OF THE 
 U N I VLRS ITY 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 Received "by bequest from 
 Albert H. Lybyer 
 Professor of History 
 University of Illinois 
 1916-1949 
 
THE 
 
 TEMPLE SHAKESPEARE 
 
the kind permission of Messrs Macmillan tSJ* Co^ 
 and Aldis Wright^ Esq,^ the text hen 
 used it that of the " Cambridge " Edition, 
 
 First Edition of this issue o/^' Titus Andronicus" printed March i8g6' 
 Second Edition, February iSgy. 
 Third Edition, Jamiary i8g8. 
 Fourth Edition, May 1899. 
 
Tjie folk who lived iu ^Shakespeare's day 
 And saw that gentle figure pass 
 
 By London Bridge, his fi eqnent way— 
 They little knew what man he was. 
 
 The pointed beard, tlie courteous mien, 
 The equal port to high and low, 
 
 All this they >aw or might have seen — 
 But not the light behind the brow I 
 
 The doublet's modest grey or brown, 
 The slender sword-hilt's plain device, 
 
 What sign had these for prince or clown P 
 Few turned, or none, to scan him twice. 
 
 Yet 'twas the King of England's Kings ! 
 
 The rest witli all their pomp and trains 
 Are mouldered, naif-remembered things — 
 'Tis he alone that lives and reigns I 
 
 T. B. Aldhk h : Ouielmus Kex. 
 
" Now, Tragedy, thou minion of the night, 
 Rhamnusia's pew-fellow, to thee I'll sing 
 Upon an harp made of dead Spanish bones — 
 The proudest instrument the world affords ; 
 When thou in crimson jollity shall bathe 
 Thy limbs, as black as mine, in springs of blood 
 Still gushing from the conduit-head of Spain. 
 To thee that never blushest, though thy cheeks 
 Are full of blood, O Saint Revenge, to thee 
 I consecrate my murders, all my stabs, 
 My bloody labours, tortures, stratagems. 
 The volume of all wounds that wound from me ; 
 Mine is the stage, thine the Tragedy." 
 
 Lust's Dominion^ or The Lascivious Queen 
 
Preface. 
 
 Karly Kditlons. In 1600 a quarto edition of Titus Andro' 
 nicus was published, bearing the following title-page: — 
 
 " The most lamenta- | ble Romaine Tragedie of Titus \ 
 Anaronicus. \ As it hath sundry times been playde by the | 
 Right Honourable the Earle of Pembrooke, the | Earl of Darbie, 
 the Earle of Sussex, and the | Lorde Chamberlaine theyr | 
 Seruants, | At London, | Printed by I. R. for Edward White | 
 and are to bee solde at his shoppe, at the little | North doore of 
 Paules, at the signe of | the Gun. 1600." This is the earliest 
 known edition, and is referred to as Quarto I. 
 
 Another quarto, printed from the former, was brought out 
 in 1611 : — 
 
 ^ "The I most lamen- | table Tragedie | of Titus Andronicus . \ 
 ' As it hath sundry \ times heene plaide by the Kings Maiesties Seruants. 
 I London, | Printed for Edward White, and are to be solde | at 
 his shoppe, nere the little North dore of | Pauls, at the signe 
 of the Gun. 161 1." 
 
 In the I St Folio Titus Andronicus comes between Coriolanus and 
 Romeo and Juliet ; the text was somewhat carelessly printed from 
 a copy of the Second Quarto with MS. additions. The Second 
 Scene of the Third Act, not found in the quartos, is peculiar to 
 the Folio version. 
 
Preface. 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 Date of Composition. According to Langbaine, in his 
 Account of the English Dramatick Poets^ a quarto edition of Titus 
 Andronicus was printed in 1594 ; but no copy has been discovered. 
 The earliest allusion to Shakespeare's connection with the sub- 
 ject is Meres' mention of the play, in 1598, as one of Shake- 
 speare's well-known tragedies. There can be little doubt that 
 Ravenscroft, who about the time of the Popish Plot," revived 
 and altered Titus Andronicus^ preserved a trustworthy tradition 
 with respect to its authorship. *^ I have been told by some 
 anciently conversant with the stage, that it was not originally 
 Shakespeare's, but brought by a private author to be acted, and 
 he only gave some master-touches to one or two of the principal 
 characters." Internal evidence seems to corroborate the tradition, 
 and Shakespeare's additions are now generally assigned to about 
 1589-90. The following passages suggest Shakespearian author- 
 ship : — I. i. 9 ; II. i. 82, 83 ; I. i. 70-76, 1 17. 1 1 9, 141, 142; II. 
 ii. 1-6 J II. iii, 10-15; "I- ^- ^2-^6, 91-97; IV. iv. 81-86: 
 V. ii. 21-27; V. iii. 160-168.* 
 
 The problem is complicated by the fact that there must have 
 been at least three plays on the subject, according to the refer- 
 ences in the Stationers' Registers, and Henslowe's Diary, Jonson 
 probably referred to an older play when he wrote : — " He that 
 will swear, Jeronimo or Andronicus are the best plays yet, shall 
 pass unexcepted at here, as a man whose judgment shows it is 
 constant, and hath stood still these five-and-twenty or thirty 
 
 * (C/. H. B. Wheatley, New Shakespeare Soc^ 1874 ; a synopsis of 
 critical opinion is to be found in Fleay's Manual, p. 44 ; Knight, in his 
 Pictorial Shakespeare, defends Shakespeare's authorship. 
 
 The fullest recent study of the subject is that of Dr M. M. Arnold 
 Schroer, Marburg, 1891). 
 
 vi 
 
Titus Andronicus »• 
 
 Preface. 
 
 years" {Bartholomeiv Fair^ 1614). This would place the pro- 
 duction in question between 1584 and 1589, 
 
 The German " tragedy of Titus Andronicus ^^"^ acted abroad about 
 the year 1600 by the English players, may contain elements of 
 the older original on which the present play was founded : 
 among its characters there is a " Vespasian," and it is noteworthy 
 that there is a record in Henslowe's diary of a " tittus and Ves- 
 pasta " acted " by Lord Strangers men " on the 1 1 th of April, 
 1 591. The play is marked "«if" (/.*. "new"). Similarly, a 
 " Titus and Andronicus " is described as a new play by Henslowe 
 under the date of January 22nd, 1593-4. 
 
 Under any circumstances, Titus Andronicus stands outside the 
 regular early Shakespearian dramas, — the gentle " love-plays " of 
 his first period; its value, however, in literary history, is this: — 
 crude as it is, it certainly belongs to the same type of play, as the 
 greater tragedy of Hamlet ; the machinery in both plays is much 
 the same ; both are Kydian dramas of Revenge ; Nemesis 
 triumphs in the end, entangling in her meshes the innocent as 
 well as the guilty, the perpetrators of crime as well as the agents 
 of vengeance. 
 
 Source of the Plot, It is remarkable that popular as was 
 the story of Titus Andronicus in the sixteenth century, no direct 
 source of the play has yet been discovered, and nothing can be 
 added to Theobald's comment. "The story," he observes, "we 
 are to suppose merely fictitious. Andronicus is a surname of 
 pure Greek derivation, Tamora is neither mentioned by 
 Ammianus Marcellinus, nor anybody else that I can find. Nor 
 had Rome, in the time of her emperors, any war with the Goths 
 that I know of ; not till after the translation of the Empire, I 
 vii 
 
Preface. 
 
 Titus Andronicus 
 
 mean to Byzantium, And yet the scene is laid at Rome, and 
 Saturninus is elected to the empire at the Capitol." 
 
 The ballad given in Percy's Reliques was evidently based on the 
 present play, though formerly considered as its source.* 
 
 The Tim© of the Play, The period covered by the play 
 is four days represented on the stage; with, possibly, two 
 intervals. 
 
 Bay I . Act I. ; Act II. Sc. i. 
 
 Day 2. Act II. Sc. ii.-iv. ; Act III. Sc. i. Interval. 
 Day 3. Act III. Sc. ii. Interval. 
 
 Day 4. Acts IV. and V. (v. P. A. Daniel's Time- Analysts ^ 
 p. 190). 
 
 * Cf. Roxhurghe Ballads {^Ballad Society), Vol. i ; the version cannot, 
 according to Chappell, be earlier than the reign of James I., and is more 
 probably of that of Charles I. The title of the ballad is *' The lamentable 
 and tragical history of Titus Andronicus. With the fall of his Sons in 
 the Wars with the Goths, with the manner of the Ravishment of his 
 daughter Lavinia," etc 
 
THE TRAGEDY OF TITUS ANDRONICUS. 
 
DRAMATIS PERSONS. 
 
 sons to Titus Andronicus 
 
 SaTURNINUS, son to the late Emperor of Rome^ afteriuards emperor. 
 Bassianus, brother to Saturninus. 
 Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman. 
 
 Marcus Andronicus, tribune of the people , and brother to Titus, 
 Lucius, \ 
 
 QuiNTUS, 
 
 Martius, 
 MuTius, * 
 
 Young Luaus, a boy^ son to Lucius, 
 PuBLius, son to Marcus Andronicus, 
 -ffiMlLIUS, a noble Roman. 
 Alarbus, \ 
 
 Demetrius, >- sons to Tamora, 
 Chiron, J 
 
 Aaron, a J^Ioor, beloved by Tamora. 
 
 A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown ; Romans and Goths. 
 
 Tamora, Queen of the Goths. 
 Lavinia, daughter to Titus Andronicus* 
 A Nurse, and a black Child. 
 
 Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, 
 and Attendants, 
 
 Scene: Rome, and the country near it. 
 
The Tragedy of 
 Titus Andronicus. 
 
 Act First. 
 Scene I. 
 
 Rome, Before the Capitol, The Tomb of 
 the jindronici appearing. 
 
 Flourish. Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft. And 
 then enter below ^ Saturnlnus and his Followers from 
 one slde^ and Bassianus and his Followers from the 
 other side^ with drum and colours. 
 
 Sat, Noble patricians, patrons of my right, 
 
 Defend the justice of my cause with arms ; 
 And, countrymen, my loving followers. 
 Plead my successive title with your swords : 
 I am his first-born son, that was the last 
 That ware the imperial diadem of Rome ; 
 Then let my father's honours live in me, 
 ^7 a ' 
 
Act I. Sc. i. csThe Tragedy of 
 
 Nor wrong mine age with this indignity. 
 
 Bas. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of my right, 
 If ever Bassianus, Caesar's son, lo 
 Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome, 
 Keep then this passage to the Capitol ; 
 And suffer not dishonour to approach 
 The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate. 
 To justice, continence and nobility : 
 But let desert in pure election shine ; 
 And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice. 
 Enter Marcus Andronicus^ aloft^ 'with the crown. 
 
 Marc. Princes, that strive by factions and by friends 
 Ambitiously for rule and empery. 
 Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand 
 A special party, have by common voice, 2 1 
 
 In election for the Roman empery. 
 Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius 
 For many good and great deserts to Rome : 
 A nobler man, a braver warrior. 
 Lives not this day within the city walls : 
 He by the senate is ac cited home 
 From weary wars against the barbarous Goths ; 
 That, with his sons, a terror to our foes. 
 Hath yoked a nation strong, trained up in arms. 30 
 Ten years are spent since first he undertook 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 This cause of Rome, and chastised with arms 
 
 Our enemies' pride : five times he hath returned 
 
 Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons 
 
 In coffins from the field. 
 
 And now at last, laden with honour's spoils. 
 
 Returns the good Andronicus to Rome, 
 
 Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms. 
 
 Let us entreat, by honour of his name. 
 
 Whom worthily you would have now succeed, 40 
 
 And in the Capitol and senate's right, 
 
 Whom you pretend to honour and adore. 
 
 That you withdraw you and abate your strength, 
 
 Dismiss your followers and, as suitors should, 
 
 Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness. 
 
 Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts ! 
 
 Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do afFy 
 In thy uprightness and integrity. 
 And so I love and honour thee and thine, 
 Thy noble brother Titus and his sons, 50 
 And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all, 
 Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament. 
 That I will here dismiss my loving friends, 
 And to my fortunes and the people's favour 
 Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd. 
 
 [^Exeunt the Followers of Bassianus, 
 3 
 
Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 Sat, Friends, that have been thus forward in my right, 
 I thank you all, and here dismiss you all, 
 And to the love and favour of my country 
 Commit myself, my person and the cause. 
 
 [^Exeunt the Followers of Saturntnus, 
 Rome, be as just and gracious unto me, 60 
 As I am confident and kind to thee. 
 Open the gates, and let me in. 
 Bas. Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor. 
 
 [^Flourish. Saturninus and Bassianus go up 
 into the CapitoL 
 
 Enter a Captain, 
 Cap. Romans, make way : the good Andronicus, 
 Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion. 
 Successful in the battles that he fights. 
 With honour and with fortune is returned 
 From where he circumscribed with his sword. 
 And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome. 
 Drums and trumpets sounded. Enter Martius and Mutius ; 
 after them, two Men bearing a coffin covered with 
 black ; then Lucius and Quintus. After them, Titus 
 Andronicus ; and then Tamora Queen of Goths, with 
 Alarbusy Demetrius, Chiron, Aaron, and other Goths, 
 prisoners ; Soldiers and People following. The 
 Bearers set down the coffin, and Titus speaks. 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 Tit, Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds ! 70 
 Lo, as the bark that hath discharged her fraught 
 Returns with precious lading to the bay 
 From whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage, 
 Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs. 
 To re-salute his country with his tears, 
 Tears of true joy for his return to Rome, 
 Thou great defender of this Capitol, 
 Stand gracious to the rites that we intend ! 
 Romans, of five and twenty valiant sons. 
 Half of the number that King Priam had, 80 
 Behold the poor remains, alive and dead ! 
 These that survive let Rome reward with love ; 
 These that I bring unto their latest home, 
 With burial amongst their ancestors : 
 Here Goths have given me leave to sheathe my 
 sword. 
 
 Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own, 
 Why sufFer'st thou thy sons, unburied yet, 
 To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx ? 
 Make way to lay them by their brethren. 
 
 [^They open the tomb. 
 There greet in silence, as the dead are wont, 90 
 And sleep in peace, slain in your country's wars ! 
 O sacred receptacle of my joys, 
 5 
 
Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 !S The Tragedy of 
 
 Sweet cell of virtue and nobility, 
 
 How many sons hast thou of mine in store, 
 
 That thou wilt never render to me more ! 
 
 Luc, Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths, 
 That we may hew his limbs and on a pile 
 * Ad manes fratrum ' sacrifice his flesh. 
 Before this earthy prison of their bones. 
 That so the shadows be not unappeased, lOO 
 Nor we disturb'd with prodigies on earth. 
 
 Tit. I give him you, the noblest that survives. 
 The eldest son of this distressed queen. 
 
 Tarn, Stay, Roman brethren ! Gracious conqueror, 
 Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, 
 A mother's tears in passion for her son : 
 And if thy sons were ever dear to thee, 
 O, think my son to be as dear to me ! 
 SufEceth not, that we are brought to Rome, 
 To beautify thy triumphs and return, I lO 
 
 Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke ; 
 But must my sons be slaughtered in the streets. 
 For valiant doings in their country's cause ? 
 O, if to fight for king and commonweal 
 Were piety in thine, it is in these. 
 Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood. 
 Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods ? 
 
Titus Andronicus 
 
 Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 Draw near them then in being merciful : 
 Sweet mercy is nobihty's true badge : 
 Thrice-noble Titus, spare my first-born son. 120 
 
 77/. Patient yourself, madam, and pardon me. 
 
 These are their brethren, whom you Goths beheld 
 Alive and dead ; and for their brethren slain 
 Religiously they ask a sacrifice : 
 To this your son is mark'd, and die he must, 
 To appease their groaning shadows that are gone 
 
 Luc. Away with him ! and make a fire straight ; 
 And with our swords, upon a pile of wood. 
 Let 's hew his limbs till they be clean consumed. 
 
 [^Exeunt the sons of Andronicus with Alarbus. 
 
 Tarn. O cruel, irreligious piety! 130 
 
 Chi. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous ? 
 
 Dem. Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome. 
 Alarbus goes to rest, and we survive 
 To tremble under Titus' threatening look. 
 Then, madam, stand resolved ; but hope withal, 
 The self-same gods that arm'd the Queen of Troy 
 With opportunity of sharp revenge 
 Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent, 
 May favour Tamora, the queen of Goths, 
 When Goths were Goths and Tamora was queen. 
 To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes. 141 
 
Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 eg The Tragedy of 
 
 Re-enter the sons of jindronicus^ ivith their 
 swords bloody, 
 
 Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd 
 Our Roman rites : Alar bus' limbs are lopp'd, 
 And entrails feed the sacrificing fire, 
 Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky. 
 Remaineth nought but to inter our brethren, 
 And with loud Marums welcome them to Rome. 
 
 Tit. Let it be so ; and let Andronicus 
 
 Make this his latest farewell to their souls. 
 
 [Trumpets sounded^ and the cojin laid in the tomb. 
 In peace and honour rest you here, my sons ; 1 50 
 Rome's readiest champions, repose you here in rest, 
 Secure from worldly chances and mishaps ! 
 Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells. 
 Here grow no damned drugs ; here are no storms, 
 No noise, but silence and eternal sleep : 
 In peace and honour rest you here, my sons ! 
 
 Enter Lavinia. 
 
 Lav. In peace and honour live Lord Titus long ; 
 My noble lord and father, live in fame ! 
 Lo, at this tomb my tributary tears 
 I render, for my brethren's obsequies ; 160 
 And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ Act i. Sc. i. 
 
 Shed on the earth, for thy return to Rome : 
 
 bless me here with thy victorious hand, 
 Whose fortunes Rome's best citizens applaud ! 
 Tit. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserved 
 The cordial of mine age to glad my heart ! 
 Lavinia, live ; outlive thy father's days, 
 And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise ! 
 
 Enter^ below^ Marcus Andronicus and Tribunes ; 
 re-enter Saturninus and Bassianus, attended. 
 
 Marc. Long live Lord Titus, my beloved brother, 
 
 Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome ! 1 70 
 
 Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus. 
 
 Marc. And welcome, nephews, from successful wars, 
 You that survive, and you that sleep in fame ! 
 Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all. 
 That in your country's service drew your swords : 
 But safer triumph is this funeral pomp, 
 That hath aspired to Solon's happiness. 
 And triumphs over chance in honour's bed. 
 Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome, 
 Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been, 180 
 Send thee by me, their tribune and their trust, 
 This palliament of white and spotless hue ; 
 And name thee in election for the empire, 
 
Act L Sc. i. 
 
 ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 With these our late-deceased emperor's sons : 
 
 Be candidatus then, and put it on, 
 
 And help to set a head on headless Rome, 
 
 Tit. A better head her glorious body fits 
 
 Than his that shakes for age and feebleness : 
 What should I don this robe, and trouble you ? 
 Be chosen with proclamations to-day, 190 
 To-morrow yield up rule, resign my life, 
 And set abroad new business for you all ? 
 Rome, I have been thy soldier forty years. 
 And led my country's strength successfully, 
 And buried one and twenty valiant sons, 
 Knighted in field, slain manfully in arms. 
 In right and service of their noble country : 
 Give me a staff of honour for mine age. 
 But not a sceptre to control the world : 
 Upright he held it, lords, that held it last. 200 
 
 Marc, Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery. 
 
 Sat. Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou tell ? 
 
 Tit. Patience, Prince Saturninus. 
 
 Sat. Romans, do me right ; 
 
 Patricians, draw your swords, and sheathe them not 
 
 Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor. 
 
 Andronicus, would thou wert shipp'd to hell, 
 
 Rather than rob me of the people's hearts ! 
 10 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 Luc, Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good 
 That noble-minded Titus means to thee ! 
 
 Tit. Content thee, prince ; I will restore to thee 210 
 The people's hearts, and wean them from them- 
 selves. 
 
 Bas. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee. 
 
 But honour thee, and will do till I die : 
 My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends, 
 I will most thankful be ; and thanks to men 
 Of noble minds is honourable meed. 
 
 Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here, 
 I ask your voices and your suffrages : 
 Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus ? 
 
 Tribunes. To gratify the good Andronicus, 220 
 And gratulate his safe return to Rome, 
 The people will accept whom he admits. 
 
 Tit. Tribunes, I thank you : and this suit I make, 
 That you create your emperor's eldest son. 
 Lord Saturnine ; whose virtues will, I hope. 
 Reflect on Rome as Titan's rays on earth, 
 And ripen justice in this commonweal : 
 Then, if you will elect by my advice. 
 Crown him, and say * Long live our emperor ! * 
 
 Marc. With voices and applause of every sort, 230 
 Patricians and plebeians, we create 
 
Act L Sc. i. 
 
