Sejanus: His Fall Part 32

Sej. Give leave.

Lac.

Stand, stand!

He comes upon his 'death, that doth advance An inch toward my point.

Sej. Have we no friends here?

Arr.

Hush'd!

Where now are all the hails and acclamations?

Enter MACRO.

Mac. Hail to the consuls, and this n.o.ble senate!

Sej.

Is Macro here?

O, thou art lost, Seja.n.u.s! [Aside.

Mac.

Sit still, and unaffrighted, reverend fathers: Macro, by Caesar's grace, the new-made provost, And now possest of the praetorian bands, An honour late belong'd to that proud man, Bids you be safe: and to your constant doom Of his deservings, offers you the surety Of all the soldiers, tribunes, and centurions, Received in our command.

Reg. Seja.n.u.s, Seja.n.u.s, Stand forth, Seja.n.u.s!

Sej. Am I call'd?

Mac.

Ay, thou, Thou insolent monster, art bid stand.

Sej.

Why, Macro.

It hath been otherwise between you and I; This court, that knows us both, hath seen a difference, And can, if it be pleased to speak, confirm Whose insolence is most.

Mac.

Come down, Typhoeus.

If mine be most, lo! thus I make it more; Kick up thy heels in air, tear off thy robe, Play with thy beard and nostrils. Thus 'tis fit (And no man take compa.s.sion of thy state) To use th' ingrateful viper, tread his brains Into the earth.

Reg. Forbear.

Mac.

If I could lose All my humanity now, 'twere well to torture So meriting a traitor.-Wherefore, fathers, Sit you amazed and silent; and not censure This wretch, who, in the hour he first rebell'd 'Gainst Caesar's bounty, did condemn himself?

Phlegra, the field where all the sons of earth Muster'd against the G.o.ds, did ne'er acknowledge So proud and huge a monster.

Reg.

Take him hence; And all the G.o.ds guard Caesar!

Tri. Take him hence.

Hat. Hence.

Cot. To the dungeon with him.

San. He deserves it.

Sen. Crown all our doors with bays.

San.

And let an ox, With gilded horns and garlands, straight be led Unto the Capitol----

Hat.

And sacrificed To Jove, for Caesar's safety.

Tri.

All our G.o.ds Be present still to Caesar!

Cot. Phoebus.

San. Mars.

Hat. Diana.

San. Pallas.

Sen.

Juno, Mercury, All guard him!

Mac. Forth, thou prodigy of men! [Exit Seja.n.u.s, guarded.

Cot. Let all the traitor's t.i.tles be defaced.

Tri. His images and statues be pull'd down.

Hat. His chariot-wheels be broken.

Arr.

And the legs Of the poor horses, that deseryed nought, Let them be broken too!

[Exeunt Lictors, Praecones, Macro, Regulus, Trio, Haterius, and Sanquinius: manent Lepidus, Arruntius, and a few Senators.

Lep.

O violent change, And whirl of men's affections!

Arr.

Like, as both Their bulks and souls were bound on Fortune's wheel, And must act only with her motion.

Lep.

Who would depend upon the popular air, Or voice of men, that have to-day beheld That which, if all the G.o.ds had fore-declared, Would not have been believed, Seja.n.u.s' fall?

He, that this morn rose proudly, as the sun, And, breaking through a mist of clients' breath, Came on, as gazed at and admired as he, When superst.i.tious Moors salute his light!

That had our servile n.o.bles waiting him As common grooms; and hanging on his look, No less than human life on destiny!

That had men's knees as frequent as the G.o.ds; And sacrifices more than Rome had altars: And this man fall! fall? ay, without a look That durst appear his friend, or lend so much Of vain relief, to his changed state, as pity!