Corn.  Might not my Interruption offend, Whats your workes name, my Lord? what write you of?

Nero.  I meane to write the deeds of all the Romans.

Corn.  Of all the Romans?  A huge argument.

Nero.  I have not yet bethought me of a title:—­
                                        (he reades,)

“You Enthrall Powers which[23] the wide Fortunes doon Of Empyre-crown’d seaven-Mountaine-seated Rome, Full blowne Inspire me with Machlaean[24] rage That I may bellow out Romes Prentisage; As[25] when the Menades do fill their Drums And crooked hornes with Mimalonean hummes And Evion[26] do Ingeminate around, Which reparable Eccho doth resound.”

How doest thou like our Muses paines, Cornutus?

Corn.  The verses have more in them than I see:  Your work, my Lord, I doubt will be too long.

Nero.  Too long?

Tigell.  Too long?

Corn.  I, if you write the deedes of all the Romans.  How many Bookes thinke you t’include it in?

Nero.  I thinke to write about foure hundred Bookes.

Corn.  Four hundred!  Why, my Lord, they’le nere be read.[27]

Nero.  Hah!

Tigell.  Why, he whom you esteeme so much, Crisippus, Wrote many more.

Corn.  But they were profitable to common life And did Men Honestie and Wisedome teach.

Nero. Tigellinus!

[Exit Nero and Tigell.

Corn.  See with what earnestnesse he crav’d my Judgment, And now he freely hath it how it likes him.

Neoph.  The Prince is angry, and his fall is neere; Let us begon lest we partake his ruines.

[Exeunt omnes praeter Cornu.

Manet Cornutus solus.

What should I doe at Court?  I cannot lye. 
Why didst thou call me, Nero, from my Booke;
Didst thou for flatterie of Cornutus looke? 
No, let those purple Fellowes that stand by thee
(That admire shew and things that thou canst give)
Leave to please Truth and Vertue to please thee.
Nero, there is no thing in thy power Cornutus
Doth wish or fear.

    Enter Tigellinus to him.

Tigell.  Tis Neroes pleasure that you straight depart To Giara, and there remaine confin’d:  Thus he, out of his Princely Clemencie, Hath Death, your due, turn’d but to banishment.

Corn.  Why, Tigellinus?

Tigell.  I have done, upon your perill go or stay.
                                             [Ex.  Ti.