Enter, below, MARCUS ANDRONICUS and Tribunes; re-enter SATURNINUS and BASSIANUS, attended.

MARC. Long live lord Titus, my beloved brother, Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome!

TIT. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus.

MARC. And welcome, nephews, from successful

wars,

You that survive, and you that sleep in fame!
Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all,
That in your country's service drew your swords;
But safer triumph is this funeral pomp,
That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness,
And triumphs over chance in honour's bed.-
Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,
Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been,
Send thee by me, their tribune and their trust,
This palliament of white and spotless hue,
And name thee in election for the empire,
With these our late deceased emperor's sons:
Be candidatus, then, and put it on,
And help to set a head on headless Rome.

TIT. A better head her glorious body fits
Than his that shakes for age and feebleness.
What should I don this robe and trouble you?
Be chosen with proclamations to-day,
To-morrow yield up rule, resign my life,
And set abroad new business for you all?
Rome, I have been thy soldier forty years,
And led my country's strength successfully,
And buried one-and-twenty valiant sons,
Knighted in field, slain manfully in arms,
In right and service of their noble country:
Give me a staff of honour for mine age,
But not a sceptre to control the world:
Upright he held it, lords, that held it last.

MARC. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the
empery.
[tell?

SAT. Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou
TIT. Patience, prince Saturninus.

SAT.
Romans, do me right;-
Patricians, draw your swords, and sheathe them not
Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor.―
Andronicus, would thou wert shipp'd to hell,
Rather than rob me of the people's hearts!

Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good That noble-minded Titus means to thee!

And triumphs over chance in honour's bed.-]
"ultima semper

Expectanda dies homini; dicique beatus

Ante obitum nemo, supremaque funera, debet."

b What should I don, &c.] It is customary in cases like the present to print "What " as an exclamation, What! should I don-"

&c. though it is often only equivalent to, For What; or to, Why. c And set abroad-] The folio of 1664 has, "set abroach," &c. and the substitution is adopted by Mr. Collier's annotator. d-thou shalt obtain and ask-] There is here, as Steevens

TIT. Content thee, prince, I will restore to thee

The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves.

BASS. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee,
But honour thee, and will do till I die :
My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends,
I will most thankful be; and thanks to men
Of noble minds is honourable meed.

TIT. People of Rome, and noble tribunes here,

I ask your voices and your suffrages:
Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus?
TRIBUNES. To gratify the good Andronicus,
And gratulate his safe return to Rome,
The people will accept whom he admits.

TIT. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make,

That you create your emperor's eldest son,
Lord Saturnine, whose virtues will, I hope,
Reflect on Rome as Titan's rays on earth,
And ripen justice in this commonweal:
Then, if you will elect by my advice,
Crown him, and say, Long live our emperor !
MARC. With voices and applause of every sort,
Patricians, and plebeians, we create
Lord Saturninus Rome's great emperor;
And say, Long live our emperor, Saturnine!
[A long flourish.

SAT. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done
To us in our election this day,

I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts,
And will with deeds requite thy gentleness:
And, for an onset, Titus, to advance
Thy name and honourable family,
Lavinia will I måke my empress,

Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart,
And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse:
Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?
TIT. It doth, my worthy lord; and in this
match

I hold me highly honour'd of your grace:
And here, in sight of Rome, to Saturnine,—
King and commander of our commonweal,
The wide world's emperor,-do I consecrate
My sword, my chariot, and my prisoners;
Presents well worthy Rome's imperial lord:
Receive them, then, the tribute that I owe,
Mine honour's ensigns humbled at thy* feet.
SAT. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life!

Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome:
Princely shall be thy usage every way.
Rest on my word, and let not discontent
Daunt all your hopes: madam, he comforts you
Can make you greater than the queen of Goths.-
Lavinia, you are not displeas'd with this?

LAV. Not I, my lord, sith true nobility
Warrants these words in princely courtesy.
SAT. Thanks, sweet Lavinia.-Romans, let
us go:

Ransomless here we set our prisoners free. Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.

[Flourish. SATURNINUS courts TAMORA in dumb show.

BASS. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is [Seizing LAVINIA.

mine.

TIT. How, sir! are you in earnest, then, my

lord?

BASS. Ay, noble Titus, and resolv'd withal To do myself this reason and this right.

