Nor thou, nor thefe, confederates in the deed
That hath difhonour'd all our family;
Unworthy brother, and unworthy fons !

Luc. But let us give him burial, as becomes;
Give Mutius burial with our brethren.

Tit. Traitors, away! he refts not in this tomb.
This monument five hundred years hath stood,
Which I have fumptuously re-edified ;

Here none but foldiers, and Rome's fervitors,
Repofe in fame; none basely flain 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 :
He must be buried with his brethren.

[Titus' fons fpeak. Sons. And fhall, or him we will accompany. Tit. And fhall? What villain was it fpoke that word? [Titus' fon fpeaks. Quin. He that would vouch 't in any place but

here.

Tit. What, would you bury him in my defpight Mar. No, noble Titus; but intreat of thee To pardon Mutius, and to bury him.

Tit. Marcus, even thou haft ftruck upon my creft, And, with thefe boys, mine honour thou haft wounded.

My foes I do repute you every one ;
So trouble me no more, but get you gone.
Luc. He is not with himself; let us withdraw.
Quin. Not I, till Mutius' bones be buried.

[The brother and the fons kneel. Mar, Brother, for in that name doth nature plead. Quin. Father, and in that name doth nature fpeak. Tit. Speak thou no more, if all the reft will fpeed.

Mar. Renowned Titus, more than half my foul,-
Luc. Dear father, foul and substance of us all,
Mar. Suffer thy brother Marcus to interr
His noble nephew here in virtue's neft,
That died in honour and Lavinia's caufe.
Thou art a Roman, be not barbarous.
The Greeks, upon advice, did bury Ajax
That flew himself; and wife Laertes' fon
Did graciously plead for his funerals :

Let not young Mutius then, that was thy joy,
Be barr'd his entrance here.

Tit. Rife, Marcus, rife :

The difmall'ft day is this, that e'er 1 faw,
To be difhonour'd by my fons in Rome!-
Well, bury him, and bury me the next.
[They put him in the tomb.
Luc. There lie thy bones, Tweet Mutius, with
thy friends,

'Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb !-
[They all kneel, and fay;

No man fhed tears for noble Mutius;
He lives in fame, that dy'd in virtue's cause.
—to step out of thefe dreary
dumps,-

Mar. My lord,

How comes it, that the fubtle queen of Goths
Is of a fudden thus advanc'd in Rome?
Tit. I know not, Marcus; but I know, it is;
If by device or no, the heavens can tell :
Is the not then beholden to the man

Flourish. Re-enter the Emperor, Tamora, Chiron and Demetrius, with Aaron the Moor, at one door: At the other door, Baffianus, and Lavinia, with others.

Sat. So, Baffianus, you have play'd your prize: God give you joy, fir, of your gallant bride.

Baf. And you of yours, my lord: I fay no more, Nor with no lefs; and fo I take my leave.

Sat. Traitor, if Rome have, law, or we have power,

Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape.

Baf. Rape, call you it, my lord, to feize my own,
My true betrothed love, and now my wife?
But let the laws of Rome determine all;
Mean while I am poffeft of that is mine.
Sat. 'Tis good, fir: You are very short with us;
But, if we live, we'll be as sharp with you.

Baf. My lord, what I have done, as best I may,
Anfwer I must, and shall do with my life.
Only thus much I give your grace to know,→
By all the duties which I owe to Rome,
This noble gentleman, lord Titus here,
Is in opinion, and in honour, wrong'd;
That, in the rescue of Lavinia,

With his own hand did flay his youngest son,
In zeal to you, and highly mov'd to wrath
To be controul'd in that he frankly gave:
Receive him then to favour, Saturnine;
That hath exprefs'd himself, in all his deeds,
A father, and a friend, to thee, and Rome.

Tit. Prince Baffianus, leave to plead my deeds;
'Tis thou, and thofe, that have difhonour'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 thofe princely eyes of thine,
Then hear me speak, indifferently for all;
And at my fuit, fweet, pardon what is past.

Sat. What, madam! be difhonour'd openly,
And bafely put it up without revenge?

Tam. Not fo, my lord; The gods of Rome
forefend,

I fhould be author to dishonour you!
But, on mine honour, dare 1 undertake
For good lord Titus' innocence in all,
Whofe fury, not diffembled, fpeaks his griefs:
Then, at my fuit, lonk graciously on him;
Lote not fo noble a friend on vain fuppofe,
Nor with four looks afflict his gentle heart.-
My lord, be rul'd by me, be won at laft,
Ditfemble all your griefs and difcontents:
You are but newly planted in your
throne;

Left then the people, and patricians too,
Upon a juit furvey, take Titus' part;
And fo fupplant us for ingratitude,
(Which Rome repetes to be a heinous fin)
Yield at intreats, and then let me alone :
I'll find a day to mailare them all,
And raze their faction, and their family,
The cruel father, and his traiterous fons,
To whom I ined for my dear fon's life;
And make them know, what 'tis to let a
queen

That brought her for this high good turn fo far? Kneel in the ftrects, and beg for grace

[Afide.

Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.

Hhh 2

Come,

ACT II.

WOW climbeth Tamora Olympus' top,
Safe out of fortune's thot ; and fits aloft,
Secure of thunder's crack, or lightning flash;
Advanc'd above pale envy's threatning reach.
As when the golden fun falutes the morn,
And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
Gallops the zodiack in his gliftering coach,
And over-looks the highest-peering hills;
So Tamora.-

Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait,
And virtue ftoops and trembles at her frown.
Then, Aaron, arm thy heart, and fit thy thoughts,
To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress,
And mount her pitch; whom thou in triumph long
Haft prifoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains;
And fafter bound to Aaron's charming eyes,
Than is Prometheus ty'd to Caucafus.
Away with flavish weeds, and idle thoughts!
I will be bright, and fhine in pearl and gold,
To wait upon this new-made emperefs.
To wait, faid I to wanton with this queen,
This goddefs, this Semiramis;-this queen,
This fyren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine,
And fee his fhipwreck, and his common-weal's.
Holla! what ftorm is this?

Enter Chiron, and Demetrius, braving.

Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit My rapier in his bofom, and, withal,

That he hath breath'd in my dishonour here.

Take this of me, Lucrece was not more chafte

Dem. For that I am prepar'd and full refolv'd,-Than this Lavinia, Baffianus' love.
Foul-fpoken coward! that thunder'ft with thy A fpeedier courfe than lingering languifhment

tongue,

And with thy weapon nothing dar'ft perform.

Aar. Away, I fay.

Now, by the gods, that warlike Goths adore,

This petty brabble will undo us all.

Muft we purfue, and I have found the path.
My lords, a folemn hunting is in hand;
There will the lovely Roman ladies troop:
The foreft walks are wide and spacious;
And many unfrequented plots there are,

Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous Fitted by kind 3 for rape and villainy :

It is to jut upon a prince's right?

What, is Lavinia then become fo loose,

Or Baffianus fo degenerate,

Single you thither then this dainty doe,

And strike her home by force, if not by words:
This way, or not at all, ftand you in hope.
Come, come, our emprefs, with her facred wit,
To villainy and vengeance confecrate,
We will acquaint with all that we intend;
And the shall file our engines with advice 4,
That will not fuffer you to square yourselves,
But to your wifhes' height advance you both.
The emperor's court is like the houfe of fame,

That for her love fuch quarrels may be broach'd
Without controulment, juftice, or revenge?
Young lords, beware!-an fhould the emprefs
know
[pleafe.
This difcord's ground, the mufick would not
Chi. I care not, I, knew the and all the world;
I love Lavinia more than all the world.
Dem. Youngling, learn thou to make fome The palace full of tongues, of eyes, of ears:

meaner choice:

Lavinia is thine elder brother's hope.

[Rome

Aar. Why, are ye mad? or know ye not, in
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 thoufand deaths would I propofe,

To atchieve her I do love.

Aar. To atchieve her!-How?
Dem. Why mak'ft thou it fo ftrange?
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 eafy it is
Of a cut loaf to fteal a fhive 1, we know:
Though Baffianus be the emperor's brother,
Better than he have yet worn Vulcan's badge.
Aar. Ay, and as good as Saturninus may. [Afide.
Dem. Then why should he defpair, that knows

The woods are ruthlefs, dreadful, deaf and dull;
There fpeak, and strike, brave boys, and take

your turns:

Enter Titus Andronicus and his three Sons, with
bounds and borns, and Marcus.

Tit. The buat is up, the morn is bright and grey,
The fields are fragrant, and the woods are green :
Uncouple here, and let us make a bay,
And wake the emperor and his lovely bride,
And roufe 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 perfon carefully:
I have been troubled in my fleep this night,
But dawning day new comfort hath infpir'd.
Here a cry of bounds, and wind horns in a peal: then
enter Saturninus, Tamora, Baffianus, Lavinia,
Chiron, Demetrius, and their 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 luftily, my lords,
Somewhat too early for new married ladies.
Baf. Lavinia, how say you?

Lav. I fay, no;

I have been broad awake two hours and more.
Sat. Come on then, horfe and chariots let us

1 A fhive is a flice. 2 To fquare is to quarrel. 3 i. c. by nature. 4 i. e. remove all impediments from our defigns by advice. The allufion is to the operation of the file.

Mhh 3

And

And climb the highest promontory top.

Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty,

Tit. And I have horfe will follow where the Which dreads not yet their lives' deftruction.

