TERENTIUS

Assure you, Never in more, either of grace, or power. I have here His last, and present letters, where he writes him The Partner of his cares, and his SEIANUS— Some such thing Caesar makes scruple of, but forbids it not; No more then to himself: says, he could wish It were forborn to all. No other, on my trust. For your more surety, Here is that letter too. Believe it, gentlemen, SEIANUS breast Never received more full contentment's in, Then at this present. Faith, At the first air, it somewhat troubled him. He does repent it, now; but he has employed PAGONIANVS after him: and he holds That correspondence, there, with all that are Near about Caesar, as no thought can pass Without his knowledge, thence, in act to front him. The night grows fast upon us. At your service. Hears not my lord the wonder? I meet it violent in the peoples mouths, Who run, in routs, to POMPEY'S theatre, To view your statue: which, they say, sends forth A smoke, as from a furnace, black, and dreadful. But how that should Come there, my lord! Can the wise SEIANUS Think heaven hath meant it less? I think them ominous! And, would they had not happened. As, to day, The fate of some your servants! who, declining Their way, not able, for the throng, to follow, Slip't down the Gemonies , and brake their necks! Beside, in taking your last augury, No prosperous bird appeared, but croaking ravens Flagged up and down: and from the sacrifice Flew to the prison, where they sat, all night, Beating the air with their obstreperous beaks! I dare not counsel, but I could entreat That great SEIANUS would attempt the gods, Once more, with sacrifice. See, see, the image stirs! Are these things true? MINUTIUS tells us here, my lord, That, a new head being set upon your statue, A rope is since found wreathed about it! and, But now, a fiery meteor, in the form Of a great ball, was seen to roll along The troubled air, where yet it hangs, unperfect, The amazing wonder of the multitude! Is MACRO come? Where? with whom? My lord? Sir, I shall. Sir, he will be straight. Can you assure it? My lord, What is your pleasure for the Tribunes? Oh you, whose minds are good, And have not forced all mankind, from your breasts; That yet have so much stock of virtue left, To pity guilty states, when they are wretched: Lend your soft ears to hear, and eyes to weep Deeds done by men, beyond the acts of furies. The eager multitude, (who never yet Knew why to love, or hate, but only pleased Express their rage of power) no sooner herd The murmur of SEIANUS in decline, But with that speed, and heat of appetite, With which they greedily devour the way To some great sports, or a new theatre; They filled the capital , and POMPEI'S circke, Where, Like so many mastiffs, biting stones, As if his statues now were sensitive Of their wild fury; first, they tear them down: Then fastening ropes, drag them along the streets, Crying in scorn, this, this was that rich head Was crowned with garlands, and with odours, this That was in Room so reverenced. Now The furnace, and the bellows shall too work The great SEIANUS crack, and piece, by piece, Drop in the founders pit. The while, the Senate , at the temple of Concord , Make haste to meet again, and thronging cry, Let us condemn him, tread him down in water, While he does lie upon the bank; away: Where some, more tardy, cry unto their bearer, He will be censured ere we come, run knaves, And use that furious diligence, for fear Their bondmen should inform against their slackness, And bring their quaking flesh unto the hook: The rout, they follow with confused voice, Crying, they'are glad, say they could never abide him; Inquire, what man he was? what kind of face? What beard he had? what nose? what lips? protest, They ever did presage he would come to this: They never thought him wise, nor valiant: Ask After his garments, when he die? what death? And not a beast of all the heard demands, What was his crime? or, who were his accusers? Under what roof, or testimony, he fell? There came (says one) a huge, long, worded letter From Capreae against him. Did there so? Oh, they are satisfied, no more. Sentence, by the Senate ; To loose his head: which was no sooner off, But that, and th'vnfortunate trunk were seized By the rude multitude; who not content With what the forward justice of the state, Officiously had done, with violent rage Have rend it limb, from limb. A thousand heads, A thousand hands, ten thousand tongues, and voices, Employed at once in several acts of malice! Old men not stayed with age, virgins with shame, Late wives with lose of husbands, mother's of children, Losing all grief in joy of his sad fallen, Run quite transported with their cruelty! These mounting at his head, these at his face, These digging out his eyes, those with his brain, Sprinkling themselves, their houses, and their friends; Others are met, have ravished thence and arm, And deal small pieces of the flesh for favours; These with a thigh; this hath cut off his hands; And this his feet; these fingers, and these toes; That hath his liver; he his heart: there wants Nothing but room for wrath, and place for hatred! What cannot oft be done, is now Overdone. The whole, and all of what was great SEIANUS, And next to Caesar did possess the world, Now torn, and scattered, as he needs no graven, Each little dust covers a little partly: So lies he no where, and yet often buried! MOre of SEIANUS? Let this example move th'insolent man, Not to grow proud, and careless of the gods: It is and odious wisdom, to blaspheme, Much more to slighten, or deny their powers. For, whom the morning saw so great, and high, Thus low, and little, before the 'euen does lie.