Poetical Works of Robert Bridges, Volume 6

by Robert Bridges

ACT · III

SCENE · 1

A burned street in Rome: night.

THRASEA.

IN these burned streets I wander like a ghost:

Rome is no more: O see, my memoried Rome,

My senatorial city is burned and gone!

The city of Camillus, whose abrupt

And tortuous streets my ancestors have threaded,

Here going about a tower of Servius,

Here an Etruscan temple of carved wood,

Here by some patriot tribune’s gabled home:

All gone, as the free spirit that made it, gone:

And I, like this old beam, in vain escaped

The burning, shall be cast out, nor find place

In the new Rome that Cæsar promises,

O’erlaid with perfected monotony,

The textbook ornaments of shallow taste,

Imperial gewgaws.—What poet was it said

That Desolation was a beautiful thing?

What parricidal spirit? To cut down

And burn the gnarl’d trunk of a thousand years,

And plant the trifling shoot of one gay summer

Rootless in the ground. (Cries heard.) What noise is this?

Some wretched Christian, that in blind revenge

The maddened people sacrifice.

Enter the mob carrying off Clitus—Epicharis following.

MOB.

Burn him! To the Vatican! to the Vatican! Burn him!

EPICHARIS.

Pity, pity, pity, sirs! He is guiltless, indeed he is guiltless. He is my brother.

Thr. Stay, ye mad fools! To what detestable,

Forbidden crime of hellish witchcraft haste ye!

Mob. Here’s another. He’s a Christian. Seize him!

Thr. Hands off, fools! I am Thrasea.

Mob. Thrasea! 1130

Thr. Are ye Romans?

Citizen. ’Tis Nero’s order.

Ep. (kneeling to Thrasea). O sir, save thou my brother.

Cit. If thou wert Thrasea, man, thou wouldst not hinder us from punishing them that fired the city.

Mob. On! on!

Another Cit. Nay, nor let any Christian woman touch thee.

Mob. To the Vatican! on! (Going.)

Thr. Fools, I am Thrasea, and I bid you stay.

Mob. Burn him, burn him![Exeunt Mob, etc.

Thr. Stay! Are ye men?

Ep. O sir, ’tis my brother, my brother Clitus; save him!

Thr. What can I do? Alas, (calls) stay! stay! (To Ep.) Thou seest.[Exeunt running.

Enter Lateranus and Flavus.

LATERANUS.

This is the only way. The Fabian street

Is blocked with red-hot ashes.

FLAVUS.

Where’s this Natalis?

Lat. He should be here; we must wait for him.

Fla. You trust him, sir?

Lat. Yes.

Fla. And Piso?

Lat. Certainly.

Fla. It is hard, sir, for a man like me, to trust a man like Piso. I yield to the choice of my betters, and the vote of the majority. I would not split the party. Yet I wish we had persuaded Seneca!

Lat. So do I, and it cost him a pang to refuse. ’Twas only Thrasea’s opinion that overweighted him.

Fla. Priscus ruined us.

Lat. There’s no choice for us now; and I doubt not we can make Piso emperor. He hath a wider following than Seneca. But when we have set him up, ’twill be in the power of any to pull him down.

Fla. And then Seneca: why not Seneca then?

Lat. Hush! who comes?

Fla. ’Tis Rufus.

Enter Rufus.

RUFUS.

Good evening, gentlemen; go you to Petronius’?

Fla. We do, general. 1171

Lat. We wait for Natalis.

Ruf. Flavus, I’m glad of thee; hast thou heard of any new adherents?

Fla. Too many, general: and not the least some of Cæsar’s bosom friends.

Ruf. Who are they?

Fla. There’s Scevinus, hot as fire, who drags with him Senecio and Quintian, with one or two more filibustering fellows.

Ruf. The household contingent should help us when we come to close quarters.

Fla. If they are to be trusted.

Ruf. If a man cannot be trusted to hate Nero for a week or ten days, there’s little to reckon on in this world.

