Cæsar, I thank thee that in all my torture Thou hast spared my tongue to tell thee truth at last: That I am admitted where my free confession May reach the public ear, nay not denied 2375 Thine own ear, and for that I thank thee most; And for my torture I thank thee too: ’tis proved I speak not lightly, and must be well believed. Thou bidst me, mighty Cæsar, tell thee truth: Weak is my tongue to tell the mighty truths Cæsar dare hear, and none hath dared to tell: And I die ... hearken quickly. Of all thou seest There is not one whom thou canst trust: all hate thee ... Yet needst thou not, great Cæsar, fear them much; For all are cowards: nay, there is not among them One brave enough to kill thee. And yet again, Great Cæsar, I counsel thee to fear them too; For all the world ’gainst one will have their way. I know thou fear’st. Then who is most thy foe? Whom first to kill? That I can tell thee, Cæsar: For none of all thou seest, or ever saw’st, Or wilt see again, nay, not thy murdered mother, Thy poisoned brother, thy beheaded wife, Whose bloody ghosts watch on the banks of hell To mark thy doom, none hateth thee as I, Defieth thee as I, curseth thee as I. O emperor of the world, thine hour is come. Within thy cankered soul dwell side by side Remorse and vanity to drive thee mad: The grecian furies hound thee, the christian devils Dispute for thee. Fly to thy dunghill, Cæsar, 2401 Where thou must perish ... _Ner._ Will none there stop her mouth? _Ep._ Plague-spotted, abhorred for ever—by all—accurst— _Asp._ Let no man interrupt her! _Ner._ Who spoke? Arrest him.— _Epicharis’ last words are spoken as the Soldiers surround her. She struggles on the litter violently, and falls back dead. Other Guards arrest Asper._ Who art thou, sir? thy name? _Asp._ My name is Asper. I am centurion under Rufus. _Ner._ Rufus, Know’st thou thy man? _Ruf._ I grieve, sire, it is true: He is one of my centurions. _Ner._ Question him. _Tig._ (_who is standing by Epicharis, to Nero_). Epicharis is dead. _Ner._ Ye have killed her, fools? Hath she got quit? _Tig._ ’Twas her own doing, Cæsar: She meshed her neck among the cords, and so Hath reft her of what little life remained. _Ner._ Remove her to the prison, and let physicians Attend her at once. _Tig._ She is dead. (_They carry Epicharis out._) _Ner._ Rufus, proceed With thy centurion. _Asp._ If all hate thee, Cæsar, How wilt thou bid that hater question this? _Ruf._ What, fellow? _Asp._ Thou that sittest there to judge, And shouldst stand here, wilt thou dare question me? _Ruf._ I, fellow? _Ner._ Ha! Rufus, thou turnest pale.