Send thee by me, their tribune, and their trust, Mar. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery. Sat. Romans, do me right;— Patricians, draw your swords, and sheath them not Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor: Audronicus, would thou wert shipp'd to hell, 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 not flatter thee, But honour thee, and will do till I die; Of noble minds, is honourable meed. Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here, ⚫ A robe. ti. e. Do on, put it on. I ask your voices, and your suffrages; Tit. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make, Crown him, and say,-Long live our emperor! Lord Saturninus, Rome's great emperor; Sat. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts, Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart, The sun's. Rome shall record; and, when I do forget Romans, forget your fealty to me. Tit. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an empe. ror; [To Tamora. To him that, for your honour and your state, Will use you nobly, and your followers. Sat. A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome: Rest on my word, and let not discontent Daunt all your hopes; Madam, he comforts you, Lav. Not I, my lord; sith true nobility Sat. Thanks, sweet Lavinia.-Romans, let us go: Ransomeless here we set our prisoners free: Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. Bas. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine. [Seizing Lavinia. Tit. How, sir? Are you in earnest then, my lord? 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 seizeth but his own. Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live. Tit. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's Treason, my lord; Lavinia is surpris'd. Sat. Surpris'd! By whom? Bas. [guard? By him that justly may Bear his betroth'd from all the world away. [Exeunt Marcus and Bassianus, with Lavinia. * Since. Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my sword I'll keep this door safe. [Exeunt Lucius, Quintus, and Martius. Tit. Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back. Mut. My lord, you pass not here. 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 enperor needs her not, Not 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, Coufederates all thus to dishonour me. Was there none else in Rome to make a stale of, Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine, Sat. But go thy ways; go, give that changing 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 rufflet in the commonwealth of Rome. Tit. These words are razors to my wounded heart. A stalking-horse. + A ruffler was a bully. Sat. And therefore, lovely Tamora, queen of That, like the stately Phoebe 'mongst her nymphs, I will not re-salute the streets of Rome, Or climb my palace, till from forth this place Tam. And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I swear, If Saturnine advance the queen of Goths, Sat. Ascend, fair queen, Pantheon :- Lords, accompany Your noble emperor, and his lovely bride, [Exeunt Saturninus, and his Followers; Ta mora, and her Sons; Aaron and Goths. Tit. I am not bid to wait upon this bride ;Titus, when wert thou wont to talk alone, Dishonour'd thus, and challenged of wrongs ? Re-enter Marcus, Lucius, Quintus, and Martius. Mar. 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 Invited. |