 ^The Tragedy of 
 
 Lord Saturninus Rome's great emperor, 
 
 And say * Long live our Emperor Saturnine ! * 
 
 long Jlourish till they come down* 
 
 Sat. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done 
 To us in our election this day, 
 I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts, 
 And will with deeds requite thy gentleness : 
 And, for an onset, Titus, to advance 
 Thy name and honourable family, 
 Lavinia will I make my empress, 240 
 Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart, 
 And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse : 
 Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee ? 
 
 Tit. It doth, my worthy lord ; and in this match 
 I hold me highly honour'd of your grace : 
 And here, in sight of Rome, to Saturnine, 
 King and commander of our commonweal. 
 The wide world's emperor, do I consecrate 
 My sword, my chariot and my prisoners ; 
 Presents well worthy Rome's imperious lord: 250 
 Receive them then, the tribute that I owe. 
 Mine honour's ensigns humbled at thy feet. 
 
 Sat, Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life ! 
 How proud I am of thee and of thy gifts, 
 Rome shall record ; and when I do forget 
 
Titus Andronicus 
 
 Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 The least of these unspeakable deserts, 
 Romans, forget your fealty to me. 
 Tit, [To Tamora^ Now, madam, are you prisoner to an 
 emperor ; 
 
 To him that, for your honour and your state. 
 Will use you nobly and your followers. 260 
 Sat. A goodly lady, trust me ; of the hue 
 
 That I would choose, were I to choose anew. 
 Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance : 
 Though chance of war hath wrought this change of 
 cheer, 
 
 Thou comest not to be made a scorn in Rome : 
 Princely shall be thy usage every way. 
 Rest on my word, and let not discontent 
 Daunt all your hopes : madam, he comforts you 
 Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths. 
 Lavinia, you are not displeased with this ? 270 
 
 Lav. Not 1, my lord ; sith ti'ue nobility 
 
 Warrants these words in princely courtesy. 
 
 Sat. Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go : 
 Ransomless here we set our prisoners free : 
 Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. 
 [Flourish. Saturntnus courts Tamora in dumb show. 
 
 Bas. [Seizing Lavinia"} Lord Titus, by your leave, this 
 maid is mine. 
 
Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 Tit. Hov/, sir ! are you in earnest then, my lord ? 
 Bas. Ay, noble Titus, and resolved withal 
 
 To do myself this reason and this right. 
 Marc. * Suum cuique ' is our Roman justice : 280 
 
 This prince in justice seizeth but his own. 
 Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live. 
 77/. Traitors, avaunt ! Where is the emperor's guard ? 
 
 Treason, my lord ! Lavinia is surprised 1 
 Sat. Surprised ! by whom ? 
 
 Bas. By him that justly may 
 
 Bear his betroth'd from all the world away. 
 
 \_Exeunt Bassianus and Marcus with Lavinia. 
 Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence away. 
 And with my sword I '11 keep this door safe. 
 
 \jSxeunt Lucius^ Quintusy and Martius. 
 Tit, Follow, my lord, and I '11 soon bring her back. 
 Mut. My lord, you pass not here. 
 
 Tit. What, villain boy ! 290 
 
 Barr'st me my way in Rome ? [^Stabbing Mutius. 
 Mut. Help, Lucius, help ! [^Dies. 
 
 ^During the fray^ Saturninus, Tamora^ Demetrius ^ 
 Chiron and Aaron go out^ and rC'Cnter above. 
 
 Re-enter Lucius. 
 
 Luc. My lord, you are unjust ; and, more than so, 
 14 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son. 
 
 Tit, Nor thou, nor he, are any sons of mine ; 
 My sons would never so dishonour me : 
 Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor. 
 
 Luc. Dead, if you will ; but not to be his wife. 
 
 That is another's lawful promised love. [^Exit. 
 
 Sat. No, Titus, no ; the emperor needs her not, 
 
 Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock : 300 
 I '11 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, 
 Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine, 
 That saidst, I begg'd the empire at thy hands. 
 
 Tit. O monstrous ! what reproachful words are these ? 
 
 Sat. But go thy ways ; go give that changing piece 
 
 To him that flourish'd for her with his sword : 310 
 A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy ; 
 One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons, 
 To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome. 
 
 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, 
 Dost overshine the gallant' st dames of Rome, 
 
Act 1. Sc. i. 
 
 ssThe Tragedy of 
 
 If thou be pleased with this my sudden choice, 
 BehoJd, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride, 
 And will create thee empress of Rome. 320 
 Speak, Queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my 
 choice ? 
 
 And here I swear by all the Roman gods, 
 
 Sith priest and holy water are so near, 
 
 And tapers burn so bright, and every thing 
 
 In readiness for Hymenaeus stand, 
 
 I will not re-salute the streets of Rome, 
 
 Or climb my palace, till from forth this place 
 
 I lead espoused my bride along with me. 
 
 Tarn, And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I swear. 
 If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths, 330 
 She will a handmaid be to his desires, 
 A loving nurse, a mother to his youth. 
 
 Sat. Ascend, fair queen. Pantheon. Lords, accompany 
 Your noble emperor and his lovely bride, 
 Sent by the heavens for Prince Saturnine, 
 Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered : 
 There shall we consummate our spousal rites. 
 
 \Exeunt all but Titus. 
 
 Tit, I am not bid to wait upon this bride. 
 
 Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone. 
 Dishonoured thus and challenged of wrongs ? 3 40 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act I. Sc. 
 
 Re'Cnter Marcus^ Lucius^ Qumtusy and Marttus. 
 
 Marc, O Titus, see, O, see what thou hast done ! 
 In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son. 
 
 Tit, No, foolish tribune, no ; no son of mine, 
 
 Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed 
 That hath dishonour'd all our family ; 
 Unworthy brother, and unworthy sons ! 
 
 Luc, But let us give him burial, as becomes ; 
 Give Mutius burial with our brethren. 
 
 Tit, Traitors, away 1 he rests not in this tomb : 
 
 This monument five hundred years hath stood, 35 
 Which 1 have sumptuously re-edified : 
 Here none but soldiers and Rome's servitors 
 Repose in fame ; none basely slain in brawls : 
 Bury him where you can, he comes not here. 
 
 Marc, My lord, this is impiety in you : 
 
 My nephew Mutius' deeds do plead for him ; 
 He must be buried with his brethren. 
 
 ^Mart } shall, or him we will accompany. 
 
 Tit, And shall ! what villain was it spake that word ? 
 Quin, He that would vouch it in any place but here. 36 
 Tit, What, would you bury him in my despite ? 
 Marc, No, noble Titus ; but entreat of thee 
 27^ 17 
 
Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 !S The Tragedy of 
 
 To pardon Mutias and to bury him. 
 
 Tit. Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest, 
 
 And with these boys mine honour thou hast wounded: 
 
 My foes I do repute you every one ; 
 
 So trouble me no more, but get you gone. 
 
 Mat t, He is not with himself ; let us withdraw. 
 
 Qu'tn, Not I, till Mutius' bones be buried. 
 
 \_Marcus and the sons of Titus kneeL 
 
 Marc. Brother, for in that name doth nature plead, — 370 
 
 Qutn. Father, and in that name doth nature speak, — 
 
 Tit, Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed. 
 
 Marc» Renowned Titus, more than half my soul, — 
 
 Luc» Dear father, soul and substance of us all, — 
 
 Marc. Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter 
 His noble nephew here in virtue's nest, 
 That died in honour and Lavinia's cause. 
 Thou art a Roman ; be not barbarous : 
 The Greeks upon advice did bury Ajax 
 That slew himself ; and wise Laertes' son 380 
 Did graciously plead for his funerals : 
 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. 
 To be dishonour'd by my sons in Rome ! 
 18 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 Well, bury him, and bury me the next, 
 
 [^Muttus is put into the tomb. 
 Luc, There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with thy friends, 
 
 Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb. 
 AIL \^Kneeling'] No man shed tears for noble Mutius ; 
 
 He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause. 390 
 Marc. My lord, to step out of these dreary dumps. 
 How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths 
 Is of a sudden thus advanced in Rome ? 
 Tit. I know not, Marcus ; but I know it is, 
 
 Whether by device or no, the heavens can tell : 
 Is she not then beholding to the man 
 That brought her for this high good turn so far ? 
 Yes, and will nobly him remunerate. 
 
 Flourish. Re-enter, from one side, Saturninus 
 I attended, Tamora, Demetrius, Chiron, and 
 
 Aaron ; from the other, Bassianus, Lavinia, 
 with others. 
 
 Sat. So, Bassianus, you have play'd your prize : 
 
 God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride ! 400 
 
 Bos. 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. 
 
 Bas. Rape, call you it, my lord, to seize my own, 
 19 
 
Act L Sc. i. 
 
 isThe Tragedy of 
 
 My true-betrothed love, and now my wife ? 
 But let the laws of Rome determine all ; 
 Meanwhile I am possessed of that is mine. 
 
 Sat, 'Tis good, sir : you are very short with us ; 
 But, if we live, we '11 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 wrongM; 
 That, in the rescue of Lavinia, 
 With his own hand did slay his youngest son. 
 In zeal to you and highly moved to wrath 
 To be controU'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. 
 
 77/. Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds : 
 'Tis thou and those that have dishonoured me. 
 Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge, 
 How I have loved and honour'd Saturnine ! 
 
 Tarn. My worthy lord, if ever Tamora 
 
 Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine, 
 Then hear me speak indifferently for all ; 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past. 
 Sat. What, madam ! be dishonour'd openly, 
 
 And basely put it up without revenge ? 
 Tarn, Not so, my lord ; the gods of Rome forfend 
 
 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, 440 
 
 Nor with sour looks afflict his gentle heart. 
 
 ]\Aside to Sat.~\ My lord, be ruled 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 you for ingratitude. 
 
 Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin, 
 
 Yield at entreats, and then let me alone : 
 
 I '11 find a day to massacre them all, 450 
 
 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 
 
 27 
 
Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 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. 
 
 SaU Rise, Titus, rise ; my empress hath prevail'd. 
 
 Tit. 1 thank your majesty, and her, my lord : 460 
 These words, these looks, infuse new life in me. 
 
 J^am. 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 reconciled your friends and you. 
 For you. Prince Bassianus, I have pass'd 
 My word and promise to the emperor. 
 That you will be more mild and tractable. 470 
 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. 
 Tendering our sister's honour and our own. 
 
 Marc. That, on mine honour, here I do protest. 
 
 Sat. Away, and talk not ; trouble us no more. 
 
 Tarn. Nay, nay, sweet emperor, we must all be friends : 
 22 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 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, 
 And at my lovely Tamora's entreats, 
 I do remit these young men's heinous faults : 
 Stand up. 
 
 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. 490 
 This day shall be a love-day, Tamora. 
 
 77/. To-morrow, an it please your majesty 
 
 To hunt the panther and the hart with me. 
 
 With horn and hound we '11 give your grace bonjour. 
 
 Sat, Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too. 
 
 [^Flourish, Exeunt, 
 
Act II. Sc. i. 
 
 «2S The Tragedy of 
 
 Act Second. 
 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, 
 Advanced above pale envy's threatening reach. 
 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 5 
 So Tamora : 
 
 Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait, 10 
 And virtue stoops 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 
 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 servile thoughts ! 
 24 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act II. Sc. i. 
 
 I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold. 
 
 To wait upon this new-made empress. 20 
 
 To wait, said I ? to wanton with this queen, 
 
 This goddess, this Semiramis, this nymph, 
 
 This siren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine, 
 
 And see his shipwreck and his commonweal's. 
 
 Holloa ! what storm is this ? 
 
 ^ Enter Demetrius and Chiron^ braving, 
 
 Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit wants edge, 
 And manners, to intrude where I am graced, 
 And may, for aught thou know'st, affected be. 
 
 Chi, Demetrius, thou dost over-ween in all. 
 
 And so in this, to bear me down with braves. 30 
 
 *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 
 
 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, ^^jiside'] Clubs, clubs ! these lovers will not keep 
 the peace. 
 
 Dem, Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised. 
 Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side, 
 Are you so desperate grown, to threat your friends ? 
 
Act II. Sc. i. 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 Go to ; have your lath glued within your sheath 41 
 
 Till you know better how to handle it. 
 Chu 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, [Coming forward^ 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 51 
 
 Be so dishonour'd in the court of Rome. 
 
 For shame, put up. 
 Dem. Not I, till I have sheathed 
 
 My rapier in his bosom, and withal 
 
 Thrust those reproachful speeches down his throat. 
 
 That he hath breathed in my dishonour here. 
 ChL For that I am prepared and full resolved. 
 
 Foul-spoken coward! that thunder^st with thy 
 tongue. 
 
 And with thy weapon nothing darest perform. 
 Aar. Away, I say ! 60 
 Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore, 
 This petty brabble will undo us all. 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act n. Sc. i. 
 
 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 
 
 This discord's ground, the music would not please. 
 ChL I care not, I, knew she and all the world : 7 1 
 
 I love Lavinia more than all the world. 
 Dem. Youngling, learn thou to make some meaner choice : 
 
 Lavinia is thine elder brother's hope. 
 y^ar. 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. 
 ChL Aaron, a thousand deaths 
 
 Would I propose to achieve her whom I love. 80 
 ^ar. 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 loved. 
 What, man ! more water glideth by the mill 
 
Act II. Sc. i, 
 
 »asThe Tragedy of 
 
 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 worn Vulcan's badge. 
 
 jiar* [^Astde~\ Ay, and as good as Saturninus may. 90 
 
 Dem, Then why should he despair that knows to court it 
 With words, fair looks, and liberality ? 
 What, hast not thou full often struck a doe. 
 And borne her cleanly by the keeper's nose ? 
 
 Aar, Why, then, it seems, some certain snatch or so 
 Would serve your turns. 
 
 Cht. Ay, so the turn were served. 
 
 Dem. Aaron, thou hast hit it. 
 
 jiar. Would you had hit it too ! 
 
 Then should not we be tired with this ado. 
 
 Why, hark ye, hark ye ! and are you such fools 
 
 To square for this? would it offend you, then, 100 
 
 That both should speed ? 
 Chi. Faith, not me. 
 
 Dent. Nor me, so I were one. 
 
 jiar. 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. 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act II. Sc. i. 
 
 Take this of me : Lucrece was not more chaste 
 Than this Lavinia, Bassianus* love. 
 A speedier course than lingering languishment no 
 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 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 120 
 To villany and vengeance consecrate. 
 Will we acquaint with all that we intend ; 
 And she shall file our engines with advice. 
 That will not suffer you to square yourselves, 
 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 ; 
 
 There serve your lust, shadow'd from heaven's eye. 
 And revel in Lavinia' s treasury. 131 
 
 ■ I 29 
 
Act II. Sc. ii. 
 
 .^The Tragedy of 
 
 Chu Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice. 
 
 Dem, Sit fas 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, 
 
 j1 forest near Rome. Horns and cry of hounds heard* 
 
 Enter Titus AndrontcuSy <with Hunters y i^fc, Marcus y 
 Luciusy Quintusy and Martins. 
 
 Tit, The hunt 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 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 attend the emperor's person carefully. 
 I have been troubled in my sleep this night. 
 But dawning day new comfort hath inspired. lo 
 of houndsy and horns winded in a peaL Enter 
 Saturninusy Tamoray Bassianusy Laviniay Demetrius^ 
 Chirony and their Attendants, 
 Many good morrows to your majesty ; 
 30 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act IL Sc. iii. 
 
 Madam, to you as many and as good : 
 
 I promised your grace a hunter's peal. 
 SaU And you have wrung 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. {To Tamora\ Madam, now 
 shall ye see 
 
 Our Roman hunting. 
 Marc. I have dogs, my lord, 20 
 
 Will rouse the proudest panther in the chase, 
 
 And climb the highest promontory top. 
 7//. 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. \_Exeunt. 
 
 Scene HI. 
 
 A lonely part of the forest. 
 
 Enter Aaron^ with a hag of gold. 
 
 Aar. He that had wit would think that I had none. 
 To bury so much gold under a tree, 
 
 3» 
 
Act II. Sc. iii 
 
 •^The Tragedy of 
 
 And never after to inherit it. 
 
 Let him that thinks of me so abjectly 
 
 Know that this gold must coin a stratagem, 
 
 Which, cunningly effected, will beget 
 
 A very excellent piece of villany : 
 
 And so repose, sweet gold, for their unrest 
 
 \_Hides the gold. 
 That have their alms out of the empress' chest. 
 
 Enter Tamora. 
 
 Tarn. My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thou sad, lO 
 When every thing doth make a gleeful boast ? 
 The birds chant melody on every bush ; 
 The snake lies rolled in the cheerful sun ; 
 The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind. 
 And make a chequer'd shadow on the ground : 
 Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let us sit. 
 And, whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds. 
 Replying shrilly to the well-tuned horns. 
 As if a double hunt were heard at once, 
 Let us sit down and mark their yellowing noise ; 20 
 And, after conflict such as was supposed 
 The wandering prince and Dido once enjoy'd. 
 When with a happy storm they were surprised, 
 And curtain'd with a counsel-keeping cave, 
 32 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 We may, each wreathed in the other's arms, 
 Our pastimes done, possess a golden slumber ; 
 Whiles hounds and horns and sweet melodious birds 
 Be unto us as is a nurse's song 
 Of lullaby to bring her babe asleep. 
 /^ar. Madam, though Venus govern your desires, 30 
 Saturn is dominator over mine : 
 What signifies my deadly-standing eye. 
 My silence and my cloudy melancholy, 
 My fleece of woolly hair that now uncurls 
 Even as an adder when she doth unroll 
 To do some fatal execution ? 
 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, 40 
 Which never hopes more heaven than rests in thee. 
 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 ; 
 Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty, 
 27 r 33 
 
Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 Which dreads not yet their lives' destruction. 50 
 Tarn. Ah, my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than life ! 
 Aar. No more, great empress ; Bassianus comes : 
 Be cross with him, and I '11 go fetch thy sons 
 To back thy quarrels, whatsoe'er they be. \ExiU 
 
 Enter Bassianus and Lavinia. 
 
 Bas. Who have we here ? Rome's royal empress, 
 Unfurnish'd of her well- beseeming troop i 
 Or is it Dian, habited like her. 
 Who hath abandoned her holy groves 
 To see the general hunting in this forest ? 
 
 Tarn. Saucy controller of my private steps ! 60 
 Had I the power that some say Dian had, 
 Thy temples should be planted presently 
 With horns, as was Actason's, and the hounds 
 Should drive upon thy new-transformed limbs. 
 Unmannerly intruder as thou art ! 
 
 Lav. Under your patience, gentle empress, 
 
 'Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning ; 
 And to be doubted that your Moor and you 
 Are singled forth to try experiments : 
 Jove shield your husband from his hounds to-day ! 
 'Tis pity they should take him for a stag. 7 1 
 
 Bas. Believe me, queen, your swarth Cimmerian 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act 11. Sc. iii. 
 
 Doth make your honour of his body's hue, 
 
 Spotted, detested, and abominable. 
 
 Why are you sequester'd from all your train. 
 
 Dismounted from your snow-white goodly steed, 
 
 And wander'd hither to an obscure plot. 
 
 Accompanied but with a barbarous Moor, 
 
 If foul desire had not conducted you ? 
 
 Lav. And, being intercepted in your sport, 80 
 Great reason that my noble lord be rated 
 For sauciness. I pray you, let us hence, 
 And let her joy her raven-colour'd love ; 
 This valley fits the purpose passing well. 
 
 Bas, The king my brother shall have note of this. 
 
 Lav. Ay, for these slips have made him noted long : 
 Good king, to be so mightily abused ! 
 
 Tarn. Why have I patience to endure all this ? 
 
 Enter Demetrius and Chiron. 
 
 Dem. How now, dear sovereign, and our gracious mother! 
 
 Why doth your highness look so pale and wan ? 90 
 Tarn. Have I not reason, think you, to look pale ? 
 
 These two have ticed me hither to this place : 
 
 A barren detested vale, you see it is ; 
 
 The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean. 
 
 Overcome with moss and baleful mistletoe: 
 35 
 
Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 esThe Tragedy of 
 
 Here never shines the sun ; here nothing breeds, 
 Unless the nightly owl or fatal raven : 
 And when they show'd me this abhorred pit, 
 They told me, here, at dead time of the night, 
 A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes, lOO 
 Ten thousand swelling toads, as many urchins, 
 Would make such fearful and confused cries. 
 As any mortal body hearing it 
 Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly. 
 No sooner had they told this hellish tale. 
 But straight they told me they would bind me here 
 Unto the body of a dismal yew. 
 And leave me to this miserable death : 
 And then they callM me foul adulteress. 
 Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms no 
 That ever ear did hear to such effect : 
 And, had you not by wondrous fortune come, 
 This vengeance on me had they executed. 
 Revenge it, as you love your mother's life. 
 Or be ye not henceforth callM my children. 
 Dem. This is a witness that I am thy son. 
 
 \jStabs Bassianus. 
 
 Chi, And this for me, struck home to show my strength. 
 
