_Dio._ Who but _Aper_? The barbarous and most ingrateful _Aper_, His desperate Poniard printed on his breast This deadly wound: hate to vow'd enemies Finds a full satisfaction in death; And Tyrants seek no farther. He (a Subject, And bound by all the Ties of love and duty) Ended not so; but does deny his Prince (Whose ghost forbad passage to his rest, Mourns by the _Stygian_ shore) his Funeral-Rites. Nay, weep not; let your loves speak in your anger; And, to confirm you gave no suffrage to The damned Plot, lend me your helping hands To wreak the Parricide: and if you find That there is worth in _Diocles_ to deserve it, Make him your leader. _Guard._ A _Diocles_, a _Diocles_. _Dio._ We'll force him from his Guards. And now, my Stars, If you have any good for me in store, Shew it, when I have slain this fatal Boar. [_Exeunt._ SCENE III. _Enter_ Delphia _and_ Drusilla, _in a Throne drawn_ _by Dragons_. _Del._ Fix here, and rest a while your Sail-stretch'd wings That have out-stript the winds: the eye of Heaven Durst not behold your speed, but hid it self Behind the grossest clouds; and the pale Moon Pluckt in her silver horns, trembling for fear That my strong Spells should force her from her Sphere; Such is the power of Art. _Dru._ Good Aunt, where are we? _Del._ Look down, _Drusilla_, on these lofty Towers, These spacious streets, where every private house Appears a Palace to receive a King: The site, the wealth, the beauty of the place, Will soon inform thee 'tis imperious _Rome_, _Rome_, the great Mistris of the conquer'd world. _Dru._ But without _Diocles_, it is to me Like any wilderness we have pass'd o're: Shall I not see him? _Del._ Yes, and in full glory, And glut thy greedy eyes with looking on His prosperous success: Contain thy self; For though all things beneath us are transparent, The sharpest sighted, were he Eagle-ey'd, Cannot discover us: nor will we hang Idle Spectators to behold his triumph: _Enter_ Diocles, Maximinian, _Guard_, Aper, _Senators_, Geta, _Officers, with Litter_. But when occasion shall present it self, Do something to add to it. See, he comes. _Dru._ How god-like he appears! with such a grace The Giants that attempted to scale Heaven, When they lay dead on the _Phlegrean_ plain, _Mars_ did appear to _Jove_. _Del._ Forbear. _Dio._ Look on this, And when with horrour thou hast view'd thy deed, (Thy most accursed deed) be thine own judge, And see (thy guilt consider'd) if thou canst Perswade thy self (whom thou stand'st bound to hate) To hope or plead for mercy. _Aper._ I confess My life's a burden to me.