Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

I render, for my

brethren's obfequies;

And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy
Shed on the earth, for thy return to Rome:
O, bless me here with thy victorious hand,
Whose fortunes Rome's best citizens applaud.

TIT. Kind Rome, that haft thus lovingly referv'd
The cordial of mine age to glad my heart!—
Lavinia, live; outlive thy father's days,
And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise!

Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, SATURNINUS, BASSIANUS, and Others.

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

fwords:

TIT. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus,
MAR. And welcome, nephews, from fuccefsful wars,
You that survive, and you that fleep in fame.
Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all,
That in your country's fervice drew your
But fafer 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 truft,
This palliament of white and spotless hue;
And name thee in election for the empire,
With these our late-deceased emperor's fons ;
Be candidatus then, and put it on,.

And help to fet a head on headless Rome.
TIT. A better head her glorious body fits,
Than his, that shakes for age and feebleness:
What! fhould I don this robe, and trouble you?
Be chofen with proclamations to-day;

To-morrow, yield up rule, refign my life,
And fet abroad new business for you all?
Rome, I have been thy foldier forty years,
And led my country's strength successfully ;
And buried one and twenty valiant fons,
Knighted in field, flain manfully in arms,
In right and service of their noble country:
Give me a staff of honour for mine

age, But not a scepter to control the world:

Upright he held it, lords, that held it laft.

MAR. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery.

SAT. Proud and ambitious tribune, canft thou tell?_ TIT. Patience, prince Saturnine.

SAT. Romans, do me right;

Patricians, draw your fwords, and sheath them not
Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor :-
Andronicus, 'would thou wert fhipp'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!

TIT. Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves. BAS. Andronicus, I do flatter thee,

But honour thee, and will do till I die;

My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends,

I will moft thankful be: and thanks, to men

Of noble minds, is honourable meed.

TIT. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here,
I ask your voices, and your fuffrages;

Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus?
TRIB. To gratify the good Andronicus,

And gratulate his fafe 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 fon,
Lord Saturnine; whofe virtues will, I hope,
Reflect on Rome, as Titan's rays on earth,
And ripen juftice in this common-weal :
Then if
you will elect by my advice,

Crown him, and fay,-Long live our emperor!
MAR. With voices and applaufe of every fort,
Patricians, and plebeians, we create

Lord Saturninus, Rome's great emperor;

And fay,-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 deferts,
And will with deeds requite thy gentleness:
And, for an onset, Titus, to advance
Thy name, and honourable family,
Lavinia will I make my emperefs,
Rome's royal mistress, mistress of

my heart,

And in the facred Pantheon her efpoufe:

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 fight of Rome, to Saturnine,-
King and commander of our common-weal,
The wide world's emperor,-do I confecrate
My fword, my chariot, and my prifoners;
Presents well worthy Rome's imperial lord:
Receive them then, the tribute that I owe,
Mine honour's enfigns humbled at thy feet.
SAT. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life!
How proud I am of thee, and of thy gifts,
Rome fhall record; and, when I do forget-

VOL. V.

M m

The least of these unspeakable deferts,

Romans, forget your fealty to me.

TIT. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor ;

[TO TAMORA.

To him, that for your honour and your state,

Will ufe you nobly, and your followers.

SAT. A goodly lady, truft me; of the hue That I would choose, were I to choose anew.— fair queen, that cloudy countenance;

Clear up,

Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer, Thou com'ft not to be made a fcorn in Rome :

Princely shall be thy ufage every way.

Reft 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 difpleas'd with this?

LAV. Not I, my lord; fith true nobility
Warrants these words in princely courtefy.

SAT. Thanks, fweet Lavinia.-Romans, let us go:
Ranfomless here we set our prifoners free :
Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.
BAS. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.
[Seizing LAVINIA.

TIT. How, fir? Are you in earnest then, my lord?
BAS. Ay, noble Titus ; and refolv'd withal,

To do myself this reason and this right.

[The Emperor courts TAMORA in dumb show.

MAR. Suum cuique is our Roman justice :

This prince in justice feizeth 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 furpriz❜d.

SAT. Surpriz'd! By whom?

BAS. By him that justly may

Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.

[Exeunt MARCUS and BASSIANUS, with LAVINIA. Mur. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my fword I'll keep this door fafe.

[Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. TIT. Follow, my lord, and I'll foon bring her back. MUT. My lord, you pass not here.

TIT. What, villain boy!

Barr'st me my way in Rome?

[TITUS kills Mutius.

MUT. Help Lucius, help!

Re-enter LUCIUS.

Luc. My lord, you are unjuft; and, more than fo, have flain your fon.

In wrongful quarrel you

TIT. Nor thou, nor he, are any fons of mine; My fons would never fo difhonour 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,
Not her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock:
I'll truft, by leifure, him that mocks me once;
Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty fons,
Confederates all thus to dishonour me.

Was there none else in Rome to make a ftale of,
But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,

Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine,
That faid'ft, 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 fword:

A valiant fon-in-law thou fhalt enjoy ;

One fit to bandy with thy lawless fons,

« AnteriorContinuar »