my choice? And here I swear by all the Roman gods, I will not re-salute the streets of Rome, Tam. And here, in sight of heaven, to If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths, 330 Sat. Ascend, fair queen, Pantheon. Lords, accompany Your noble emperor and his lovely bride, Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone, 339 Dishonor'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 dishonor'd all our family; Unworthy brother, and unworthy sons! Luc. But let us give him burial, as be comes; Give Mutius burial with our brethren. Tit. Traitors, away! he rests not in this tomb: This monument five hundred years hath stood, Quin. And shall, or him we will accom- Quin. He that would vouch it in any place but here. 360 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 honor thou hast wounded: My foes I do repute you every one; So, trouble me no more, but get you gone. Mart. He is not with himself; let us withdraw. Quin. Not I, till Mutius' bones be buried. [Marcus and the Sons of Titus kneel, Marc. Brother, for in that name doth nature plead,370 Quin. 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 honor 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, To be dishonor'd by my sons in Rome! Well, bury him, and bury me the next. [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; He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause. Marc. My lord, to step out of these dreary dumps, 391 How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths Is of a sudden thus advanced 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! Bas. And you of yours, my lord! I say no more, 401 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 truth-betrothed love and now my wife? But, if we live, we'll be as sharp with you. 410 Bas. My lord, what I have done, as best I may, Answer I must and shall do with my life. With his own hand did slay his youngest son, Tit. Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds: 'Tis thou and those that have-dishonor'd me. Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge, How I have loved and honor'd Saturnine! Tam. My worthy lord, if ever Tamora Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine, Then hear me speak indifferently for all; 430 And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past. Sat. What, madam! be dishonor'd openly, 450 Dissemble all your griefs and discontents: 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: 450 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 honor, good my lord, That I have reconciled 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. 470 And fear not, lords, and you, Lavinia ; 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, Tendering our sister's honor and our own. Marc. That, on mine honor, here I do pro Aar. Now climbeth Tamora Olympus' top, Safe out of fortune's shot; and sits aloft, Secure of thunder's crack or lightning flash; Advanced above pale envy's threatening reach. As when the golden sun salutes the morn, And, having gilt the ocean with his beams, Gallops the zodiac in his glistering coach, And overlooks the highest-peering hills; So Tamora: 10 Upon her wit doth earthly honor wait, To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress, And mount her pitch, whom thou in. triumph long Hast prisoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains 20 Enter DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, braving. Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit wants edge, And manners, to intrude where I am graced; And may, for aught thou know'st, affected be. Chi. Demetrius, thou dost over-ween in all; And so in this, to bear me down with braves.30 '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; And that my sword upon thee shall approve, And plead my passions for Lavinia's love. Aar. [Aside] Clubs, clubs! these lovers will not keep the peace. Dem. Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised, Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side, Are you so desperate grown, to threat your friends? 40 Go to; have your lath glued within your sheath Till you know better how to handle it. Chi. Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have, Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare So near the emperor's palace dare you draw, The cause were known to them it most con50 cerns; That he hath breathed in my dishonor here. Chi. For that I am prepared and full resolved. Foul-spoken coward, that thunder'st with thy tongue, And with thy weapon nothing darest perform! 60 Aar. Away, I say! Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore, That for her love such quarrels may be broach'd This discord's ground, the music would not please. 70 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 meaner choice: Lavinia is thine elder brother's hope. Aar. Why, are ye mad? or know ye not in Rome How furious and impatient they be, Chi. Dem. Why makest 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 loved. 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, Dem. Then why should he despair that knows to court it With words, fair looks and liberality? Would serve your turns. Chi. Ay, so the turn were served. Dem. Aaron, thou hast hit it. Aar. Would you had hit it too! Then should not we be tired 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. Faith, not me. 100 Nor me, so I were one. Aur. For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar: 'Tis policy and stratagem must do That you affect; and so must you resolve, A speedier course than lingering languishment 121 The palace full of tongues, of eyes, and ears: The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf, and dull; There speak, and strike, brave boys, and take your turns; There serve your lusts, shadow'd from heaven's eye, 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 near Rome. Horns and cry of hounds heard. Enter TITUS ANDRONICUS, with Hunters, &c., MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. Uncouple here and let us make a bay Many good morrows to your majesty ; Lav. I say, no; I have been broad awake two hours and more. Sat. Come on, then; horse and chariots let us have, And to our sport. [To Tamora] Madam, now shall ye see Our Roman hunting. Marc. I have dogs, my lord, 20 Will rouse the proudest panther in the chase, And climb the highest promontory top. Tit. And I have horse will follow where the game Makes way, and run like swallows o'er the plain. Dem. Chiron, we hunt not, we, with horse nor hound, But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground. [Exeunt. SCENE III. A lonely part of the forest. To bury so much gold under a tree, 19 Replying shrilly to the well-tuned horns, Be unto us as is a nurse's song Of Inllaby to bring her babe asleep. Aar. Madam, though Venus govern your desires, Saturn is dominator over mine: 30 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, This is the day of doom for Bassianus: 40 Enter BASSIANUS and LAVINIA. Bas. Who have we here? Rome's royal empress, Unfurnish'd of her well-beseeming troop? Who hath abandoned her holy groves To see the general hunting in this forest? Lav. Under your patience, gentle empress, 'Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning; And to be doubted that your Moor and you to-day! 70 "Tis pity they should take him for a stag. Bas. Believe me, queen, your swarth Cimmerian pale? 91 These two have 'ticed me hither to this place : O'ercome with moss and baleful mistletoe : Here never shines the sun; here nothing breeds, Unless the nightly owl or fatal raven : And when they show'd me this abhorred pit, Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly. Unto the body of a dismal yew, 111 And leave me to this miserable death: For no name fits thy nature but thy own! wrong. 120 |