 [jAho stabs Bassianus^ who dies. 
 Lan). Ay, come, Semiramis, nay, barbarous Tamora, 
 36 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 For no name fits thy nature but thy own ! 119 
 Tarn, Give me the poniard ; you shall know, my boys, 
 
 Your mother's hand shall right you mother's wrong. 
 Dem. Stay, madam ; here is more belongs to her ; 
 
 First thrash the corn, then after burn the straw ; 
 
 This minion stood upon her chastity, 
 
 Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty, 
 
 And with that painted hope braves your mightiness : 
 
 And shall she carry this unto her grave ? 
 ChL An if she do, I would I were an eunuch. 
 
 Drag hence her husband to some secret hole. 
 
 And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust. 1 30 
 Tarn. But when ye have the honey ye desire, 
 
 Let not this wasp outlive, us both to sting. 
 ChL I warrant you, madam, we will make that sure 
 
 Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy 
 
 That nice-preserved honesty of yours. 
 Lav. O Tamora ! thou bear'st a woman's face — 
 Tarn. I will not hear her speak ; away with her ! 
 Lav. Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word. 
 Ddm. Listen, fair madam : let it be your glory 
 
 To see her tears, but be your heart to them 14O 
 
 As unrelenting flint to drops of rain. 
 Lav. When did the tiger's young ones teach the dam ? 
 
 O, do not learn her wrath ; she taught it thee ; 
 37 
 
Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 ^The Tragedy of 
 
 The milk thou suck'dst from her did turn to marble ; 
 
 Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny. 
 
 Yet every mother breeds not sons aHke : 
 
 [To Chiron^ Do thou entreat her show a woman pity. 
 
 Chu What, wouldst thou have me prove myself a bastard? 
 
 Lav, *Tis true ; the raven doth not hatch a lark : 
 
 Yet have I heard, — O, could I find it now ! — 150 
 The lion, moved with pity, did endure 
 To have his princely paws pared all away : 
 Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. 
 The whilst their own birds famish in their nests : 
 O, be to me, though thy hard heart say no, 
 Nothing so kind, but something pitiful ! 
 
 Tarn. I know not what it means : away with her ! 
 
 Lav. O, 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. 160 
 Tarn. Hadst thou in 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 loved of me. 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 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 ; 1 70 
 Poor I was slain when Bassianus died. 
 
 Tarn. 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 : 
 O, 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. 
 
 Tarn, So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee : 
 
 No, let them satisfy their lust on thee. 180 
 
 Dem, Away ! for thou hast stay'd 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 '11 stop your mouth. Bring thou her 
 husband : 
 
 This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him. 
 
 [Demetrius ihronvs the body of Bassianus 
 into the pit ; then exeunt Demetrius 
 and Chiron^ ^^^gg^^g ^ff Lavinia, 
 Tarn, Farewell, my sons ; see that you make her sure. 
 Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed, 
 39 
 
Act IL Sc. ill 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 Till all the Andronici be made away. 
 
 Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor, 190 
 
 And let my spleenful sons this trull deflower. [_Exit, 
 
 Re-enter Aarouy with Quintus and Martins, 
 
 Aar, Come on, my lords, the better foot before : 
 Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit 
 Where I espied the panther fast asleep. 
 
 Quin. My sight is very dull, whatever it bodes. 
 
 Mart, And mine, I promise you ; were it not for shame, 
 Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile. 
 
 \^FaUs into the pit, 
 
 Quin, What, art thou fall'n ? What subtle hole is this, 
 Whose mouth is covered with rude-growing briers, 
 Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood 20c 
 As fresh as morning 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 dismaPst object hurt 
 That ever eye with sight made heart lament ! 
 
 j^ar, [^Aside"} Now will I fetch the king to find them 
 here. 
 
 That he thereby may have a likely guess 
 
 How these were they that made away his brother. 
 
 lExit. 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act II. Sc. ii. 
 
 Mart. Why dost not comfort me, and help me out 
 
 From this unhallow'd and blood-stained hole ? 210 
 
 Quin, I am surprised with an uncouth fear ; 
 
 A chilling sweat o'er-runs my trembling joints ; 
 My heart suspects more than mine eye can see. 
 
 Mart. To prove thou hast a true-divining heart, 
 Aaron and thou look down into this den, 
 And see a fearful sight of blood and death. 
 
 Quin, Aaron is gone ; and my compassionate heart 
 Will not permit mine eyes once to behold 
 The thing whereat it trembles by surmise : 
 O, tell me how it is ; for ne'er till now 220 
 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 the pit: 230 
 So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus 
 When he by night lay bathed in maiden blood. 
 O brother, help me with thy fainting hand — 
 
Act IL Sc. iii. 
 
 ^The Tragedy of 
 
 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. 240 
 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 again, 
 Till thou art here aloft, or I below : 
 Thou canst not come to me : I come to thee. 
 
 [^Falls in. 
 
 Enter Saturninus with Aaron. 
 
 Sat. Along with me : I '11 see what hole is here, 
 
 And what he is that now 4s 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 ; 250 
 
 Brought hither in a most unlucky hour. 
 
 To find thy brother Bassianus dead. 
 Sat. My brother dead ! I know thou dost but jest : 
 
 He and his lady both are at the lodge 
 
 Upon the north side of this pleasant chase ; 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act IL Sc. iiL 
 
 'Tis not an hour since I left them there. 
 Mart. We know not where you left them all alive ; 
 But, out, alas ! here have we found him dead. 
 
 Re-enter Tamora, with Attendants ; Titus Andronicus^ 
 and Lucius, 
 
 Tarn. Where is my lord the king ? 
 
 Sat, Here, Tamora ; though grieved with killing grief. 
 
 Tarn, Where is thy brother Bassianus ? 261 
 
 Sat, Now to the bottom dost thou search my wound : 
 Poor Bassianus here lies murdered. 
 
 Tarn, \_Giving a letter'^ Then all too late I bring this 
 fatal writ, 
 The complot of this timeless tragedy ; 
 And wonder greatly that man's face 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 : 270 
 Thou know'st our meaning. Look for thy reward 
 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 ? 
 43 
 
Act IL Sc. iii. 
 
 «2sThe Tragedy of 
 
 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. 280 
 Sat. \To Titus'] Two of thy whelps, fell curs of bloody 
 kind. 
 
 Have here bereft my brother of his life. 
 Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison : 
 There let them bide until we have devised 
 Some never-heard-of torturing pain for them. 
 
 Tarn. 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, 290 
 
 Accursed, if the fault be proved in them — 
 
 Sat. If it be proved ! you see it is apparent. 
 
 Who found this letter ? Tamora, was it you ? 
 
 Tarn. Andronicus himself did take it up. 
 
 Tit. I did, my lord : yet let me be their bail ; 
 For, by my fathers' 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 follow me. 
 
 Some bring the murder'd body, some the murderers : 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act II. Sc. iv. 
 
 Let them not speak a word ; the guilt is plain ; 301 
 For, by my soul, were there worse end than death, 
 That end upon them should be executed. 
 
 Tam. A ndronicus, I will entreat the king : 
 
 Fear not thy sons ; they shall do well enough. 
 
 7V/. Come, Lucius, come ; stay not to talk with them. 
 
 [^Exeunt. 
 
 Scene IV. 
 Another part of the forest 
 
 Enter Demetrius and Chiron^ with Lavinta^ ravished ; 
 her hands cut off^^ and her tongue cut out. 
 
 Dem, So, now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak, 
 Who 'twas that cut thy tongue and ravish'd thee. 
 
 Chi, Write down thy mind, bewray thy meaning so. 
 An if thy stumps will let thee play the scribe. 
 
 Dem. See, how with signs and tokens she can scrowl. 
 
 Chi. Go home, call for sweet water, wash thy hands. 
 
 Dem. She hath no tongue to call, nor hands to wash ; 
 And so let 's leave her to her silent walks. 
 
 Chi. An 'twere my case, I should go hang myself. 
 
 Dem. If thou hadst hands to help thee knit the cord. 
 
 [^Exeunt Demetrius and Chiron, 
 45 
 
Act II. Sc. iv. 
 
 .ssThe Tragedy of 
 
 Horns ivtnded within. Enter Marcus^ from hunting. 
 Mar, Who IS this ? my niece, that flies away so fast ! 1 1 
 Cousin, a word ; where is your husband ? 
 If I do dream, would all my wealth would wake me ! 
 If I do wake, some planet strike me down. 
 That I may slumber in eternal sleep ! 
 Speak, gentle niece, what stern ungentle hands 
 Have loppM and hew'd and made thy body bare 
 Of her two branches, those sweet ornaments. 
 Whose circling shadows kings have sought to sleep in. 
 And might not gain so great a happiness 20 
 As have thy love ? Why dost not speak to me ? 
 Alas, a crimson river of warm blood. 
 Like to a bubbling fountain stirrM with wind, 
 Doth rise and fall between thy rosed lips, 
 Coming and going with thy honey breath. 
 But, sure, some Tereus hath deflowered thee. 
 And, lest thou shouldst detect him, cut thy tongue. 
 Ah, now thou turn'st away thy face for shame ! 
 And, notwithstanding all this loss of blood. 
 As from a conduit with three issuing spouts, 30 
 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 ? 
 O, that I knew thy heart; and knew the beast, 
 46 
 
Titus Andronicus s 
 
 Act II. Sc. iv. 
 
 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 Philomel, why she but lost her tongue, 
 
 And in a tedious sampler sew'd her mind : 
 
 But, lovely niece, that mean is cut from thee ; 40 
 
 A craftier Tereus, cousin, hast thou met. 
 
 And he hath cut those pretty fingers off. 
 
 That could have better sew'd than Philomel. 
 
 O, had the monster 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 50 
 
 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 : 
 
 O, could our mourning ease thy misery ! [Exeunt, 
 
 47 
 
Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 Act Third. 
 
 Scene I. 
 
 Rome. A street. 
 
 Enter Judges^ Senators^ and Tribunes ^ with Martins and 
 Quiniusy bound) passing on to the place of execution ; 
 Titus going before J 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 ; 
 And for these bitter tears, which now you see 
 Filling the aged wrinkles in my cheeks ; 
 Be pitiful to my condemned sons, 
 Whose souls are not corrupted as 'tis thought. 
 For two and twenty sons 1 never wept, lO 
 Because they died in honour's lofty bed. 
 [^Lieth do<wn ; the Judges y isfc, pass by him^ and Exeunt. 
 For these, tribunes, in the dust I write 
 My heart's deep languor and my soul's sad tears : 
 Let my tears stanch the earth's dry appetite ; 
 My sons' sweet blood will make it shame and blush. 
 48 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 O earth, I will befriend thee more with rain, 
 That shall distil from these two ancient urns, 
 Than youthful April shall with all his showers : 
 In summer's drought I '11 drop upon thee still ; 
 In winter with warm tears I '11 melt the snow, 20 
 And keep eternal spring-time on thy face, 
 So thou refuse to drink my dear sons' blood. 
 
 Enter Lucius^ with his weapon drawn. 
 
 •O reverend tribunes ! O gentle, aged men ! 
 
 Unbind my sons, reverse the doom of death ; 
 
 And let me say, that never wept before, 
 
 My tears are now prevailing orators. 
 Luc. O noble father, you lament in vain : 
 
 The tribunes hear you not ; no man is by ; 
 
 And you recount your sorrows to a stone. 
 Tit. Ah, Lucius, for thy brothers let me plead. 30 
 
 Grave tribunes, once more I entreat of you, — 
 Luc. My gracious lord, no tribune hears you speak. 
 Tit. Why, 'tis no matter, man : if they did hear. 
 
 They would not mark me ; or if they did mark. 
 
 They would not pity me ; yet plead I must, 
 
 And bootless unto them 
 
 Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones ; 
 
 Who, though they cannot answer my distress, 
 
 27 d 49 
 
Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 •as The Tragedy of 
 
 Yet in some sort they are better than the tribunes, 
 For that they will not intercept my tale : 40 
 When I do weep, they humbly at my feet 
 Receive my tears, and seem to weep with me ; 
 And, were they but attired in grave weeds, 
 Rome could afford no tribune like to these. 
 A stone is soft as wax, tribunes more hard than 
 stones ; 
 
 A stone is silent and ofFendeth not. 
 
 And tribunes with their tongues doom men to death 
 
 But wherefore stand' st thou with thy weapon drawn i 
 Luc. To rescue my two brothers from their death : 
 
 For which attempt the judges have pronounced 50 
 My everlasting doom of banishment. 
 TV/. O happy man ! they have befriended thee. 
 Why, foolish Lucius, dost thou not perceive 
 That Rome is but a wilderness of tigers i 
 Tigers must prey, and Rome affords no prey 
 But me and mine : how happy art thou then, 
 From these devourers to be banished ! 
 But who comes with our brother Marcus here ? 
 
 Enter Marcus and Lavinta, 
 
 Marc, Titus, prepare thy aged eyes to weep ; 
 
 50 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 Or, if not so, thy noble heart to break : 60 
 I bring consuming sorrow to thine age. 
 
 Tit. Will it consume me ? let me see it then. 
 
 Marc. This was thy daughter. 
 
 Tit. Why, Marcus, so she is. 
 
 Luc. Ay me, this object kills me ! 
 
 Tit. Faint-hearted boy, arise, and look upon her. 
 
 Speak, Lavinia, what accursed hand 
 
 Hath made thee handless in thy father's sight? 
 
 What fool hath added water to the sea. 
 
 Or brought a faggot to bright-burning Troy ? 
 
 My grief was at the height before thou camest ; 70 
 
 And now, like Nilus, it disdaineth bounds. 
 
 Give me a sword, I '11 chop off my hands too ; 
 
 For they have fought for Rome, and all in vain ; 
 
 And they have nursed this woe, in feeding life ; 
 
 In bootless prayer have they been held up, 
 
 And they have served me to effectless use : 
 
 Now all the service I require of them 
 
 Is, that the one will help to cut the other. 
 
 'Tis well, Lavinia, that thou hast no hands ; 
 
 For hands to do Rome service is but vain. 80 
 Luc. Speak, gentle sister, who hath martyr' d thee ? 
 Marc, O, that delightful engine of her thoughts, 
 
 That blabb'd them with such pleasing eloquence, 
 
 0. ILL LiiSv 
 
Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 «2s The Tragedy of 
 
 Is torn from forth that pretty hollow cage, 
 Where, like a sweet melodious bird, it sung 
 Sweet varied notes, enchanting every ear ! 
 
 Luc. O, say thou for her, who hath done this deed ? 
 
 Marc, O, thus I found her, straying in the park. 
 Seeking to hide herself, as doth the doer 
 That hath received some unrecuring wound. 90 
 
 T'tU It was my dear ; and he that wounded her 
 
 Hath hurt me more than had he kilFd me dead : 
 
 For now I stand as one upon a rock, 
 
 Environ'd with a wilderness of sea ; 
 
 Who marks the waxing tide grow wave by wave, 
 
 Expecting ever when some envious surge 
 
 Will in his brinish bowels swallow him. 
 
 This way to death my wretched sons are gone ; 
 
 Here stands my other son, a banished man ; 
 
 And here my brother, weeping at my woes : 1 00 
 
 But that which gives my soul the greatest spurn, 
 
 Is dear Lavinia, dearer than my soul. 
 
 Had I but seen thy picture in this plight. 
 
 It would have madded me : what shall I do, 
 
 Now I behold thy lively body so ? 
 
 Thou hast no hands, to wipe away thy tears ; 
 
 Nor tongue, to tell me who hath martyr'd thee : 
 
 Thy husband he is dead ; and for his death 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 Thy brothers are condemned, and dead by this. 
 Look, Marcus! ah, son Lucius, look on her I no 
 When I did name her brothers, then fresh tears 
 Stood on her cheeks, as doth the honey-dew 
 Upon a gathered lily almost wither'd. 
 I Marc, Perchance she weeps because they kilFd her 
 husband ; 
 
 Perchance because she knows them innocent. 
 Tit, If they did kill thy husband, then be joyful, 
 Because the law hath ta'en revenge on them. 
 No, no, they would not do so foul a deed ; 
 Witness the sorrow that their sister makes. 
 Gentle Lavinia, let me kiss thy lips ; 120 
 Or make some sign how I may do thee ease : 
 Shall thy good uncle, and thy brother Lucius, 
 And thou, and I, sit round about some fountain, 
 Looking all downwards, to behold our cheeks 
 How they are stain'd, as meadows yet not dry 
 With miry slime left on them by a flood ? 
 And in the fountain shall we gaze so long 
 Till the fresh taste be taken from that clearness, 
 And made a brine-pit with our bitter tears ? 
 Or shall we cut away our hands, like thine ? 130 
 Or shall we bite our tongues, and in dumb shows 
 Pass the remainder of our hateful days ? 
 
 53 
 
Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 i^The Tragedy of 
 
 What shall we do ? let us, that have our tongues, 
 
 Plot some device of further misery, 
 
 To make us wonder'd at in time to come. 
 
 Luc. Sweet father, cease your tears ; for, at your grief, 
 See how my wretched sister sobs and weeps. 
 
 Marc. Patience, dear niece. Good Titus, dry thine eyes. 
 
 Tit. Ah, Marcus, Marcus ! brother, well I wot 
 
 Thy napkin cannot drink a tear of mine, 140 
 For thou, poor man, hast drown'd it with thine own. 
 
 Luc. Ah, my Lavinia, I will wipe thy cheeks. 
 
 Tit. Mark, Marcus, mark ! I understand her signs : 
 Had she a tongue to speak, now would she say 
 That to her brother which I said to thee : 
 His napkin, with his true tears all bewet, 
 Can do no service on her sorrowful cheeks. 
 O, what a sympathy of woe is this. 
 As far from help as Limbo is from bliss ! 
 
 Enter Aaron. 
 
 Aar. Titus Andronicus, my lord the emperor 150 
 Sends thee this word, that, if thou love thy sons. 
 Let Marcus, Lucius, or thyself, old Titus, 
 Or any one of you, chop off your hand, 
 And send it to the king : he for the same 
 Will send thee hither both thy sons alive ; 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 And that shall be the ransom for their fault. 
 Tit. O gracious emperor ! O gentle Aaron ! 
 Did ever raven sing so like a lark, 
 That gives sweet tidings of the sun's uprise ? 
 With all my heart, I '11 send the emperor 1 60 
 
 My hand : 
 
 Good Aaron, wilt thou help to chop it off? 
 
 Luc. Stay, father ! for that noble hand of thine, 
 That hath thrown down so many enemies, 
 Shall not be sent : my hand will serve the turn : 
 My youth can better spare my blood than you ; 
 And therefore mine shall save my brothers' lives. 
 
 Marc. Which of your hands hath not defended Rome, 
 And rear'd aloft the bloody battle-axe, 
 Writing destruction on the enemy's castle ? 170 
 O, none of both but are of high desert : 
 My hand hath been but idle ; let it serve 
 To ransom my two nephews from their death ; 
 Then have I kept it to a worthy end. 
 
 ^ar. Nay, come, agree whose hand shall go along, 
 For fear they die before their pardon come. 
 
 Marc. My hand shall go. 
 
 Luc. By heaven, it shall not go 1 
 
 Tit. Sirs, strive no more : such wither'd herbs as these 
 Are meet for plucking up, and therefore mine. 
 
Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 »agThe Tragedy of 
 
 Luc, Sweet father, if I shall be thought thy son, i8o 
 Let me redeem my brothers both from death. 
 
 Marc, And, for our father's sake and mother's care, 
 Now let me show a brother's love to thee. 
 
 Tit. Agree between you ; I will spare my hand. 
 
 Luc, Then I '11 go fetch an axe. 
 
 Marc, But I will use the axe. 
 
 \_Exeunt Lucius and Marcus • 
 
 Tit, Come hither, Aaron ; I '11 deceive them both : 
 Lend me thy hand, and I will give thee mine. 
 
 j^ar, [jAside^ If that be call'd deceit, I will be honest. 
 And never, whilst I live, deceive men so : 190 
 But I '11 deceive you in another sort. 
 And that you '11 say, ere half an hour pass. 
 
 [^Cuts off^ Titus* s hand. 
 
 Re-enter Lucius and Marcus, 
 
 Tit, Now stay your strife : what shall be is dispatch'd. 
 Good Aaron, give his majesty my hand : 
 Tell him it was a hand that warded him 
 From thousand dangers ; bid him bury it ; 
 More hath it merited ; that let it have. 
 As for my sons, say I account of them 
 As jewels purchased at an easy price ; 
 And yet dear too, because I bought mine own. 200 
 56 . 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 ^ar, I go, Andronicus : and for thy hand 
 
 Look by and by to have thy sons with thee. 
 
