tyranny. 
   Flattery is midwife unto prince’s rage: 
   And nothing sooner doth help forth a tyrant,
   Than that and whisperers’ grace, who have the time,
   The place, the power, to make all men offenders.

Arr. 
   He should be told this; and be bid dissemble
   With fools and blind men:  we that know the evil,
   Should hunt the palace-rats or give them bane;
   Fright hence these worse than ravens, that devour T
   he quick, where they but prey upon the dead: 
   He shall be told it.

Sab. 
   Stay, Arruntius,
   We must abide our opportunity;
   And practise what is fit, as what is needful. 
   It is not safe t’ enforce a sovereign’s ear: 
   Princes hear well, if they at all will hear.

Arr. 
   Ha, say you so? well!  In the mean time, Jove,
   (Say not, but I do call upon thee now,)

Sil.  ’Tis well pray’d.

Tib. [having read the letters.]
  Return the lords this voice,—–­
  We are their creature,
   And it is fit a good and honest prince,
   Whom they, out of their bounty, have instructed
   With so dilate and absolute a power,
   Should owe the office of it to their service. 
   And good of all and every citizen. 
   Nor shall it e’er repent us to have wish’d
   The senate just, and favouring lords unto us,
   Since their free loves do yield no less defence
   To a prince’s state, than his own innocence. 
   Say then, there can be nothing in their thought
   Shall want to please us, that hath pleased them;
   Our suffrage rather shall prevent than stay
   Behind their wills:  ’tis empire to obey,
   Where such, so great, so grave, so good determine. 
   Yet, for the suit of Spain, to erect a temple
   In honour of our mother and our self,
   We must, with pardon of the senate, not
   Assent thereto.  Their lordships may object
   Our not denying the same late request
   Unto the Asian cities:  we desire
   That our defence for suffering that be known
   In these brief reasons, with our after purpose. 
   Since deified Augustus hindered not
   A temple to be built at Pergamum,
   In honour of himself and sacred Rome;
   We, that have all his deeds and words observed
   Ever, in place of laws, the rather follow’d
   That pleasing precedent, because with ours,
   The senate’s reverence, also, there was join’d. 
   But as, t’ have once received it, may deserve
   The gain of pardon; so, to be adored
   With the continued style, and note of gods,
   Through all the provinces, were wild ambition. 
   And no less pride:  yea, even Augustus’ name
   Would early vanish, should it be profaned
   With such promiscuous flatteries.  For our part,
   We here protest it, and are covetous
   Posterity should know it. we are mortal;
   And can but deeds of men:  ’twere glory enough,