THE ARGUMENT
AELIUS SEJANUS, son to Seius Strabo, a gentleman of Rome, and born
at Vulsinium; after his long service in court, first under
Augustus; afterward, Tiberius; grew into that favour with the
latter, and won him by those arts, as there wanted nothing but the
name to make him a co-partner of the empire. Which greatness of
his, Drusus, the emperor's son, not brooking; after many smothered
dislikes, it one day breaking out, the prince struck him publicly
on the face. To revenge which disgrace, Livia, the wife of Drusus
(being before corrupted by him to her dishonour, and the discovery
of her husband's counsels) Sejanus practiseth with, together with
her physician called Eudemus, and one Lygdus an eunuch, to poison
Drusus. This their inhuman act having successful and unsuspected
passage, it emboldeneth Sejanus to further and more insolent
projects, even the ambition of the empire; where finding the lets
he must encounter to be many and hard, in respect of the issue of
Germanicus, who were next in hope for the succession, he deviseth
to make Tiberius' self his means, and instils into his ears many
doubts and suspicions, both against the princes, and their mother
Agrippina; which Caesar jealously hearkening to, as covetously
consenteth to their ruin, and their friends.
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