Flourish. Re-enter, at one side, SATURNINUS, | For you, prince Bassianus, I have pass'd
attended; TAMORA, CHIRON, DEMETRIUS, My word and promise to the emperor,
and AARON: At the other, BASSIANUS, LA-
VINIA, and others.

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

God give you joy, Sir, of your gallant bride.
Bas. And you of your's, my lord, I say no

My true-betrothed love, and now my wife?
But let the laws of Rome determine all:
Mean while I am possess'd of what is mine.

That you will be more mild and tractable.-
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,
Tend'ring our sister's honour and our own.
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 :
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,

Sat. 'Tis good, Sir: You are very short with But, if we live, we'll be as sharp with you. [us; Bas. My lord, what I have done, as best II do remit these young men's heinous faults. Stand up.

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 bere,
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 control'd in that he frankly gave:
Receive him then te 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;

'Tis 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
forefend,

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.

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 us for ingratitude,
(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 'tis to let a queen
Kneel in the streets, and beg for grace in

vain.

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 pre-
vail'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.-

• Forbid.

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
bonjour.

Sat. Be it so, Titus, and gramercy, too.

long

Hast prisoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains;
And faster bound to Aaron's charming eyes,
Than is Prometheus tied to Caucasus.
Away with slavish weeds, and idle thoughts!
I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold,
To wait upon this new-made emperess.
To wait, said I? to wanton with this queen,
This goddess, this Semiramis ;-this queen,
This syren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine,
And see his shipwreck, and his commonweal's.
Holla! what storm is this?

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

edge,

And manners, to intrude where I am grac'd;
And may, for ought thou know'st, affected be.

Chi. Demetrius, thou dost o'erween 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, 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. Clubs, clubs! * these lovers will not keep the peace.

Chi. I'faith, not me.
Dem. Nor me,

Dem. Why, boy, although our mother, unad-So I were one.

vis'd,

Gave you a dancing-rapier + by your side,
Are you so desperate grown, to threat your friends?
Go to have your lath glued within your sheath,
Till you know better how to handle it.

Chi. Mean while, 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?
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;
I would not for a million of gold,

The cause were known to them it most concerns:
Nor would your noble mother, for much more,
Be so dishonour'd in the court of Rome.
For shame, put up,

Dem. Not I, till I have sheath'd
My rapier in his bosom, and, withal,

Aar. For shame, be friends; and join for that
you jar.

'Tis policy and stratagem must do
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.
A speedier course than lingering languishment
Must we pursue, and I have found the path.
My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;
There will the lovely Roman ladies troop:
The forest walks are wide and spacious,
And many unfrequented plots there are,
Fitted by kind for rape and villainy :
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 villainy and vengeance consecrate,
Will we acquaint with all that we intend :
And she shall file our engines with advice,

Thrust these reproachful speeches down his throat,
That he hath breath'd in my dishonour here.
Chi. For that I am prepar'd and full re-That will not sufler you to square yourselves,

solv'd,

[tongue,
Foul-spoken coward! that thunder'st with thy
And with thy weapon nothing dar'st perform.
Aar. Away, I say.-

Now by the gods, that warlike Goths adore,
This petty brabble will undo us all.-

Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous
It is to jut 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

This discord's ground, the music would not please.
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,
And cannot brook competitors in love?
I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths
By this device.

Chi. Aaron, a thousand deaths

Would I propose, to achieve her whom I love.
Car. To achieve her!-How?

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 lov'd.
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,
Better than he have yet worn Vulcan's badge.
Car. Ay, and as good as Saturninus may.
[Aside.
Dem. Then why should he despair, that knows
to court it

With words, fair looks and liberality?
What, hast thou not full often struck a doe,
And borne her cleanly by the keeper's nose?
Car. Why then, it seems, some certain snatch,

|

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, of ears:
The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf and dull:
There speak, and strike, brave boys, and take
your turns:
[eye,
There serve your lust, shadow'd from heaven's
And revel in Lavinia's treasury.

