The Fall of Claudius, Emperor of Rome, Poisoned by His Wife Agrippina

Say not the people well, that Fortune fauours fooles,
So well they say which name her beetle blinde;
I neede not tell what I haue learnde at schooles,
But may by proofe expresse my foolish minde:
My mother by her prouerbs me a foole defyn’de,
Which often sayd when any foolishly had done,
In faith you are as wise as Claudius my sonne.

It pleased her not onely so to name me sot,
But also me a monster oft she nam’de,
Unperfect all, begun by nature, but begot,
Not absolute, not well, nor fully fram’de,
Sith thus my mother often me defam’de,
What meant the men of Rome, which so elected me,
A foole, a monster foule, their gouernour to be.

Th’Emperiall bloud perdy was partely cause,
That I (vnfit therefore) attaynde the throne,
And yet the Senate tooke a while the pause,
Determin’de to abolish euery one
Of Cæsar’s linage, as their mortall fone:
For why they could receiue no quiet reste,
But still by vs were cruelly oppreste.

The souldiers which me founde where I me hid
In place obscure, vnfit for Cæsar’s grace,
They brought me forth, there me proclayme they did,
Because I seemde much meekenesse to embrace,
And could dissemble [eke to serue the place,
Whereby the warriours were to me enclin’de,
Supposing I was meeke, of gentle minde:
But they herein and Fortune both were blinde.]

The wilely Foxe that seekes to sley the sheepe,
Doth fayne himselfe to beare a simple eye;
The rauening Wolfe would take of Lambes the keepe,
If he condemne the Mastiues might to dye;
The Crocadile will fayne to weepe and crye;
But if the sheepe, her young, or wandring man be caught,
The Foxe, the Wolfe, and Crocadile, haue euen the pray they sought.

So I could fayne, as though I did refuse
To take the Empire’s sway, a charge too greate,
But well I wiste, if th’armie did me chuse,
The Senate could not thereof me defeate;
They could not stay me from the hautie seate:
Thus though I seem’d at first so simple, meeke and plaine;
Yet was I subtile, slye, and glad of glory vaine.

But after this, I gaue my selfe to ease,
To wyne, to woemen eke, and belly chere,
And fearefull was my wife for to displease,
Messalina, whose maners homely were;
She made not onely me the horne to beare,
But also did allure good matrones vnto vice,
And virgines chaste to sinne, or made them pay the price.

For if that eyther they abhor’d the facte,
Or men detested present for to bee,
Some crime was fayn’de or else some haynous acte,
Not they nor theirs from slaughter could be free;
My seruants were preferde in place of mee,
Their wealth was more then mine: the prouerbe went as then,
I neede no treasure want, if I would please my men.

On this I caused her be made away,
And made a vowe no more for aye to wedde,
Because my wiues sought eyther me to slay,
Or else with whoredome to defile my bedde,
But at the length, s’enraged was my head,
Agrippina my brother’s daughter braue,
Incestuously I chose, for spoused wife to haue.

So leading then my life in slouth and sinne,
I gaue my selfe to ryote, cardes and dice:
And I so skilfull was at length therein,
I wrote of dicing arte a worke of price:
This may declare if I were graue and wise;
[Suspicious, doubtfull, fearefull so was I,
To euery corner sent some secret spie.]

So cruell, credulous, eache light offence
Was cause to take away th’offender’s life:
And so forgetfull, such my negligence,
I would eftsoones enquire for those full rife,
As for Messalina of late my wanton wife:
Eke for such others I enquir’de agayne,
As I before commaunded shoulde be slayne.

And I extol’de the meaner sort of men,
Adorning them with titles of estate,
Euen such perdy as seru’d my dyet then,
Amongst the auncient fathers often sate.
For this the noble Romaynes did me hate.
And for the cruell beastly life I lead,
Full often times they wish’t that I were dead.

Agrippina perswaded me t’adopt her sonne,
That after me the Empire he might haue;
Which when at length I had vnwisely donne
At her request, as she the same did craue,
In recompence to me she poyson gaue,
Whereof I dyed: this was my life and ende,
Let so my factes and fatall fall be pen’de.