way; he lights, at his first attempt, on the crudities, horrors, gigantic lewdness, shameless depravity of imperial Rome; he takes in hand and sets in motion the lusts and ferocities, the passions of courtesans and princesses, the daring of assassins and of great men, which produced Messalina, Agrippina, Catiline, Tiberius.' In the Rome which he places before us we go boldly and straight to the end; justice and pity oppose no barriers. Amid these customs of victors and slaves, human nature is upset; corruption and villany are held as proofs of insight and energy. Observe how, in Sejanus, assassination is plotted and carried out with marvellous coolness. Livia discusses with Sejanus the methods of poisoning her husband, in a clear style, without circumlocution, as if the subject were how to gain a lawsuit or to serve up a dinner. There are no equivocations, no hesitation, no remorse in the Rome of Tiberius. Glory and virtue consist in power; scruples are for base minds; the mark of a lofty heart is to desire all and to dare all. Macro says rightly: "Men's fortune there is virtue; reason their will; Their license, law; and their observance, skill. Occasion is their foil; conscience, their stain ; Profit, their lustre; and what else is, vain." 2 Sejanus addresses Livia thus: Yet, now I see your wisdom, judgment, strength, 1 See the second Act of Catiline. 3 Ibid. ii. These are the loves of the wolf and his mate; he praises her for being so ready to kill. And observe in one moment the morals of a prostitute appear behind the manners of the poisoner. Sejanus goes out, and immediately, like a courtesan, Livia turns to her physi cian, saying: "How do I look to-day? Eudemus. Excellent clear, believe it. This same fucus Was well laid on. Livia. Methinks 'tis here not white. Commandeth above Cupid or his shafts. [Paints her cheeks.] "Tis now well, lady, you should Use of the dentifrice I prescrib'd you too, To clear your teeth, and the prepar'd pomatum, To smooth the skin. A lady cannot be Too curious of her form, that still would hold The heart of such a person, made her captive, As you have his In your clear eye, who, to endear him more hath put away his wife Fair Apicata, and made spacious room To your new pleasures. L. Have not we return'd That with our hate to Drusus, and discovery Of all his counsels ? . . . E. When will you take some physic, lady? L. I shall, Eudemus: but let Drusus' drug E. Were Lygdus made, that's done... When And procure sweat, and then prepare a bath He ends by congratulating her on her approaching change of husbands; Drusus was injuring her complexion; Sejanus is far preferable; a physiological and practical conclusion. The Roman apothecary kept on the same shelf his medicine-chest, his chest of cosmetics, and his box of poisons.2 After this we find one after another all the scenes of Roman life unfolded, the bargain of murder, the comedy of justice, the shamelessness of flattery, the anguish and vacillation of the senate. When Sejanus wishes to buy a conscience, he questions, jokes, plays round the offer he is about to make, throws it out as if in pleasantry, so as to be able to withdraw it, if need be; then, when the intelligent look of the rascal, whom he is trafficking with, shows that he is understood: "Protest not, Thy looks are vows to me. Thou art a man, made to make consuls. Go." S Elsewhere, the senator Latiaris in his own house storms before his friend Sabinus, against tyranny, openly expresses a desire for liberty, provoking him to speak. The Fall of Sejanus, ii. * See Catiline, Act ii.; a very fine scene, no less plain spoken and animated, on the dissipation of the higher ranks in Rome. 3 The Fall of Sejanus, i. VOL. IL |