Lat. Here is Natalis.

Enter Natalis.

NATALIS.

All’s well. Piso is at Petronius’s.

Ruf. Hath he consented to head our party?

Nat. Yes, believe me. But you will find him cautious and delicate in speaking of it.

Fla. If he speak not, how shall we trust him? He may turn on us.

Nat. My life for yours; my assurance; what oath you will . . .

Ruf. We know, Natalis, thou art a man of honour,

One that would not deceive us, wert thou not

As heartily with us as I know thou art.

Nat. I am much hurt that Flavus questions Piso.

Ruf. He knows not, sir, the perfect intimacy

’Twixt Piso and thee. For my part, I should think

Piso unreliable, if I should find him

Hasty and indiscreet in such a matter.

Fla. I use but the same caution.

Nat.I do not blame you:

But be assured he is won.—My part is done.

Go you and prosper. Farewell, sirs.

[Exit Natalis.

All.Farewell.

[Exeunt.

Ruf. ’Tis good, now let us to Petronius’.

SCENE · 2

The previous scene withdraws, showing a supper-room in the house of PETRONIUS. Slaves removing the last of the feast. PETRONIUS, PISO, LUCAN, SCEVINUS, SENECIO, and QUINTIAN. Three places are empty.

PETRONIUS (to Piso).

That’s the last dish, my lord: a little banquet

Of fruit remains, and, best of all my supper,

Three jars of Otho’s wine.

PISO.

Ha! merry Otho,

Become a man of affairs. Drink we to him

And Lusitania.

LUCAN (rising excitedly).

A toast with Otho’s name!

Republican integrity!

Pet.What a fuss,

Lucan, you make, because a gentleman

Is honest. What else could you expect of Otho?

SENECIO.

When, too, there’s nought worth stealing in his province.

Pis. (to Petr.). You, sir, would underrate high qualities,

Being proved in them yourself. Bithynia

Praises you still, though Rome forgets your zeal

In the grace of your retirement. Will you never

Mix in affairs again?

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Pet.Nothing could tempt me.

The very thought of travelling wearies me,

And the occupation of the mind in matters

That any clerk is fit for.—Yet I praise

The world and all its fret: its vanity,

Advertisement, vulgarity and dirt

Are precious for one thing; they make retirement

Positive joy. Blest are the gods who sit

On changeless seats. I think they framed the world

That they might look upon it and rejoice

They lived not in it: that’s its use to me.

Luc. True, as Rome says, Petronius, thou art steeped

In gross epicurism.

Pet.Bravo, stoic!

I may be what men say: yet very few

Are what they show the world: there’s a screw-twist

In every mind. It is the sensuous man

Follows asceticism: the passionate man

Who is practised in reserve. Why Know thyself,

Unless to hide thyself? Look at the houses

Of our philosophers: the epicurean,

Who holds the happiness of life depends

On small accessories, lives in discomfort:

The stoic, he who says all outward matters

Concern him not a pin, orders his home

With scrupulous care; however nice your taste,

There’s not a better host.

QUINTIAN.

You’d tell us then

You set no store by elegance and culture.

Pet. Eh! I´ may bé an exception, sir: and yet

I’d have you think I most love elegance

Where ’tis most rare and out of reach of the world.

I’d not without reserve praise Lucan’s style

In poetry.

SCEVINUS.

Nor his matter.

Se^o.Yes, his matter,

Where he laments the fall of the republic;

‘But if the fates could find no other way

For Cæsar to succeed’ ... what was’t he said?

Qu. ‘All crimes and horrors we with joy regard,

Since thou, O Nero, art our great reward.’ (Laughter.)

Luc. Let that be read with what I have written since.

What thinkest thou, Senecio, of the days

When thou wert Nero’s darling? If what thou didst

Be as well condoned by what thou goest to do,

As what I wrote shall be by what I write,

Thou’lt be a hero.

Sce.Hear, hear!

Pet. (who has motioned the slaves out). Really, sirs,

You grow obscure.

