_Pro._ Off with you, my men: in five minutes I’ll be aboard. (_To Epic._) Come, lass! (_Mariners go out with Gripus._) _Ep._ Come where, my lord? _Pro._ Why, aboard with me. _Ep._ Ha ha! I thank you, but I cannot. _Pro._ Wouldst thou be buried alive? _Ep._ There is my old bed-ridden mother, my lord; I’ll not leave her. 275 _Pro._ Well, stick to your ship, like a true girl. You, Calvus, pay the charges and follow. _Se^{o.}_ Who’s afraid now, my lord! Is it not the gods? _Pro._ They take much pains to frighten us, sir. [_Exit._ _Se^{o.}_ And me, with a wife and family. I care not. _1st Off._ (_paying_). Thou’lt be buried with thy jars, Epicharis. _Ep._ Balmed in good wine, eh! Add me yet a denarius for lord Senecio’s drink. _Se^{o.}_ Two; I have drunk two. _1st Off._ Here’s for him. _Se^{o.}_ (_drinking_). Your health, sir! If you wish to know the cause of all this, I can inform you. ’Tis the emperor’s cursed singing hath done it. He hath offended the gods. To call himself Apollo on the one hand, and on the other to sing in the theatre. What else could he expect? I give him his due, he cares not for the gods. _Ep._ He doth not, sir. _Se^{o.}_ Nor I either: not much. _1st Off._ Good-night, lass: may we meet again! _Ep._ No fear. [_Exit 1st Off. with the others._ (_Senecio remains, and Clitus, who stands aloof._) _Ep._ (_to Senecio_). Follow thou, follow them. 300 _Se^{o.}_ They won’t have me. _Ep._ Nor will I. I wonder thou durst even show thy face after all thy vain promises. Thou that wouldst bring me to Cæsar, and I know not what. _Se^{o.}_ I can, I shall yet. _Ep._ Begone, see you, begone. _Se^{o.}_ Look what I had brought thee (_showing a book_). _Ep._ A book I do believe. _Se^{o.}_ Purple edges and gold knops. _Ep._ Seneca on morals, I suppose. _Se^{o.}_ No. ’Tis Lucan’s book. This can bring thee to Cæsar. This little book hath great treasons in it. _Ep._ Treason! ha! and I to inform, to show it to Cæsar? _Se^{o.}_ Well, if not, think what his friends might give to recover it. _Ep._ You should have sold it yourself and brought me the money. _Se^{o.}_ ’Twould be guessed whence I whizzled it. _Ep._ Wretch! in what villany wouldst thou snare me? Give it me. (_Takes it._) From whom didst thou steal it? _Se^{o.}_ Only from a friend. _Ep._ I’ll save thy friends from thee, and first myself. Begone! begone! _Se^{o.}_ Thou wilt come to Rome, Epicharis? _Ep._ (_thrusting him out_). Begone! [_Exit Senecio._ (_To Clitus_) Now, brother. _Cli._ O sister, my sister, my Epicharis! To hear that name defiled! In what a pit Of sin thou livest, diest; ’mong the swine Perishest! Ah, by God’s mercy, ’tis not too late: Fly with me, fly! _Ep._ Fly whither?