Lucan.  Stay, y’are carried too much away, Scevinus.

Scevin.  Why, what will you say for him? hath[12] he not
Sought to suppresse your Poem, to bereave
That honour every tongue in duty paid it. 
Nay, what can you say for him, hath he not
Broacht his owne wives (a chast wives) breast and torne
With Scithian hands his Mothers bowels up? 
The inhospitable Caucasus is milde;
The More, that in the boyling desert seekes
With blood of strangers to imbrue his iawes,
Upbraides the Roman now with barbarousnesse.

Lucan.  You are to earnest: 
I neither can nor will I speake for him;
And though he sought my learned paynes to wrong
I hate him not for that; My verse shall live
When Neroes body shall be throwne in Tiber,
And times to come shall blesse those[13] wicked armes. 
I love th’unnatural wounds from whence did flow
Another Cirrha,[14] a new Hellicon. 
I hate him that he is Romes enemie,
An enemie to Vertue; sits on high
To shame the seate:  and in that hate my life
And blood I’le mingle on the earth with yours.

Flav.  My deeds, Scevinus, shall speake my consent,

Scevin.  Tis answerd as I lookt for, Noble Poet,
Worthy the double Lawrell.  Flavius,
Good lucke, I see, doth vertuous meanings ayde,
And therefore have the Heavens forborne their duties
To grace our swords with glorious blood of Tyrants.

[Exeunt.

Finis Actus Primi.

Actus Secundus.

    Enter Petronius solus.

Here waites Poppea her Nimphidius comming
And hath this garden and these walkes chose out
To blesse her with more pleasures then their owne. 
Not only Arras hangings and silke beds[15]
Are guilty of the faults we blame them for: 
Somewhat these arbors and you trees doe know
Whil’st your kind shades you to these night sports show. 
Night sports?  Faith, they are done in open day
And the Sunne see’th and envieth their play. 
Hither have I Love-sicke Antonius brought
And thrust him on occasion so long sought;
Shewed him the Empresse in a thicket by,
Her loves approach waiting with greedie Eye;
And told him, if he ever meant to prove
The doubtfull issue of his hopelesse Love,
This is the place and time wherein to try it;
Women will heere the suite that will deny it. 
The suit’s not hard that she comes for to take;
Who (hot in lust of men) doth difference make? 
At last loath, willing, to her did he pace: 
Arme him, Priapus, with thy powerfull Mace. 
But see, they comming are; how they agree
Heere will I harken; shroud me, gentle tree.

    Enter Poppea and Antonius.

Anton.  Seeke not to grieve that heart which is thine owne.  In Loves sweete fires let heat of rage burne out; These brows could never yet to wrinkle learne, Nor anger out of such faire eyes look forth.