Cor.  Here comes another. [Dom.  Afer passes over the stage

Arr. 
   Ay, there’s a man, Afer the orator! 
   One that hath phrases, figures, and fine flowers,
   To strew his rhetoric with, and doth make haste,
   To get him note, or name, by any offer
   Where blood or gain be objects; steeps his words,
   When he would kill, in artificial tears: 
   The crocodile of Tyber! him I love,
   That man is mine; he hath my heart and voice
   When I would curse! he, he.

Sub. 
   Contemn the slaves,
   Their present lives will be their future graves. [Exeunt

                 Sceneiv.-Another Apartment in the same. 
                Enter Silius, agrippina, Nero, and Sosia.

Sil. 
   May’t please your highness not forget yourself;
   I dare not, with my manners, to attempt
   Your trouble farther.

Agr.  Farewell, noble Silius!

Sil.  Most royal princess.

Agr.  Sosia stays with us?

Sil. 
   She is your servant, and doth owe your grace
   An honest, but unprofitable love.

Agr.  How can that be, when there’s no gain but virtue’s?

Sil: 
   You take the moral, not the politic sense. 
   I meant, as she is bold, and free of speech,
   Earnest to utter what her zealous thought
   Travails withal, in honour of your house;
   Which act, as it is simply born in her,
   Partakes of love and honesty; but may,
   By the over-often, and unseason’d use,
   Turn to your loss and danger:  for your state
   Is waited on by envies, as by eyes;
   And every second guest your tables take
   Is a fee’d spy, to observe who goes, who comes;
   What conference you have, with whom, where, when. 
   What the discourse is, what the looks, the thoughts
   Of every person there, they do extract,
   And make into a substance.

Agr. 
   Hear me, Silius. 
   Were all Tiberius’ body stuck with eyes,
   And every wall and hanging in my house
   Transparent, as this lawn I wear, or air;
   Yea, had Sejanus both his ears as long
   As to my inmost closet, I would hate
   To whisper any thought, or change an act,
   To be made Juno’s rival.  Virtue’s forces
   Shew ever noblest in conspicuous courses.

Sil. 
   ’Tis great, and bravely spoken, like the spirit
   Of Agrippina:  yet, your highness knows,
   There is nor loss nor shame in providence;
   Few can, what all should do, beware enough. 
   You may perceive with what officious face,
   Satrius, and Natta, Afer, and the rest. 
   Visit your house, of late, to enquire the secrets;
   And with what bold and privileged art, they rail
   Against Augusta, yea, and at Tiberius;
   Tell tricks of Livia, and Sejanus; all
   To excite, and call your indignation on,
   That they might hear it at more liberty.