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

Tam. Ah, my fweet Moor, fweeter to me than life!

Aar. No more, great emprefs, Baffianus comes: Be cross with him; and I'll go fetch thy fons

But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground. [Exeunt. To back thy quarrels, whatfoe'er they be. [Exit. Enter Baffianus, and Lavinia.

SCENE III.

A Defert Part of the Foreft.

Enter Aaron alone.

Baf. Whom have we here? Rome's royal em

perefs,

Unfurnish'd of her well-befeeming troop ?

Aar. He, that had wit, would think, that I Or is it Dian, habited like her;

had none,

To bury fo much gold under a tree,
And never after to inherit it.

Let him, that thinks of me fo abjectly,
Know, that this gold must coin a stratagem ;
Which, cunningly effected, will beget
A very excellent piece of villainy :

And fo repofe, fweet gold, for their unrest 1,
That have their alms out of the emprefs' chest.
Enter Tamora.

Tam. My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thou
fad,

When every thing doth make a gleeful boast ?
The birds chaunt melody on every bush;
The fnake lies rolled in the chearful fun;
The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind,
And make a chequer'd shadow on the ground:
Under their fweet fhade, Aaron, let us fit,
And—whilst the babling echo mocks the hounds,
Replying thrilly to the well-tun'd horns,
As if a double hunt were heard at once,-
Let us fit down, and mark their yelling noife:
And-after conflict, fuch as was fuppos'd
The wand'ring prince and Dido once enjoy'd,
When with a happy ftorm they were furpriz'd,
And curtain'd with a counfel-keeping cave,--
We may, each wreathed in the other's arms,
Our paftimes done, poffefs a golden flumber;
Whilft hounds, and horns, and fweet melodious birds,
Be unto us, as is a nurse's fong

Of lullaby, to bring her babe asleep.

Who hath abandoned her holy groves,
To fee the general hunting in this foreft?

Tam. Saucy controller of our private steps!
Had I the power that, fome fay, Dian had,
Thy temples fhould be planted presently
With horns, as was Acteon's; and the hounds
Should drive 2 upon thy new-transformed limbs,
Unmannerly intruder as thou art!

Lat. Under your patience, gentle emperefs,
'Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning;
And to be doubted, that your Moor and you
Are fingled forth to try experiments:
Jove fhield your husband from his hounds to-day!
'Tis pity they thould take him for a stag.

Baf. Believe me, queen, your 3 fwarth Cimme

rian

Doth make your honour of his body's hue,
Spotted, detefted, and abominable.
Why are you fequefter'd from all your train ?
Diímounted from your fnow-white goodly steed,
And wander'd hither to an obfcure plot,
Accompanied with a barbarous Moor,
If foul defire had not conducted you?
Lav, And, being intercepted in your sport,
Great reafon that my noble lord be rated
For faucinefs. I pray you let us hence,
And let her 'joy her raven-colour'd lové ;
This valley fits the purpose paffing well.
Baf. The king, my brother, fhall have note of
Lau. Ay, for thefe flips have made him noted
long:

Aar. Madam, though Venus govern your defires, Good king! to be fo mightily abus'd!

Saturn is dominator over mine:

What fignifies my deadly-standing eye,
My filence, and my cloudy melancholy?
My fleece of woolly hair, that now uncurls,
Even as an adder, when the doth unroll
To do fome fatal execution?

No, madam, thefe are no venereal figns;
Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand,
Blood and revenge are hammering in my head.
Hark, Tamora, the emprefs of my foul,

[this.

Tam. Why, have I patience to endure all this?
Enter Chiron, and Demetrius.

Dem. How now, dear fovereign, and our gra-
cious mother,

Why does your highnets look fo pale and wan?
Tam. Have I not reason, think you, to look pale?
These two have 'tic'd me hither to this place,
A barren and detefted vale, you fee, it is :
The trees, though fummer, yet forlorn and lean,
O'ercome with mofs, and baleful mifletoe.

Which never hopes more heaven than refts in thee, Here never thines the fun; here nothing breeds,

This is the day of doom for Baffianus ;
His Philomel muft lofe her tongue to-day;
Thy fons make pillage of her chatlity,
And wash their hands in Baffianus' blood.
Seeft thou this letter? take it up, I pray thee,
And give the king this fatal plotted fcroll :---
Now question me no more, we are efpied,

Unless the nightly owl, or fatal raven.
And when they fhew'd me this abhorred pit,
They told me, here, at dead time of the night,
A thousand fiends, a thousand hifing fnakes,
Ten thousand fwelling toads, as many urchins,
Would make fuch fearful and confused cries,
As any mortal body, hearing it,

Unreft, for difquiet. 2 i. e. flie with impetuofity at him. is called Cimmerian, from the atunity of blacknefsto darkness.