 Their heads, I mean. O, how this villany 
 Doth fat me with the very thoughts of it ! 
 Let fools do good, and fair men call for grace, 
 Aaron will have his soul black like his face. [^Exit. 
 Tit. O, here I lift this one hand up to heaven, 
 And bow this feeble ruin to the earth : 
 If any power pities wretched tears. 
 To that I call ! [To Lav,~] What, would thou 
 kneel with me ? 210 
 Do, then, dear heart; for heaven shall hear our 
 prayers ; 
 
 Or with our sighs we Ml breathe the welkin dim, 
 And stain the sun with fog, as sometime clouds 
 When they do hug him in their melting bosoms. 
 
 Marc, O brother, speak with possibilities. 
 
 And do not break into these deep extremes^ 
 
 Tit. Is not my sorrow deep, having no bottom ? 
 Then be my passions bottomless with them. 
 
 Marc. But yet let reason govern thy lament. 
 
 Tit. If there were reason for these miseries, 220 
 Then into limits could I bind my woes : 
 When heaven doth weep, doth not the earth o'erflow ? 
 If the winds rage, doth not the sea wax mad, 
 
Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 •ss The Tragedy of 
 
 Threatening the welkin with his big-swoln face ? 
 And wilt thou have a reason for this coil ? 
 I am the sea ; hark, how her sighs do blow ! 
 She is the weeping welkin, I the earth : 
 Then must my sea be moved with her sighs ; 
 Then must my earth with her continual tears 
 Become a deluge, overflow'd and drown'd: 230 
 For why my bowels cannot hide her woes, 
 But like a drunkard must I vomit them. 
 Then give me leave ; for losers will have leave 
 To ease their stomachs with their bitter tongues. 
 
 Enter a Messenger ^ with two heads and a hand. 
 
 Mess. Worthy Andronicus, ill art thou repaid 
 For that good hand thou sent'st the emperor. 
 Here are the heads of thy two noble sons ; 
 And here 's thy hand, in scorn to thee sent back, 
 Thy griefs their sports, thy resolution mock'd : 
 That woe is me to think upon thy woes, 240 
 More than remembrance of my father's death. 
 
 lExit. 
 
 Marc, Now let hot -ffitna cool in Sicily, 
 And be my heart an ever-burning hell ! 
 These miseries are more than may be borne. 
 To weep with them that weep doth ease some deal, 
 58 
 
Titus Andronicus » 
 
 Act Uh Sc. i. 
 
 But sorrow flouted at is double death. 
 
 Luc. Ah, that this sight should make so deep a wound, 
 And yet detested life not shrink thereat ! 
 That ever death should let life bear his name, 
 Where life hath no more interest but to breathe ! 
 
 \_Lavinia kisses Titus. 
 
 Marc, Alas, poor heart, that kiss is comfortless 251 
 As frozen water to a starved snake. 
 
 Tit. When will this fearful slumber have an end ? 
 
 Marc. Now, farewell, flattery : die, Andronicus ; 
 
 Thou dost not slumber : see, thy two sons' heads. 
 Thy warlike hand, thy mangled daughter here. 
 Thy other banish' d son with this dear sight 
 Struck pale and bloodless, and thy brother, I, 
 Even like a stony image, cold and numb. 
 Ah, now no more will I control thy griefs : 260 
 Rend off thy silver hair, thy other hand 
 Gnawing with thy teeth ; and be this dismal sight 
 The closing up of our most wretched eyes : 
 Now is a time to storm ; why art thou still ? 
 
 Tit. Ha, ha, ha ! 
 
 Marc. Why dost thou laugh ? it fits not with this hour. 
 
 Tit. Why, I have not another tear to shed : 
 Besides, this sorrow is an enemy. 
 And would usurp upon my watery eyes, 
 
Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 And make them blind with tributary tears : 270 
 Then which way shall I find Revenge's cave ? 
 For these two heads do seem to speak to me, 
 And threat me I shall never come to bliss 
 Till all these mischiefs be return'd again 
 Even in their throats that have committed them. 
 Come, let me see what task I have to do. 
 You heavy people, circle me about. 
 That I may turn me to each one of you, 
 And swear unto my soul to right your wrongs. 
 The vow is made. Come, brother, take a head ; 
 And in this hand the other will I bear. 281 
 Lavinia, thou shalt be employ 'd in these things : 
 Bear thou my hand, sweet wench, between thy teeth. 
 As for thee, boy, go get thee from my sight ; 
 Thou art an exile, and thou must not stay : 
 Hie to the Goths, and raise an army there : 
 And, if you love me, as I think you do. 
 Let 's kiss and part, for we have much to do. 
 
 \_Exeunt all but Lucius. 
 Luc, Farewell, Andronicus, my noble father, 
 
 The wofulFst man that ever lived in Rome : 290 
 Farewell, proud Rome ; till Lucius come again. 
 He leaves his pledges dearer than his life : 
 Farewell, Lavinia, my noble sister j 
 60 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act III. Sc. ii. 
 
 O, would thou wert as thou tofore hast been 
 But now nor Lucius nor Lavinia lives 
 But in oblivion and hateful griefs. 
 If Lucius live, he will requite your wrongs ; 
 And make proud Saturnine and his empress 
 Beg at the gates, like Tarquin and his queen. 
 Now will I to the Goths and raise a power, 300 
 To be revenged on Rome and Saturnine. [^Exh. 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 room in Titus^s house. A banquet set out. 
 
 Enter Titus ^ Marcus^ Lavinia^ and young Lucius y a Boy> 
 
 Tit. So, so ; now sit : and look you eat no more 
 Than will preserve just so much strength in us 
 As will revenge these bitter woes of ours. 
 Marcus, unknit that sorrow- wr eat hen knot : 
 Thy niece and I, poor creatures, want our hands, 
 And cannot passionate our tenfold grief 
 With folded arms. This poor right hand of mine 
 Is left to tyrannize upon my breast ; 
 Who, when my heart, all mad with misery, 
 Beats in this hollow prison of my flesh, 10 
 Then thus I thump it down. 
 
 61 
 
Act III. Sc. ii. 
 
 ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 [To Lavlnta] Thou map of woe, that thus dost 
 
 talk in signs ! 
 When thy poor heart beats with outrageous beating, 
 Thou canst not strike it thus to make it stilh 
 Wound it with sighing, girl, kill it with groans ; 
 Or get some little knife between thy teeth, 
 And just against thy heart make thou a hole ; 
 That all the tears that thy poor eyes let fall 
 May run into that sink, and soaking in 
 Drown the lamenting fool in sea-salt tears. 2p 
 
 Marc, Fie, brother, fie ! teach her not thus to lay 
 Such violent hands upon her tender life. 
 
 Tit, How now ! has sorrow made thee dote already ? 
 Why, Marcus, no man should be mad but I, 
 What violent hands can she lay on her life ? 
 Ah, wherefore dost thou urge the name of hands ; 
 To bid -fflneas tell the tale twice o'er. 
 How Troy was burnt and he made miserable ? 
 O, handle not the theme, to talk of hands. 
 Lest we remember still that we have none. 30 
 Fie, fie, how franticly I square my talk. 
 As if we should forget we had no hands, 
 If Marcus did not name the word of hands ! 
 Come, let *s fall to ; and, gentle girl, eat this : 
 Here is no drink. Hark, Marcus, what she says ; 
 63 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ Act III. Sc. ii. 
 
 I can interpret all her martyrM signs j 
 
 She says she drinks no other drink but tears, 
 
 Brew'd with her sorrow, mesh'd upon her cheeks : 
 
 Speechless complainer, I will learn thy thought ; 
 
 In thy dumb action will I be as perfect 40 
 
 As begging hermits in their holy prayers : 
 
 Thou shalt not sigh, nor hold thy stumps to heaven. 
 
 Nor wink, nor nod, nor kneel, nor make a sign, 
 
 But I of these will wrest an alphabet. 
 
 And by still practice learn to know thy meaning. 
 
 Boy, Good grandsire, leave these bitter deep laments : 
 Make my aunt merry with some pleasing tale. 
 
 Marc. Alas, the tender boy, in passion moved, 
 Doth weep to see his grandsire's heaviness. 
 
 7iV. Peace, tender sapling ; thou art made of tears, 50 
 And tears will quickly melt thy life away. 
 
 [_Marcus strikes the dish ivith a knife. 
 What dost thou strike at, Marcus, with thy knife ? 
 
 Marc. At that that I have kill'd, my lord, — a fly. 
 
 Tit, Out on thee, murderer ! thou kill'st my heart ; 
 Mine eyes are cloy'd with view of tyranny : 
 A deed of death done on the innocent 
 Becomes not Titus' brother : get thee gone ; 
 I see thou art not for my company. 
 
 Marc. Alas, my lord, I have but kill'd a fly. 
 
Act III. Sc. ii. 
 
 •s^The Tragedy of 
 
 77/. * But ! ' How, if that fly had a father and mother ? 
 How would he hang his slender gilded wings, 6i 
 And buzz lamenting doings in the air ! 
 Poor harmless fly, 
 
 That, with his pretty buzzing melody. 
 Came here to make us merry ! and thou hast kill'd 
 him. 
 
 Marc, Pardon me, sir ; it was a black ill-favour M fly, 
 Like to the empress' Moor ; therefore I kill'd him. 
 
 Ttu O, O, O, 
 
 Then pardon me for reprehending thee. 
 
 For thou hast done a charitable deed. 70 
 
 Give me thy knife, I will insult on him ; 
 
 Flattering myself, as if it were the Moor 
 
 Come hither purposely to poison me. 
 
 There 's for thyself, and that *s for Tamora. 
 
 Ah, sirrah ! 
 
 Yet, I think, we are not brought so low, 
 
 But that between us we can kill a fly 
 
 That comes in likeness of a coal-black Moor. 
 
 Marc. Alas, poor man ! grief has so wrought on him, 
 He takes false shadows for true substances. 80 
 
 77V. Come, take away. Lavinia, go with me : 
 I Ml to thy closet ; and go read with thee 
 Sad stories chanced in the times of old. 
 64 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act IV. Sc. i. 
 
 Come, boy, and go with me : thy sight is young, 
 And thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle. 
 
 [^Exeunt. 
 
 Act Fourth. 
 Scene I. 
 
 Rome, Titus* s garden. 
 
 Enter young Lucius and Lavinia running after him, and 
 the boy flies from he-'^y with his books under his arm. 
 Then enter Titus and Marcus, 
 
 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. 
 
 Marc, 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. 
 
 Marc, 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: lO 
 Somewhither would she have thee go with her. 
 27 ^ 6s 
 
Act IV. Sc. i. 
 
 •ssThe Tragedy of 
 
 Ah, boy, Cornelia never with more care 
 Read to her sons than she hath read to thee 
 Sweet poetry and Tully's Orator. 
 
 Marc. Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus ? 
 
 Boy. My lord, I know not, I, nor can I guess. 
 Unless some fit or frenzy do possess her : 
 For I have heard my grand sire say full oft, 
 Extremity of griefs would make men mad ; 
 And I have read that Hecuba of Troy 20 
 Ran mad for sorrow : that made me to fear ; 
 Although, my lord, I know my noble aunt 
 Loves me as dear as e'er my mother did. 
 And would not, but in fury, fright my youth : 
 Which made me down to throw my books and fly, 
 Causeless perhaps. But pardon me, sweet aunt : 
 And, madam, if my uncle Marcus go, 
 I will most willingly attend your ladyship. 
 
 Marc. Lucius, I will. [^Lavinia turns over with 
 
 her stumps the books which Lucius has let falL 
 
 Tit. How now, Lavinia ! Marcus, what means this ? 30 
 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 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act IV. Sc. i. 
 
 Reveal the damn'd contriver of this deed. 
 
 Why lifts she up her arms in sequence thus ? 
 Marc. I think she means that there were more than one 
 
 Confederate in the fact ; ay, more there was ; 
 
 Or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge. 40 
 Tit, Lucius, what book is that she tosseth so ? 
 Boy. Grandsire, 'tis Ovid's Metamorphoses : 
 
 My mother gave it me. 
 Marc. For love of her that \ gone, 
 
 Perhaps she cull'd it from among the rest. 
 TiU Soft ! so 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. 
 Marc. See, brother, see ; note how she quotes the leaves. 
 Tit. Lavinia, wert thou thus surprised, sweet girl, 5 1 
 
 Ravish'd and wrong'd, as Philomela was, 
 
 Forced in the ruthless, vast, and gloomy woods ? 
 
 See, see ! 
 
 Ay, such a place there is, where we did hunt, — 
 O, had we never, never hunted there! — 
 Pattern'd by that the poet here describes, 
 By nature made for murders and for rapes. 
 
Act IV. Sc. i. 
 
 ^The Tragedy of 
 
 Marc, O, why should nature build so foul a den, 
 
 Unless the gods delight in tragedies ? 60 
 
 Tiu 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 ? 
 
 Marc, Sit down, sweet niece : brother, sit down by me. 
 Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury, 
 Inspire me, that I may this treason find ! 
 My lord, look here : look here, Lavinia : 
 This sandy plot is plain ; guide, if thou canst. 
 This after me. \_He writes his name with his staffs 
 and guides it with feet and mouth. I have 
 writ my name 70 
 Without the help of any hand at all. 
 Cursed be that heart that forced us to this shift ! 
 Write thou, good niece ; and here display at last 
 What God will have discovered 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 mouthy and guides 
 it with her stumps^ and writes. 
 
 Tit, O, do ye read, my lord, what she hath writ ? 
 * Stuprum. Chiron. Demetrius.' 
 
 Marc, What, what ! the lustful sons of Tamora 
 
Titus Andronicus » 
 
 Act IV. Sc. L 
 
 Performers of this heinous, bloody deed ? 8o 
 
 Tit, Magni Dominator poli, 
 
 Tarn lentus audis scelera ? tarn lentus vides ? 
 
 Marc, 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 ; 
 And kneel, sweet boy, the Roman Hector's hope ; 
 And swear with me, as, with the woful fere 
 And father of that chaste dishonour'd dame, 90 
 Lord Junius Brutus sware for Lucrece' rape. 
 That we will prosecute by good advice 
 Mortal revenge upon these traitorous Goths, 
 And see their blood, or die with this reproach. 
 
 Tit. 'Tis sure enough, an you knew how. 
 
 But if you hunt these bear- whelps, then beware : 
 The dam will wake ; and if she wind you once. 
 She 's with the lion deeply still in league. 
 And lulls him whilst she playeth on her back. 
 And when he sleeps will she do what she list. lOO 
 You are a young huntsman, Marcus ; let alone ; 
 And, come, I will go get a leaf of brass. 
 And with a gad of steel will write these words, 
 And lay it by : the angry northern wind 
 
Act IV. Sc. i. 
 
 s The Tragedy of 
 
 Will blow these sands, like Sibyl's leaves, abroad, 
 And where 's your lesson then ? Boy, what say 
 you ? 
 
 Boy. I say, my lord, that if I were a man, 
 
 Their mother's bed-chamber should not be safe 
 For these bad bondmen to the yoke of Rome. 
 
 Marc. Ay, that's my boy ! thy father hath full oft no 
 For his ungrateful country done the like. 
 
 Boy. And, uncle, so will I, an if I live. 
 
 Tit. Come, go with me into mine armoury ; 
 Lucius, I '11 fit thee, and withal, my boy 
 Shall carry from me to the empress' sons 
 Presents that I intend to send them both : 
 Come, come ; thou 'It do thy message, wilt thou not ? 
 
 Boy. Ay, with my dagger in their bosoms, grandsire. 
 
 Tit. No, boy, not so ; I '11 teach thee another course. 
 Lavinia, come. Marcus, look to my house : 1 20 
 Lucius and I '11 go brave it at the court ; 
 Ay, marry, will we, sir ; and we '11 be waited on. 
 
 \JE,xeunt Titus ^ Laviniay and young Lucius. 
 
 Marc. 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 
 Than foemen's marks upon his batter 'd shield, 
 
Titus Andronicus 
 
 Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 But yet 80 just that he will not revenge. 
 
 Revenge, ye heavens, for old Andronicus ! [^Exit. 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 The same. A room in the palace* 
 
 Enter Aaron^ Chiron^ and Demetrius at one door ; and at 
 another door^ young Lucius ^ and an Attendant^ luith a 
 bundle of weapons^ and verses ivrit upon them. 
 
 Chi. Demetrius, here 's the son of Lucius ; 
 
 He hath some message to deliver 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. 
 
 \_Aside~\ And pray the Roman gods confound you 
 both ! . 
 Dem. Gramercy, lovely Lucius : what 's the news ? 
 Boy. \_Astde~\ That you are both deciphered, that 's the 
 news. 
 
 For villains mark'd with rape. — May it please you, 
 
 My grandsire, well advised, hath sent by me lO 
 
 The goodliest weapons of his armoury 
 
 To gratify your honourable youth. 
 
 The hope of Rome ; for so he bid me say ; 
 
 7x 
 
Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 And so I do, and with his gifts present 
 Your lordships, that, whenever you have need, 
 You may be armed and appointed well : 
 And so I leave you both, [_/lside~\ like bloody 
 villains. \^Exeunt Boy and Attendant. 
 
 Dem. What here ? A scroll, and written round about ! 
 Let 's see : 
 
 \_Reads'^ * Integer vitae, scelerisque purus, 20 
 
 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. 
 [^Aside] Now, what a thing it is to be an ass ! 
 Here *s no sound jest : the old man hath found their 
 guilt, 
 
 And sends them weapons wrapp'd about with lines. 
 
 That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick. 
 
 But were our witty empress well afoot. 
 
 She would applaud Andronicus' conceit : 30 
 
 But let her rest in her unrest awhile. — 
 
 And now, young lords, was 't not a happy star 
 
 Led us to Rome, strangers, and more than so, 
 
 Captives, to be advanced to this height ? 
 
 It did me good, before the palace gate 
 
 To brave the tribune in his brother's hearing. 
 
Titus Andronicus s& 
 
 Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 Dem. But me more good, to see so great a lord 
 
 Basely insinuate and send us gifts. 
 Aar. Had he not reason, Lord Demetrius ? 
 
 Did you not use his daughter very friendly ? 40 
 Dent. I would we had a thousand Roman dames 
 
 At such a bay, by turn to serve our lust. 
 Chi. A charitable wish and full of love. 
 Aar. Here lacks but your mother for to say amen. 
 Chi. And that would she for twenty thousand more. 
 Dent. Come, let us go, and pray to all the gods 
 
 For our beloved mother in her pains. 
 Aar, [^Aside'] Pray to the devils ; the gods have given us 
 over. [Trumpets sound within. 
 
 Dem. Why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus ? 
 Chi. Belike, for joy the emperor hath a son. 50 
 Dem. Soft ! who comes here ? 
 
 Enter Nurse, with a blackamoor Child. 
 
 Nur. Good morrow, lords : 
 
 O, tell me, did you s^q Aaron the Moor ? 
 
 Aar. Well, more or less, or ne'er a whit at all, 
 Here Aaron is ; and what with Aaron now ? 
 
 Nur. O gentle Aaron, we are all undone ! 
 Now help, or woe betide thee evermore ! 
 
 Aar. Why, what a caterwauling dost thou keep ! 
 73 
 
Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 What dost thou wrap and fumble in thine arms ? 
 Nur. O, that which I would hide from heaven's eye, 
 
 Our empress' shame and stately Rome's disgrace ! 
 
 She is deliver'd, lords, she is delivered. 6i 
 j^ar. To whom ? 
 
 Nur. I mean, she is brought a-bed. 
 
 j^ar. Well, God give her good rest! What hath he 
 
 sent her ? 
 Nur. A devil. 
 
 ^ar. Why, then she is the devil's dam ; 
 
 A joyful issue. 
 
 Nur. A joyless, dismal, black and sorrowful issuer 
 Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad 
 Amongst the fairest breeders of our clime : 
 The empress sends it thee, thy stamp, thy seal, 
 And bids thee christen it with thy dagger's point. 
 
 j^ar. 'Zounds, ye whore ! is black so base a hue ? 71 
 Sweet blowse, you are a beauteous blossom, sure. 
 
 Dem. Villain, what hast thou done ? 
 
 ^ar. That which thou canst not undo. 
 
 CM. Thou hast undone our mother. 
 
 ^ar. Villain, I have done thy mother. 
 
 Dem. And therein, hellish dog, thou hast undone her. 
 Woe to her chance, and damn'd her loathed choice ! 
 Accursed the offspring of so foul a fiend 1 
 
 74 
 
Titus Andronicus 
 
 Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 ChL It shall not live. 8o 
 j^an It shall not die. 
 
 Nur. Aaron, it must ; the mother wills it so. 
 
 /^ar. What, must it, nurse ? then let no man but I 
 Do execution on my flesh and blood. 
 
 Dem. I '11 broach the tadpole on my rapier's point : 
 
 Nurse, give it me ; my sword shall soon dispatch it. 
 
 y^ar. Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up. 
 
