ACT IV. SCENE I. The same. Before Titus's House. Enter TITUS and MARCUS. Then enter young LUCIUS, LAVINIA running after him. Boy. Help, grandsire, help! my aunt Lavinia Follows me every where, I know not why.— Good uncle Marcus, see how swift she comes! Alas, sweet aunt, I know not what you mean. Mar. Stand by me, Lucius; do not fear thine aunt. Tit. She loves thee, boy, too well to do thee harm. Boy. Ay, when my father was in Rome, she did. Mar. What means my niece Lavinia by these signs? Tit. Fear her not, Lucius;-somewhat doth she mean: See, Lucius, see, how much she makes of thee; Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus? That made me to fear; Although, my lord, I know my noble aunt I will most willingly attend your ladyship. 1 Tully's Treatise on Eloquence, entitled Orator. Mar. Lucius, I will. [LAVINIA turns over the books which LUCIUS has let fall. Tit. How now, Lavinia?-Marcus, what means this? Some book there is that she desires to see.Which is it, girl, of these ?-Open them, boy.But thou art deeper read, and better skilled; Come, and take choice of all my library, And so beguile thy sorrow, till the Heavens Reveal the damned contriver of this deed.Why lifts she up her arms in sequence1 thus? Mar. I think she means that there was more than one Confederate in the fact.-Ay, more there was.- Mar. For love of her that's gone, Perhaps she culled it from among the rest. Tit. Soft! see, how busily she turns the leaves! Help her ; What would she find?-Lavinia, shall I read? This is the tragic tale of Philomel, And treats of Tereus' treason, and his rape; And rape, I fear, was root of thine annoy. Mar. See, brother, see; note how she quotes the leaves. Tit. Lavinia, wert thou thus surprised, sweet girl, Ravished and wronged, as Philomela was, Forced in the ruthless, vast, and gloomy woods?- Ay, such a place there is, where we did hunt, 1 Succession. 2 To quote is to observe. Tit. Give signs, sweet girl,-for here are none but What Roman lord it was durst do the deed; Mar. Sit down, sweet niece ;-brother, sit down by me. Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury, Inspire me, that I may this treason find!- [He writes his name with his staff, and guides Cursed be that heart, that forced us to this shift !— [She takes the staff in her mouth, and guides it with her stumps, and writes. Tit. O, do you read, my lord, what she hath writ? Stuprum-Chiron-Demetrius. Mar. What, what!—the lustful sons of Tamora Performers of this heinous, bloody deed? Tit. Magne Dominator poli,1 Tam lentus audis scelera? tam lentus vides? Mar. O, calm thee, gentle lord! although, I know, There is enough written upon this earth, To stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughts, And arm the minds of infants to exclaims. My lord, kneel down with me; Lavinia, kneel; 1 Magne Regnator Deum, &c. is the exclamation of Hippolytus when Phædra discovers the secret of her incestuous passion, in Seneca's Tragedy. ? Feere signifies a companion; and here, metaphorically, a husband. Lord Junius Brutus sware for Lucrece' rape,- Will blow these sands, like Sibyl's leaves, abroad, Lucius and I'll go brave it at the court: Ay, marry, will we, sir; and we'll be waited on. [Exeunt TITUS, LAVINIA, and Boy. Mar. O Heavens, can you hear a good man groan, And not relent, or not compassion him? Marcus, attend him in his ecstasy; That hath more scars of sorrow in his heart, 1 A gad, in Anglo-Saxon, signified the point of a spear. It is here used for a similar pointed instrument. Than foemen's marks upon his battered shield; [Exit. SCENE II. The same. A Room in the Palace. Enter AARON, CHIRON, and DEMETRIUS, at one door; at another door, young Lucius, and an Attendant, with a bundle of weapons, and verses writ upon them. Chi. Demetrius, here's the son of Lucius; He hath some message to deliver to us. Aar. Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather. Boy. My lords, with all the humbleness I may, I greet your honors from Andronicus ; And pray the Roman gods confound you both. [Aside. Dem. Gramercy,' lovely Lucius; what's the news? Boy. That you are both deciphered, that's the news, For villains marked with rape. [Aside.] May it please you, My grandsire, well advised, hath sent by me To gratify your honorable youth, The hope of Rome; for so he bade me say; Your lordships, that whenever you have need, And so I leave you both, [Aside,] like bloody villains. [Exeunt Boy and Attendant. Dem. What's here? A scroll; and written round about? Let's see; Integer vitæ, scelerisque purus, Non eget Mauri jaculis, nec arcu. Chi. O, 'tis a verse in Horace; I know it well. I read it in the grammar long ago. 1 i. e. grand merci: great thanks. |