[BURRUS leads NERO to back of platform, and
addresses the soldiers at back.
BURRUS. Caesar is dead! Behold Caesar!
[A great shout of 'NERO!' 'CAESAR!' Meanwhile AGRIPPINA and SENECA are listening close together. Discordant cries are heard of 'BRITANNICUS!' A slave or attendant on NERO scatters gold in the direction of these discordant cries, which gradually subside, and are lost in one long shout of 'Nero, Imperator.' NERO motions for silence.
NERO. [Turning to Court.] Behold this forest of uprisen spears,
Symbol of might! But I upon that might
Would not rely. You hail me Emperor—
Then hail me as an Emperor of peace.
First, I declare divinest clemency.
No deaths have I to avenge, no wrath to bribe,
No desperate followers clamouring for spoil;
Pardon from me may beautifully fall.
Next, I bestow full liberty of speech;
I will not sway a dumb indignant earth—
Emperor over the unuttered curse.
Were I myself the mark, I will not flinch.
Yet citizens, if freedom of the tongue
I grant, I'd wish less freedom of the feast.
Then all informers who lie life away
I'll heavily chastise; let no man think
With hinted scandal to employ mine ear.
Last, over all my earth be perfect trust,
That every tribe and people, dusk or pale,
Legions extreme and farthest provinces,
May know that this my hand which striketh down
The oppressor and the tyrant from his seat
Shall raise the afflicted and exalt the meek.
And if this burden grow too vast at times,
Then, mother, teach thy son to bear the load.
[Exit Court.
AGRIPPINA. [Rushing to embrace him. He is vested with the purple and laurel wreath. The body of CLAUDIUS is borne off. Exit BURRUS. NERO comes down.] Nero, thou art my son!
NERO. To rule the world.
How heavy is the sceptre of the earth!
AGRIPPINA. [Coming down.] Nero, upon this arm behold I clasp
This amulet. One dawn two murderers
Despatched to kill thee, stealing to thy bed
Were frightened by a snake which from beneath
Thy pillow glided. From that serpent's skin
I made this charm. Wear it, and thou shalt prosper;
But lose it, look thou for calamities.
SENECA. [Prepares to go also.] You will
need sleep, sir, for to-morrow's task.
NERO. [In terror.] I am not pale? Not heavy-eyed?