Pis.Explain.

Sce.Ay, speak your mind.

Luc. I ask then, is Senecio still content

To share in Nero’s deeds?

Se^o.Nay, I abjure them.

Luc. (coming to him). Patriot, I take thy hand!

Sce.And I.

Qu.And I.

Luc. Ye too abjure the bloody tyrant’s guilt?

Would ye see Rome free, let us make an oath

By black Styx, and invoke the gods of crime!

Pet. Hey-day! here’s tinsel!—Let me refill your cup,

Piso; the gold mellows this ruby juice,

As music comforts poetry, and the eye

Assists the palate (pouring).

Luc.Is’t not true, Petronius,

Thou dost hate Nero too? Thou hast held aloof

From all his crimes. Thou sippest an exile’s wine,

Thou laughest and art comfortable: ah! man,

Stop well thine ears with luxury, lest thou hear

The shrieks in Cæsar’s garden, where men burn

To light his revels up.

Se^o.Ay, burned alive,

Because he saith they burned the city,—and he

Did it himself: would he were burned.

Qu.I heard him

Whisper to Tigellinus, ‘I had liefer

’Twere all burnt than a little; help it, master!’

And so it was.—

Pet. I have come to see the purpose of this supper.

(To Piso) The company, my lord, was gathered here

By Fænius Rufus: he and other two

Have disappointed me . . . My lord, I see

My house was chosen for security.

I’ll take it as a compliment: you are welcome

To all but my attention. Ha! I think

Here be the others.—(Letting in Rufus, Lateranus and Flavus.) Welcome, my lords!

Ruf. I fear we are late, Petronius.

Pet.Make excuse

To my most honoured guest.

Pis.Ye are come in time

To share the best of wine.

Pet.Pray serve yourselves:

I go to close the door ’gainst listeners.

Ruf. (to Luc.). Ye have broached the business?

(Motioning.)

Luc. (to Ruf.).Yes..

Ruf.Nay, I’ll sit here,

And fill my cup.

Pis.And you too, sirs, be seated.

Ruf. (pouring). I saw a sight as I came here: the mob

Dragging some wretched Christian to be burned.

And all the while his sister ran beside,

With her vain anguish heightening their fury:

And he! ... believe me, I never saw a man

In all my life look better pleased.—I quaff

To Piso.

All (toasting). Piso! Piso!

Ruf.And what saith

Calpurnius Piso?

Pis.How, general?

Ruf.You consent?

Pis. Consent to what?

Luc.Speak, Rufus.

Lat.Let the general

Make our proposals to his lordship.

(Petronius returns.)

All.Hear, hear!

Ruf. My lords and gentlemen, since I am chosen

To expound the common thought.... It sprang at first,

I think, of the earthquake: seeing Cæsar’s life

So near extinguished, as it was, at Naples,

It came into our minds that no provision

Was made for the succession; which neglect,

In case of accident, might cause disturbance,

And saddle us with an upstart. We agreed

To choose our Cæsar; but, to shield ourselves,

Would sound him privately.

Pis.My noble friends,

Ye are justified by circumstance: I share

Your fears, and was acquainted with your purpose.

But, ere I stand committed to your party,

What are their names? Have you them writ?

Luc.No, no.

We write no names.

Pis.Who be they?

Ruf.You see us here.

There are besides, my tribunes Statius Proximus

And Granius Silvanus: my centurions

Scaurus and Paullus. There’s Sulpitius Asper,

And Julius Tugerinus, Martius Festus,

Proculus, a whole list,—Munatius Gratus,

Vulcatius Avaricus....

Pis.And the consul

Vestinus?

Ruf.Nay.

Pis.Thrasea and Priscus?

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Ruf.No.

Pis. We lack the senatorials then: perhaps

Seneca is with us?

Ruf.Nay, nor he, my lord.

Pis. You mentioned Proculus: doth Proculus

Bring all the navy?

Ruf.Nay, our Proculus

Is not Volusius.

