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.
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.
[Titus' sons speak. 15 Sons. And shall, or him we will accompany. Tit. And shall? What villain was it spoke that word? [Titus' son speaks. Quint. He that would vouch❜t in any place but
Tit. What, would you bury him in my despight? Marc. No, noble Titus; but intreat 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 25
My foes I do repute you every one;
So trouble me no more, but get you gone.
Luc. He is not with himself; let us withdraw.
Quint. Not I, till Mutius' bones be buried.
[The brother and the sons kneel.
Marc. Brother, for in thatnamedothnatureplead.
Quint. Father, and in that namedothnaturespeak.
Tit. Speak thou no more, if all the rest will
speed.
Marc.RenownedTitus,morethanhalf 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 Laërtes' son
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,
To be dishonour'd by my sons in Rome !—
Well, bury him, and bury me the next.
[They put him in the tomb.
Luc. There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with
thy friends,
'Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb!
Flourish. Re-enter the Emperor, Tamora, Chiron
and Demetrius, with Aaron the Moor, at one
door: At the other door, Bassianus, and Lavi-
nia, with others.
Sat. So, Bassianus, you have play'd your prize:
God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride!
Bas. 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.
Bas. Rape, call you it, my lord, to seize my own,
My true betrothed love, and now my wife?
But let the laws of Rome determine all;
Mean while I am possess'd of that is mine.
Sat. 'Tis good, sir; You are very short with us;
But, if we live, we'll be as sharp with you.
Bas. My lord, what I have done, as best I may,
Answer I must, and shall do with my life.
Only thus much I give your grace to know,—
By all the duties which I owe to Rome,
This noble gentleman, lord Titus here,
Is in opinion, and in honour, wrong'd;
That, in the rescue of Lavinia,
With his own hand did slay his youngest son,
In zeal to you, and highly mov'd to wrath
To be controul'd in that he frankly gave:
Receive him then to favour, Saturnine;
That hath express'd himself, in all his deeds,
30A father, and a friend, to thee, and Rome.
Tit. Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds; 'Tis thou, and those, that have dishonour'd me: Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge, How I have lov'd and honour'd Saturnine!
Tam. My worthy lord, if ever Tamora Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine, Then hear me speak, indifferently for all; And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past.
Sat. What, madam! "be dishonour'd openly, 40 And basely put it up without revenge?
Tam. Not so, my lord; The gods of Rome forefend,
I should be author to dishonour you! But, on mine honour, dare I undertake 45 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 aflict his gentle heart. 50 My lord, be rul'd by me, be won at last: Dissemble all yourgriefsanddiscontents, You are but newly planted in your throne;
Lest then the people, and patricians too [They all kneel, and say; 55 Upon a just survey, take Titus' part;
No man shed tears for noble Mutius;
He lives in fame, that dy'd 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;
If by device or no, the heavens can tell:
Is she not then beholden to the man
That brought her for this high good turn so far?
Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.
And so supplant us for ingratitude,
(Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin
Yield at intreats, and then let me alone:[Aside.
I'll find a day to massacre them all,
60 And raze their faction, and their family,
The cruel father, and his traitorous sons,
To whom I sued for my dear son's lite:
And make them know what 'tis to let a
queen
65 Kneel in the streets, and beg for grace
3'H 2
Come,come,sweetemperor,come, Andronicus,-
Take up this good old man, and chear the heart
That dies in tempest of thy angry frown.
Sat. Rise, Titus, rise; my empress hath pre-
vail'd.
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'd
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 knces,
You shall ask pardon of his majesty.
Marc. That on mine honour here I do protest.
Sat. Away, and talk not; trouble us no more.—
Tam. Nay, nay, sweet emperor, we must alf
be friends:
5 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 intreats,
10I 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,
I would not part a bachelor from the priest.
15 Come, if the emperor's court can feast two brides,
You are my guest, Lavinia, and your friends :--
This day shall be a love-day, Tamora.
Tit. To-morrow, an it please your majesty, To hunt the panther and the hart with me,
Luc. We do; and vow to heaven, and to his 20 With horn and hound, we'll give your grace bon
That what we did, was mildly as we might,
Tend'ring our sister's honour, and our own.
Sat. Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too.
Before the Palace.
Enter Aaron alone.
OW 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,
And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
Gallops the zodiack in his glistering coach,
And over-looks the highest-peering hills;
So Tamora.---
Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait,
And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown..
Then, Aaron, arm thy heart, and fit thy thoughts,
To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress,
And mount her pitch; whom thou in triumph long
Hast prisoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains;
And faster bound to Aaron's charming eyes,
Than is Frometheus ty'd to Caucasus.
Away with slavish weeds, and idle thoughts!
I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold,
To wait upon this new-made emperess.
