For I have heard my grandsire say full oft, Ran mad through sorrow: That made me to fear; go, I will most willingly attend your ladyship. [Lavinia turns over the books which Lucius Tit. How now, Lavinia?-Marcus, what means this? Some book there is that she desires to see :— Mar. I think, she means, that there was more than one Confederate in the fact ;-Ay, more there was:Or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge. Tit. Lucius, what book is that she tosseth so? Boy. Grandsire, 'tis Ovid's Metamorphosis; My mother gave't me. Mar. For love of her that's gone, Perhaps she cull'd 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; Mar. See, brother, see! note, how she quotes the leaves. Tit. Lavinia, wert thou thus surpris'd, sweet girl, Ravish'd, and wrong'd, as Philomela was, Forc'd in the ruthless, vast, and gloomy woods?— Ay, such a place there is, where we did hunt, Tit. Give signs, sweet girl,-for here are none but friends, What Roman lord it was durst do the deed: Or slunk not Saturnine, as Tarquin erst, That left the camp to sin in Lucrece' bed? 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 Curs'd be that heart, that forc'd us to this shift!Write thou, good niece; and here display, at last, What God will have discover'd for revenge: Heaven guide thy pen to print thy sorrows plain, That we may know the traitors, and the truth! [She takes the staff in her mouth, and guides it with her stumps, and writés. 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 hateful, bloody deed? Tit. Magne Dominator poli, Tam lentus audis scelera? tam lentus vides? Mar. O, calm thee, gentle lord! although, I ⚫ know, There is enough written upon this earth, And, with a gad of steel, will write these words, : Will blow these sands, like Sybil's leaves, abroad, For this ungrateful country done the like. Tit. Come, go with me into mine armoury; Come, come; thou'lt do thy message, wilt thou not? sire. Tit. No, boy, not so; I'll teach thee another course. Lavinia, come :-Marcus, look to my house; 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, [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 honours from Andronicus ; And pray the Roman gods confound you both! [Aside. Dem. Gramercy, lovely Lucius: What's the news? Boy. That you are both decypher'd, that's the news, For villains, mark'd with rape. [Aside.] May it please you, My grandsire, well-advis'd, hath sent by me The hope of Rome; for so he bade me say, lains. And so I leave you both, [Aside.] like bloody vil[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. Aar. Ay, just!-a verse in Horace ;-right, you have it. Now, what a thing it is to be an ass! Here's no sound jest! the old man hath found their guilt; And sends the weapons wrapp'd about with lines, That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick. Aside. But were our witty empress well a-foot, |