Poetry

heart, thy judging eye,
The flower unheeded shall descry,
And bid it round heaven’s altars shed
The fragrance of its blushing head;
Shall raise from earth the latent gem
To glitter on the diadem.”

Recitative

“Lo! Granta waits to lead her blooming band,
Not obvious, not obtrusive, she
No vulgar praise, no venal incense flings;
Nor dares with courtly tongue refined
Profane thy inborn royalty of mind;
She reveres herself and thee.
With modest pride to grace thy youthful brow,
The laureate wreath, that Cecil wore, she brings,
And to thy just, thy gentle hand
Submits the fasces of her sway,
While spirits blest above and men below
Join with glad voice the loud symphonious lay.”

Grand Chorus

“Thro’ the wild waves as they roar,
With watchful eye and dauntless mien,
Thy steady course of honour keep,
Nor fear the rocks, nor seek the shore;
The Star of Brunswick smiles serene,
And gilds the horrors of the deep.”

Agrippina

A Fragment of a Tragedy

Dramatis Personae

• Agrippina, the Empress-mother.

• Nero, the Emperor.

• Poppaea, believed to be in love with Otho.

• Otho, a young man of quality, in love with Poppaea.

• Seneca, the Emperor’s Preceptor.

• Anicetus, Captain of the Guards.

• Demetrius, the Cynic, friend to Seneca.

• Aceronia, Confidant to Agrippina.

The Argument

The drama opens with the indignation of Agrippina at receiving her son’s orders from Anicetus to remove from Baiae, and to have her guard taken from her. At this time Otho having conveyed Poppaea from the house of her husband Rufus Crispinus, brings her to Baiae, where he means to conceal her among the crowd; or, if his fraud is discovered, to have recourse to the Emperor’s authority; but, knowing the lawless temper of Nero, he determines not to have recourse to that expedient but on the utmost necessity. In the meantime he commits her to the care of Anicetus, whom he takes to be his friend, and in whose age he thinks he may safely confide. Nero is not yet come to Baiae; but Seneca, whom he sends before him, informs Agrippina of the accusation concerning Rubellius Plancus, and desires her to clear herself, which she does briefly, but demands to see her son, who, on his arrival, acquits her of all suspicion, and restores her to her honours.

In the mean while, Anicetus, to whose care Poppaea had been entrusted by Otho, contrives the following plot to ruin Agrippina; he betrays his trust to Otho, and brings Nero, as it were by chance, to the sight of the beautiful Poppaea. The Emperor is immediately struck with her charms, and she, by a feigned resistance, increases his passion; though, in reality, she is from the first dazzled with the prospect of empire, and forgets Otho. She therefore joins with Anicetus in his design of ruining Agrippina, soon perceiving that it will be for her interest. Otho hearing that the Emperor had seen Poppaea, is much enraged; but not knowing that this interview was obtained through the treachery of Anicetus, is readily persuaded by him to see Agrippina in secret, and acquaint her with his fears that her son Nero would marry Poppaea. Agrippina, to support her own power, and to wean the Emperor from the love of Poppaea, gives Otho encouragement, and promises to support him. Anicetus secretly introduces Nero to hear their discourse; who resolves immediately on his mother’s death, and, by Anicetus’s means, to destroy her by drowning. A solemn feast, in honour of their reconciliation, is to be made; after which she being to go by sea to Bauli, the ship is so contrived as to sink or crush her; she escapes by accident, and returns to Baiae.

In this interval Otho has an interview with Poppaea; and being duped a second time by Anicetus and her, determines to fly with her into Greece, by means of a vessel which is to be furnished by Anicetus; but he, pretending to remove Poppaea on board in the night, conveys her to Nero’s apartment; she there encourages and determines Nero to banish Otho, and finish the horrid deed he had attempted on his mother. Anicetus undertakes to execute his resolves; and, under pretence of a plot upon the Emperor’s life, is sent with a guard to murder Agrippina, who is still at Baiae in imminent fear, and irresolute how to conduct herself. The account of her death, and the Emperor’s horror and fruitless remorse, finishes the drama.

Act I

Scene I

Agrippina, Aceronia

Scene⁠—The Emperor’s villa at Baiae.

Agrippina	’Tis well, begone! your errand is performed, Speaks as to Anicetus entering. The message needs no comment. Tell your master, His mother shall obey him. Say you saw her Yielding due reverence to his high command; Alone, unguarded and without a lictor, As fits the daughter of Germanicus. Say, she retired to Antium; there to tend Her household cares, a woman’s best employment. What if you add, how she turned pale and trembled; You think, you spied a tear stand in her eye, And would have dropped, but that her pride restrained it? (Go! you can paint it well) ’twill profit you, And please the stripling. Yet ’twould dash his joy To hear the spirit of Britannicus Yet walks on earth; at least there are who know Without a spell to raise, and bid it fire A thousand haughty hearts, unused to shake When a boy frowns, nor to be lured with smiles To taste of hollow kindness, or partake His hospitable board; they are aware Of the unpledged bowl, they love not aconite.
Aceronia	He’s gone; and much I hope these walls alone And the mute air are privy to your passion. Forgive your servant’s fears, who sees the danger Which fierce resentment cannot fail to raise In haughty youth, and irritated power.
Agrippina	And dost thou talk to me, to me, of danger, Of haughty youth and irritated power, To her that gave it being, her that armed This painted Jove, and taught his novice hand To aim the forked bolt; while he stood trembling, Scared at the sound, and dazzled with its brightness? ’Tis like, thou hast forgot, when yet a stranger To adoration, to the grateful steam Of flattery’s incense, and obsequious vows From voluntary realms,