To wait, said I? to wanton with this queen,
This goddess, this Semiramis;-this queen,
This syren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine,
And see his shipwreck, and his common-weal's.
Holla! what storm is this?
Enter Chiron, and Demetrius, bracing.
Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit
wants edge,
And manners, to intrude where I am grâc'd;
And may, for aught thou know'st, affected be.
Chi. Demetrius, thou dost over-ween in all;
35 And so in this, to bear me down with braves.
Tis not the difference of a year, or two,
Makes me less gracious, or thee more fortunate:
I am as able, and as fit, as thou,
To serve, and to deserve my mistress' grace; 40 And that my sword upon thee shall approve, And plead my passions for Lavinia's love.
Aar. Clubs, clubs! These lovers will not keep the peace.
Dem.Why,boy,although our mother unadvis'd, 45 Gave you a dancing rapier by your side,
Are you so desperate grown to threat your friends!
Go to; have your lath gla'd within your sheath,
Till you know better how to handle it.
Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare.
Chi. Mean while, sir, with the little skill I have,
Dem. Ay, boy, grow ye so brave?
Aar. Why, how now, lords?
So near the emperor's palace dare you draw,
55 And maintain such a quarrel openly?
Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge;
I would not for a million of gold,
The cause were known to them it most concerns;
60 Be so dishonour'd in the court of Rome.
Nor would your noble mother, for much more,
For shame, put up.
Chi. Not I; 'till I have sheath'd
My rapier in his bosom, and, withal,
Thrust these reproachful speeches down his throat,
That he hath breath'd in my dishonour here.
Dem. For that I am prepar'd and full resolv'd,--
Foul-spoken coward! that thunder'st with thy
tongue,
And with thy weapon nothing dar'st perform.
Aar. Away, I say.-
Now, by the gods, that warlike Goths adore,
This petty brabble will undo us all.—
Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous
It is to jut upon a prince's right?
What, is Lavinia then become so loose,
Or Bassianus so degenerate,
[Take this of me, Lucrece was not more chas
Than this Lavinia, Bassianus' love.
A speedier course than lingering languishme
Must we pursue, and I have found the path.
5 My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;
There will the lovely Roman ladies troop:
The forest walks are wide and spacious;
And many unfrequented plots there are,
Fitted by kind' for rape and villainy:
10 Single you thither then this dainty doe,
And strike her home by force, if not by word
This way, or not at all, stand you in hope.
Come, come, our empress, with her sacred
We will acquaint with all that we intend;
To villainy and vengeance consecrate,
And she shall file our engines with advice,
That will not suffer you to square yourselves,
But to your wishes' height advance you both.
The emperor's court is like the house of fame
The palace full of tongues, of eyes, of ears:
The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf and du
There speak, and strike, brave boys, and ta
your turns:
That for her love such quarrels may be broach'd
Without controulment, justice, or revenge?
Young lords, beware!-an should the empress
know
[please.
This discord's ground, the music would not
Chi. I care not, I, knew she and all the world;
I love Lavinia more than all the world.
Dem. Youngling, learn thou to make some 20
meaner choice:
Lavinia is thine elder brother's hope.
Aur. Why, are ye mad? or know ye not, in
How furious and impatient they be,
And cannot brook competitors in love?
I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths
By this device.
Chi. Aaron, a thousand deaths would I propose,
To atchieve her I do love.
Aar. To atchieve her!-How?
There serve your lust, shadow'd from heave [e 25 And revel in Lavinia's treasury.
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 yet worn Vulcan's badge.
Aur. Ay,and asgood as Saturninus may.[Aside. 40
Dem. Then why should he despair, that knows
With words, fair looks, and liberality?
What, hast thou not full often struck a doe,
And borne her cleanly by the keeper's nose?
Aar. Why then, it seems, some certain snatch
Chi. Ay, so the turn were serv'd.
Dem. Aaron, thou hast hit it.
Aur. 'Would you had hit it too;
Then should not we be tir'd with this ado.
Why, hark ye, hark ye,-And are you such fools,
To square for this? Would it offend you then
That both should speed?
Chi. Thy counsel, lads, smells of no cowardi 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.—
SCENE II.
Changes to a Forest.
Enter Titus Andronicus, and his three Sons, w
hounds and horns, and Marcus.
Tit. The hunt is up, the morn is bright and gre
The fields are fragrant, and the woods are green
Uncouple here, and let us make a bay,
And wake the emperor and his lovely bride,
And rouse the prince; and ring a hunter's peal
That all the court may echo with the noise.
Sons, let it be your charge, as it is ours,
To tend the emperor's person carefully:
I have been troubled in my sleep this night,
But dawning day new comfort hath inspir'd.
Here a cry of hounds, and wind horns in a peal; the
enter Saturninus, Tamora, Bassianus, Lavini
Chiron, Demetrius, and their Attendants.
