MACRO. If I could lose All my humanity now, ’twere well to torture So meriting a traitor.-Wherefore, fathers, Sit you amazed and silent; and not censure This wretch, who, in the hour he first rebell’d ’Gainst Cæsar’s bounty, did condemn himself? Phlegra, the field where all the sons of earth Muster’d against the gods, did ne’er acknowledge So proud and huge a monster. REGULUS. Take him hence; And all the gods guard Cæsar! TRIO. Take him hence. HATERIUS. Hence. COTTA. To the dungeon with him. SANQUINIUS. He deserves it. SENATORS. Crown all our doors with bays. SANQUINIUS. And let an ox, With gilded horns and garlands, straight be led Unto the Capitol— HATERIUS. And sacrificed To Jove, for Cæsar’s safety. TRIO. All our gods Be present still to Cæsar! COTTA. Phœbus. SANQUINIUS. Mars. HATERIUS. Diana. SANQUINIUS. Pallas. SENATORS. Juno, Mercury, All guard him! MACRO. Forth, thou prodigy of men! [_Exit Sejanus, guarded._] COTTA. Let all the traitor’s titles be defaced. TRIO. His images and statues be pull’d down. HATERIUS. His chariot-wheels be broken. ARRUNTIUS. And the legs Of the poor horses, that deseryed nought, Let them be broken too! [_Exeunt Lictors, Præcones, Macro, Regulus, Trio, Haterius and Sanquinius: manent Lepidus, Arruntius and a few Senators._] LEPIDUS. O violent change, And whirl of men’s affections! ARRUNTIUS. Like, as both Their bulks and souls were bound on Fortune’s wheel, And must act only with her motion. LEPIDUS. Who would depend upon the popular air, Or voice of men, that have to-day beheld That which, if all the gods had fore-declared, Would not have been believed, Sejanus’ fall? He, that this morn rose proudly, as the sun, And, breaking through a mist of clients’ breath, Came on, as gazed at and admired as he, When superstitious Moors salute his light! That had our servile nobles waiting him As common grooms; and hanging on his look, No less than human life on destiny! That had men’s knees as frequent as the gods; And sacrifices more than Rome had altars: And this man fall! fall? ay, without a look That durst appear his friend, or lend so much Of vain relief, to his changed state, as pity! ARRUNTIUS. They that before, like gnats, play’d in his beams, And throng’d to circumscribe him, now not seen Nor deign to hold a common seat with him! Others, that waited him unto the senate, Now inhumanely ravish him to prison, Whom, but this morn, they follow’d as their lord! Guard through the streets, bound like a fugitive, Instead of wreaths give fetters, strokes for stoops, Blind shames for honours, and black taunts for titles! Who would trust slippery chance? LEPIDUS. They that would make Themselves her spoil; and foolishly forget, When she doth flatter, that she comes to prey. Fortune, thou hadst no deity, if men Had wisdom: we have placed thee so high, By fond belief in thy felicity. [Shout within.] The gods guard Cæsar! All the gods guard Cæsar! Re-enter Macro, Regulus and divers Senators.