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    Nero
    Nero
    Nero
    Ebook142 pages1 hour

    Nero

    By Stephen Phillips

    ()

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    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArchive Classics
    Release dateNov 27, 2013
    Nero
    Author

    Stephen Phillips

    Stephen Phillips was born in Clevedon Somerset, UK, in 1944. He is married with two children and five grandchildren. He has written art criticism for Artspace, poetry, a few short stories, and several course programmes professionally, as a 3D art and design lecturer, and Art School head. He is a practising artist and educator and has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the UK in self-converted camper vans.

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      Book preview

      Nero - Stephen Phillips

      The Project Gutenberg eBook, Nero, by Stephen Phillips

      This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

      Title: Nero

      Author: Stephen Phillips

      Release Date: March 8, 2008 [eBook #24785]

      Language: English

      ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NERO***

      E-text prepared by Al Haines

      NERO

      by

      STEPHEN PHILLIPS

      Author of The Sin of David

      London

      MacMillan and Co., Limited

      New York: The MacMillan Company

      1906

      All rights reserved

      Copyright, 1906, by the MacMillan Company

      CHARACTERS

      NERO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emperor of Rome.

      BRITANNICUS . . . . . . . . . . Nero's Half-Brother.

      OTHO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Young Noble.

      SENECA . . . . . . . . . . . . ) ) BURRUS . . . . . . . . . . . . ) ) Ministers of State. TIGELLINUS . . . . . . . . . . ) ) ANICETUS . . . . . . . . . . . )

      A SEAMAN.

      PARTHIAN CHIEF.

      BRITISH CHIEF.

      XENOPHON . . . . . . . . . . . . A Physician.

      SLAVE TO NERO.

      AGRIPPINA . . . . . . . . . . . Nero's Mother.

      OCTAVIA . . . . . . . . . . . . Sister to Britannicus.

      POPPAEA . . . . . . . . . . . . Wife to Otho, afterwards to Nero.

      ACTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Captive Princess.

      LOCUSTA . . . . . . . . . . . . A Poisoner.

      MYRRHA . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maid to Poppaea.

      HANDMAIDENS, SPIES, ETC.

      Five years elapse between Acts I. and II., two years between Acts III. and IV.

      ACT I

      SCENE.—The scene is in the Great Hall in the Palace of the Caesars. At the back are steps leading to a platform with balustrade opening on the air, and beyond, a view of the city.

      [On the right of the stage is a cedarn couch on which CLAUDIUS is uneasily sleeping. On the right is a door communicating with the inner apartments. On the left a door communicating with the outer halls.

      [XENOPHON is standing by the couch of CLAUDIUS. AGRIPPINA is sitting with face turned to an ASTROLOGER, who stands at the top of the steps watching the stars.

      [LOCUSTA is crouching beside a pillar, right. A meteor strikes across the sky. The ASTROLOGER, pointing upwards, comes down the steps slowly.

      ASTROLOGER. These meteors flame the dazzling doom of kings.

      [AGRIPPINA rises apprehensively.

      XENOPHON. Caesar is dead!

      AGRIPPINA. The drug hath found his heart.

        [To LOCUSTA, who steals forward.

        Locusta, take your price and steal away!

        Sound on the trumpet. Go! your part is done.

        [Exit LOCUSTA.

        [Trumpet is sounded.

        That gives the sign to the Praetorians

        Upon the instant of the Emperor's death.

      [Answering trumpets are heard.

        Hark! trumpets answering through all the city.

        Xenophon, you and I are in this death

        Eternally bound. This husband have I slain

        To lift unto the windy chair of the world

        Nero, my son. Your silence I will buy

        With endless riches; but a hint divulged——

      XENOPHON. O Agrippina, Empress, fear not me!

      AGRIPPINA. Meantime his child, his heir, Britannicus,

        Must not be seen lest he be clamoured for.

        So till the sad Chaldean give the sign

        Of that so yearned for, favourable hour,

        When with good omens may my son succeed,

        The sudden death of Claudius must be hid!

        Then on the instant Nero be proclaimed

        And Rome awake on an accomplished deed.

      XENOPHON. Then summon Claudius' musicians in

        To play unto the dead as though he breathed.

      AGRIPPINA. Call them! A lulling music let them bring.

        [Exit XENOPHON.

        [She turns to ASTROLOGER.

        O thou who readest all the scroll of the sky,

        Stands it so sure Nero my son shall reign?

      ASTROLOGER. Nero shall reign.

      AGRIPPINA. What lurks behind these words?

        There is a 'but' still hovering in the stars.

      ASTROLOGER. Nero shall reign.

      AGRIPPINA. The half! I'll know the rest.

      ASTROLOGER. Peer not for peril!

      AGRIPPINA. Peril! His or mine?

      ASTROLOGER. Thine then.

      AGRIPPINA. I will know all, however dark.

        Finish what did so splendidly begin.

      ASTROLOGER. Nero shall reign, but he shall kill his mother.

      AGRIPPINA. Kill me, but reign!

      Enter SENECA

      SENECA. The trumpet summoned me,

        And I am here.

      AGRIPPINA. Seneca! Speak it low!

        Caesar is dead! Nero shall climb the throne.

      SENECA. I will not ask the manner of his death.

        In studious ease I have protested much

        Against the violent taking of a life.

        But lost in action I perceive at last

        That they who stand so high can falter not,

        But live beyond the reaches of our blame;

        That public good excuses private guile.

      AGRIPPINA. You, Xenophon and Burrus, stand with me.

      Enter BURRUS, right. He salutes the corse of CLAUDIUS

      BURRUS. Obedient to the trumpet-call I come.

      AGRIPPINA. Say, Burrus, quickly say, how stands our cause

        With the Praetorians who unmake and make Emperors?

      BURRUS. The Praetorians are staunch,

        And they are marching now upon the Palace.

      AGRIPPINA. Will they have Nero?

      BURRUS. Yes, and double pay.

        There is a murmuring minority

        Who toss about the name Britannicus.

        These may be feared; let Nero scatter gold

        There where dissension rises—it will cease.

        Their signal when they shall surround the Palace,

        The gleam of my unsheathed sword to the dawn.

      AGRIPPINA. Stand there until I have from him the sign,

        Then let thy sword gleam upward to the dawn.

        [Turning and pointing to body of CLAUDIUS.

        That is my work! Also,

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