Lord Saturnine; whose virtues will, I hope, Crown him, and say,-Long live our emperor ! Lord Saturninus, Rome's great emperor; Sat. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts, Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart, Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee? Tit. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor; [TO TAMORA, To him, that for your honour and your state, Will use you nobly, and your followers. 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 com'st 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.- Lav. Not I, my lord; sith true nobility Sat. Thanks, sweet Lavinia.-Romans, let us go: Ransomeless here we set our prisoners free: Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. Bas. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine. [Seizing LAVINIA. Tit. How, sir? are you in earnest then, my lord? Bas. Ay, noble Titus; and resolv'd withal, To do myself this reason and this right. [The Emperor courts TAMORA in dumb show. Mar. Suum cuique is our Roman justice: This prince in justice seizeth but his own. Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live. Tit. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's guard? -Treason, my lord; Lavinia is surpriz❜d. Sat. Surpriz'd! By whom? Bas. By him that justly may Bear his betroth'd from all the world away. [Exe. MARCUS and BASSIANUS, with LAVINIA. Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my sword I'll keep this door safe. [Exe. LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. Tit. Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back. Mut. My lord, you pass not here. Tit. What, villain boy! Barr'st me my way in Rome? Mut. Help, Lucius, help! [TITUS kills MUTIUS. Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. My lord, you are unjust; and, more than so, My sons would never so dishonour me : Luc. Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife, [Exit. Sat. No, Titus, no; the emperor needs her not, Not her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock: I'll trust, by leisure, him that mocks me once; Was there none else in Rome to make a stale of, Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine, Tit. O monstrous! what reproachful words are these? Sat. But go thy ways; go, give that changing-piece 7 To him that flourish'd for her with his sword: 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. Speak, queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my choice? I will not re-salute the streets of Rome, Or climb my palace, till from forth this place I lead espous'd my bride along with me. Tam. And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I swear, If Saturnine advance the queen of Goths, 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, [Exeunt SATURNINUS, and his Followers: TA- Tit. I am not bid to wait upon this bride ;Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone, Dishonour'd thus, and challenged of wrongs? Re-enter MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. Mar. 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; [7] Spoken of Lavinia. Piece, was then, as it is now, used personally as a word of contempt. JOHNS. Unworthy brother, and unworthy sons! Luc. But let us give him burial, as becomes; Give Mutius burial with our brethren. Tit. Traitors, away! he rests not in this tomb. Here none but soldiers, and Rome's servitors, Quin. Mart. And shall, or him we will accompany. To pardon Mutius, 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. Mart. He is not with himself, let us withdraw. [MARCUS and the Sons of TITUS kneeh Tit. Rise, Marcus, rise : [8] This passage alone would sufficiently convince me, that the play before us was the work of one who was conversant with the Greek tragedies in their original language. We have here a plain allusion to the Ajax of Sophocles, of which no translation was extant in the time of Shakspeare. In that piece Agamemnon consents at last to allow Aj-x the rites of sepulture, and Ülysges is the pleader, whose arguments prevail in favour of his remains. STEEV. The dismall'st day is this, that e'er I saw, [MUTIUS is put into the tomb. Luc.There lie thy bones,sweet Mutius, with thy friends, Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb! All. No man shed tears for noble Mutius ; He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause. Mar. My lord,--to step out of these dreary dumps,How comes it, that the subtle queen of Goths Is of a sudden thus advanc'd in Rome? Tit. I know not, Marcus; but, I know, it is; That brought her for this high good turn so far? Flourish. Re-enter, at one side, SATURNINUS, attended; TAMO- Sat. So, Bassianus, you have play'd your prize; God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride. Bas. 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, Sat. 'Tis good, sir: You are very short with us; Bas. My lord, what I have done, as best I may, With his own hand did slay his youngest son, Tit. Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds; |