 [Takes the Child from the Nurse y and draivs. 
 Stay, murderous villains ! will you kill your brother ? 
 Now, by the burning tapers of the sky. 
 That shone so brightly when this boy was got, 90 
 He dies upon my scimitar's sharp point 
 That touches this my first-born son and heir ! 
 I tell you, younglings, not Enceladus, 
 With all his threatening band of Typhon's brood. 
 Nor great Alcides, nor the god of war. 
 Shall seize this prey out of his father's hands. 
 What, what, ye sanguine, shallow-hearted boys ! 
 Ye white-limed walls ! ye alehouse painted signs ! 
 Coal-black is better than another hue. 
 In that it scorns to bear another hue ; 1 00 
 
 For all the water in the ocean 
 Can never turn the swan's black legs to white, 
 Although she lave them hourly in the flood. 
 
Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 Tell the empress from me, I am of age 
 To keep mine own, excuse it how she can. 
 
 Dem. Wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus ? 
 
 Aar, My mistress is my mistress, this myself, 
 The vigour and the picture of my youth : 
 This before all the world do I prefer ; 
 This maugre all the world will I keep safe, no 
 Or some of you shall smoke for it in Rome. 
 
 Dem. By this our mother is for ever shamed. 
 
 Chu Rome will despise her for this foul escape. 
 
 Nur. The emperor in his rage will doom her death. 
 
 Chu I blush to think upon this ignomy. 
 
 Aar. Why, there *s the privilege your beauty bears : 
 
 Fie, treacherous hue, that will betray with blushing 
 The close enacts and counsels of the heart! 
 Here 's a young lad framed of another leer : 
 Look, how the black slave smiles upon the father. 
 As who should say * Old lad, I am thine own.' 121 
 He is your brother, lords, sensibly fed 
 Of that self-blood that first gave life to you ; 
 And from that womb where you imprisoned were 
 He is enfranchised and come to light : 
 Nay, he is your brother by the surer side. 
 Although my seal be stamped in his face. 
 
 A^w. Aaron, what shall I say unto the empress ? 
 76 
 
I 
 
 i Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 Dem. Advise thee, Aaron, what is to be done, 
 
 And we will all subscribe to thy advice : 1 30 
 
 Save thou the child, so we may all be safe. 
 
 Aar. Then sit we down, and let us all consult. 
 My son and I will have the wind of you : 
 Keep there : now talk at pleasure of your safety. 
 
 [They sit. 
 
 Dem. How many women saw this child of his ? 
 
 /lar. Why, so, brave lords ! when we join in league, 
 I am a lamb : but if you brave the Moor, 
 The chafed boar, the mountain lioness, 
 The ocean swells not so as Aaron storms. 
 But say, again, how many saw the child ? 140 
 
 Nur, Cornelia the midwife and myself ; 
 
 And no one else but the delivered empress. 
 
 Aar, The empress, the midwife, and yourself : 
 
 Two may keep counsel when the third's away : 
 Go to the empress, tell her this I said. 
 
 [_He kills the nurse, 
 
 Weke, weke ! 
 
 So cries a pig prepared to the spit. 
 Dem. What mean'st thou, Aaron ? wherefore didst thou 
 this ? 
 
 jiar, O Lord, sir, 'tis a deed of policy : 
 
 Shall she live to betray this guilt of ours, 
 77 
 
Act IV. Sc. ii. The Tragedy of 
 
 A long-tongued babbling gossip ? no, lords, no : 1 50 
 
 And now be it known to you my full intent. 
 
 Not far, one Muliteus, my countryman. 
 
 His wife but yesternight was brought to bed ; 
 
 His child is like to her, fair as you are : 
 
 Go pack with him, and give the mother gold, 
 
 And tell them both the circumstance of all ; 
 
 And how by this their child shall be advanced, 
 
 And be received for the emperor's heir. 
 
 And substituted in the place of mine. 
 
 To calm this tempest whirling in the court ; 160 
 
 And let the emperor dandle him for his own. 
 
 Hark ye, lords ; you see I have given her physic, 
 
 [_ Pointing to the Nurse, 
 And you must needs bestow her funeral ; 
 The fields are near, and you are gallant grooms : 
 This done, see that you take no longer days, 
 But send the midwife presently to me. 
 The midwife and the nurse well made away, 
 Then let the ladies tattle what they please. 
 Chi, Aaron, I see thou wilt not trust the air 
 With secrets. 
 
 Dem. For this care of Tamora, 170 
 
 Herself and hers are highly bound to thee. 
 [^Exeunt Dem, and Chi, bearing off the Nurse* s body. 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act IV. Sc. iii. 
 
 Aar. Now to the Goths, as swift as swallow flies ; 
 There to dispose this treasure in mine arms, 
 And secretly to greet the empress' friends. 
 Come on, you thick-lipp'd slave, I '11 bear you hence ; 
 For it is you that puts us to our shifts : 
 I '11 make you feed on berries and on roots. 
 And feed on curds and whey, and suck the goat, 
 And cabin in a cave, and bring you up 179 
 To be a warrior and command a camp. [_Exit, 
 
 Scene III. 
 
 The same, A public place. 
 
 Enter Titus^ hearing arroivs with letters at the ends oj 
 them ; with him, Marcus, young Lucius, and other 
 Gentlemen (Puhllus, Sempronlus, and Calus), with 
 hows. 
 
 Tit. Come, Marcus, come ; kinsmen, this is the way. 
 Sir boy, let me see your archery ; 
 Look ye draw home enough, and 'tis there straight* 
 Terras Astraea reliquit : 
 
 Be you remember'd, Marcus, she 's gone, she 's fled. 
 Sirs, take you to your tools. You, cousins, shall 
 Go sound the ocean, and cast your nets ; 
 79 
 
Act IV. Sc. Hi. 
 
 « The Tragedy of 
 
 Happily you may catch her in the sea ; 
 
 Yet there as little justice as at land : 
 
 No ; Publius and Sempronius, you must do it ; i o 
 
 'Tis you must dig with mattock and with spade, 
 
 And pierce the inmost centre of the earth : 
 
 Then, when you come to Pluto's region, 
 
 I pray you, deliver him this petition ; 
 
 Tell him, it is for justice and for aid, 
 
 And then it comes from old Andronicus, 
 
 Shaken with sorrows in ungrateful Rome. 
 
 Ah, Rome ! Well, well ; I made thee miserable 
 
 What time I threw the people's suffrages 
 
 On him that thus doth tyrannize o'er me. 20 
 
 Go get you gone ; and pray be careful all. 
 
 And leave you not a man-of-war unsearch'd : 
 
 This wicked emperor may have shipp'd her hence ; 
 
 And, kinsmen, then we may go pipe for justice. 
 
 Marc, O Publius, is not this a heavy case. 
 To see thy noble uncle thus distract ? 
 
 Pub, Therefore, my lord, it highly us concerns 
 By day and night to attend him carefully. 
 And feed his humour kindly as we may. 
 Till time beget some careful remedy. 30 
 
 Marc, Kinsmen, his sorrows are past remedy. 
 
 Join with the Goths, and with revengeful war 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act IV. Sc. iii. 
 
 Take wreak on Rome for this ingratitude, 
 And vengeance on the traitor Saturnine. 
 
 Tit. Publius, how now ! how now, my masters ! 
 What, have you met with her ? 
 
 Pub. No, my good lord ; but Pluto sends you word, 
 If you will have Revenge from hell, you shall ; 
 Marry, for Justice, she is so employed. 
 He thinks, with Jove in heaven, or somewhere else. 
 So that perforce you must needs stay a time. 41 
 
 77/. He doth me wrong to feed me with delays. 
 I '11 dive into the burning lake below. 
 And pull her out of Acheron by the heels. 
 Marcus, we are but shrubs, no cedars we. 
 No big-boned men framed of the Cyclops' size ; 
 But metal, Marcus, steel to the very back. 
 Yet wrung with wrongs more than our backs can 
 bear : 
 
 And sith there 's no justice in earth nor hell, 
 We will solicit heaven, and move the gods 50 
 To send down Justice for to wreak our wrongs. 
 Come, to this gear. You are a good archer, 
 Marcus ; [_He gives them the arrows. 
 
 * Ad Jovem,' that's for you: here, *Ad Apol- 
 
 linem : ' 
 
 * Ad Martem,' that 's for myself : 
 27/ «i 
 
Act IV. Sc. iii. ^The Tragedy of 
 
 Here, boy, to Pallas : here, to Mercury : 
 
 To Saturn, Caius, not to Saturnine ; 
 
 You were as good to shoot against the wind. 
 
 To it, boy ! Marcus, loose when I bid. 
 
 Of my word, I have written to effect ; 
 
 There not a god left unsolicited. 60 
 Marc. Kinsmen, shoot all your shafts into the court : 
 
 We will afflict the emperor in his pride. 
 Tit. Now, masters, draw. [Tlfey shoot.'] O, well said, 
 Lucius ! 
 
 Good boy, in Virgo's lap ; give it Pallas. 
 Marc. My lord, I aim a mile beyond the moon ; 
 
 Your letter is with Jupiter by this. 
 Tit. Ha, ha ! 
 
 Publius, Publius, what hast thou done ? 
 
 See, see, thou hast shot off one of Taurus' horns. 
 Marc. This was the sport, my lord: when Publius 
 shot, 70 
 
 The Bull, being gail'd, gave Aries such a knock 
 
 That down fell both the Ram's horns in the court ; 
 
 And who should find them but the empress' villain ? 
 
 She laugh'd, and told the Moor he should not 
 choose 
 
 But give them to his master for a present. 
 77/. Why, there it goes : God give his lordship joy ! 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act IV. Sc. iii. 
 
 Enter a Clown, *with a basket, and two pigeons in it. 
 
 News, news from heaven ! Marcus, the post is come. 
 
 Sirrah, what tidings ? have you any letters ? 
 
 Shall I have justice ? what says Jupiter ? 
 Clo. O, the gibbet-maker ! he says that he hath 8o 
 
 taken them down again, for the man must not 
 
 be hanged till the next week. 
 Tit, But what says Jupiter, I ask thee ? 
 Clo, Alas, sir, I know not Jupiter ; I never drank 
 
 with him in all my life. 
 Tit. Why, villain, art not thou the carrier ? 
 Clo. Ay, of my pigeons, sir ; nothing else. 
 Tit, Why, didst thou not come from heaven ? 
 Clo. From heaven ! alas, sir, I never came there : 
 
 God forbid I should be so bold to press to 90 
 
 heaven in my young days. Why, I am going 
 
 with my pigeons to the tribunal plebs, to take up 
 
 a matter of brawl betwixt my uncle and one of 
 
 the emperial's men. 
 Marc. Why, sir, that is as fit as can be to serve for 
 
 your oration ; and let him deliver the pigeons 
 
 to the emperor from you. 
 Tit. Tell me, can you deliver an oration to the 
 
 emperor with a grace I 
 
 83 
 
Act IV. Sc. iii. 
 
 •asThe Tragedy of 
 
 Clo. Nay, truly, sir, I could never say grace in all lOO 
 my life. 
 
 Tit. Sirrah, come hither : make no more ado, 
 But give your pigeons to the emperor : 
 By me thou shalt have justice at his hands. 
 Hold, hold ; meanwhile here 's money for thy 
 
 charges. 
 Give me pen and ink. 
 
 Sirrah, can you with a grace deliver a supplication ? 
 Clo. Ay, sir. 
 
 Tit. Then here is a supplication for you. And 
 
 when you come to him, at the first approach you no 
 must kneel ; then kiss his foot ; then deliver up 
 your pigeons ; and then look for your reward. 
 I Ml be at hand, sir ; see you do it bravely. 
 
 Clo. I warrant you, sir, let me alone. 
 
 Tit. Sirrah, hast thou a knife ? come, let me see it. 
 Here, Marcus, fold it in the oration ; 
 For thou hast made it like an humble suppliant : 
 And when thou hast given it to the emperor. 
 Knock at my door, and tell me what he says. 
 
 Clo. God be with you, sir ; I will. [Exit. 120 
 
 Tit. Come, Marcus, let us go. Publius, follow me. 
 
 \_Exeunt. 
 
 84 
 
Titus Andronicus a* 
 
 Act IV. Sc. iv. 
 
 Scene IV. 
 
 The same. Before the palace. 
 
 Enter Saturninusy Tamora, Chiron^ Demetrius^ Lords^ and 
 others ; Saturninus ivith the Arrows in his hand that 
 Titus shot. 
 
 Sat, Why, lords, what wrongs are these ! was ever seen 
 An emperor in Rome thus overborne, 
 Troubled, confronted thus, and for the extent 
 Of egal justice used in such contempt ? 
 My lords, you know, as know the mightful gods. 
 However these disturbers of our peace 
 Buzz in the people's ears, there nought hath pass'd 
 But even with law against the wilful sons 
 Of old Andronicus. And what an if 
 His sorrows have so overwhelmed his wits, lO 
 Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks, 
 His fits, his frenzy and his bitterness ? 
 And now he writes to heaven for his redress • 
 See, here 's to Jove, and this to Mercuiy ; 
 This to A pollo ; this to the god of war : 
 Sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of Rome ! 
 What 's this but libelling against the senate, 
 And blazoning our injustice every where ? 
 85 
 
Act IV. Sc. iv. ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 A goodly humour> is it not, my lords ? 
 As who would say, in Rome no justice were. 20 
 But if I live, his feigned ecstasies 
 Shall be no shelter to these outrages : 
 But he and his shall know that justice lives 
 In Saturninus' health ; whom, if he sleep, 
 He '11 so awake, as he in fury shall 
 Cut off the proudest conspirator that lives. 
 Tarn. My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine, 
 
 Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts. 
 Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus' age, 
 The effects of sorrow for his valiant sons, 30 
 Whose loss hath pierced him deep and scarr'd his 
 heart ; 
 
 And rather comfort his distressed plight 
 Than prosecute the meanest or the best 
 For these contempts. £j^sUe'] Why, thus it shall 
 become 
 
 High-witted Tamora to gloze with all : 
 But, Titus, I have touch'd thee to the quick. 
 Thy life-blood out : if Aaron now be wise, 
 Then is all safe, the anchor in the port. 
 
 Enter Cloivn. 
 How now, good fellow 1 wouldst thou speak with 
 us ' 
 
 86 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act IV. Sc. iv. 
 
 Clo. Yea, forsooth, an your mistership be emperial. 40 
 
 Tarn, Empress I am, but yonder sits the emperor. 
 
 Clo, 'Tis he. God and Saint Stephen give you 
 godden : I have brought you a letter and a 
 couple of pigeons here. [_Saturninus reads the letter. 
 
 Sat, Go, take him away, and hang him presently. 
 
 Clo, How much money must I have ? 
 
 Tarn, Come, sirrah, you must be hanged. 
 
 Clo, Hanged ! by 'r lady, then I have brought up a 
 
 neck to a fair end. [Exit^ guarded. 
 
 Sat, Despiteful and intolerable wrongs 1 50 
 Shall I endure this monstrous villany? 
 I know from whence this same device proceeds ; 
 May this be borne ? As if his traitorous sons. 
 That died by law for murder of our brother. 
 Have by my means been butcher'd wrongfully ! 
 Go, drag the villain hither by the hair ; 
 Nor age nor honour shall shape privilege : 
 For this proud mock I *11 be thy slaughter-man ; 
 Sly frantic wretch, that holp'st to make me great. 
 In hope thyself should govern Rome and me. 60 
 
 Enter jEmilsus, 
 What news with thee, iEmilius ? 
 
 Mmll, Arm, my lords ; Rome never had more cause. 
 The Goths have gathered head, and with a power 
 87 
 
Act IV. Sc. iv. 
 
 •2S The Tragedy of 
 
 Of hJgh-resolved men, bent to the spoil, 
 They hither march amain, under conduct 
 Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus ; 
 Who threats, in course of this revenge, to do 
 As much as ever Coriolanus did. 
 
 SaU Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths ? 
 
 These tidings nip me, and I hang the head 70 
 
 As flowers with frost or grass beat down v/ith storms : 
 
 Ay, now begin our sorrows to approach : 
 
 *Tis he the common people love so much ; 
 
 Myself hath often heard them say. 
 
 When I have walked like a private man, 
 
 That Lucius' banishment was wrongfully. 
 
 And they have wish'd that Lucius were their emperon 
 
 Tarn, Why should you fear ? is not your city strong ? 
 
 Sat. Ay, but the citizens favour Lucius, 
 
 And will revolt from me to succour him. 80 
 
 Tarn. King, be thy thoughts imperious, like thy name. 
 Is the sun dimm'd, that gnats do fly in it ? 
 The eagle suffers little birds to sing, 
 And is not careful what they mean thereby. 
 Knowing that with the shadow of his wings 
 He can at pleasure stint their melody : 
 Even so mayst thou the giddy men of Rome. 
 Then cheer thy spirit : for know, thou emperor, 
 
Titus Andronicus 
 
 Act IV. Sc. iv. 
 
 I will enchant the old Andronicus 
 
 With words more sweet, and yet more dangerous, 
 
 Than baits to fish, or honey-stalks to sheep ; 91 
 
 Whenas the one is wounded with the bait, 
 
 The other rotted with delicious feed. 
 
 Sat, But he will not entreat his son for us. 
 
 Tarn. If Tamora entreat him, then he will : 
 For I can smooth, and fill his aged ears 
 With golden promises ; that, were his heart 
 Almost impregnable, his old ears deaf. 
 Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue. 
 [To MmtHus~\ Go thou before, be our ambassador : 
 Say that the emperor requests a parley loi 
 Of ^yarlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting 
 Even at his father's house, the old Andronicus. 
 
 Sat, -/Emilius, do this message honourably : 
 And if he ttand on hostage for his safety, 
 Bid him demand what pledge will please him best. 
 
 MmlL Your bidding shall I do effectually. \_Extt. 
 
 Tarn. Now will I to that old Andronicus, 
 And temper him with all the art I have. 
 To pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths. 110 
 And now, sweet emperor, be blithe again. 
 And bury all thy fear in my devices. 
 
 Sat. Then go successantly, and plead to him. [Exeunt^ 
 
Act V. Sc. i. 
 
 •sThe Tragedy of 
 
 Act Fifth. 
 Scene I. 
 
 Plains near Rome. 
 Flourish, Enter Lucius and Goths^ with drum and colours* 
 
 Luc. Approved warriors, and my faithful friends, 
 I have received letters from great Rome, 
 Which signify what hate they bear their emperor, 
 And how desirous of our sight they are. 
 Therefore, great lords, be, as your titles witness, 
 Imperious, and impatient of your wrongs ; 
 And wherein Rome hath done you any scath, 
 Let him make treble satisfaction. 
 
 First Goth. Brave slip, sprung from the great Andronicus, 
 Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort ; 
 Whose high exploits and honourable deeds 1 1 
 
 Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt. 
 Be bold in us : we '11 follow where thou lead'st, 
 Like stinging bees in hottest summer's day, 
 Led by their master to the flowered fields, 
 And be avenged on cursed Tamora. 
 the Goths. And as he saith, so say we all with him. 
 
 Luc. I humbly thank him, and I thank you all. 
 But who comes here, led by a lusty Goth ? 
 90 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act V. Sc. i. 
 
 Enter a Gothy leading Aaron with his Child in his arms. 
 Sec. Goth. Renowned Lucius, from our troops I stray'd 
 To gaze upon a ruinous monastery ; 2 1 
 
 And, as I earnestly did fix mine eye 
 Upon the wasted building, suddenly 
 I heard a child cry underneath a wall. 
 I made unto the noise ; when soon I heard 
 The crying babe controllM with this discourse : 
 
 * Peace, tawny slave, half me and half thy dam ! 
 Did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art. 
 Had nature lent thee but thy mother's look, 
 Villain, thou mightst have been an emperor : 30 
 But where the bull and cow are both milk-white. 
 They never do beget a coal-black calf. 
 
 Peace, villain, peace ! ' — even thus he rates the babe — 
 
 * For I must bear thee to a trusty Goth ; 
 
 Who, when he knows thou art the empress' babe, 
 Will hold thee dearly for thy mother's sake.' 
 With this, my weapon drawn, I rush'd upon him, 
 Surprised him suddenly, and brought him hither. 
 To use as you think needful of the man. 
 Luc. O worthy Goth, this is the incarnate devil 40 
 That robb'd Andronicus of his good hand ; 
 This is the pearl that pleased your empress' eye ; 
 And here 's the base fruit of his burning lust. 
 
 9» 
 
Act V. Sc. i 
 
 ^ The Tragedy of 
 
 Say, wall-eyed slave, whither wouldst thou convey 
 This grov/ing image of thy fiend-like face ? 
 Why dost not speak ? what, deaf? not a word ? 
 A halter, soldiers ! hang him on this tree, 
 And by his side his fruit of bastardy. 
 
 /^ar» Touch not the boy ; he is of royal blood. 
 
