_Room in Seneca’s house. Enter SENECA reading._
_SENECA._
_Father, and god of gods, almighty, eternal,
Invoked by many names, nature’s one lord;
Hail! for ’tis right that all men call on thee.
For we thine offspring are._—Well said, Cleanthes!
All things and creatures are as God’s possession,
But we his children: and the will we have
To thwart his will, he ruleth to his will,
Owning the ill which he did not create
But by permission; as thou goest to show.
(_Reading._) _Nor is there any work on earth astir,
But by the breath of thy divinity;
Nor in the starry pole, nor in the sea,
Save what the wicked in their foolish minds
Devise: but thou dost order the disorderly,
And even unlovely things are dear to thee._
Let fools hear that, thou second Hercules!
I should not fret; nay, and I shall not fret ...
There’s poignancy in the utterance of this Greek
That I attain not: whether it be the man
Lived nearer to his nature, or that my art
Clogs the clear hues of thought, and in a varnish
Drowns to one tone. Would I had written that!
And this too, where the bliss the poet prays for
His pregnant line is witness that he hath,
_A vision and a share of that high wisdom,
Wherewith thy justice governs all things well:
That honoured bý thee we return thee honour_ ... 440
That honoured by thee we return thee honour ...
That’s admirable, noble: I’ll write myself
Something like that. Ay, now I feel it within me:
And while I am warm.—(_A knocking at the door._)
Of course an interruption
Just as I am stirred. Come in! To mask vexation
In courtesy now.
_Enter Lucan, Priscus, Lateranus and Flavus._
_LUCAN._
My dear uncle, good morning.
_LATERANUS and others._
Good morning, my lord.
_Sen._ Welcome, good nephew Lucan.
Welcome, my lords. Thee, Lateranus, first
Let me congratulate: thou’rt chosen consul
I hear.
_Lat._ That’s a month hence. I care not, Seneca,
If I shall live to sacrifice my ox. 450
_Sen._ Most ominous words!
_Lat._ Excuse my liberty.
_Luc._ Liberty! nay, if thou have any of that,
Thou mayst indeed despair to live a month.
_Sen._ What purpose brings you, sirs? Pray you be seated.
(_They sit. Priscus apart._)[1]
What would you with me now?
_Lat._ We are come as friends.
_Sen._ No need to tell me this.
_Luc._ But yet there is,
Uncle; thy friends decrease.
[1] _FLAVUS_ ┌────┐
_LATERANUS_ _SENECA_ │ │ _PRISCUS_
_LUCAN_ └────┘
_Sen._ That may well be.
’Tis what old age must look for. I have my books.
_FLAVUS._