_Ani._ Ha! where’s thy hand? Ay, as I thought, a dagger well concealed Under his cloak. _Age._ Indeed, indeed, good sir, I have no dagger. _Ani._ How no dagger? See! Had I not caught thee! Ho! the guard, the guard! Take him to prison till he can be questioned. _Age._ You do force treason on me. Cæsar! Cæsar! [_He is borne off by Guards._ _Ani._ This villain having come, as he confessed, From the empress armed, will Cæsar leave the enquiry Now in my hands? _Ner._ I do. _Ani._ With me who will! 3091 _Tig._ I follow, lead the way. [_Exeunt Anicetus and Tigellinus. Paris follows them. Exit Nero within doors._ _PETRONIUS._ What will they go to do? _Bur._ ’Tis thus: the Admiral Has gone to kill the Augusta. _Petr._ Gods forbid! His orders? _Bur._ Humph! _Petr._ Why, men, what thing ye do! He is shamed for ever. _Bur._ Ay, and were’t not done Were shamed no less. _Sen._ Alas! ’tis true, ’tis true. And thou wert right, Burrus; but dost thou well Permitting this? _Bur._ I see ’tis necessary, And am not shamed to say I think the thing 3100 Itself is good. As for the motives, Seneca, Ay, and the manner of it, to defend them I shall not meddle. _Petr._ (_to Sen._) And thou wilt take thy share? _Sen._ ’Tis not my counsel. _Petr._ ’Twill be held as thine, And rightly, seeing that thou let it not. I could have stayed it. _Bur._ Nay, be not so sure. And if thou could’st have let it, could’st thou too Prevent the consequences? _Petr._ But remember, She is his mother. Oh, I thought him better. Is it too late now think you, if I ran... 3110 _Bur._ They are there by now. Believe ’tis for the best. If she should live but till to-morrow morn, ’Tis civil war. Consider what a party Would stir upon the tale of Claudius’ death, Or to revenge Britannicus. I say There’s nought to gain. _Petr._ Why, ’tis his mother, Burrus, His mother. I’ll be sworn he had not dared Thus to commit himself had I been by. He that should be a model to the world, The mirror of good manners, to offend 3120 Thus against taste! _Bur._ If ’twere no worse...