Pis.Nor the navy either!

Se^o. I know the Admiral, my lord: let me

Sound him, if he hangs back.

Fla.No hangers-back.

Ruf. Your name, my lord, when we may mention it,

Is all-sufficient.

Pis.I give not my name

Till Nero is dead.

Fla.That will be soon.

Sce.Three days.

Pis. Indeed! how know you?

Sce.Here I show you a sword

I have whetted for the deed.

Fla.Eh, sir! and who

Named thee?

Sce.Myself to Capitolian Jove

Offered myself and weapon.

Fla.And what, I pray,

Said Jupiter?

Pet.Peace, peace! Here in my house

Let me be chairman.——

I’ll ask Scevinus first to state his plan.

Fla. Yes, state it, sir.

Sce.I would set fire to his house,

And stab him as he hurried to and fro.

Pet. Enough of fire. The palace is already

Half-burned, and what remains of it is prospectively

Lord Piso’s.—Subrius Flavus, what’s your scheme?

Fla. I’d kill him when he is singing on the stage,

In face of all the people, a sacrifice

To his Greek Apollo.

Pet.Not ill thought of, sir;

But who’s to do it?—Well, Senecio?

Se^o. Why fix the time or place? Let all here swear

That the first one of us who can approach him

Shall stab him to the heart.

Ruf.Yes, and be killed for it.

’Tis rare that Cæsar goes unguarded now.

Luc. You bid us sacrifice our lives, but I

Would gaze, like Cassius, on my glorious deed.

Pet. Then, Lucan, have you a plan?

Luc.I should propose

To leave the deed to Rufus: he commands

The needful force.

Pet.Well, Rufus?

Ruf.’Tis not easy,

As Lucan thinks: and if he escape our swords,

’Tis death to us all. There is but one way free

Of personal risk.—If my lord would invite him

To an entertainment at his house at Naples,

We might be sure of him.

Pis. (rising).What! Good Heavens, General!

Take you me for a Jew? An entertainment!

My house!

Pet.Hear, ear!

Pis.Rufus, and all my friends,

Hear me. While Nero lives, my life’s in danger:

Yet will I never move to take him off.

If you shall choose to do it, or if he die,

I’ll be your Cæsar: there’s no more to say.

I leave you to consult. (Going.)

Pet.Not in my house.

As chairman I adjourn the meeting: nay,

I have done more than my duty.

Luc.And why, Petronius,

Wilt thou not join us?

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Pet.Rather, I beg you each,

Whoever may be Cæsar, to remember

My innocence, and leave me to myself.

Pis. Why, for your very virtue I shall need you.

Pet. Indeed, my lord, you know me not: my habits

Are incompatible with business.

You have eaten with me now, but, late as ’tis,

Your supper is my breakfast; and while you

Go to your beds, I shall begin my day:

Like an old lion....

Luc.Or like an owl.

Pet.Well, sparrow,

Or like an owl, that makes his day of night,

And when men stir hies to his barn; so I:

And by this trick of time shut myself off

From half the curse of life. You little think

What charm the witching night hath for her lovers:

How her solemnity doth deepen thought,

And bring again the lost hellenic Muse

To sing from heaven: or on moonlit swards

Of fancy shadows in transfigured scene

The history of man.—Thus, like a god,

I dwell; and take the early morning cries

For calls to sleep; and from divinity

Fall to forgetfulness, while bustling day

Ravages life; and know no more of it,—

Your riot and din, the plots and crimes of Rome,—

Than doth a diver in Arabian seas,

Plunging for pearls beneath the lonely blue:

But o’er my slumbering head soft airs of dreamland

Rock their wild honey-blooms, till the shy stars

Once more are venturing forth, and I awake.

Is not that something?

Pis.Ha, ha! Well, good-night!

I mean good-morning. Yet ere we depart

I’ll take each by the hand,—you, sir, and you,—

And let it be an earnest of my favour

In time to come: I shall remember all.

Consult meanwhile with Rufus: I shall see him,

And shall myself make ready.

