Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

FLAVIUS

in Nero (Piso's Conspiracy) — Anonymous

Metadata

PlayNero (Piso's Conspiracy)
AuthorAnonymous
Year (catalogued)1624
First performance1619
Decade1620s
GenreTragedy
Play typeUnknown; Professional (?); Nonprofessional (?)
CompanyUnknown
Speech prefix(es)Flaui: | Flaui. | Flau: | Plaui:
Words254
Characters1360
Typicality0.24 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA08065
BritDrama no.1917
ClusterCluster 6 — Battlefield messengers & soldiers

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

The Men he carried over were enough To-have put the Parthian to his second flight Or the proud Indyan, taught the Roman Yoke. Therefore they brought spoils of such Soldiers worthy. Let children weep, and men seek remedy, And if it do Scevinus, it shall take But a devoted soul from Flavius, Which, to my Country, and the Gods of Room, Already sacred is, and given away, Death is no stranger unto me, I have The doubtful hazard in twelve Battles thrown, My chance was life. Tell it to faithful Ears, what ear it be. My de ds Scevinus shall speak my consent. Which makes it doubtful, whither love to him Or Nero;s hatred, hath drawn more unto us. Whose that Scevinus? Or shall we fear, To trust unto the Gods so good a cause. Would thou durst strike as stoutly, Ex. Tig. & Flau: But it'll not carry that opinion with it, 'Twill seem more foul, and come from private malice. Brutus, and they, to right the common cause, Did choose a public place. But since we are discovered, what remains? But put our lives upon our hands, these swords Shall try us Traitors, or true Citizens. Nero, I hated thee; Nor was there any of thy soldiers More faithful, while thou faith deservedst then I, Together did I leave to be a subject, And thou a Prince, Caesar was now become A player on the Stage, a Wagoner, A burner of our houses, and of us, A Parricide of Wife, and Mother.

Plot summary

Plot — Nero (Piso's Conspiracy)
The Emperor Nero celebrates his latest triumph : not a military victory, but success in a singing and acting competition against the Greeks; he also has one of his critics executed. He gives a performance in the role of Orestes; the theatre is guarded so that the audience cannot escape, and those who do not respond with due enthusiasm are marked down for execution. Deciding that he has treated Rome too lenien:tly, he has the city burned down . The wind blows the fire back towards the palace, and his own possessions are destroyed. . Antonius loves _ the Empress Poppaea, despite Petronius' efforts to persuade him to settle for someone of lower rank. Poppaea refuses Antonius, preferring Nymphidius, who has cultivated her affections as a means to make himself Emperor. Scaevinus broaches --a conspiracy to assassinate Nero, thinking it demeaning to have _an Emperor so dedicated to artistic pursuits. Piso is recruited, and the plotters discuss the best way to assassinate Nero; but they are overheard by the freedman Milichus, who reports them to Nero. Piso commits suicide; other conspirators are arrested, and Nero institutes a purge of their sympathizers. Petronius is arrested and executed simply because Tigellinus has -a score to settle with him. A young man is executed merely for pitying Piso's death; Poppaea tries to save him because he resembles a former lover of hers, so Nero kicks her to death in a rage. News arrives from France that Vindex has revolted and chosen · Galba as Emperor. Nymphidius spreads rumours that Nero has resigned, and tries both to curry favour with Galba's agents and to buy military support for his own ambitions. Nero is condemned by the Senate and commits suicide . Nymphidius is killed by Galba's supporters.