ACT IV.

NURSE - POPPAEA. [690-761]
Poppaea, being frightened, in her sleep, narrates her dream to the Nurse; the Nurse treating the dream as nonsense, consoles Poppaea, with some silly interpretation.

NURSE.

HOW is it, my nursling, that thou art quitting the marriage couch of thy husband in such a state of terror, and of what hiding-place art thou in quest, with so troubled a countenance, and why are thy cheeks so wet with weeping? Surely, this day, which has been so long, and so anxiously looked forward to, has shone brightly in response to thy prayers and desires! Thou art matrimonially linked with a Caesar! The chief of the deities, Venus, and the Mother of Love, has given Nero to thee, bound by the sacred nuptial chains, and to one whom thy beauty has captivated, in spite of Seneca’s objections, ¹⁰ too, to such a marriage union! Oh! what an important personage thou hast become, and in what a magnificent palace thou hast settled down, and upon what an exalted couch wilt thou now recline! The senate were fairly astounded when they beheld thy transcendent beauty, admired thee when thou offeredst up (with such reverence) the frankincense to the Gods, and when thou sprinkledst the sacred altars with the gladsome wine! the upper part of thy head, so gracefully shaded by the red veil (worn by recent brides, as tokens of modesty, and wifely subjection), and Nero, walking forth, amidst the enthusiastic acclamations of the citizens, holding himself up so loftily, and hanging on so closely to thy side! An Emperor all over, testifying with joy in his very carriage and countenance! Such, indeed, as Peleus manifested, when he took Thetis to wife, as she emerged from the foaming waves, whose marriage the Gods are said to have celebrated with great pomp and with the universal acquiescence of every deity of the sea likewise. But what hidden event has thus changed thy wonted expression of countenance? tell me why this paleness? What trouble do those tears indicate?

POP. Oh! Nurse, suffering sadly from my harrowing thoughts, I seem to have utterly lost my senses: the fact is, I was perplexed and terrified by the doleful visions of last night, for when the expiring brightness of glorious day had given place to those gloomy stars, and the sky was handed over to the dark realms of night, I went off to sleep, hugged by the embracing arms of my Nero, but I was not permitted to enjoy my placid repose long - a lugubrious multitude appeared before me, as if to celebrate my marriage, and the Roman Matrons, with their locks loose and hanging down, gave forth the most distressing wailings, and amidst, every now and then, a terrific blowing of trumpets, and the mother of my husband (Agrippina) with a savage threatening look, flourished her torch at me, all covered with blood, whom, whilst I was following, - which I felt forced to do, so inspired was I with the fear which had taken possession of me - the earth seemed to be suddenly divided, and an immense yawning gulf lay open before me, into which opening I seemed to have been borne away headlong. I could perceive, at the same moment, and I wondered equally at this, my own marriage couch, the couch on which, I have before lain down, thoroughly fagged out - I then beheld him who was my former husband, Crispinus, advancing towards me, with a crowd following him, and then amongst them, my son (Rufus who was ordered, to be drowned by Nero). Crispinus rushes forward to seek my embrace and showered my face with those kisses which have been now so long in abeyance! when, all on a sudden, Nero breaks into my chamber, and buries his cruel sword deep down in his throat! (that of Crispinus.) At length, this excessive alarm, effectually chased away all further disposition for sleep! The horrible tremor into which I was thrown, has made my limbs tremble all over, and has impeded my very powers of utterance - and my heart palpitates to that degree, that it beats forcibly against the walls of my chest. My fear prevents me from expressing in words, what I feel, but thy fidelity and affection, Nurse, reassures me, and has given me back my powers of speech - Alas! Why do the Ghosts, from those infernal regions, think proper to molest me, and at the same time, might I ask what it was, when I distinctly perceived the blood of my husband?

NUR. Whatever subjects the mind is intent upon, or troubled about during our waking moments, such is the rapidity, and wonderfulness of human thought, altogether as it is a divine and mysterious property of the mind, that it reproduces, during sleep, those very things impressed on us during the day, under a variety of visions, and fantastic appearances. Thou wonderest, no doubt, that thou sawest a husband, a marriage couch, and what thou tookest for a funeral pile, whilst thou wert being embraced and hugged, by the new husband, but the breasts thou sawest being beaten in the dream, and the shattered locks, arose out of the excitement created by the auspicious event (the marriage day). The partisans of Octavia, were bewailing her divorce before the cherished household gods of thy brothers and thy paternal lares - that torch, which thou followedst, was carried in front of thee, by the hands of Augusta (Agrippina) and the envy aroused, by the marriage, foreshadow thy name as rendered still more illustrious thereby - the position in which thou wast placed in the Infernal Regions during thy dream, clearly indicates that the future marriages, in the durable dynasty, will henceforward be permanent in their tenure - then, as regards why thy Emperor husband thrust his sword into the throat of the spectre shows that he will never more excite wars, but that he means to hide it, henceforth in the sheath (the throat of the spectre only) as a guarantee of peace! Now collect thy scattered faculties, take on a cheerful look, I beseech thee, and shaking off all these fabrics of thy vision (fears having no foundation) betake thyself to thy bed chamber.