Pet.The slaves, my lord,

Are sent away: I’ll show you to the street:

Come: you shall see me undo the doors, and say

I care well for my safety. Pray keep silence.

[Exeunt.

SCENE · 3

The next morning: a room in Lucan’s house.

Enter a Servant.

SERVANT.

Scarce an hour after sunrise, and two ladies for my master already. This it is to be a poet. One gives no name; the other is Thrasea’s daughter, Priscus’ young wife. I am to take her first: though the other looks the more pressing. (Goes to side, and returns ushering Fannia.) If my lady will kindly wait here a moment.

FANNIA.

Is your master not up?

Serv. He was late last night, my lady; and is now breakfasting.

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Fan. Will he not see me?

[Exit.

Serv. Yes, my lady.

Fan. It is then as we feared: Lucan was there.

He is one of the conspiracy of Piso,

And he was at Petronius’ house last night:

I come too late.

Enter Lucan, hurriedly.

>LUCAN.

Fannia, good-morning!

Fan. Good-morning, cousin!

Luc. What brings you here so early?

Fan. Ah! if I am not too late! My husband sent me

To save thy life.

Luc. (excitedly). What’s this?

Fan.These were his words,

‘Bid him, by all we love and hold in common,

Withdraw from the conspiracy.’

Luc. (aside).’Tis nothing.——

(To Fan.). I thank thee. Take this answer to the message,

‘I bid him, by the love we hold in common,

Join the conspiracy.’

Fan.Judge, my dear cousin,

By them that hold aloof how ill ’tis plotted.

Luc. Then rather win the hearts that hold aloof,

Than tamper with the movers.

Fan.Sir, my husband....

Luc. Thou hast the fairest star in heaven to guide thee.

Fan. Let him guide thee.

Luc.I must not hear thee, cousin.

Write down my name ’mong the tyrannicides.

I know I have thy prayers; and to say truth,

I need them: ’tis an anxious time: indeed

While we talk here, a secret messenger

Awaits me: the suspense distracts me. Excuse me!...

Farewell!... I must....

Fan.Ah, Lucan, Lucan!

Luc.Give

My loving thanks to Priscus.

Fan.Alas! Farewell.

May the gods aid thee!

Luc. In sleep or action is my mind at ease:

Betwixt the two, each moment is a world

Of scared imaginations. Better suffer

One worst at once, than all the thousand tortures

The making mind invents. Who is this woman,

That I should dread her message with more fear

Than I would grant to death?

Enter Epicharis.

Come in! Ah, lady, I fear there’s something ill?

Com’st thou from . . . say, bringst thou a secret message?

What is’t? Ay, sit and speak.

EPICHARIS (sitting). Art thou the poet Lucan?

Luc.I am.

Ep. ’Tis well.

I bring this book. (Giving.)

Luc.Ha! a passport: from whose hand?

Ep. A courtier gave it to me in lieu of money.

Luc. (aside). The copy I gave to Quintian.——

Was it Quintian?

Ep. No, sir. Ask not his name.

Luc.Tell me thy message;

Or if this book is all, what is thy price?

Ep. Sir, I was told this book, if given to Nero,

Would be thy death. ’Tis writ by thee?

Luc.It is.

Ep. Then thou dost hate him.

Luc. (aside).What should this lead to?——

Thy manner frights me, lady, not thy matter.

Who art thou, pale and breathless as the grave,

That comest thus?

Ep.My name is Epicharis.

Three days ago, sir, when this book was given me,

I thought to bring it back to thee, from whom

No doubt ’twas stolen, and win gold for my silence.

To-day I ask not money; but much more

I’ll ask, if by this chance I have found in Rome

The man to avenge me.

Luc.Avenge thee? What is thy wrong?

Tremble not so.

Ep.Wilt thou? Art thou the man?

Dost thou hate Nero?

Luc.Pray, lady, be still.

Ep. Sir, canst thou help me?

