[Exit.
ACT IV
SCENE I.-An Apartment in AGRIPPINA'S House.
Enter GALLUS and AGRIPPINA.
Gal. You must have patience, royal Agrippina.
Agr.
I must have vengeance, first; and that were nectar
Unto my famish'd spirits. O, my fortune,
Let it be sudden thou prepar'st against me;
Strike all my powers of understanding blind.
And ignorant of destiny to come!
Let me not fear that cannot hope.
Gal.
Dear princess,
These tyrannies on yourself, are worse than Caesar's.
Agr.
Is this the happiness of being born great?
Still to be aim'd at? still to be suspected?
To live the subject of all jealousies?
At least the colour made, if not the ground
To every painted danger? who would not
Choose once to fall, than thus to hang for ever?
Gal. You might be safe if you would---
Agr.
What, my Gallus!
Be lewd Sejanus' strumpet, or the bawd
To Caesar's lusts, he now is gone to practise?
Not these are safe, where nothing is. Yourself,
While thus you stand but by me, are not safe.
Was Silius safe? or the good Sosia safe?
Or was my niece, dear Claudia Pulchra, safe,
Or innocent Furnius? they that latest have
(By being made guilty) added reputation
To Afer's eloquence? O, foolish friends,
Could not so fresh example warn your loves,
But you must buy my favours with that loss
Unto yourselves; and when you might perceive
That Caesar's cause of raging must forsake him,
Before his will! Away, good Gallus, leave me.
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