The Project Gutenberg eBook, Nero, by Stephen Phillips

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Title: Nero

Author: Stephen Phillips

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

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***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
th