The senators greet Sejanus with flattery, but Tiberius’ letter strips him of power. He is beheaded, and the mob tears his body to pieces and pulls down his statues; his children are also killed at Macro’s instigation.