Alas! what is’t for us to sound, to explore,
   To watch, oppose, plot, practise, or prevent,
   If he, for whom it is so strongly labour’d,
   Shall, out of greatness and free spirit, be
   Supinely negligent? our city’s now
   Divided as in time o’ the civil war,
   And men forbear not to declare themselves
   Of Agrippina’s party.  Every day
   The faction multiplies; and will do more,
   If not resisted:  you can best enlarge it,
   As you find audience.  Noble Posthumus,
   Commend me to your Prisca:  and pray her,
   She will solicit this great business,
   To earnest and most present execution,
   With all her utmost credit with Augusta.

Pos.  I shall not fail in my instructions. [Exit.

Sej. 
   This second, from his mother, will well urge
   Our late design, and spur on Caesar’s rage;
   Which else might grow remiss.  The way to put
   A prince in blood, is to present the shapes
   Of dangers, greater than they are, like late,
   Or early shadows; and, sometimes, to feign
   Where there are none, only to make him fear? 
   His fear will make him cruel:  and once enter’d,
   He doth not easily learn to stop, or spare
   Where he may doubt.  This have I made my rule,
   To thrust Tiberius into tyranny,
   And make him toil, to turn aside those blocks,
   Which I alone could not remove with safety,
   Drusus once gone, Germanicus’ three sons
   Would clog my way; whose guards have too much faith
   To be corrupted:  and their mother known
   Of too, too unreproved a chastity,
   To be attempted, as light Livia was. 
   Work then, my art, on Caesar’s fears, as they
   On those they fear ’till all my lets be clear’d,
   And he in ruins of his house, and hate
   Of all his subjects, bury his own state;
   When with my peace and safety, I will rise,
   By making him the public sacrifice. [Exit.

            Sceneiii.-A Room in Agrippina’s House. 
                Enter SATRlUS and Natta. 
Sat.  They’re grown exceeding circumspect, and wary.

Nat. 
   They have us in the wind:  and yet Arruntius
   Cannot contain himself.

Sat. 
   Tut, he’s not yet
   Look’d after; there are others more desired
   That are more silent.

Nat.  Here he comes.  Away. [Exeunt.

Enter Sabinus, Arruntius, and Cordus

Sab. 
   How is it, that these beagles haunt the house
   Of Agrippina?

Arr. 
   O, they hunt, they hunt! 
   There is some game here lodged, which they must rouse,
   To make the great ones sport.

Cor. 
   Did you observe
   How they inveigh’d ’gainst Caesar?

Arr. 
   Ay, baits, baits,
   For us to bite at:  would I have my flesh
   Torn by the public hook, these qualified hangmen
   Should be my company.