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Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor. 296 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: 300
I'll trust, by leisure, him that mocks me
once;

Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons,
Confederates all thus to dishonour me.
Was none in Rome to make a stale

But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,

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Tit. Traitors, away! he rests not in this tomb.

Agreed these deeds with that proud brag of This monument five hundred years hath stood,

Here none but soldiers and Rome's servitors 352
Repose in fame; none basely slain in brawls.
Bury him where you can; he comes not here.
Mar. My lord, this is impiety in you.
My nephew Mutius' deeds do plead for him; 356
He must be buried with his brethren.

thine,

Which I have sumptuously re-edified:

That saidst I begg'd the empire at thy hands. Tit. O monstrous! what reproachful words are these!

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To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.

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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,

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Quin. He that would vouch it in any place

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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, 384 To be dishonour'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.

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All. [Kneeling.] No man shed tears for noble
Mutius;

He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause.

Mar. My lord, -to step out of these dreary dumps,

How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths 392 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 teil. Is she not, then, beholding to the man 396 That brought her for this high good turnso far? Mar. Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.

Flourish. Re-enter, on one side, SATURNINUS, attended; TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, and AARON: on the other side, BASSIANUS, LAVINIA and Others.

Sat. So, Bassianus, you have play'd your prize:

God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride. 400 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. 404 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;
Meanwhile, I am possess'd of that is mine. 408

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 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,

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son,

With his own hand did slay his youngest 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.

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me, be won at last;

Dissemble all your griefs and discontents:
You are but newly planted in your throne; 444
Lest then, the people, and patricians too,
Upon a just survey, take Titus' part,
And so supplant you for ingratitude,
Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin, 448
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, 452
To whom I sued for my dear son's life;

And make them know what 'tis to let a queen
Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain.
[Aloud.] Come, come, sweet emperor; come,

Andronicus;

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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. 464
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 468
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 knees, 472
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 honour and our own. 476
Mar. 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; 480
I will not be denied: sweet heart, look back.

Sat. Marcus, for thy sake, and thy brother's
here,

Enter DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, braving.
Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit
wants edge

And manners, to intrude where I am grac'd,
And may, for aught thou know'st, affected be. 28
Chi. Demetrius, thou dost over-ween in all
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

And at my lovely Tamora's entreats,
I do remit these young men's heinous faults: 484 To serve, and to deserve my mistress' grace;

Stand up.

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SCENE I.-Rome. Before the Palace.
Enter AARON.

Aar. Now climbeth Tamora Olympus' top,
Safe out of Fortune's shot; and sits aloft,
Secure of thunder's crack or lightning flash,

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And that my sword upon thee shall approve,
And plead my passions for Lavinia's love.

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Aar. Clubs, clubs! these lovers will not keep the peace.

Dem. Why, boy, although our mother, un-
advis'd,

Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side,
Are you so desperate grown, to threat your

friends?

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Go to; have your lath glu'd 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.
Dem. Ay, boy, grow ye so brave? [They draw.
Aar.
Why, how now, lords! 45

So near the emperor's palace dare you draw,
And maintain such a quarrel openly?
Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge: 48
I would not for a million of gold

The cause were known to them it most con

cerns;

Advanc'd above pale envy's threat'ning reach. 4 Nor would your noble mother for much more

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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.

For shame, put up.

Dem.

8 My rapier in his bosom, and withal

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That he hath breath'd in my dishonour here. 56
Chi. 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!

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Now, by the gods that war-like Goths adore,
This petty brabble will undo us all.
Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous
It is to jet upon a prince's right?
What! is Lavinia then become so loose,
Or Bassianus so degenerate,
That for her love such quarrels may be broach'd
Without controlment, justice, or revenge?
Young lords, beware! an should the empress
know

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And many unfrequented plots there are
Fitted by kind for rape and villany:
Single you thither then this dainty doe,
And strike her home by force, if not by words:
This way, or not at all, stand you in hope.
Come, come, our empress, with her sacred wit
To villany and vengeance consecrate,
Will we acquaint with all that we intend;
And she shall file our engines with advice,
That will not sufier you to square yourselves, 124
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, and ears:
The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf, and dull;
There speak, and strike, brave boys, and take
your turns;

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There serve your lusts, shadow'd from heaven's eye,

And revel in Lavinia's treasury.

Chi. Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice. Dem. Sit jas aut nefas, till I find the stream To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits, Per Styga, per manes vehor. [Exeunt.

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That you affect; and so must you resolve, That what you cannot as you would achieve, You must perforce accomplish as you may. Take this of me: Lucrece was not more chaste Than this Lavinia, Bassianus' love.

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I say, no;

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Must we pursue, and I have found the path.

My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;

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Sat. Come on, then; horse and chariots let us have,

There will the lovely Roman ladies troop:

The forest walks are wide and spacious,

And to our sport. - [To TAMORA.] Madam, now shall ye see

A speedier course than lingering languishment I have been broad awake two hours and more.

Our Roman hunting.
Mar.

Even as an adder when she doth unroll

I have dogs, my lord, 20 To do some fatal execution?

Will rouse the proudest panther in the chase,

And climb the highest promontory top.

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Tit. And I have horse will follow where the game

Makes way, and run like swallows o'er the plain. Dem. [Aside.] Chiron, we hunt not, we, with horse nor hound,

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

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thee,

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But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-A lonely Part of the Forest.
Enter AARON, with a bag of gold.

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; 48

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Aar. He that had wit would think that I had Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty, none,

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Which dreads not yet their lives' destruction. Tam. Ah! my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than life.

Aar. No more, great empress; Bassianus comes:

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Jove shield your husband from his hounds

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