ARRUNTIUS. I would begin to study ’em, if I thought They would secure me. May I pray to Jove In secret and be safe? ay, or aloud, With open wishes, so I do not mention Tiberius or Sejanus? yes, I must, If I speak out. ’Tis hard that. May I think, And not be rack’d? What danger is’t to dream, Talk in one’s sleep, or cough? Who knows the law? May I shake my head without a comment? say It rains, or it holds up, and not be thrown Upon the Gemonies? These now are things, Whereon men’s fortune, yea, their faith depends. Nothing hath privilege ’gainst the violent ear. No place, no day, no hour, we see, is free, Not our religious and most sacred times, From some one kind of cruelty: all matter Nay, all occasion pleaseth. Madmen’s rage, The idleness of drunkards, women’s nothing, Jester’s simplicity, all, all is good That can be catcht at...Nor is now the event Of any person, or for any crime, To be expected; for ’tis always one: Death, with some little difference of place, Or time—What’s this? Prince Nero, guarded! Enter Laco and Nero with Guards. LACO. On, lictors, keep your way. My lords, forbear. On pain of Cæsar’s wrath, no man attempt Speech with the prisoner. NERO. Noble friends, be safe; To lose yourselves for words, were as vain hazard, As unto me small comfort: fare you well. Would all Rome’s sufferings in my fate did dwell! LACO. Lictors, away. LEPIDUS. Where goes he, Laco? LACO. Sir, He’s banish’d into Pontia by the senate. ARRUNTIUS. Do I see, hear, and feel? May I trust sense, Or doth my phant’sie form it? LEPIDUS. Where’s his brother? LACO. Drusus is prisoner in the palace. ARRUNTIUS. Ha! I smell it now: ’tis rank. Where’s Agrippina? LACO. The princess is confined to Pandataria. ARRUNTIUS. Bolts, Vulcan; bolts for Jove! Phœbus, thy bow; Stern Mars, thy sword: and, blue-ey’d maid, thy spear; Thy club, Alcides: all the armoury Of heaven is too little!—Ha!—to guard The gods, I meant. Fine, rare dispatch I this same Was swiftly born! Confined, imprison’d, banish’d? Most tripartite! the cause, sir? LACO. Treason. ARRUNTIUS. O! The complement of all accusings! that Will hit, when all else fails. LEPIDUS. This turn is strange! But yesterday the people would not hear, Far less objected, but cried Cæsar’s letters Were false and forged; that all these plots were malice; And that the ruin of the prince’s house Was practised ’gainst his knowledge. Where are now Their voices, now, that they behold his heirs Lock’d up, disgraced, led into exile? ARRUNTIUS. Hush’d, Drown’d in their bellies. Wild Sejanus’ breath Hath, like a whirlwind, scatter’d that poor dust, With this rude blast—We’ll talk no treason, sir, [_Turns to Laco and the rest._] If that be it you stand for. Fare you well. We have no need of horse-leeches. Good spy, Now you are spied, be gone. [_Exeunt Laco, Nero and Guards._] LEPIDUS. I fear you wrong him: He has the voice to be an honest Roman.