Chi. Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice.
Dem. Sit jus 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.-A Lodge
seen at a distance. Horns, and cry of
Hounds heard.

Enter TITUS ANDRONICUS, with Hunters, &c.
MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS.
Tit. The haut is up, the morn is bright and
grey,
[green:
The fields are fragrant, and the woods are
Uncoupled here, and let us make a bay,
And wake the emperor and his lovely bride,
And rouse the prince; and ring a hunter's peal,
That all the court may echo with the noise.
Sons, let it be your charge, as it is ours,
To tend the emperor's person carefully:
I have been troubled in my sleep this night,
But dawning day new comfort hath inspir'd.
Horns wind a Peal. Enter SATURNINUS, TA-
MORA, BASSIANUS, LAVINIA, CHIRON, DE-
METRIUS, and attendants.

Tit. Many good morrows to your majesty :-
Madam, to you as many and as good!-

I promised your grace a hunter's peal.

Sat. And you have rung it lustily, my lords, Somewhat too early for new-married ladies. Bas. Lavinia, how say you?

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 :-Madam, now shall ye see
Our Roman hunting.
[TO TAMORA.

Mar. I have dogs, my lord,
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.

By nature.

[Exeunt.

↑ Sacred here significs accursed: a Latiasov,

These two have 'tic'd me hither to this place,
A barren detested vale, you see, it is:
The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean,
O'ercome with moss, and baleful misletoe.
Here never shines the sun; here nothing breeds,
Unless the nightly owl, or fatal raven;

Aar. Madam, though Venus govern your de- And, when they show'd me this abhorred pit,

Chi. I warrant you, madam; we will make
that sure.-

Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy
That nice-preserved honesty of your's.

Lav. O Tamora! thou bear'st a woman's
face,-

Tam. I will not hear her speak away with her.

Lav. Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word.

Dem. Listen, fair madam: Let it be your
glory

To see her tears but be your heart to them,
As unrelenting flint to drops of rain.

Lav. When did the tiger's young ones teach
the dam?

Oh! do not learn her wrath; she taught it thee: The milk thou suck'dst from her did turn to marble;

SCENE IV.-The same.

Enter AARON, with QUINTUS and Marrits.

Aar. Come on, my lords; the better foot ke-
fore:

Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit,
Where I espy'd the panther fast asleep.

Quin. My sight is very dull, whate'er it bodes.
Mart. And mine, I promise you; wer't not
for shame,

Well could 1 leave our sport to sleep awhile.
[MARTIUS fails into the Pit.
Quin. What art thou fallen? What subtle hole
is this,

Whose mouth is cover'd with rude-growing briers;
Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood,
As fresh as morning's dew distill'd on flowers?
A very fatal place it seems to me :-
Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall?
Mart. O brother, with the dismallest objéct
That ever eye, with sight, made heart lament.
Aar. [Aside.] Now will I fetch the king to
and them here;

Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny.Yet every mother breeds not sons alike; Do thou entreat her show a woman's pity. [To CHIRON. Chi. What! would'st thou have me prove iny-That he thereby may give a likely guess, self a bastard ? How these were they that made away his brother. [Exit.

Lav. 'Tis true; the raven doth not hatch a
lark :

Yet I have heard (oh! could I find it now!)
The lion mov'd with pity, did endure

To have his princely paws par'd all away.
Some say that ravens foster forlorn children,
The whilst their own birds famish in their

nests:

Oh! be to me, though thy hard heart say no,
Nothing so kind, but something pitiful!

Tam. I know not what it means: away with
her.

Lav. Oh! let me teach thee: for my father's sake,

That gave thee life, when well he might have slain thee,

Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears.

