her
One who has dived so deep into your soul,
Who sees--I cannot flatter--sees that greatness
Which she too long keeps under: were I you
I would be Caesar, spite of twenty mothers,
And seem the mighty poet that I am.
I'll go.

NERO. You madden me----

POPPAEA. Farewell again.

NERO. Poppaea, go not, go not. All the east
Burns in me, and the desert fires my blood.
I parch, I pine for you. My body is sand
That thirsts. I die, I perish of this thirst,
To slake it at your lips! You madden me.

[_He seizes her cloak and she stands revealed._

Goddess! What shall I give thee great enough?
I'll give thee Rome--I'll give thee this great world,
And all the builded empire as a toy.
The Mediterranean shall thy mirror be,
Thy jewels all sparkling stars of heaven.
The orb of the earth--throw it on thy lap
But for a kiss--one kiss!

POPPAEA. But Agrippina?

NERO. Agrippina?

POPPAEA. No--I'll not think of it!
I'll have no violence for my sake committed.
If by some chance unlooked for she should die,
If in some far, far time she should succumb
To creeping age--then----

NERO. Then?

_Enter_ MESSENGER _hurriedly_

MESSENGER. Sir, urgent business--
The State demands you.

NERO. [_Furiously._] Pah!--the State!

POPPAEA. O Nero!
Remember first the State--me afterward!

NERO. Empress!

[_He leads her out._

[_He returns and stands as in a dream while the_ COUNCILLORS _enter_.

BURRUS. How long? How long, sir?
Agrippina
Is drawing to her net the dregs of Rome,
Makes mutinous the rabble and the scum.

[NERO _makes weary gesture_.

SENECA. And, sir, she has not scrupled to enroll
The ragged, shrieking Christians, who wash not,
The refuse of the empire, all that flows
To this main sewer of Rome she counts upon.

TIGELLINUS. [_Stealing forward._] And, sir, if
these things move you not--a letter.

NERO. [_Reading._] 'I, Agrippina, daughter of Germanicus, of Claudius
widow, of Nero mother, hereby do declare that though I have sat tame
under private injuries, I will not forgo my public privileges, nor
consent to be banished from high festival or ceremony. I purpose then
to be present at Baiae at Minerva's feast, together with the Emperor,
and will hold no second place. This is my ancient right and to that
right I cleave. THE AUGUSTA.'

SENECA. Thi