TRIO. Sejanus is a noble, bounteous lord. HATERIUS. He is so, and most valiant. LATIARIS. And most wise. FIRST SENATOR. He’s every thing. LATIARIS. Worthy of all, and more Than bounty can bestow. TRIO. This dignity Will make him worthy. POMPONIUS. Above Cæsar. SANQUINIUS. Tut, Cæsar is but the rector of an isle, He of the empire. TRIO. Now he will have power More to reward than ever. COTTA. Let us look We be not slack in giving him our voices. LATIARIS. Not I. SANQUINIUS. Nor I. COTTA. The readier we seem To propagate his honours, will more bind His thoughts to ours. HATERIUS. I think right with your lordship; It is the way to have us hold our places. SANQUINIUS. Ay, and get more. LATIARIS. More office and more titles. POMPONIUS. I will not lose the part I hope to share I n these his fortunes, for my patrimony. LATIARIS. See, how Arruntius sits, and Lepidus! TRIO. Let them alone, they will be mark’d anon. FIRST SENATOR. I’ll do with others. SECOND SENATOR. So will I. THIRD SENATOR. And I. Men grow not in the state, but as they are planted Warm in his favours. COTTA. Noble Sejanus! HATERIUS. Honour’d Sejanus! LATIARIS. Worthy and great Sejanus! ARRUNTIUS. Gods! how the sponges open and take in, And shut again! look, look! is not he blest That gets a seat in eye-reach of him? more, That comes in ear, or tongue-reach? O but most, Can claw his subtle elbow, or with a buz Fly-blow his ears? PRÆTOR. Proclaim the senate’s peace, And give last summons by the edict. PRÆCONES. Silence! In name of Cæsar, and the senate, silence! _Memmius Regulus, and Fulcinius Trio, consuls, these present kalends of June, with the first light, shall hold a senate, in the temple of Apollo Palatine: all that are fathers, and are registered fathers that have right of entering the senate, we warn or command you be frequently present, take knowledge the business is the commonwealth’s: whosoever is absent, his fine or mulct will be taken, his excuse will not be taken._ TRIO. Note who are absent, and record their names. REGULUS. Fathers conscript, may what I am to utter Turn good and happy for the commonwealth! And thou, Apollo, in whose holy house We here have met, inspire us all with truth, And liberty of censure to our thought! The majesty of great Tiberius Cæsar Propounds to this grave senate, the bestowing Upon the man he loves, honour’d Sejanus, The tribunitial dignity and power: Here are his letters, signed with his signet. What pleaseth now the fathers to be done? SENATORS. Read, read them, open, publicly read them. COTTA. Cæsar hath honour’d his own greatness much In thinking of this act. TRIO. It was a thought Happy, and worthy Cæsar. LATIARIS. And the lord As worthy it, on whom it is directed! HATERIUS. Most worthy! SANQUINIUS. Rome did never boast the virtue That could give envy bounds, but his: Sejanus— FIRST SENATOR. Honour’d and noble! SECOND SENATOR. Good and great Sejanus!