Luc.If thou art wronged by Nero,

Lady, I can and will help thee.

Ep.And thou

Thyself too art in danger.

Luc.In greater danger

Than thou surmisest.

Ep.If all wait their turn,

Who shall be left to avenge?

Luc.I do not wait.

Let me beseech thee, lady, master this passion,

And tell thy grief.

Ep.My grief? nay, that’s past telling:

There are no words for that. Yet fear not, sir;

I can be quiet while I tell my story.

Luc. Be comforted to know thou tellest to one,

Thy sworn ally, before thou sayst a word.

To his strong mortal anger add thy cause.

Ep. I shall, sir; I can. All womanly soft feeling

I have driven for ever from me; and I have sworn

A pact with tears, that I will shed not one

Till I be avenged.

Luc.Trust me; and tell thy wrong.

Ep. I live at Naples, sir; my mother keeps

The tavern where the sailors most resort.

My father died five years ago, and then

It happened that my brother, my only brother,—

Whose generous nature blamed the life of gain

That there we led,—left us, and was ere-long

Inveigled by the Christian sect. It happened

He met their leader Paulus,—whom ’twas said

Burrus protected,—for he came by Naples,

And there my brother heard him, and after had

Strange visions, and believed the end of the world

Was near, and Christ would come to reign in Rome,

And other doctrines taught by Paul; and lately,

Three days ago, he saw Paul in a dream,

Who beckoned him to Rome. Hither he came,

And I soon after him, being full of fear,

Knowing the ill-odour of his sect, and him

Inclined to boast it; and so I came. The Christians

Were seized last night, and my poor brother, sir,

Though unknown, unsuspected and unchallenged,

Gave himself up. Now all is over.

Luc.Thou meanest....

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Ep. I could not stay him. I saw him taken. One Thrasea,

A senator, whose voice seemed powerful with them,

Joined his commands with my poor prayers in vain:

’Twas Nero’s order.

Luc.Was he burned?

Ep.Ye gods,

If there be any gods; if there be Christ,

Or Zeus, or Jove, or who you will, look down,

Avenge!

Luc. Thou shalt be avenged.

Ep.I know not, sir,

Where I have been, nor how my brother suffered:

He had no fear; he welcomed death: and yet,—

Ah! what I saw! were it assured a dream,

I would not live after that dream; the memory

Would make a horror of joy. I pray to die,

Die and forget; but first live and avenge him:

I will do that: help me or show me how.

Luc. Can thy just hate teach thy tongue silence, lady?

Ep. Fear not my tongue: fear nothing: were I not brave,

Should I be alive? should I be here?

Luc.My secret,

That I shall tell thee, is my life. I am one

Of a conspiracy to rid the world

Of this black monster.

Ep.Thou art? thou art? Thou tellst me

That I may join? Alas, that I am a woman.

Luc. Prove now thy mastery of thyself by reasoning

In sober terms.

Ep.I can.

Luc. (showing the book). Who gave thee this?

Ep. Senecio.

Luc.Ha! Senecio! can it be....

Ep. Thou mayst not think it, sir, seeing me to-day:

But yesterday thou wouldst have well believed

I might have lovers.

Luc.... At Naples, at this tavern,

Hast thou acquaintance with the Admiral?

Ep. I know him well.

Luc.How doth he stand towards Cæsar?

Ep. He hates him.

Luc.Yes, but would he join our party?

We have no means to sound him: this Senecio

Has taken it on himself. I did not trust him;

Now I suspect him.

Ep.You would win the navy?

Luc. ’Tis that.

Ep.I could approach him.

Luc.I think thou mayst.

Bide with me here to-day; for ere we talk

Thou must have food & sleep. I shall speak with thee

More confidently then: thou art now o’erstrained.

Ep. I shall not sleep.

Luc.To the distracted heart,

To whom this life is hell, nature hath given

A perfect boon, the numbing poppy-juice:

Soothed by its gracious power thou wilt sleep well.

My mother shall attend thee: she knows all.