the consul
   Honour them in, they both attend without. 
   I would present them to the senate’s care,
   And raise those suns of joy that should drink up
   These floods of sorrow in your drowned eyes.

Arr. 
    By Jove, I am not OEdipus enough
    To understand this Sphynx.

Sab.  The princes come. 
                                 Enter Nero, and Drusus, junior. 
Tib. 
   Approach you, noble Nero, noble Drusus. 
   These princes, fathers, when their parent died,
   I gave unto their uncle, with this prayer,
   That though he had proper issue of his own,
   He would no less bring up, and foster these,
   Than that self-blood; and by that act confirm
   Their worths to him, and to posterity. 
   Drusus ta’en hence, I turn my prayers to you,
   And ’fore our country, and our gods, beseech
   You take, and rule Augustus’ nephew’s sons,
   Sprung of the noblest ancestors; and so
   Accomplish both my duty, and your own,
   Nero, and Drusus, these shall be to you
   In place of parents, these your fathers, these;
   And not unfitly:  for you are so born,
   As all your good, or ill’s the common-wealth’s. 
   Receive them, you strong guardians; and blest gods,
   Make all their actions answer to their bloods: 
   Let their great titles find increase by them,
   Not they by titles.  Set them as in place,
   So in example, above all the Romans: 
   And may they know no rivals but themselves. 
   Let Fortune give them nothing; but attend
   Upon their virtue:  and that still come forth
   Greater than hope, and better than their fame. 
   Relieve me, fathers, with your general voice.

Senators. 
   May all the gods consent to Caesar’s wish,
   And add to any honours that may crown
   The hopeful issue of Germanicus

Tib.  We thank you, reverend fathers, in their right.

Arr. 
   If this were true now! but the space, the space
   Between the breast and lips—–­Tiberius’ heart
   Lies a thought further than another man’s. [Aside.

Tib. 
   My comforts are so flowing in my joys,
   As, in them, all my streams of grief are lost,
   No less than are land-waters in the sea,
   Or showers in rivers; though their cause was such,
   As might have sprinkled ev’n the gods with tears: 
   Yet, since the greater doth embrace the less,
   We covetously obey.

Arr.  Well acted, Caesar. [Aside.

Tib. 
   And now I am the happy witness made
   Of your so much desired affections
   To this great issue, I could wish, the
   Fates Would here set peaceful period to my days;
   However to my labours, I entreat,
   And beg it of this senate, some fit ease.