EUDEMUS. My noblest lord, He breathes not in the empire, or on earth. Whom I would be ambitious to serve In any act, that may preserve mine honour, Before your lordship. SEJANUS. Sir, you can lose no honour, By trusting aught to me. The coarsest act Done to my service, I can so requite, As all the world shall style it honourable: Your idle, virtuous definitions, Keep honour poor, and are as scorn’d as vain: Those deeds breathe honour that do suck in gain. EUDEMUS. But, good my lord, if I should thus betray The counsels of my patient, and a lady’s Of her high place and worth; what might your lordship, Who presently are to trust me with your own, Judge of my faith? SEJANUS. Only the best I swear. Say now that I should utter you my grief, And with it the true cause; that it were love, And love to Livia; you should tell her this: Should she suspect your faith; I would you could Tell me as much from her; see if my brain Could be turn’d jealous. EUDEMUS. Happily, my lord, I could in time tell you as much and more; So I might safely promise but the first To her from you. SEJANUS. As safely, my Eudemus, I now dare call thee so, as I have put The secret into thee. EUDEMUS. My lord— SEJANUS. Protest not, Thy looks are vows to me; use only speed, And but affect her with Sejanus’ love, Thou art a man, made to make consuls. Go. EUDEMUS. My lord, I’ll promise you a private meeting This day together. SEJANUS. Canst thou? EUDEMUS. Yes. SEJANUS. The place? EUDEMUS. My gardens, whither I shall fetch your lordship SEJANUS. Let me adore my Æsculapius. Why, this indeed is physic! and outspeaks The knowledge of cheap drugs, or any use Can be made out of it! more comforting Than all your opiates, juleps, apozems, Magistral syrups, or—Be gone, my friend, Not barely styled, but created so; Expect things greater than thy largest hopes, To overtake thee: Fortune shall be taught To know how ill she hath deserv’d thus long, To come behind thy wishes. Go, and speed. [_Exit Eudemus._] Ambition makes more trusty slaves than need. These fellows, by the favour of their art, Have still the means to tempt; oft-times the power. If Livia will be now corrupted, then Thou hast the way, Sejanus, to work out His secrets, who, thou know’st, endures thee not, Her husband, Drusus: and to work against them. Prosper it, Pallas, thou that better’st wit; For Venus hath the smallest share in it. Enter Tiberius and Drusus, attended. TIBERIUS. [to Haterius, who kneels to him.] We not endure these flatteries; let him stand; Our empire, ensigns, axes, rods and state Take not away our human nature from us: Look up on us, and fall before the gods. SEJANUS. How like a god speaks Cæsar! ARRUNTIUS. There, observe! He can endure that second, that’s no flattery. O, what is it, proud slime will not believe Of his own worth, to hear it equal praised Thus with the gods! CORDUS. He did not hear it, sir.