 Luc. Too like the sire for ever being good. 50 
 First hang the child, that he may see it sprawl ; 
 A sight to vex the father's soul withal. 
 Get me a ladder. 
 
 ladder brought^ which Aaron is made to ascend, 
 
 Aar. Lucius, save the child, 
 
 And bear it from me to the empress. 
 If thou do this, I '11 show thee wondrous things, 
 That highly may advantage thee to hear : 
 If thou wilt not, befal what may befal, 
 I '11 speak no more but < Vengeance rot you all ! ' 
 
 Luc. Say on : an if it please me which thou speak'st. 
 
 Thy child shall live, and I will see it nourished. 60 
 
 Aar. An if it please thee I why, assure thee, Lucius, 
 'Twill vex thy soul to hear what I shall speak ; 
 For I must talk of murders, rapes and massacres, 
 Acts of black night, abominable deeds, 
 Complots of mischief, treason, villanies 
 Ruthful to hear, yet piteously performed : 
 
Titus Andronicus 
 
 Act V. Sc. 
 
 And this shall all be buried in my death, 
 Unless thou swear to me my child shall live. 
 
 Luc. Tell on thy mind ; I say thy child shall live. 
 
 Aar. Swear that he shall, and then I will begin. 
 
 Luc. Who should I swear by ? thou believest no god : 
 That granted, how canst thou believe an oath ? 
 
 Aar. What if I do not ? as, indeed, I do not ; 
 Yet, for I know thou art religious, 
 And hast a thing within thee called conscience, 
 With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies, 
 Which I have seen thee careful to observe, 
 Therefore I urge thy oath ; for that I know 
 An idiot holds his bauble for a god, 
 And keeps the oath which by that god he swears. 
 To that I '11 urge him : therefore thou shalt vow 8 
 By that same god, what god soe'er it be, 
 That thou adorest and hast in reverence. 
 To save my boy, to nourish and bring him up \ 
 Or else I will discover nought to thee. 
 
 Luc. Even by my god I sware to thee I will. 
 
 Aar. First know thou, I begot him on the empress. 
 
 Luc. O most insatiate, and luxurious woman ! 
 
 Aar. Tut, Lucius, this was but a deed of charity 
 
 To that which thou shalt hear of me anon. 9( 
 'Twas her two sons that murdered Bassianus ; 
 
 93 
 
Act V. Sc. i. 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 They cut thy sister's tongue, and ravish'd her, 
 And cut her hands, and trimm'd her as thou saw'st. 
 
 Luc. O detestable villian ! call'st thou that trimming ? 
 
 ^ar. Why, she was wash'd and cut and trimm'd, and 
 'twas 
 
 Trim sport for them that had the doing of it. 
 
 Luc. O barbarous, beastly villains, like thyself ! 
 
 jiar. Indeed, I was their tutor to instruct them : 
 
 That codding spirit had they from their mother. 
 As sure a card as ever won the set ; lOO 
 That bloody mind, I think, they learn' d of me, 
 As true a dog as ever fought at head. 
 Well, let my deeds be witness of my worth. 
 I train'd thy brethren to that guileful hole, 
 Where the dead corpse of Bassianus lay : 
 I wrote the letter that thy father found. 
 And hid the gold within the letter mentioned, 
 Confederate with the queen and her two sons : 
 And what not done, that thou hast cause to rue, 
 Wherein I had no stroke of mischief in it ? no 
 I play'd the cheater for thy father's hand ; 
 And, when I had it, drew myself apart. 
 And almost broke my heart with extreme laughter : 
 I pried me through the crevice of a wall 
 When for his hand he had his two sons' heads ; 
 
I 
 
 ; Titus Andronicus 
 
 Act V. Sc. L 
 
 Beheld his tears and laugh 'd so heartily, 
 That both mine eyes were rainy like to his : 
 And when I told the empress of this sport, 
 She swounded almost at my pleasing tale. 
 And for my tidings gave me twenty kisses. 120 
 First Goth, What, canst thou say all this, and never 
 blush ? 
 
 j4ar. Ay, like a black dog, as the saying is. 
 
 Luc. Art thou not sorry for these heinous deeds ? 
 
 Aar, Ay, that I had not done a thousand more. 
 Even now I curse the day — and yet, I think. 
 Few come within the compass of my curse — 
 Wherein I did not some notorious ill : 
 As kill a man, or else devise his death ; 
 Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it ; 
 Accuse some innocent, and forswear myself ; 130 
 Set deadly enmity between two friends ; 
 Make poor men's cattle break their necks ; 
 Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night. 
 And bid the owners quench them with their tears. 
 Oft have I digg'd up dead men from their graves. 
 And set them upright at their dear friends' doors, 
 Even when their sorrows almost were forgot ; 
 And on their skins, as on the bark of trees, 
 Have with my knife carved in Roman letters 
 
 95 
 
Act V. Sc. i. 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 * Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead.' 140 
 Tut, I have done a thousand dreadful things 
 As willingly as one would kill a fly ; 
 And nothing grieves me heartily indeed, 
 But that I cannot do ten thousand more. 
 
 Luc. Bring down the devil ; for he must not die 
 So sweet a death as hanging presently. 
 
 Aar, If there be devils, would I were a devil, 
 To live and burn in everlasting fire. 
 So I might have your company in hell. 
 But to torment you with my bitter tongue ! 1 50 
 
 Luc, Sirs, stop his mouth, and let him speak no more. 
 
 Enter a Goth. 
 
 Third Goth, My lord, there is a messenger from Rome 
 
 Desires to be admitted to your presence. 
 Luc. Let him come near. 
 
 Enter JEmtUus, 
 
 Welcome, jEmilius : what 's the news from Rome ? 
 MmtL Lord Lucius, and you princes of the Goths, 
 The Roman emperor greets you all by me ; 
 And, for he understands you are in arms. 
 He craves a parley at your father's house. 
 Willing you to demand your hostages, 160 
 96 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act V, Sc. ii. 
 
 And they shall be immediately deliver'd. 
 First Goth. What says our general ? 
 Luc, .^milius, let the emperor give his pledges 
 
 Unto my father and my uncle Marcus, 
 
 And we will come. March away. 
 
 [^Flourish. Exeunt. 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 Rome. Before Titus's house. 
 
 Enter Tamora^ Demetrius^ and Chiron^ disguised. 
 
 Tarn. Thus, in this strange and sad habiliment, 
 I will encounter with Andronicus, 
 And say I am Revenge, sent from below 
 To join with him and right his heinous wrongs. 
 Knock at his study, where, they say, he keeps. 
 To ruminate strange plots of dire revenge ; 
 Tell him Revenge is come to join with him. 
 And work confusion on his enemies. knock. 
 
 Enter Titus^ above. 
 
 Tit. Who doth molest my contemplation ? 
 
 Is it your trick to make me ope the door, lO 
 That so my sad decrees may fly away, 
 27 g 97 
 
Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 «The Tragedy of 
 
 And all my study be to no effect ? 
 
 You are deceived : for what I mean to do 
 
 See here in bloody lines I have set down ; 
 
 And what is written shall be executed. 
 Tarn. Titus, I am come to talk with thee. 
 Tit. No, not a word : how can I grace my talk. 
 
 Wanting a hand to give it action ? 
 
 Thou hast the odds of me ; therefore no more. 
 Tarn, If thou didst know me, thou wouldst talk with 
 me. 20 
 Tit. I am not mad ; I know thee well enough : 
 
 Witness this wretched stump, witness these crimson 
 lines ; 
 
 Witness these trenches made by grief and care ; 
 Witness the tiring day and heavy night ; 
 Witness all sorrow, that I know thee well 
 For our proud empress, mighty Tamora : 
 Is not thy coming for my other hand ? 
 Tarn. Know, thou sad man, I am not Tamora ; 
 She is thy enemy, and I thy friend : 
 I am Revenge ; sent from the infernal kingdom, 30 
 To ease the gnawing vulture of thy mind. 
 By working wreakful vengeance on thy foes. 
 Come down and welcome me to this world's light ; 
 Confer with me of murder and of death ; 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 There not a hollow cave or lurking-place. 
 No vast obscurity or misty vale, 
 Where bloody murder or detested rape 
 Can couch for fear, but I will find them out. 
 And in their ears tell them my dreadful name, 
 Revenge, which makes the foul offender quake. 40 
 
 Tit, Art thou Revenge ? and art thou sent to me, 
 To be a torment to mine enemies ? 
 
 Tarn, I am ; therefore come down and welcome me. 
 
 Tit, Do me some service ere I come to thee. 
 
 Lo, by thy side where Rape and Murder stands ; 
 Now give some su ranee that thou art Revenge, 
 Stab them, or tear them on thy chariot-wheels ; 
 And then I '11 come and be thy waggoner, 
 And whirl along with thee about the globes. 
 Provide thee two proper palfreys, black as jet, 50 
 To hale thy vengeful waggon swift away. 
 And find out murderers in their guilty caves : 
 And when thy car is loaden with their heads, 
 I will dismount, and by the waggon-wheel 
 Trot like a servile footman all day long, 
 Even from Hyperion's rising in the east 
 Until his very downfall in the sea : 
 And day by day I Ml do this heavy task, 
 So thou destroy Rapine and Murder there. 
 
Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 Tarn. These are my ministers and come with me. 60 
 Tit. Are these thy ministers ? what are they call'd ? 
 Tarn. Rapine and Murder ; therefore called so, 
 
 'Cause they take vengeance of such kind of men. 
 Tit. Good Lord, how like the empress' sons they are, 
 
 And you the empress ! but we worldly men 
 
 Have miserable, mad, mistaking eyes. 
 
 0 sweet Revenge, now do I come to thee ; 
 And, if one arm's embracement will content thee, 
 
 1 will embrace thee in it by and by. ^Exit above. 
 Tarn. This closing with him fits his lunacy : 70 
 
 Whatever I forge to feed his brain-sick fits, 
 
 Do you uphold and maintain in your speeches, 
 
 For now he firmly takes me for Revenge ; 
 
 And, being credulous in this mad thought, 
 
 I '11 make him send for Lucius his son ; 
 
 And, whilst I at a banquet hold him sure, 
 
 I Ul find some cunning practice out of hand. 
 
 To scatter and disperse the giddy Goths, 
 
 Or at the least make them his enemies. 
 
 See, here he comes, and I must ply my theme. 80 
 
 Enter Titus, below. 
 
 Tit. Long have I been forlorn, and all for thee : 
 Welcome, dread Fury, to my woful house : 
 
Titus Andronicus 
 
 Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 Rapine and Murder, you are welcome too : 
 
 How like the empress and her sons you are ! 
 
 Well are you fitted, had you but a Moor : 
 
 Could not all hell afford you such a devil i 
 
 For well I wot the empress never wags 
 
 But in her company there is a Moor ; 
 
 And, would you represent our queen aright, 
 
 It were convenient you had such a devil : 90 
 
 But welcome, as you are. What shall we do ? 
 
 Tarn. What wouldst thou have us do, Andronicus ? 
 
 Dem, Show me a murderer, I '11 deal with him. 
 
 Chi, Show me a villain that hath done a rape, 
 And I am sent to be revenged on him. 
 
 Tarn. Show me a thousand that have done thee wrong. 
 And I will be revenged on them all. 
 
 TV/. Look round about the wicked streets of Rome, 
 And when thou find'st a man that 's like thyself. 
 Good Murder, stab him ; he 's a murderer. 100 
 Go thou with him, and when it is thy hap 
 To find another that is like to thee. 
 Good Rapine, stab him ; he 's a ravisher. 
 Go thou with them ; and in the emperor's court 
 There is a queen, attended by a Moor ; 
 Well mayst thou know her by thine own proportion, 
 For up and down she doth resemble thee : 
 
Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 t^The Tragedy of 
 
 I pray thee, do on them some violent death ; 
 They have been violent to me and mine. 
 
 Tarn, Well hast thou lesson'd us ; this shall we do, no 
 But would it please thee, good Andronicus, 
 To send for Lucius, thy thrice vaHant son, 
 Who leads towards Rome a band of warhke Goths, 
 And bid him come and banquet at thy house ; 
 When he is here, even at thy solemn feast, 
 I will bring in the empress and her sons. 
 The emperor himself, and all thy foes ; 
 And at thy mercy shall they stoop and kneel. 
 And on them shalt thou ease thy angry heart. 
 What says Andronicus to this device ? 1 20 
 
 Tit, Marcus, my brother ! 'tis sad Titus calls. 
 
 Enter Marcus. 
 
 Go, gentle Marcus, to thy nephew Lucius ; 
 Thou shalt inquire him out among the Goths : 
 Bid him repair to me and bring with him 
 Some of the chiefest princes of the Goths : 
 Bid him encamp his soldiers where they are : 
 Tell him the emperor and the empress too 
 Feast at my house, and he shall feast with them. 
 This do thou for my love, and so let him, 
 As he regards his aged father's life. 1 30 
 
 Z02 
 
Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 Marc. This will I do, and soon return again. [^ExU, 
 Tarn. Now will I hence about thy business, 
 
 And take my ministers along with me. 
 Tit. Nay, nay, let Rape and Murder stay with me ; 
 
 Or else I '11 call my brother back again, 
 
 And cleave to no revenge but Lucius. 
 Tarn, [/Iside to her sons'} What say you, boys ? will you 
 bide with him, 
 
 Whiles I go tell my lord the emperor 
 
 How I have govern'd our determined jest ? 
 
 Yield to his humour, smooth and speak him fair, 1 40 
 
 And tarry with him till I turn again. 
 Tit. i^Aside] I know them all, though they suppose me 
 mad ; 
 
 And will o'er-reach them in their own devices : 
 A pair of cursed hell-hounds and their dam. 
 
 Dem. Madam, depart at pleasure ; leave us here. 
 
 Tarn, Farewell, Andronicus : Revenge now goes 
 To lay a complot to betray thy foes. 
 
 Tit. I know thou dost ; and, sweet Revenge, farewelL 
 
 [Exit Tamer a. 
 
 Chi. Tell us, old man, how shall we be employ'd i 
 Tit. Tut, I have work enough for you to do. 150 
 Publius, come hither, Caius, and Valentine ! 
 103 
 
Act V. Sc. ii. T he Trag edy of 
 
 Enter Publius and others, 
 
 PuL What is your will ? 
 Tit. Know you these two ? 
 
 Pub. The empress' sons, I take them, Chiron and 
 Demetrius. 
 
 Tit, Fie, Publius, fie ! thou art too much deceived ; 
 The one is Murder, Rape is the other's name 5 
 And therefore bind them, gentle Publius : 
 Caius and Valentine, lay hands on them : 
 Oft have you heard me wish for such an hour, 160 
 And now I find it ; therefore bind them sure ; 
 And stop their mouths, if they begin to cry. [^Exit. 
 [^Pu&liusy is^c. lay hold on Chiron and Demetrius. 
 
 Chi. Villains, forbear ! we are the empress' sons. 
 
 PuL And therefore do we what we are commanded. 
 Stop close their mouths, let them not speak a word. 
 Is he sure bound ? look that you bind them fast. 
 
 Re-enter TituSy with Lavinia ; he bearing a hnifey 
 and she a basin. 
 
 Tit, Come, come, L.avinia ; look, thy foes are bound. 
 Sirs, stop their mouths, let them not speak to me ; 
 But let them hear what fearful words I utter. 
 O villains, Chiron and Demetrius ! 170 
 104 
 
Titus Andronicus 
 
 Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 Here stands the spring whom you have stain' d with 
 mud, 
 
 This goodly summer with your winter mix'd. 
 You kili'd her husband, and for that vile fault 
 Two of her brothers were condemned to death, 
 My hand cut off and made a merry jest ; 
 Both her sweet hands, her tongue, and that more dear 
 Than hands or tongue, her spotless chastity, 
 Inhuman traitors, you constrained and forced. 
 What would you say, if I should let you speak ? 
 Villains, for shame you could not beg for grace. 1 80 
 Hark, wretches ! how I mean to martyr you. 
 This one hand yet is left to cut your throats, 
 Whilst that Lavinia 'tween her stumps doth hold 
 The basin that receives your guilty blood. 
 You know your mother means to feast with me. 
 And calls herself Revenge, and thinks me mad : 
 Hark, villains ! I will grind your bones to dust, 
 And with your blood and it I '11 make a paste ; 
 And of the paste a coffin I will rear. 
 And make two pasties of your shameful heads ; 190 
 And bid that strumpet, your unhallow'd dam. 
 Like to the earth, swallow her own increase. 
 This is the feast that I have bid her to, 
 And this the banquet she shall surfeit on ; 
 10s 
 
Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 csThe Tragedy of 
 
 For worse than Philomel you used my daughter, 
 And worse than Progne I will be revenged : 
 And now prepare your throats. Lavinia, come, 
 
 [_He cuts their throats. 
 Receive the blood : and when that they are dead. 
 Let me go grind their bones to powder small. 
 And with this hateful liquor temper it ; 200 
 And in that paste let their vile heads be baked. 
 Come, come, be every one officious 
 To make this banquet ; which I wish may prove 
 More stern and bloody than the Centaurs' feast. 
 So, now bring them in, for I Ml play the cook. 
 And see them ready against their mother comes. 
 
 [^Exeuntf bearing the dead bodies. 
 
 Scene III. 
 
 Court of Titus^s house, A banquet set out. 
 Enter Lucius^ Marcus ^ and Goths j with Aaron^ prisoner. 
 
 Luc. Uncle Marcus, since it is my father's mind 
 That I repair to Rome, I am content. 
 
 First Goth. And ours with thine, befall what fortune will. 
 
 Luc. Good uncle, take you in this barbarous Moor, 
 This ravenous tiger, this accursed devil ; 
 
 zo6 
 
Titus Andronicus » 
 
 Act V. Sc. ui. 
 
 Let him receive no sustenance, fetter him, 
 
 Till he be brought unto the empress' face, 
 
 For testimony of her foul proceedings : 
 
 And see the ambush of our friends be strong ; 
 
 I fear the emperor means no good to us. lo 
 
 ^ar. Some devil whisper curses in mine ear, 
 
 And prompt me, that my tongue may utter forth 
 The venomous malice of my swelling heart ! 
 
 Luc* Away, inhuman dog ! unhallow'd slave ! 
 Sirs, help our uncle to convey him in, 
 
 [_Exeunt Goths, with Aaron, Flourish within. 
 The ti'umpets show the emperor is at hand. 
 
 Enter Saturninus and Tamora^ with JEmilius, Tribunes ^ 
 Senators, and others. 
 
 Sat, What, hath the firmament moe suns than one ? 
 
 Luc. What boots it thee to call thyself a sun ? 
 
 Marc. Rome's emperor, and nephew, break the parle ; 
 These quarrels must be quietly debated. 20 
 The feast is ready, which the careful Titus 
 Hath ordain'd to an honourable end. 
 For peace, for love, for league and good to Rome : 
 Please you, therefore, draw nigh, and take your places. 
 
 Sat. Marcus, we will. 
 
 \_Hautboys sound. The Company sit down at table. 
 107 
 
Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 « The Tragedy of 
 
 Enter TituSy like a Cook, placing the meat on the table, and 
 Lav'tnia with a veil over her face, young Lucius, and 
 others. 
 
 Tit. Welcome, my gracious lord ; welcome, dread queen ; 
 Welcome, ye warlike Goths ; welcome, Lucius ; 
 And welcome, all : although the cheer be poor, 
 'Twill fill your stomachs ; please you eat of it. 
 
 Sat. Why art thou thus attired, Andronicus ? 30 
 
 Tit. Because I would be sure to have all well, 
 To entertain your highness and your empress. 
 
 Tarn. We are beholding to you, good Andronicus. 
 
 Tit. An if your highness knew my heart, you were. 
 My lord the emperor, resolve me this : 
 Was it well done of rash Virginius 
 To slay his daughter with his own right hand, 
 Because she was enforced, stain'd, and deflowered ? 
 
 Sat. It was, Andronicus. 
 
 Tit. Your reason, mighty lord ? 4c 
 Sat. Because the girl should not survive her shame, 
 
 And by her presence still renew his sorrows. 
 Tit. A reason mighty, strong and effectual, 
 A pattern, precedent, and lively warrant. 
 For me, most wretched, to perform the like. 
 
 Die, die, Lavinia, and thy shame with thee, 
 108 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 And with thy shame thy father's sorrow die ! 
 
 [_KiUs Lavlnia* 
 Sat, What hast thou done, unnatural and unkind ? 
 Tit. Kill'd her, for whom my tears have made me 
 blind. 
 
 I am as woful as Virginius was, 50 
 And have a thousand times more cause than he 
 To do this outrage, and it now is done. 
 
 Sat. What, was she ravish'd ? tell who did the deed. 
 
 Tit. Will 't please you eat ? will 't please your highness 
 feed? 
 
 Tarn, Why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus ? 
 Tit. Not I ; 'twas Chiron and Demetrius : 
 
 They ravish'd her, and cut away her tongue ; 
 
 And they, 'twas they, that did her all this 
 wrong. 
 