Tam. Had thou iu person ne'er offended me
Even for his sake am I pitiless :-
Remember, boys, I pour'd forth tears in vain,
To save your brother from the sacrifice;
But fierce Andronicus would not relent.
Therefore away with her, and use her as you

will;

The worse to her, the better lov'd of me.

Lav. O Tamora, be call'd a gentle queen,
And with thine own hands kill me in this
place:

For 'tis not life that I have begg'd so long;
Poor I was slain, when Bassianus died.
Tam. What begg'st thou then: fond woman,
let me go.

Lav. 'Tis present death I beg; and one thing

more,

That womanhood denies my tongue to tell :
Oh! keep me from their worse than killing lust,
And tumble me into some loathsome pit;
Where never man's eye may behold my body:
Do this, and be a charitable murderer.
Tam. So should I reb my sweet sons of their
fee:

No, let them satisfy their lust on thee.

Dem. Away, for thou hast staid us here too long.

Lav. No grace? no womanhood? Ah! beastly
creature!

The blot and enemy to our general name!
Confusion fall-

Chi. Nay, then, I'll stop your mouth :-Bring
thou her husband;

[Dragging off LAVINIA.
This is the hole where Aaron bid us bide him.
[Exeunt.
Tam. Farewell, my sons: see that you make
her sure:

Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed,
Till all the Andronici be made away.

Now will I hence to seek my lovely Mooi,
And let my spleenful sons this trull deflower.

Mart. Why dost not comfort me, and help

Aaron and thou look down into this den,
And see a fearful sight of blood and death.
Quin. Aaron is goue; and my compassionate
heart

Will not permit mine eyes once to behold
The thing, whereat it trembles by surmise:
Oh! tell me how it is; for ne'er till now
Was I a child, to fear I know not what.

Mart. Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here,
All on a heap, like to a slaughter'd lamb,
In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit,
Quin. If it be dark, how dost thou know 'tis
he?

Mart. Upon his bloody finger he doth wear
A precious ring, that lightens all the hole,
Which, like a taper in some monument,
Doth shine upon the dead man's earthy cheeks,
And shows the ragged entrails of this pit:
So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus,
When he by night lay bath'd in maiden blood.
O brother, help me with thy fainting hand,-
If fear hath made thee faint, as me it hath,--
Out of this fell devouring receptacle,
As hateful as Cocytus' misty mouth.

Quin. Reach me thy hand, that I may help
thee out;

Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good,
I may be pluck'd into the swallowing womb
Of this deep pit, poor Bassianus' grave.

I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink.
Mart. Nor I no strength to climb without thy
help.

Quin. Thy hand once more; I will not loose
Till thou art here aloft, or I below: [again,
Thou canst not come to me, I come to thee.
[Falls in.

Enter SATURNINUS and AARON.
Sat. Along with me:-I'll see what hole is
here,

And what he is, that now is leap'd into it.
Say, who art thou, that lately didst descend
Into this gaping hollow of the earth?

Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus :
Brought thither in a most unlucky hour,
To find thy brother Bassianus dead.

Sat. My brother dead? I know thou dost bu
jest:

He and his lady both are at the lodge, Upon the north side of this pleasant chase : [Exit.] 'Tis not an hour since I left him there.

Mart. We know not where you left him all
alive,

But, out alas! here have we found him dead.
Enter TAMORA, with Attendants; TITUS AN-
DRONICUS, and Lucius.

Tam. Where is iny lord, the king?

Sat. Here, Tamora; though griev'd with killing grief.

Tam. Where is thy brother Bassianus ?

Sat. Now to the bottom dost thou search my
Wound:

Poor Bassianus here lies murdered.