POP. I had made up my mind to seek the temples and the sacred altars, and to sacrifice to the worship of the Deities with slaughtered victims, that such threatening visitations of the night, and the period allotted to sleep might be expiated, and that the terror inspired thereby, might recoil upon my enemies; and, Nurse, offer up thy prayers for me, and worship the gods above, with thy pious supplications, that the apprehensions which still hang about my mind, may pass away from me!

CHORUS. [762-779]
The Chorus praises the beauty of Poppaea.

IF garrulous report tells the truth when it talks of the furtive amours of the Thunderer, and the love affairs in which he so much delighted; once, whom they report as having coaxingly embraced the bosom of Leda, whilst disguising himself with the wings, and feathers of a swan - at another time, transforming himself into a fierce bull, carrying off Europa, as a captive across the sea - even, now, Poppaea, Jupiter would quit the heavens above, and the starry firmament, which he is ruling, and seek the pleasure of thy embraces, and which he could, with reason prefer to Leda’s and even thine, Danaë, whom he admired so much and descended with amorous intent, in that yellow golden shower. - Sparta may brag of the beauty of that famous offspring of hers, Helen, and it is permissible enough that the Phrygian shepherd (Paris) should have been proud of his conquest! She, Poppaea will outstrip in beauty this daughter of Tyndarus, and who brought about dreadful war, and levelled the Phrygian Kingdom to the very ground. But who is this rushing on at a pace accelerated by some fright, or what news is he bringing, with his breath panting like that? - (out of breath).

MESSENGER - CHORUS. [780-819]
The Messenger describes the excitement of the populace, on account of the divorce of Octavia, and this marriage with Poppaea.

MESSENGER.

WHOEVER that soldier may be, who entertains a boastful pride in being a chosen guardian of the emperor’s portals, let him rouse himself, for the defence of the palace, which the fury of the populace is now menacing. - Behold, the Prefects, in a state of trepidation, are calling together (mustering) the armed bands, to garrison the city with extra protection, - nor does this insane feeling, which has so rashly sprung up, appear amenable to any kind of fear, but is acquiring greater and greater intensity.

CHOR. What mad fury is it, that is now agitating the minds of the populace?

MES. This multitude of people are seized with rage about this treatment of Octavia, and being wild with anger, they are rushing on into every kind of crime.

CHOR. Tell us what they have had the audacity to do, and at whose instigation all this has originated.

MES. They are making preparations to restore Claudia (Octavia) to the household of the Divus, the restitution of conjugal rights by her husband and brother, and her legitimate share of the imperial dignity.

CHOR. Of which, already, Poppaea is in full possession, through the legal marriage contracted by unanimous authority in good faith, and upheld by one-minded approval.

MES. This excessive uncontrollable fury springs out of the indignation, to which these nuptials have given rise, and it is that, which is urging them on with headlong rashness, into this display of madness. Whatever statue of Poppaea, sculptured out of the purest marble stood in their way, or whatever brazen monument was shining forth and revealed the likeness of Poppaea, was ruthlessly dashed to the ground by the infuriated hands of the populace, and lies there broken up, by means of hammers wielded by savage arms; they then dragged the pieces of the statues, which had been pulled down from their standing place, trailed them along the streets, with cords, and after kicking them about for some time in an angry fashion, they would plaster them all over with fillthy mud! And the swearing, and cursing, that went on, and their obscene language was quite in keeping with their acts, and which was so bad that I should be afraid to repeat it; they are, now preparing to surround, the Palace with flames, unless Nero surrenders this new wife of his, to appease their indignation, and becomes prevailed upon to restore Claudia to her household Gods (her home), and that the Emperor may know of this insurrection, from my own lips, I will make no further delay in carrying out the instructions I have received from the Prefect.

CHOR. Why dost thou bring about all this cruel strife? it is of no good! Cupid is invincible, and has used those arrows of his, which will obscure all thy fires (throw them into the shade). Will the flames which he has set up in the heart of Nero ever be cooled down? That little Deity has drawn down even Jupiter himself from lofty Olympus, and has extinguished his very lightning. Thou wilt pay with thy life any obstacle thou mayst throw in his way; he is hot in his rage and not very patient, in his transports of anger, or easy to be brought under control. - He, it was, who commanded that ferocious Achilles, to strike his lyre, and produce his amorous melodies, he it was who was the means of nearly ruining the Greeks with their ten years’ war - he it was who paved the way for the downfall of Agamemnon - he it was who destroyed the kingdom of poor old Priam, and has been the means of ruining the beautiful cities of the world; and now our minds are simply horrified at what he can really do, and at the unrelenting energy now being displayed by that merciless little God!