 Sat. Go fetch them hither to us presently. 
 Tit. Why, there they are both, baked in that pie ; 60 
 Whereof their mother daintily hath fed, 
 Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred. 
 'Tis true, 'tis true ; witness my knife's sharp point. 
 
 [_KiUs Tamora. 
 Sat. Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed ! 
 
 [_KiI/s Titus. 
 Luc. Can the son's eye behold his father bleed ? 
 X09 
 
Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 OS The Tragedy of 
 
 There's meed for meed, death for a deadly deed ! 
 
 \Kills Saturninus. A great tumult, Lucius ^ 
 Marcus^ and others go up into the balcony • 
 Marc, You sad-faced men, people and sons of Rome, 
 By uproars sever M, as a flight of fowl 
 Scatter'd by winds and high tempestuous gusts, 
 O, let me teach you how to knit again 70 
 This scatter'd corn into one mutual sheaf. 
 These broken limbs again into one body ; 
 Lest Rome herself be bane unto herself. 
 And she whom mighty kingdoms court' sy to. 
 Like a forlorn and desperate castaway. 
 Do shameful execution on herself. 
 But if my frosty signs and chaps of age, 
 Grave witnesses of true experience, 
 Cannot induce you to attend my words, — 
 \To Lucius^ Speak, Rome's dear friend : as erst 
 our ancestor, 80 
 When with his solemn tongue he did discourse 
 To love-sick Dido's sad attending ear 
 The story of that baleful burning night, 
 When subtle Greeks surprised King Priam's Troy 5 
 Tell us what Sinon hath bewitch'd our ears. 
 Or who hath brought the fatal engine in 
 That gives our Troy, our Rome, the civil wound. 
 
 XIO 
 
Titus Andronicus 5^ 
 
 Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 My heart is not compact of flint nor steel ; 
 Nor can I utter all our bitter grief, 
 But floods of tears will drown my oratory, 90 
 And break my utterance, even in the time 
 When it should move you to attend me most, 
 Lending your kind commiseration. 
 Here is a captain, let him tell the tale ; 
 Your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak. 
 Luc, Then, noble auditory, be it known to you, 
 That cursed Chiron and Demetrius 
 Were they that murdered our emperor's brother ; 
 And they it were that ravished our sister : 
 For their fell faults our brothers were beheaded, 100 
 Our father's tears despised, and basely cozen'd 
 Of that true hand that fought Rome's quarrel out. 
 And sent her enemies unto the grave. 
 Lastly, myself unkindly banished. 
 The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out, 
 To beg relief among Rome's enemies ; 
 Who drown' d their enmity in my true tears, 
 And oped their arms to embrace me as a friend. 
 I am the turned forth, be it known to you, 
 That have preserved her welfare in my blood, 1 1 o 
 And from her bosom took the enemy's point, 
 Sheathing the steel in my adventurous body, 
 
 XII 
 
Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 ^The Tragedy of 
 
 Alas, you know I am no vaunter, I ; 
 My scars can witness, dumb although they are? 
 That my report is just and full of truth. 
 But, soft! methinks I do digress too much, 
 Citing my worthless praise : O, pardon me ; 
 For when no friends are by, men praise themselves. 
 Marc. Now is my turn to speak. Behold the child : 
 
 \JPointing to the Child in the arms of an Attendant, 
 Of this was Tamora delivered ; 1 20 
 
 The issue of an irreligious Moor, 
 Chief architect and plotter of these woes : 
 The villain is alive in Titus' house. 
 And as he is, to witness this is true. 
 Now judge what cause had Titus to revenge 
 These wrongs, unspeakable, past patience, 
 Or more than any living man could bear. 
 Now you have heard the truth, what say you, Romans ? 
 Have we done aught amiss, show us wherein. 
 And, from the place where you behold us now, 130 
 The poor remainder of Andronici 
 Will, hand in hand, all headlong cast us down. 
 And on the ragged stones beat forth our brains, 
 And make a mutual closure of our house. 
 Speak, Romans, speak, and if you say we shall^ 
 Lo, hand in hand, Lucius and I will fall. 
 
 ZZ3 
 
Titus Andronicus Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 JEmil, Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome, 
 And bring our emperor gently in thy hand, 
 Lucius our emperor ; for well I know 
 The common voice do cry it shall be so. 140 
 
 j41L Lucius, all hail, Rome's royal emperor ! 
 
 Marc. Go, go into old Titus' sorrowful house, 
 
 [To Attendants. 
 And hither hale that misbelieving Moor, 
 To be adjudged some direful slaughtering death. 
 As punishment for his most wicked life. 
 
 [Exeunt Attendants. 
 
 Lucius, Marcus y and the others descends 
 
 AIL Lucius, all hail, Rome's gracious governor ! 
 
 Luc, Thanks, gentle Romans : may I govern so. 
 
 To heal Rome's harms and wipe away her woe ! 
 
 But, gentle people, give me aim awhile. 
 
 For nature puts me to a heavy task ; 150 
 
 Stand all aloof ; but, uncle, draw you near. 
 
 To shed obsequious tears upon this trunk. 
 
 O, take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips, 
 
 [Kissing Titusr 
 These sorrowful drops upon thy blood-stain' d face, 
 The last true duties of thy noble son ! 
 
 Marc. Tear for tear and loving kiss for kiss 
 27 ^ 113 
 
Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 Thy brother Marcus tenders on thy lips : 
 O, were the sum of these that I should pay 
 Countless and infinite, yet would I pay them I 
 
 Luc. Come hither, boy ; come, come, and learn of us 1 60 
 To melt in showers : thy grandsire loved thee well : 
 Many a time he danced thee on his knee. 
 Sung thee asleep, his loving breast thy pillow ; 
 Many a matter hath he told to thee. 
 Meet and agreeing with thine infancy ; 
 In that respect then, like a loving child, 
 Shed yet some small drops from thy tender spring, 
 Because kind nature doth require it so : 
 Friends should associate friends in grief and woe : 
 Bid him farewell ; commit him to the grave ; 1 70 
 Do him that kindness, and take leave of him. 
 
 Boy. O grandsire, grandsire ! even with all my heart 
 Would I were dead, so you did live again ! 
 O Lord, I cannot speak to him for weeping ; 
 My tears will choke me, if I ope my mouth. 
 
 Re-enter Attendants with Aaron. 
 
 A Roman, You sad Andronici, have done with woes : 
 Give sentence on this execrable wretch. 
 That hath been breeder of these dire events. 
 
 Luc. Set him breast-deep in earth, and famish him ; 
 
 1X4 
 
Titus Andronicus » 
 
 Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 There let him stand and rave and cry for food : i8o 
 If any one relieves or pities him, 
 For the offence he dies. This is our doom : 
 Some stay to see him fastened in the earth. 
 
 j4ar, O, why should wrath be mute, and fury dumb ? 
 I am no baby, I, that with base prayers 
 I should repent the evils I have done : 
 Ten thousand worse than ever yet T did 
 Would I perform, if I might have my will i 
 If one good deed in all my life I did, 
 I do repent it from my very soul. 190 
 
 Luc. Some loving friends convey the emperor hence, 
 And give him burial in his father's grave : 
 My father and Lavinia shall forthwith 
 Be closed in our household's monument. 
 As for that heinous tiger, Tamora, 
 No funeral rite, nor man in mourning weeds. 
 No mournful bell shall ring her burial ; 
 But throw her forth to beasts and birds of prey : 
 Her life was beastly and devoid of pity. 
 And, being so, shall have like want of pity. 200 
 See justice done on Aaron, that damn'd Moor, 
 By whom our heavy haps had their beginning : 
 Then, afterwards, to order well the state. 
 That like events may ne'er it ruinate. [Exeunt, 
 
 "5 
 
Glossary. 
 
 Abused, deceived ; II. iii. 87. 
 
 AcciTED, cited, summoned; I. i. 27. 
 
 Acheron, the river of the infernal 
 regions; (Qq., F. i, "Acaron^'); 
 IV. iii. 44. 
 
 Achieve, obtain; II. i. 80.^ 
 
 AcTwEON, the Theban prince trans- 
 formed by Diana into a stag ; II. iii. 
 63. 
 
 Advice; **upon a.", on reflection, on 
 consideration ; I. i. 379. 
 
 — ; *• good a."t deliberate considera- 
 tion ; (Collier conj. ** device")', IV. i. 
 92. 
 
 Advised ; "well a.'', not mad, in his 
 
 right senses ; IV. ii. 10. 
 Advise thee, consider, deliberate; 
 
 IV. ii. 129. 
 Affect, desire; II. i. 105. 
 Affected, loved; II. i. 28. 
 Affv, confide ; I. i. 47. 
 Afoot; "well a.", in good health; 
 
 IV. ii. 29. 
 After, afterwards ; II. iii. 123, 
 Age, seniority; I. i. 8. 
 Aim; "give me a.", "give room and 
 
 scope to my thoughts "; V. iii. 149. 
 Alcides, Hercules ; IV. ii. 95. 
 Anchorage, anchor ; I. i. 73.^ 
 Annoy, grief, suffering; IV. i. 49. 
 Appointed, furnished, equipped ; IV. 
 
 ii. 16. 
 
 Approve, prove ; II. i. 35 
 Approved, tried ; V, i. i. 
 As, so that ; II. iii. 103. 
 Associate, join; V, iii. 169. 
 At, on ; IV. iii. 9. 
 Author, cause ; I. i. 435. 
 
 Baleful; "b. mistletoe," with refer- 
 ence to the supposed poisonous berries 
 of the plant ; II. iii. 95. 
 
 Bane, mischief; V. iii. 73. 
 
 Bay ; " at a b.", in my power ; (a term 
 taken from hunting) ; IV. ii. 42. 
 
 , barking ; II. ii. 3. 
 
 Beholding, beholden ; I. i. 396. 
 
 Belike, I suppose ; IV. ii. 50. 
 
 Bewray, betray, reveal ; II. iv. 3. 
 
 Blowse, "a ruddy fat-faced wench" ; 
 
 IV. ii. 72. 
 
 Bonjour, good morning ; I. i. 494. 
 Boots, avails ; V. iii. x8. 
 Brabble, quarrel ; II. i. 62. 
 Bravely, finely, properly; IV. iii. 
 113- 
 
 Braves, defiance, threatenings; II. i.30. 
 
 , defies ; II. iii. 126. 
 
 Break the parle, open the parley ; 
 
 V. iii. 19. 
 
 Brethren (trisyllabic); I. i. 348. 
 Broach, spit ; IV. ii. 85. 
 Buzz, whisper ; IV. iv. 7. 
 
 Candid ATUS, candidate ; I. i. 185. 
 Careful, full of care; IV. iii. 30. 
 (Castle. (?) a close helmet; (Theo 
 
 bald, casque'* ; Walker, *^ crest'') ; 
 
 III. i. 170. 
 Challenged, accused ; I. i. 340. 
 Chaps, wrinkles ; V. iii. 77. 
 Charm, affect by magic power ; II. L 
 
 23. 
 
 Charming, having the power of fas- 
 cination ; II. i. x6. 
 Chase, hunting-ground ; II. iii. 255. 
 Cheer, countenance ; I. i. 264. 
 1x6 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Glossary. 
 
 Chequer'd, variegated ; II. iii. 15. 
 
 Children (trisyllabic); II. iii. 115. 
 
 Clean, entirely ; I. i. 120. 
 
 Close, secret ; IV. ii. 118. 
 
 Closing with, humouring ; V. ii. 70. 
 
 Closure, end ; V. iii. 134. 
 
 Clubs, Clubs, " in any public affray 
 the cry was ' Clubs 1 Clubs I ' by 
 way of calling for persons with clubs 
 to part the combatants" (Nares) ; 
 II. i. 37. 
 
 CocYTUS, the infernal river ; II. iii. 236. 
 Codding, lustful ; V. i. 99. 
 Coffin, the crust of a pie; V. ii. 
 189. 
 
 Coil, confusion, ado ; III. i. 225. 
 Common, general ; I. i. 21. 
 Compact, made of, composed ; V. iii. 
 88. 
 
 Compassion, compassionate, pity ; IV. 
 i. 124. 
 
 s^xOMPLOT, plot; II. iii. 263. 
 Complots, plots ; V. i. 65. 
 Conceit, device, invention ; IV. ii. 30. 
 Conduct, guidance ; IV. iv. 65. 
 Confederate, in league, allied ; V. i. 
 108. 
 
 Consecrate, consecrated ; I. i. 14 ; II. 
 
 i. 121. 
 
 Continence, moderation ; (Collier 
 
 MS., ^* conscience^'); I. i. 15. 
 Controll'd, hindered ; I. i. 420. 
 Convenient, proper, becoming; V. 
 
 ii. 90. 
 
 Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi ; 
 
 IV. i. 12. 
 Couch, lie hidden ; V. ii. 38. 
 Cousin, niece ; (used for any kinsman 
 
 or kinswoman) ; II. iv. 12. 
 Cozen'd, cheated; V. iii. loi. 
 Cut, cut off ; V. i. 93. 
 Cyclops, the giant servants of Vulcan ; 
 
 IV. iii. 46. 
 
 Dancing-rapier, a sword worn only 
 for ornament at dancing ; II. i. 39. 
 
 Days ; *' no longer d.", no more time ; 
 
 IV. ii. 165. 
 Deadly-standing, menacing death; 
 
 II. iii. 32. 
 
 Dear, grievous; (Hanmer, "</zW); 
 
 III. i. 257. 
 
 , dearly ; IV. i. 23. 
 
 Decipher'd, detected ; IV. ii. 8. 
 Decreed, decided, determined ; II. 
 iii. 274. 
 
 Decrees, resolutions; V. ii. 11. 
 Despite; "in my d.'\ in defiance of 
 
 me ; I. i. 361. 
 Detect, expose: II. iv. 27. 
 DiAN, Diana; II. iii. 61. 
 Discover, reveal ; V. i. 85. 
 Dispose, dispose of ; IV. ii. 173. 
 Distract, distracted ; IV. iii. 26. 
 Dominator, ruler; II. iii. 31. 
 Doubted, suspected ; II. iii. 68. 
 Dreadful, full of dread; II. i. 
 
 128. 
 
 Drive upon, rush upon, attack; II. 
 iii. 64. 
 
 Dumps, melancholy; I. i. 391. 
 
 Ecstasies, madness; IV. iv. 21. 
 Ecstasy, excitement ; IV. i. 125. 
 Egal, equal ; IV. iv. 4. 
 Embracement, embrace ; V. ii. 68. 
 Embrewed, bathed in blood; II. iii. 
 222. 
 
 Emperial's, a blunder for emperors ; 
 
 IV. iii, 94. 
 
 Empery, empire, dominion; I. i. 19. 
 Empress (trisyllabic; Q. i, Ff. i, 2, 
 
 *' Empresse'' ; Q. 2, '"'^ Emperesse^' ; 
 
 Ff. 3, 4, " Emperess'") ; I. i. 320. 
 Enacts, working; ; IV. ii. 118. 
 Enceladus, a giant of ancient fable; 
 
 IV. ii. 93. 
 Enforced, forced ; V. in. 38. 
 Engine, instrument ; III. 1. 82. 
 Entreats, entreaties; 1. i. 4^9. 
 Escape, escapade, transgression ; IV, 
 
 ii. 1x3. 
 
Glossary. 
 
 •as The Tragedy of 
 
 Exclaims, outcries, lamentations ; 
 
 (Keightley, ** exclaim " ; Anon. 
 
 conj. ^* extremes") ; IV. I. 86. 
 Extent, maintenance, application ; 
 
 IV. iv. 3. 
 
 Fact, evil deed ; IV. i. 39. 
 Fat, fatten ; III. i. 204. 
 Fear, fear for ; II. iii. 305. 
 Feed, food ; IV. iv. 93. 
 Fell, fallen ; II. iv. 50. 
 Fere, spouse ; IV. i. 89. 
 Fire (dissyllabic) ; I. i. 127. 
 Flood, sea ; IV. ii. 103. 
 Fond, foolish; II. iii. 172. 
 For, as for ; IV. iii. 39. 
 
 , through ;^IV. i. 21. 
 
 Forfend, forbid ; I. i. 434. 
 Forth, out of; III. i. 84. 
 Found, found out, discovered ; IV. ii. 
 26. 
 
 Framed, formed, fashioned ; IV. iii. 
 46. 
 
 Fraught, freight; I. i. 71. 
 Funeral, burial ; IV. ii. 163. 
 Funerals, obsequies; I. i. 381. 
 
 Gad, sharp point ; IV. i. 103. 
 Gear, business ; IV, iii. 52.^ 
 Gentleness, kindness ; I. i. 237. 
 Glad, gladden ; I. i. 166. 
 Glistering, glittering; II. i. 7. 
 Gloze, make mere words ; IV. iv. 
 35. 
 
 God-den, good evening ; IV. iv. 43. 
 Good; "were as g.", might just as 
 
 well ; IV. iii. 57. 
 Gramercy, many thanks ; I. i. 495. 
 Gratulate, make glad, gratify ; I. i. 
 
 221. 
 
 Grey; '* mom grey, "= blue; (Hanmer, 
 
 "^^.y") ;.ii. ii- ». , . 
 Griefs, grievances ; 1. 1. 443. 
 
 Hale, drag ; V. ii. 51. 
 Hap, chance ; V. ii. 101. 
 
 1x8 
 
 Happily, perchance, perhaps ; IV. 
 iii. 8. 
 
 Happy, opportune ; II. iii. 23. 
 
 Head;" fought at head " ; * ' an allusion 
 to bulldogs, whose generosity and 
 courage are always shown by meet- 
 ing the bull in front and seizing his 
 nose" (Johnson) ; V. i. 102. 
 
 Heaviness, sadness, sorrow ; III. ii. 
 49. 
 
 Heavy, sad; III. i. 277. 
 
 , sad ; IV. iii. 25. 
 
 Hecuba, the wife of Priam, King of 
 
 Troy ; IV. i. 20. 
 HiGH-wiTTED, sly, cunuing ; IV. iv. 
 
 35- 
 
 Himself ; *' not with h.", i.e. beside 
 himself ; I. i. 368. 
 
 His, its ; III. i. 97. 
 
 HoLP'sT, didst help ; IV. iv. 59. 
 
 Home, to the quick ; II. i. 118. 
 
 Honesty, chastity; II. iii. 135. 
 
 Honey-stalks, i.e. "Clover flowers, 
 which contain a sweet juice. It is 
 common for cattle to overcharge 
 themselves with^ clover, and die" 
 (Johnson) ; IV. iv. 91. 
 
 Horse, horses; II. ii. 18. 
 
 Hyperion, the Sun god ; V. ii. 56. 
 
 Ignomy, ignominy, shame; IV. ii. 
 "5* 
 
 Imperious, imperial; (Q. 2, Ff., '* im- 
 
 periaW) ; I. i. 250 ; IV. iv. 81. 
 Incorporate, incorporated ; I. i. 
 462. 
 
 Increase, produce; V. ii. 192. 
 Indifferently, impartially; I. i. 
 430- 
 
 Ingrateful, ungrateful ; V. 1. 12. 
 Inherit, possess ; II. iii. 3. 
 Insult on, exult, triumph ; III. ii. 
 71- 
 
 Intercepted, restrained ; II. iii. 80. 
 Jet upon. "treat with insolence" ; 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Glossary. 
 
 (Qq., "iV/"; Ff.,"j^j!"; Malone, 
 ''jut'l)\ II. i. 64. 
 OY, enjoy ; II. iii. 83. 
 UST, just so, exactly ; IV. ii. 24. 
 
 Kind, nature; II. i. 116. 
 
 Laertes' son, Ulysses ; I. i. 380. 
 Lamenting doings, lamentations ; 
 
 [Anon. MS. conj. apud Theobald, 
 dronings"' for "doings"] ; III. ii. 
 
 62. 
 
 Lasting, everlasting; II. iii. 275. 
 Lave, wash, bathe ; IV. ii. 103. 
 Learn, teach ; II. iii. 143. 
 Leave, cease ; I. i. 424.^ 
 Leer, complexion ; IV. ii. 119. 
 Leisure; **by 1.", in no hurry; I. i. 
 301. 
 
 Like, equal ; V. iii. 200. 
 
 Limbo, the borders of hell, or hell 
 itself ; the Limbus patrunty as it 
 was called, is a place that the school- 
 men supposed to be in the neigh- 
 bourhood of hell, where the souls of 
 the patriarchs were detained, and 
 those good men who died before our 
 Saviour's resurrection. Milton gives 
 the name of Limbo to his "Paradise 
 of Fools" ; III. i. 149. 
 
 List, pleases ; IV. i. 100. 
 
 Lively, living; III. i. 105. 
 
 Loaden, laden ; V. ii. 53. 
 
 Loose, loosen my hold ; II. iii. 243. 
 