Tit. Many good morrows to your majesty :-
Madam, to you as many and as good!-
50I promised your grace a hunter's peal.
Dem. Nor me, so I were one.
'Tis policy and stratagem must do
Aur. For shame, be friends; and join for that
That you affect; and so must you resolve;
Sat. and you have rung it lustily, my lords,
Somewhat too early for new married ladies.
Bas. Lavinia, how say you?
Lav. I say, no;
have been broad awake two hours and more.
Sat. Come on then, horse and chariots let u
have,
And to our sport:-Madam, now ye shall see
Our Roman hunting,
That what you cannot, as you would, atchieve, 60 Marc. I have dogs, my lord,
You must perforce accomplish as you may,
Will rouse the proudest panther in the chase,
And climb the highest promontory top.
Tit. And I have horse will follow where the
Makes way, and run like swallows o'er the plain. Dem. Chiron, we hunt not, we, with horse nor 5 hound,
But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground[Exeunt.
SCENE III.
A desert part of the Forest.
Enter Aaron alone.
Aar. He, that had wit, would think, that I
To bury so much gold under a tree,
And never after to inherit it.
Let him, that thinks of me so abjectly,
Know, that this gold must coin a stratagem;
Which, cunningly effected, will beget
A very excellent piece of villainy:
And so repose, sweet gold, for their unrest',
That have their alms out of the empress' chest.
Tam. My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thou sad,
When every thing doth make a gleeful boast?
The birds chaunt melody on every bush;
The snake lies rolled in the chearful sun;
The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind,
And make a chequer'd shadow on the ground:
Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let us sit,
And whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds,
Replying shrilly to the well-tun'd horns,
As if a double hunt were heard at once,-
Let us sit down, and mark their yelling noise:
And-after conflict, such as was suppos'd
The wand'ring prince and Dido once enjoy'd,
When with a happy storm they were surpriz'd,
And curtain'd with a counsel-keeping cave,-
We may, each wreathed in the other's arms,
Our pastimes done, possess a golden slumber;
Whilst hounds, and horns, and sweet melodious
Be unto us, as is a nurse's song
Of lullaby, to bring her babe asleep,
Aur. Madam,though Venus governyour desires, Saturn is dominator over mine: What signifies my deadly-standing eye, My silence, and my cloudy melancholy? My fleece of woolly hair, that now uncurls, Even as an adder, when she doth unroll To do some fatal execution?
Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty, Which dreads not yet their lives' destruction. Tum. Ah, my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than life!
Aar. No more,great empress, Bassianus comes : Be cross with him; and I'll go fetch thy sons To back thy quarrels, whatsoe'er they be. [Exit. Enter Bassianus, and Lacinia.
Bas. Whom have we here? Rome's royal em
peress, Unfurnish'd of her well-beseeming troop? Or is it Dian, habited like her;
Who hath abandoned her holy groves, To see the general hunting in this forest? Tam. Saucy controller of our private steps! Had I the power that, some say, Dian bad, Thy temples should be planted presently With horns, as was Acteon's; and the hounds Should drive upon thy new-transformed limbs, 20 Unmannerly intruder as thou art!
Lav. Under your patience, gentle emperess, 'Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning; And to be doubted, that your Moor and you Are singled forth to try experiments:
25 Jove shield your husband from his hounds to-day! 'Tis pity they should take him for a stag.
Bas. Believe me, queen, your' swarth Cimmerian
Doth make your honour of his body's hue, 30 Spotted, detested, and abominable, Why are you sequester'd from all your train ? Dismounted from your snow-white goodly steed, And wander'd hither to an obscure plot, Accompanied with a barbarous Moor, 35 If foul desire had not conducted you?
Luv, And, being intercepted in your sport, 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, [this. Bas. The king, my brother, shall have note of Lav, Ay, for these slips have made him noted
Good king! to be so mightily abus'd!
Tam. Why, have I patience to endure all this?
Enter Chiron, and Demetrius.
Dem. How now, dear sovereign, and our gra-
cious mother,
Why does your highness look so pale and wan? 50 Tam.Have I not reason, think you,to look pale? These two have 'tic'd me hither to this place. A barren and detested vale, you see, it is: The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean, O'ercome with moss, and baleful misletoe. Here never shines the sun; here nothing breeds, Unless the nightly owl, or fatal raven. And when they shew'd me this abhorred pit, They told me, here, at dead time of the night, A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes, 60 Ten thousand swelling toads, as many urchins, Would make such fearful and confused cries, As any mortal body, hearing it,
No, madam, these are no venereal signs:
Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand,
Blood and revenge are hammering in my head.
