exercise it.

Arr. I thank him; there I look'd for't. A good fox!

Some there be that would interpret this his public severity to be
particular ambition, and that, under a pretext of service to us, he
doth but remove his own lets: alleging the strengths he hath made
to himself, by the praetorian soldiers, by his faction in court and
senate, by the offices he holds himself, and confers on others, his
popularity and dependents, his urging and almost driving us to this
our unwilling retirement, and, lastly, his aspiring to be our
son-in-law.

Sen. This is strange!

Arr. I shall anon believe your vultures, Marcus.

Your wisdoms, conscript fathers, are able to examine, and censure
these suggestions. But, were they left to our absolving voice, we
durst pronounce them, as we think them, most malicious.

Sen. O, he has restored all; list!
And give last summons by the edict.

Prae.
Silence!
In name of Caesar, and the senate, silence!
Memmius Regulus, and Fulcinius Trio, consuls, these present kalends
of June, with the first light, shall hold a senate, in the temple
of Apollo Palatine: all that are fathers, and are registered
fathers that have right of entering the senate, we warn or command
you be frequently present, take knowledge the business is the
commonwealth's: whosoever is absent, his fine or mulct will be
taken, his excuse will not be taken.

Tri. Note who are absent, and record their names.

Reg.
Fathers conscript, may what I am to utter
Turn good and happy for the commonwealth!
And thou, Apollo, in whose holy house
We here have met, inspire us all with truth,
And liberty of censure to our thought!
The majesty of great Tiberius Caesar
Propounds to this grave senate, the bestowing
Upon the man he loves, honour'd Sejanus,
The tribunitial dignity and power:
Here are his letters, signed with his signet.
What pleaseth now the fathers to be done?

Sen. Read, read them, open, publicly read them.

Cot.
Caesar hath honour'd his own greatness much
In thinking of this act.

Tri.
It was a thought
Happy, and worthy Caesar.

Lat.
And the lord
As worthy it, on whom it is directed!

Hat. Most worthy!

San.
Rome did never boast the virtue
That could give envy bounds, but his: Sejanus----

1 Sen. Honour'd and noble!

2 Sen. G