3 Swarth is lack. The Moor

Should

Should ftraight fall mad, or elfe die fuddenly.
No fooner had they told this hellish tale,

But ftraight they told me, they would bind me here
Unto the body of a difmal yew;

And leave me to this miferable death.
And then they call'd me, foul adulteress,
Lafcivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms
That ever ear did hear to fuch effect.
And, had you not by wondrous fortune come,
This vengeance on nie had they executed:
Revenge it, as you love your mother's life,
Or be ye not from henceforth call'd my children.
Dem. This is a witness that I am thy fon

[Stabs Baffianus. Chi. And this for me, ftruck home to thew my ftrength. [Stabbing him likewife. Lav. Ay come, Semiramis,-nay, barbarous Tamora!

For no name fits thy nature but thy own!
Tam. Give me thy poinard; you fhall know,
[wrong.
my boys,
Your mother's hand fhall right your mother's
Dem. Stay, madam, here is more belongs to her;
First, thresh the corn, then after barn the ftraw:
This minion ftood upon her chastity,
Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty,

And with that painted hope the braves your
mightiness:

And fhall the carry this unto her grave?

Chi. An if the do, I would I were an eunuch.
Drag hence her husband to fome fecret hole,
And make his dead trunk pillow to our luft.

Tum. But when you have the honey you defire,
Let not this wafp out-live, us both to fting.

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

Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy
That nice-preferved honefty of yours.

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

Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears.

Tam. Hadit thou in perfon ne'er offended me,
Even for his fake am I now pitiless :-
Remember, boys, I pour'd forth tears in vain,
To fave your brother from the facrifice;
But fierce Andronicus would not relent:
Therefore away with her, ufe her as you will;
The worse to her, the better lov'd of me.

Lev. 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 fo long;
Poor I was flain, when Baffianus dy'd.

Tam. What begg'st thou then? fond woman,
[more,
let me go.

Lav. 'Tis prefent death I beg; and one thing
That womanhood denies my tongue to tell :
O, keep me from their worfe than killing luft,
And tumble me into fome loathfome pit;
Where never man's eye may behold my body:
Do this, and be a charitable murderer.

Tam. So fhould I rob my fweet fons of their fee:
No, let them fatisfy their luft on thee.

Dem. Away; for thou haft ftaid us here too long.
Lav. No grace? no womanhood? Ah beattly

creature!

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

Chi. Nay, then I'll stop your mouth,--Bring thou
her husband; [Dragging off Lavinia.

This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him.
[Exeunt.

Tam. Farewel, my fons: fee, that you make

her fure :

Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed,
'Till all the Andronici be made away.
Now will I hence to feek my lovely Moor,

Lav. O Tamora' thou bear'st a woman's face,--And let my ipleenful fons this trull deflow'r.

Tam. I will not hear her fpeak; away with her.
Lav. Sweet lords, intreat her hear me but a word.
Dem. Liften, fair madam: Let it be your glory,
To fee her tears; but be your heart to them,
As unrelenting flint to drops of rain.

[dar?

Lav. When did the tyger's young ones teach the
O, do not teach her wrath; fhe taught it thee:
The milk, thou fuck'ft from her, did turn to marble;
Even at thy teat thou hadit thy tyranny.—
Yet every mother breeds not fons alike;
Do thou intreat her fhew a woman pity. [To Chiron.
Chi. What would't thou have me prove my-
felf a baftard?

Lav. 'Tis true the raven doth not hatch a lark:
Yet have I heard, (O could I find it now !)
The lion, mov'd with pity, did endure
To have his princely paws par'd all away.
Some fay, that ravens fofter forlorn children,
The whilft their own birds famifh in their nefts:
O, be to me, though thy hard heart fay no,
Nothing fo kind, but fomething pitiful!

Tam. I know not what it means; away with her.
Lav. O, let me teach thee: for my father's fake,|

SCENE

IV.

[Exit.

Enter Aaron, with Quintus and Marcus.
Aar. Come on, my lords; the better foot before:
Straight will I bring you to the loathfome pit,
Where I efpied the panther faft alleep.

Quin. My fight is very dull, whate'er it hodes.
Mar. And mine, I promife you; wer't not for
ihame,

Well could I leave our fport to fleep a while.
[Marcus falls into the pit.

Quin. What, art thou fallen? What fubtle hole

is this,

Whose mouth is cover'd with rude-growing briars;
Upon whofe leaves are drops of new-fhed blood,
As freth as morning's dew diftill'd on flowers?
A very fatal place it feems to me ;--
Speak, brother, haft thou hurt thee with the fall?
Mar. O brother, with the difmallest object
That ever eye, with fight, made heart iament.
Aar. [de] Now will I fetch the king to
find them here;

Painted hope means fpecious hope, or ground of confidence more plaufible than solid.

Hhh 4

That