280 Bass. Ay, noble Titus; and resolv'd withal Treason, my lord! Lavinia is surpris'd. Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. Tit. Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back. Mut. My lord, you pass not here. Tit. What! villain boy; 290 Barr'st me my way in Rome ? Stabs MUTIUS. Mut. Help, Lucius, help! Dies. Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. My lord, you are unjust, and more than so; In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son. Tit. Nor thou, nor he, are any sons of mine; My sons would never so dishonour me. Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor. 300 Luc. Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife That is another's lawful promis'd love. Exit. Sat. No, Titus, no; the emperor needs her not, Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock: I'll trust, by leisure, him that mocks me once; Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons, Confederates all thus to dishonour me. Was there none else in Rome to make a stale But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus, Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine, That said'st I begg'd the empire at thy hands. Tit. O monstrous! what reproachful words are these? Sat. But go thy ways; go, give that changing piece To him that flourish'd for her with his sword. 311 Tit. These words are razors to my wounded heart. Sat. And therefore, lovely Tamora, Queen of That like the stately Phoebe 'mongst her nymphs And here I swear by all the Roman gods, 320 She will a handmaid be to his desires, A loving nurse, a mother to his youth. Sat. Ascend, fair queen, Pantheon. Lords, accompany Your noble emperor, and his lovely bride, Tit. I am not bid to wait upon this bride. Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone, Dishonour'd thus, and challenged of wrongs? Re-enter MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. Marc. O! Titus, see; O! see what thou hast done; In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son. 341 Tit. No, foolish tribune, no; no son of mine, Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed That hath dishonour'd all our family: Unworthy brother, and unworthy sons! Luc. But let us give him burial, as becomes; Give Mutius burial with our brethren. 351 Tit. Traitors, away! he rests not in this tomb. This monument five hundred years hath stood, Which I have sumptuously re-edified : Here none but soldiers and Rome's servitors Repose in fame; none basely slain in brawls. Bury him where you can; he comes not here. Marc. My lord, this is impiety in you. My nephew Mutius' deeds do plead for him ; He must be buried with his brethren. Quint., Mart. And shall, or him we will accompany. Tit. And shall!' What villain was it spake that word? Quint. He that would vouch it in any place Tit. What! would you bury him in my despite? Marc. No, noble Titus; but entreat of thee To pardon Mutius, and to bury him. Tit. Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest, And, with these boys, mine honour thou hast wounded: My foes I do repute you every one; So, trouble me no more, but get you gone. 370 Quint. Father, and in that name doth nature speak,- Tit. Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed. Marc. Renowned Titus, more than half my soul, Luc. Dear father, soul and substance of us all.Marc. Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter His noble nephew here in virtue's nest, That died in honour and Lavinia's cause. Thou art a Roman; be not barbarous : The Greeks upon advice did bury Ajax That slew himself; and wise Laertes' son 380 Did graciously plead for his funerals. Let not young Mutius then, that was thy joy, Be barr'd his entrance here. Tit. Rise, Marcus, rise. The dismall'st day is this that e'er I saw, MUTIUS is put into the tomb. Luc. There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with thy friends, Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb. All. Kneeling. No man shed tears for noble Mutius; 390 He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause. Marc. My lord, to step out of these dreary dumps, How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths Is of a sudden thus advanc'd in Rome? Tit. I know not, Marcus; but I know it is: Whether by device or no, the heavens can tell. Is she not then beholding to the man That brought her for this high good turn so far? Yes, and will nobly him remunerate. Flourish. Re-enter, from one side, SATURNINUS, attended; TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, and AARON; from the other, BASSIANUS, LAVINIA, and Others. Sat. So, Bassianus, you have play'd your prize: God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride! 400 Bass. And you of yours, my lord! I say no more, Nor wish no less; and so I take my leave. Sat. Traitor, if Rome have law or we have power, Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape. Sat. 'Tis good, sir: you are very short with us; 420 With his own hand did slay his youngest son, 430 Tam. Not so, my lord; the gods of Rome forfend I should be author to dishonour you! But on mine honour dare I undertake For good Lord Titus' innocence in all, Whose fury not dissembled speaks his griefs. Then, at my suit, look graciously on him; Lose not so noble a friend on vain suppose, Nor with sour looks afflict his gentle heart. Aside to SATURNINUS. My lord, be rul'd by me, be won at last : 440 Dissemble all your griefs and discontents: 450 Take up this good old man, and cheer the heart That dies in tempest of thy angry frown. Sat. Rise, Titus, rise; my empress hath prevail'd. 462 Tit. I thank your majesty, and her, my lord. These words, these looks, infuse new life in me. Tam. Titus, I am incorporate in Rome, A Roman now adopted happily, And must advise the emperor for his good. This day all quarrels die, Andronicus; And let it be mine honour, good my lord, That I have reconcil'd your friends and you. For you, Prince Bassianus, I have pass'à My word and promise to the emperor, That you will be more mild and tractable. And fear not, lords, and you, Lavinia; By my advice, all humbled on your knees, You shall ask pardon of his majesty. 470 Luc. We do; and vow to heaven and to his highness, That what we did was mildly, as we might, Marc. That on mine honour here I do protest. 479 The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace; I will not be denied: sweet heart, look back. Sat. Marcus, for thy sake, and thy brother's here, And at my lovely Tamora's entreats, I do remit these young men's heinous faults: Stand up. Lavinia, though you left me like a churl, I found a friend, and sure as death I swore Tit. To-morrow, an it please your majesty Sat. Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too. Trumpets. Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I.-Rome. Before the Palace. Aar. Now climbeth Tamora Olympus' top, Safe out of fortune's shot; and sits aloft, Secure of thunder's crack or lightning flash, Advanc'd above pale envy's threat'ning reach. As when the golden sun salutes the morn, 10 Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait, Away with slavish weeds and servile thoughts! To wait, said I? to wanton with this queen, This goddess, this Semiramis, this nymph, This siren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine, And see his shipwreck and his commonweal's. Holla! what storm is this? 20 Enter DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, braving. Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit wants edge, And manners, to intrude where I am grac'd, And may, for aught thou know'st, affected be. 30 Chi. Demetrius, thou dost overween in all, To serve, and to deserve my mistress' grace; Aar. Clubs, clubs! these lovers will not keep the peace. Dem. Why, boy, although our mother, unadvis'd, Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side, Aar. 42 Chi. Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have, Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare. Dem. Ay, boy, grow ye so brave? They draw. Why, how now, lords! So near the emperor's palace dare you draw, And maintain such a quarrel openly? Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge: I would not for a million of gold 52 The cause were known to them it most concerns; That he hath breath'd in my dishonour here. And with thy weapon nothing dar'st perform! Now, by the gods that war-like Goths adore, Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous 60 How furious and impatient they be, And cannot brook competitors in love? I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths Chi. Dem. Why mak'st thou it so strange? She is a woman, therefore may be woo'd; She is a woman, therefore may be won; She is Lavinia, therefore must be lov'd. What, man! more water glideth by the mill Than wots the miller of; and easy it is Of a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know: Though Bassianus be the emperor's brother, Better than he have worn Vulcan's badge. Aar. Aside. Ay, and as good as Saturninus may. 90 Faith, not me. Dem. Nor me, so I were one. Aar. For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar: 'Tis policy and stratagem must do 112 That you affect; and so must you resolve, 121 And she shall file our engines with advice, There serve your lusts, shadow'd from heaven's And revel in Lavinia's treasury. 130 Chi. Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice. Dem. Sit fas aut nefas, till I find the stream To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits, Per Styga, per manes vehor. Exeunt. SCENE II-A Forest. Horns and cry of hounds heard. Enter TITUS ANDRONICUS, with Hunters, etc., The fields are fragrant and the woods are green. 10 A cry of hounds, and horns winded in a peal. Sat. And you have rung it lustily, my lords; And to our sport. To TAMORA. shall ye see Our Roman hunting. Marc. Madam, now I have dogs, my lord, 20 Makes way, and run like swallows o'er the plain. But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground. Exeunt. SCENE III-A lonely Part of the Forest. Enter AARON, with a bag of gold. [ACT II. Which, cunningly effected, will beget Tam. My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thou 10 When every thing doth make a gleeful boast! Be unto us as is a nurse's song Of lullaby to bring her babe asleep. 21 Aar. Madam, though Venus govern your Saturn is dominator over mine: Even as an adder when she doth unroll 20 No, madam, these are no venereal signs: This is the day of doom for Bassianus ; 51 Aar. No more, great empress; Bassianus comes: Be cross with him; and I'll go fetch thy sons Erit. Rome's royal Enter BASSIANUS and LAVINIA. Aar. He that had wit would think that I had Or is it Dian, habited like her, none, To bury so much gold under a tree, And never after to inherit it. Let him that thinks of me so abjectly Who hath abandoned her holy groves, wrong. Dem. Stay, madam; here is more belongs to her: First thrash the corn, then after burn the straw. And with that painted hope she braves your mightiness: And shall she carry this unto her grave? Chi. An if she do, I would I were an eunuch. Drag hence her husband to some secret hole, And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust. 130 Tam. But when ye have the honey ye desire, Let not this wasp outlive, us both to sting. Chi. I warrant you, madam, we will make that sure. That nice-preserved honesty of yours. Lav. And, being intercepted in your sport, 80 Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy Great reason that my noble lord be rated For sauciness. I pray you, let us hence, And let her joy her raven-colour'd love; This valley fits the purpose passing well. Bass. The king my brother shall have note of this. Lav. Ay, for these slips have made him noted long: Lav. O Tamora! thou bear'st a woman's face, T'am. I will not hear her speak; away with her! Lav. Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word. Dem. Listen, fair madam : let it be your glory To see her tears; but be your heart to them 140 Tam. Why have I patience to endure all this? As unrelenting flint to drops of rain. Good king, to be so mightily abus'd! These two have tic'd me hither to this place : Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly. Unto the body of a dismal yew, And leave me to this miserable death: For no name fits thy nature but thy own. Lav. When did the tiger's young ones teach the dam ? O! do not learn her wrath; she taught it thee; The milk thou suck'dst from her did turn to marble; Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny. Chi. What! would'st thou have me prove myself a bastard? Lav. 'Tis true the raven doth not hatch a lark: Yet have I heard, O! could I find it now, 150 O! be to me, though thy hard heart say no, Lav. O let me teach thee: for my father's sake, That gave thee life when well he might have slain thee, Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears. 160 Tam. Hadst thou in person ne'er offended me, The worse to her, the better lov'd of me. |