Tam. Then all too late I bring this fatal writ,
Giving a Letter.
The complot of this timeless tragedy;
And wonder greatly, that man's ace can fold
In pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny.
Sat. [Reads.] An if we miss to meet him
handsomely,-

Sweet huntsman, Bassianus 'tis, we mean,—
Do thou so much as dig the grave for him;
Thou know'st our meaning; Look for thy re-
ward

Among the nettles at the elder tree,
Which overshades the mouth of that same pit,
Where we decreed to bury Bassianus.
Do this, and purchase us thy lasting friends.
O Tamora! was ever heard the like?
This is the pit, and this the elder tree:
Look, Sirs, if you can find the huntsman out,
That should have murder'd Bassianus here.
Aar. My gracious lord, here is the bag of gold.
[Showing it.
Sat. Two of thy whelps, [To TIT.] fell curs of
bloody kind,

Have here bereft my brother of his fe:--
Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison;
There let them bide, until we have devis'd
Some never-heard-of torturing pain for them.
Tam. What, are they in this pit? O wondrous
thing!

How easily murder is discovered!

Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee
I beg this boon, with tears not lightly shed,
That this fell fault of my accursed sons,
Accursed, if the fault be prov'd in them,
Sat. If it be prov'd! you see, it is appa-

rent.

Who found this letter? Tamora, was it you?
Tam. Andronicus himself did take it up.
Tit. I did, my lord: yet let me be their bail:
For by my father's reverend tomb, I vow,
They shall be ready at your highness' will,
To answer their suspicion with their lives.
Sat. Thou shalt not bail them: see, thou fol-
low me.
[derers :
Some bring the murder'd body, some the mur-
Let them not speak a word, the guilt is plain;
For, by my soul, were there worse end than
death,

That end upon them should be executed.

Tam. Andronicus, I will entreat the king: Fear not thy sous, they shall do well enough. Tit. Come, Lucius, come: stay not to talk with them.

Of her two branches? those sweet ornaments,
Whose circling shadows kings have sought to
sleep in ;

And might not gain so great a happiness,
As half thy love? Why dost not speak to me ?-
Alas, a crimson river of warm blood,
Like to a bubbling fountain stirr'd with wind,
Doth rise and fall between thy rosed lips,
Coming and going with thy honey breath.
But sure, some Tereus hath deflower'd thee;
And, lest thou should'st detect him, cut thy
tongue.

Ah! now thou turnest away thy face for shame,
And, notwithstanding all this loss of blood,—
As from a conduit with three issuing spouts,-
Yet do thy cheeks look red as Titan's face,
Blushing to be encounter'd with a cloud.
Shall I speak for thee? shall I say, 'tis so?
Oh! that I knew thy heart; and knew the beast,
That I might rail at him to ease my mind!
Sorrow concealed, like an oven stopp'd
Doth burn the heart to cinders where it is.
Fair Philomela, she but lost her tongue,
And in a tedious sampler sew'd her mind:
But, lovely niece, that mean is cut from thee;
A craftier Tereus hast tnon met withal,
And he hath cut those pretty fingers off,
That could have better sew'd than Philomel.
Oh! had the mouster seen those lily hands
Tremble, like aspen leaves, upon a lute,
And make the silken strings delight to kiss them,
He would not then have touch'd them for his
life;

Or, had he heard the heavenly harmony,
Which that sweet tongue hath made,
He would have dropp'd his knife, and fell
asleep.

As Cerberus at the Thracian poet's feet.
Come, let us go, and make thy father blind:
For such a sight will blind a father's eye:
One hour's storm will drown the fragrant meads;
What will whole months of tears thy father's
eyes?

Do not draw back, for we will mourn with thee;
Oh! could our mourning ease thy misery!
[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE 1.-Rome.-A Street.

Enter SENATORS, TRIBUNES, and Officers of
Justice, with MARTIUS and QUINTUS, bound,
passing on to the Place of Execution: Ti-
TUS going before, pleading.

Tit. Hear me, grave fathers! noble tribunes
stay!

For pity of mine age, whose youth was spent
In dangerous wars, whilst you securely slept;
For all my blood in Rome's great quarrel shed;
For all the frosty nights that I have watch'd;

• Orpheus.