indly working under earth,
to cast any, the least, hills upon virtue. Whereas they are in
Latin, and the work in English, it was presupposed none but the
learned would take the pains to confer them: the authors themselves
being all in the learned tongues, save one, with whose English side
I have had little to do. To which it may be required, since I have
quoted the page, to name what editions I followed: Tacit. Lips. in
quarto, Antwerp, edit. 1600; Dio. folio, Hen. Steph. 1592. For the
rest, as Sueton, Seneca, etc., the chapter doth sufficiently
direct, or the edition is not varied.

Lastly, I would inform you, that this book, in all numbers, is not
the same with that which was acted on the public stage; wherein a
second: pen had good share: in place of which, I have rather chosen
to put weaker, and no doubt, less pleasing, of mine own, than to
defraud so happy a genius of his right by my loathed usurpation.

Fare you well, and if you read farther of me, and like, I shall not
be afraid of it, though you praise me out.

Neque enim mihi cornea fibra est.

But that I should plant my felicity in your general saying, good,
or well, etc., were a weakness which the better sort of you might
worthily contemn, if not absolutely hate me for.

BEN JONSON;
and no such,

Quem
Palma negata macrum, donata reducit opimum.

THE ARGUMENT

AELIUS SEJANUS, son to Seius Strabo, a gentleman of Rome, and born
at Vulsinium; after his long service in court, first under
Augustus; afterward, Tiberius; grew into that favour with the
latter, and won him by those arts, as there wanted nothing but the
name to make him a co-partner of the empire. Which greatness of
his, Drusus, the emperor's son, not brooking; after many smothered
dislikes, it one day breaking out, the prince struck him publicly
on the face. To revenge which disgrace, Livia, the wife of Drusus
(being before corrupted by him to her dishonour, and the discovery
of her husband's counsels) Sejanus practiseth with, together with
her physician called Eudemus, and one Lygdus an eunuch, to poison
Drusus. This their inhuman act having successful and unsuspected
passage, it emboldeneth Sejanus to further and more insolent
projects, even the ambition of the empire; where finding the lets
he must encoun