Hark, Tamora, the empress of my soul,
Which never hopes more heaven than rests in thee, 55
This is the day of doom for Bassianus:
His Philomel must lose her tongue to-day;
Thy sons make pillage of her chastity,
And wash their hands in Bassianus' blood.
Seest thou this letter?-take it up, I pray thee,
And give the king this fatal plotted scroll :-
Now question me no more, we are espied;
1 Unrest, for disquiet. 2 i. e. fly with impetuosity at him. is called Cimmerian, from the affinity of blackness to darkness."
3 Swarth is black.-The Moor
Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly.
No sooner had they told this hellish tale,
But straight they told me, they would bind me here
Unto the body of a dismal yew;
And leave me to this miserable death.
And then they call'd me, foul adulteress,
Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms
That ever ear did hear to such effect.
And, had you not by wondrous fortune come,
This vengeance on me had they executed:
Revenge it, as you love your mother's life,
Or be ye not from henceforth call'd my children.
Dem. This is a witness that I am thy son.
That gave thee life, when well he might have slain thee,
Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears.
Tam, Hadst thou in person ne'er offended me, 5 Even for his sake am I now pitiless:Remember, boys, I pour'd forth tears in vain, To save your brother from the sacrifice; But fierce Andronicus would not relent: Therefore away with her, use her as you will; 10 The worse to her, the better lov'd of me.
Chi. And this for me, struck home to shew my 15
strength. [Stabbing him likewise.
Lar. Ay come, Semiramis,-nay, barbarous
Tamora!
For no name fits thy nature but thy own!
Tam. Give me thy poniard; you shall know, 20
my boys,
[wrong.
Your mother's hand shall right your mother's
Dem.Stay, madam, here is more belongs to her;
First, thresh the corn, then after burn the straw:
This minion stood upon her chastity,
Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty,
And with that painted hope' she braves your
mightiness:
And shall she carry this unto her grave?
Lav. O Tamora, be call'd a gentle queen,
And with thine own hands kill me in this place:
For 'tis not life, that I have begg'd so long;
Poor I was slain, when Bassianus dy'd.
Tam. What begg'st thou then? "fond woman,
let me go.
[more,
Lac. 'Tis present death I beg; and one thing
That womanhood denies my tongue to tell;
O, keep me from their.worse than killing lust,
And tumble me into some loathsome pit;
Where never man's eye may behold my body:
Do this, and be a charitable murderer.
Tam. Soshould I rob my sweet sons of their fee:
No, let them satisfy their lust on thee.
Dem. Away; for thou hast staid us here too long.
Lav. No grace? no womanhood? Ah beastly
The blot and enemy to our general name !
Confusion fall-
Chi. And if she do, I would I were an eunuch. 30 Chi. Nay, then I'll stop your mouth,--Bring thou
Drag hence her husband to some secret hole,
And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust.
Tum. But when you have the honey you desire,
Let not this wasp out-live, us both to sting.
Chi. I warrant you, madam; we will make 35
that sure.-
Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy
That nice-preserved honesty of yours.
Lav. OTamora! thou bear'st a woman's face,-
Tam. I will not hear her speak; away with her. 40
Lav.Sweetlords,intreat 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,
As unrelenting flint to drops of rain,
Lac. When did the tyger's young ones teach the 45
O, do not teach her wrath; she taught it thee:
The milk,thou suck'dst from her, didturntomarble;
Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny.-
Yet every mother breeds not sons alike;
Do thou intreat her shew awomanpity. [To Chiron. 50
Chi. What! would'st thou have me prove my-
self a bastard?
Lav. 'Tis true the raven doth not hatch a lark:
Yet have I heard, (O, could I find it now !)
The lion, moy'd with pity, did endure
To have his princely paws par'd all away.
Some say, that ravens foster forlorn children,
The whilst their own birds famish in their nests;
O, be to me, though thy hard heart say no,
Nothing so kind, but something pitiful!
Tam. I know not what it means; away with her.
Lav. O,let me teach thee: for my father's sake,!
her husband; [Dragging off Lavinia. This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him.
Enter Aaron, with Quintus and Marcus.
Aar. Come on, my lords; the better foot before:
Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit,
Where I espied the panther fast asleep.
Quint, My sight is very dull, whate'er it bodes.
Marc. And mine, I promise you; were 't not for
shame,
Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile.
[Marcus falls into the pit.
Quint. What, art thou fallen? What subtle hole
is this,
Whose mouth is cover'd with rude-growing briars;
55 Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood,
As fresh as morning's dew distill'd on flowers?
A very fatal place it seems to me :--
Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall?
Marc. O brother, with the dismallest object
60 That ever eye, with sight, made heart lament.
Aar. [Aside.] Now will I fetch the king to
find them here;
1 Painted hope means specious hope, or ground of confidence more plausible than solid.
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