 , loosen your bow, let fly ; IV. 
 
 iii. 58. 
 
 Luxurious, lustful ; V. i. 88. 
 
 Madded, maddened; III. i. 104. 
 
 Manes ; ** ad manes fratrum," i.e. 
 "to the shades of my brothers," 
 (Qq., Ff. 1, 2, " ffmnus''); I. i. 
 98- 
 
 Maugre, in spite of ; IV. ii. 110. 
 Mean, means ; II. iv. 40. 
 Meed, recompense ; V. iii- 66. 
 
 Mesh'd, mashed; (a brewers term); 
 
 III. ii. 38. 
 Mightful, full of might ; IV. iv. 5. 
 Minion, pert, saucy person ; II. iii. 
 
 124. 
 
 Mistership, a blunder for "mistress- 
 ship" ; IV. iv. 40. 
 Mock, derision, scorn ; IV. iv. 58. 
 Moe, more ; V. iii. 17. 
 
 NAPKI^, handkerchief ; III. i. 140. 
 NiLUS, the Nile ; III. i. 71. 
 Note, notice ; (Pope's emendation of 
 Qq., Ff., ''notice"); II. iii. 85. 
 
 O'ercome, covered ; II. iii. 95. 
 Of, by ; II. iii. 167. 
 
 , from ; III. ii. 44. 
 
 , on ; IV. iii. 59. 
 
 Officious, ready, helpful ; V. ii. 202. 
 On, in ; II. iii. 223. 
 
 ; "set fire on," z.e. set fire to ; V. 
 
 ^- ^33- 
 
 Onset, beginning; 1. 1. 238. 
 Opinion, reputation ; I. i. 416. 
 Over-ween ; " dost o.", art presump- 
 tuous; II. i. 29. 
 
 Pack, plot ; IV. ii. 155. 
 Painted hope, (&. Note) ; II. iii. ia6. 
 Palliament, robe ; I. i. x82. 
 Parcel, part ; II. iii. 49. 
 Part, depart; I. i. 488. 
 Passing, surpassingly; II. iii. 84. 
 Passion, violent sorrow ; I. i. 106. 
 Passionate, express sorrowfully ; III. 
 ii. 6. 
 
 Patient; "p. yourself," i.e. be 
 patient ; I. i. 121. 
 
 Perforce, of necessity; II. i. 107. 
 
 Per Styga, per manes vehor, i.e. I 
 am borne through the Styx, through 
 the kingdom of the dead ; II. i. 135. 
 
 Philomel, the daughter of Pandion, 
 ravished by Tereus, who afterwards 
 cut out her tongue to prevent her 
 exposing him; II iii. 43. 
 
Glossary. 
 
 €sThe Tragedy of 
 
 Phoebe, Diana; (Qq., F. i, TheW)\ 
 I. i. 316. 
 
 Piece, used contemptuously of a per- 
 son ; I. i. 309. 
 
 Pitch, used of the height to which a 
 falcon soars ; II. i. 14. 
 
 PiTEOUSLY, in a manner exciting 
 pity; (Heath conj. ''^ pitilessly^'' \ 
 Singer (ed. 2), piteousless*' \ 
 Collier MS., despiteously'') \ V. 
 i. 66. 
 
 Plots, spots of ground ; II. i. 115. 
 Power, armed force ; III. i. 300; IV. 
 iv. 63. 
 
 Present, immediate, instant; II. iii. 
 ^73- 
 
 Presently, immediately; II. m. 62; 
 
 IV. ii. 166. 
 Prize ; " played your p.", " a technical 
 
 term in the ancient fencing-school " ; 
 
 I. i. 399. 
 
 Progne, wife of Tereus, to whom, in 
 revenge for her sister Philomela, she 
 slaughtered and served up his son 
 Itys to eat ; V. ii. 196. 
 
 Propose, be ready to meet; II. i. 
 80. 
 
 Put it up, put up with it ; I. i. 433. 
 Put up, i.e. sheathe your swords; II. 
 i- S3. 
 
 Quit, requite, revenge ; L i. 141. 
 Quotes, observes, examines ; IV. i. 
 50. 
 
 Rapier, small sword ; IV. ii. 85. 
 
 Rapine, rape ; V. ii. 59. 
 
 Re-edified, restored ; I. i. 351. 
 
 Remembered ; ** be you r.", remem- 
 ber ; IV. iii. 5. 
 
 Reprehending, reproving, reprimand- 
 ing ; III. ii. 69. 
 
 Requite, revenge; III. i. 297. 
 
 Reserved, preserved, kept safe ; I. i. 
 165. 
 
 Resolve, tell ; V. iii. 35. 
 
 Rolled, coiled ; (Collier MS., 
 
 **coiled"); II. iii. 13. 
 Rue, pity ; I. i. 105. 
 Ruffle, be turbulent and disorderly 
 
 I. i. 313. 
 
 Sacred ; (used ironically, with per- 
 haps a quibble on the Latin use = 
 accursed); II. i. 120. 
 
 Sanguine, blood-coloured; IV. ii. 
 97- 
 
 Saturn, the planet of hate and gloom ; 
 
 II. iii. 31. 
 
 Scath, injury ; V. i. 7. 
 Secure of, safe from; II. i. 3. 
 Self-blood, selfsame blood; IV. ii. 
 123. 
 
 Semiramis, the queen of Assyria, 
 
 proverbial for her voluptuousness 
 
 and cruelty; II. iii. 118. 
 Sensibly; "endowed with the same 
 
 feelings as you" ; IV. ii. 122. 
 Sequence; ['in s.", one after the 
 
 other ; IV. i. 37. 
 Sequester' D, separated; (Qq., Ff., 
 
 seguestred"') \ II. iii. 75. 
 Servile, slavish ; (Q. 2, Ff., " idle'') ; 
 
 II. i. 18. 
 Shall, will ; IV. iv. 107. 
 Shape, form ; IV. iv. 57. 
 Shive, slice; II. i. 87. 
 Sibyl, one of the Roman prophetesses ; 
 
 IV. i. 105. 
 Single, isolate; " s. you," bring 
 
 unattended; II. i. 117. 
 SiNON, the Greek who persuaded the 
 
 Trojans to carry the wooden horse 
 
 into Troy ; V. iii. 85. 
 Sit fas aut nefas, be it right or 
 
 wrong; (a popular Latin phrase); 
 
 II. i. 133. 
 Sith, since; I. i. 271. 
 
 , since; IV. iii. 49. 
 
 Slip, scion; V. i. 9. 
 Smooth, flatter; IV. iv. 96. 
 Solemn, ceremonious ; II. i. 112. 
 
ritus Andronicus 
 
 Glossary. 
 
 Solon's happiness, alluding to Solon's 
 saying that no man can be pro- 
 nounced happy before his death; I. 
 »• 177- 
 
 5oME DEAL, somewhat; III. i. 245. 
 Somewhat, something; IV. i. 9. 
 Somewhither, somewhere, to some 
 
 place or other ; I V. i. 11. 
 5peak fair, humour ; V. ii. 140. 
 Speed, succeed; (Delius conj. 
 
 speak") ; I. i. 372. 
 Spleenful, hot, eager; II. iii 
 
 191. 
 
 Spurn, hurt, stroke; III. i. loi. 
 Square, quarrel ; II. i. 100. 
 
 , shape ; III. ii. 31. 
 
 Stale, laughing-stock ; I.^ i. 304. 
 Stand on, insist on ; IV. iv. 105. 
 Starved, benumbed with cold; III. 
 i. 252. 
 
 Stay'd, detained; II. iii. i8t. 
 
 Still, always, continually; Ill.ii. 30. 
 
 , constant; III. ii. 45-. 
 
 Stint, stop, silence ; IV. iv. 86. 
 
 Stood upon, set a high value upon ; 
 II. iii. 124. 
 
 Straight, straightway, immediately ; 
 I. i. 127. 
 
 Stuprum, violation ; IV. i. 78. 
 
 Subscribe, submit ; IV. ii. 130. 
 
 Succeed, succeeded ; I. i. 40. 
 
 SuccESSANTLY, (?) following after 
 another, or, perhaps, successfully ; 
 (Rowe, ^^successfully"', Capell, "m- 
 cessantly''' \ Collier conj. thou in- 
 stantly"'', Cartwright conj. you 
 instantly") ; IV. iv. 113. 
 
 Successive; "mys. title," "my title 
 to the succession" ; I. i. 4. 
 
 Suppose, supposition ; I. i. 440. 
 
 SuRANCE, assurance ; V. ii. 46. 
 
 SuuM cuiQUE, to every man his due ; 
 I. i. 280. 
 
 SwARTH, swarthy, black ; (Q. i, 
 swariie'' \ Capell, " s^varty'')\ II. 
 
 Sweet water, perfu.ned water ; II. 
 iv. 6. 
 
 Swelling, full to bursting ; V. iii. 13. 
 S wounded, swooned, fainted ; V. 1. 
 119. 
 
 Take up, make up ; IV. iii. 92. 
 Tedious, laborious; II. iv. 39. 
 Temper, shape, mould ; IV. iv. 109. 
 
 , mix ; V. ii. 200. 
 
 Tendering, caring for ; I. i. 476. 
 That, that which ; I. i. 408. 
 Threat, threaten ; II. i. 40. 
 Threats, threatens ; IV. iv. 67. 
 Ticed, enticed; II. iii. 92. 
 Timeless, untimely ; II. iii. 265. 
 Titan, the sun-god ; I. i. 226. 
 To, into ; I. i. 421. 
 Tofore, before ; III. i. 294. 
 Train'd, enticed ; V. i. 104. 
 Tribunal plebs, a blunder for " tri- 
 
 bunus plebis]' = the tribune of the 
 
 people ; IV. iii. 92. 
 Trump, trumpet; I. i. 275. 
 Tully's Orator, i.e. Cicero's Di 
 
 Oratore ; IV. i. 14. 
 Turn, return ; V. ii. 141. 
 Typhon, i.e. Typhosus, one of the 
 
 giants of ancient fables ; IV. ii. 
 
 94. 
 
 Uncouple, loosen the hounds; II. 
 3- 
 
 Uncouth, strange, perplexing ; II. lii. 
 211. 
 
 Undertake, answer for, guarantee ; 
 I. i. 436. 
 
 Unfurnish'd, deprived; II. iii. 56. 
 Unjustice, injustice ; IV. iv. 18. 
 Unkind, unnatural ; V. iii. 48. 
 Unrecuring, past cure, incurable ; 
 
 III. i. 90. 
 Unroll, uncoil; II. iii. 35. 
 Up and down, exactly, at all points ; 
 
 V. ii. 
 
 Uprise, rising; III. i. 159- 
 
Glossary. 
 
 ^ Titus Andronicus 
 
 Urchins, hedgehogs; II. Hi. loi. 
 
 Virgo, the constellation of that name ; 
 (in the old myth it represents Astraea, 
 after she left the Earth) ; IV. iii. 64. 
 
 Voice, vote ; I. i. 21. 
 
 Vouch, make good ; I. i. 360. 
 
 Wags, moves ; V. ii. 87. 
 Wall-eyed, fierce-eyed, V. i. 44. 
 Ware, wore ; I. i. 6. 
 Weeds, garments ; I. i. 70. 
 Welkin, sky ; III. i. 212. 
 Well said, well done ; IV iii. 63. 
 What, why; I. i. 189. 
 
 Whenas, when ; IV. iv. 92. 
 White-limed, white-washed ; IV. ii. 
 98- 
 
 Who, whom; II. iii. 55. 
 Wind, scent ; IV. i. 97. 
 ; " have the w. of you," keep an 
 
 eye upon you ; IV. ii. 133. 
 Wit, mental power ; (Warburtou 
 
 **wz7/"); II. i. 10. 
 With, by ; II. iii. 78. 
 Witty, possessed of wit; IV. ii. 29. 
 Wot, know ; II. i. 48. 
 Wreak, vengeance ; IV. iii. 33. 
 Wreaks, resentments ; IV. iv. 11. 
 Wrongfully, wrongful ; IV. iv. 76. 
 
 taa 
 
Notes. 
 
 I. i. 5-6. ' / am his Jirst-horn son^ that tvas the last That ruare ' ; so 
 Qq. ; Ff . i , 2, 3 read * / tvas the Jirst-born son^ that ivas the last That 
 ivore ' ; F. 4, * 7 ivas the first-born Son of htm that last Wore ' ; Pope, 
 
 * lam the jfirsthorn son of him that last Wore ' ; Collier, * / am his . . . 
 That tvore ' ; Collier MS., * / am the Jirst borne Sonne ^ of him the last 
 That ivore, 
 
 I. i. 62. Agates* \ Capell reads ^ gates ^ tribunes^; Collier MS., 
 
 * brazen gates. ^ 
 
 I. i. 138. ^ his tenl^', Theobald reads ^ her tent^ (alluding to 
 Hecuba beguiling Polymnestor into the tent where she and the 
 other Trojan captives were). 
 
 I. i. 154. 'drugs'-, Q. I, 'drugges'-, Q. 2, ' grudgges ' ] Ff., 
 'grudges.^ 
 
 I. i. 485. ^ stand up ' ; perhaps these words were, as Pope sug- 
 gested, merely a stage-direction. 
 
 II. i. 8?., 83 ; I, Henry VL, V. iii. 77, 78 ; Richard III,, I. 
 ii. 228, 229. 
 
 II. iii. 20. 'yelloiving' ; so Qq. ; Ff. read ^yelping'] Pope, 
 'yelling.' 
 
 II. iii. 93. 'barren detested' \ Rowe reads 'barren and detested* 
 Capell, 'bare, detested', 
 
 II. iii. 126. ^ painted hope braves your mightiness'', so Qq., F. I. j 
 123 
 
Notes. 
 
 ^The Tragedy of 
 
 Ff. 2, 3, 4, ^ painted hoffe, she . , . Warburton, ^painted cope she 
 , Capell, ^ paint noiv braves your mightiness ^ Steevens conj. 
 ^ paintedy braves your . , , etc., etc. 
 
 II. iii. 132. ^ outlive, us^ Theobald*s pointing; Qq., Ff., ^ out- 
 Hue us^ ; Dyce (ed, 2), ' outlive ye\ 
 
 II. iii. 152. < patus ' ; Collier MS. , * claivs \ 
 
 II. iv. 5. ^scroivr*, Qq., ^ scroiule* \ Ff. I, 1, ^ scoiule^ \ Ff. 3, 
 4, ^ scoivl* ; Delius, *scra%ul\ 
 
 II. iv. 9. 't^jf ' ; Pope's emendation of Qq., Ff,, *cause\ 
 
 II, iv. 49. ' Which that siveet tongue hath made ' ; SO Qq., Ff. ; 
 Hanmer, ' Which that sivcei tongue of thine hath often made ' ; Collier 
 MS., ^ Which that siveet tongue hath made in minstrelsy ' ; etc. 
 
 III, i. 12. ^ For tJiese, tribunes^; SO Qq., F, i ; F, 4, ^ For these, 
 these. Tribunes Malone, ' For these, good tribunes^; Jackson COnj. 
 ' For tliese t-wo tribunes ' ; Collier conj, ' For these, 0 tribunes \ 
 
 III. i. 17. ^urns^\ Haumer's emendation of Qq., Ffw i, 2, 3, 
 * ruines ' ; F. 4, * ruins\ 
 
 III. i, 34-36. Q. 2 reads *or if they did marie, All bootlesse unto 
 them ' ; ¥(., ^ oh if they did heare They -would not pitty me ' ; Capell, * or, 
 if they did mark, All bootless unto them, they ivould not pity me,* etc. 
 
 III. i. 67. 'sight' Theobald, ^ spigU: 
 
 III. i. 86. * Siveet varied notes, enchanting every ear ' ; Collier MS. 
 reads * Rich varied notes ^ enchanting old and young ' ; F. 4, * Siveet 
 various . . . ' ; etc, 
 
 III. i. 125. ^as* the reading of Collier, from Collier MS. and 
 Long MS.; Qq., Ff., 'in'-, Rowe, ' like\ 
 
 III. i. 210. ^ ivould* so Qq. ; Ff. read ^ivilt*; Capell conj. 
 
 III. , 226. the reading of Ff, t, 3, 4; F. i, Qq., 
 
 124 
 
Titus Andronicus ^ 
 
 Notes. 
 
 III. i. 282-3. employed In these things,^ ttc, ; so Ff. ; Qq., * imptoyde 
 in these Armes ' ; perhaps, as the Cambridge editors suggest, the 
 original MS. had as follows : — 
 
 And thou^ Laznnia, shalt he impioyd^ 
 Bear thou my hand^ sweet ivench^ between thy teeth** 
 the Quarto reading being due to a correction of * teeth ' to 
 < armes * ; the latter being taken by the printer as belonging to 
 the previous line. 
 
 111. i. 292. ^leaves* \ Rowe's emendation of Qq., Ff., ^loues', 
 III. ii. The whole of this scene is omitted in Qq. 
 
 III. ii. 13. ^ 'with outrageous beating^ \ F, i red.ds * ivithout ragious 
 heating*, 
 
 IV. i. 9. * Fear her not ' ; SO Qq. ; Ff. read * Feare not ' ; Rowe, 
 * Fear thou not 
 
 IV. i. 45. ^So/t/ so busily*; Qq., Ff., reads ^ Soft, so busily*; 
 Rowe, ^So/t/ see how busily*; Capell, * 5o//, so/t ; hozv busily*; 
 Knight, ' So/t / hotv busily * ; Keightley, * So/t, so/t / so busily * ; 
 Collier MS., ' So/t / see honv busily * 
 
 IV. i. 8 1 -8 2. ' Magni Dominator polif Tarn lentus audis scelera ^ tarn 
 lentus vides f *; i.e. Great ruler of the skies, dost thou so tardily hear 
 and see crimes committed ? (Seneca's Hippolytus, ii. 671) ; Theo- 
 bald, * Magne Dominator ' ; Hanmer, ' Magne Regnator* 
 
 IV. i. 129. ^Revenge, ye Jieavens* Johnson conj, ; ^ Rcuenge the 
 heauens* so Qq., Ff. 
 
 IV. ii. 8, 76 ; omitted in Ff. 
 
 IV. ii. 20-21. " He who is pure in life, and free from sin, needs 
 not the darts of the Moor, nor the bow " (Horace, Odes 
 I. 22). 
 
 IV. ii. 26. ^ sound* ; Theobald conjectured ^ Fond,* i,e, foolish; 
 but ^ sound* is probably to be taken ironically. 
 
 125 
 
Notes. Titus Andronicus 
 
 IV. ii. 165. * iaie n§ longer days*; Collier MS., ^ mah no long 
 delays \ 
 
 IV. iii. 16. * then,'' a misprint for * that,* 
 
 IV. iii. 2. * /rf' ; 80 Qq., F. i ; Ff, 2, 3, 4, * noiv let\ 
 
 IV. iii. 4, * Terras Astrtea reliquit ' ; i.e, Astrsea (the goddess of 
 
 Justice) left the earth (Ovid. Metam. i. 150). 
 
 IV. iii 56. ^ To Saturn, Caius* ] Capell's emendation; Qq., Ff. 
 
 read * To Saturnine, to Caius * ; Rowe (ed. I ), * To Ccelus and to 
 
 Saturn * ; (ed. 2), * 7e Saturn and to Ccelus* 
 
 IV. iv. 37. * Thy life-blood out » ; F. 2, < o«/ ' ; F. 3, < on*t ' ; Walker 
 
 suggested that a previous line had been lost, but the text seems 
 
 correct, = " and drawn thy life-blood out 
 
 IV. iv. 103. Omitted in Q. 2 and Ff. ; the reading of Q. x. 
 
 V. i. 17. * All the Goths,* should be * The other Goths* as *the 
 first Goth ' is kept distinct. 
 
 V. i. 42. An allusion to the old proverb, " A black man is a 
 pearl in a fair vv^oman*s eye " (Malone). 
 
 V. i. 93. * And cut her hands * ; SO Qq. ; Ff., * And cut her hands 
 off * ; Collier MS., < Cut her hands of* 
 
 V. i. 122. A proverb found in Ray^s collection. 
 
 V. i. 132. ^ break their necks * ; Malone conj. * break thetr necks and 
 die*", Jackson conj. ^ stray and break their necks* \ Collier MS., 
 * ofttimes break their necks * ; etc. 
 
 V. ii. 80. 'ply*\ so Qq. ; Ff., 'play*, 
 
 V. ii. 162 ; iii. 52. Omitted in Ff, 
 
 V. iii. 73. « Lest Rome * ; Capell's reading; Qq., Ff., ^ Let Rome* ; 
 Malone, ' Lest Rome *, 
 
 V. iii. 124. 'And as he is*] so Qq., Ff.; Theobald reads 
 Damnd as he is*. 
 
 TURNBULL AND SPEARS, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.