MARC. Suum cuique is our Roman justice: This prince in justice seizeth but his own.

Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live.

TIT. Traitors, avaunt !—Where is the emperor's guard?

Treason, my lord!-Lavinia is surpris'd! ^
SAT. Surpris'd! by whom?
BASS.
By him that justly may
Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.
[Exeunt BASSIANUS and MARCUS, with
LAVINIA.

MUT. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my sword I'll keep this door safe.

b

[Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. TIT. Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back.

MUT. My lord, you pass not here.

surpris'd!] Seized unawares.

the emperor needs her not,-] In the old copies this line is preceded by the following stage direction :

Enter aloft the Emperour, with Tamora, and her two sonnes, and Aaron the Moore.

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.

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:
A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy;
One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons,

To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.
TIT. These words are razors to my wounded
heart.

SAT. And therefore, lovely Tamora, queen of
Goths,-

That, like the stately Phoebe 'mongst her nymphs,
Dost overshine the gallant'st dames of Rome,-
If thou be pleas'd with this my sudden choice,
Behold I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride,
And will create thee empress of Rome.
Speak, queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my

choice?

d

And here I swear by all the Roman gods,-
Sith priest and holy water are so near,
And tapers burn so bright, and everything
In readiness for Hymenæus stand,-

I will not re-salute the streets of Rome,
Or climb my palace, till from forth this place
I lead espous'd my bride along with me.
TAM. And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I

swear,

If Saturnine advance the queen of Goths,

e Was there none else in Rome to make a stale-] So the second folio, except that it adds "of" to the end of the line; the earlier authorities all read,-" Was none in Rome to make a stale," &c.

empress-] See note (f), p. 601.

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,
Sent by the heavens for prince Saturnine,
Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered:
There shall we consummate our spousal rites.
[Exeunt SAT., attended; TAMORA, DEMETRIUS,
CHIRON; AARON, and Goths.

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.

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.

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

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 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 MUTIUS in 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;

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, beholden to the man

That brought her for this high good turn so far? MAR. Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.

d

Flourish. Re-enter SATURNINUS, TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, and AARON from one side; from the other, BASSIANUS and LAVINIA, with others.

SAT. So, Bassianus, you have play'd your prize! God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride!

(*) First folio omits, wise. (†) First folio, sudden. Sophocles; and if, as Steevens asserts, there were no translation of that piece extant in the time of Shakespeare, we may reasonably infer that "Titus Andronicus" was written by some one acquainted with the Greek tragedies in their original language.

MAR.] This line is only in the folio, and there, the prefix having been omitted, it reads as a portion of the preceding speech.

BASS. And more,

you of yours, my lord! I say no

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.
BASS. 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;
Meanwhile I am possess'd of that is mine.

SAT. 'T is good, sir: you are very short with us; But, if we live, we'll be as sharp with you.

BASS. 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 that 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 controll'd in that he frankly gave.
Receive him, then, to favour, Saturnine,
That hath express'd himself, in all his deeds,
A father and a friend to thee and Rome.
TIT. Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my
deeds:

"T is 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,
And basely put it up without revenge?

•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 SAT.] My lord, be rul'd by me, be won
at last;

Dissemble all your griefs and discontents:
You are but newly planted in your throne;
Lest, then, the people, and patricians too,
Upon a just survey, take Titus' part,
And so supplant you* for ingratitude,

(*) First folio, us.

Stand up.-] Probably, as Pope surmised, a stage direction only.

(Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin,)
Yield at entreats; and then let me alone:
I'll find a day to massacre them all,
And raze their faction and their family,
The cruel father and his traitorous sons,
To whom I sued for my dear son's life;
And make them know, what 't is to let a queen
Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain.—
[Aloud.] Come, come, sweet emperor ;-come,
Andronicus,-

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.

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,lords,-and By my advice, all humbled on your knees, You shall ask pardon of his majesty.

Luc.* We do; and vow to heaven, and to his highness,

That what we did was mildly as we might,
Tend'ring our sister's honour and our own.

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 all be
friends:

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,
I would not part a bachelor from the priest.
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,
With horn and hound, we'll give your grace bon-
jour.

SAT. Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too. [Exeunt.

(*) First folio, Son.