From whence he circumfcribed with his fword, Tit.. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds! (2) my fword [They open the tomb.. (2) Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds!] Mr. Ware Burton and I concurred to fufpect that the Poet wrote; in my mourning weeds. i. e. Titus would fay; "Thou, Rome, art victorious, though I am Us a mourner for those fons which I have loft in obtaining that victory." But I have not ventured to disturb the text; because, on a fécond reflection, mourning weeds may relate to Rome for this reafon; the scene opens with Saturninus and Baffianus canvafling to be elected to the Empire: and confequently the ftate might be in grief for their laft Emperor juft deceased. There There greet in filence, as the dead are wont, Sweet cell of virtue and nobility, How many fons of mine haft thou in ftore, Luc. Give us the proudest prifoner of the Goths, Before this earthly prison of their bones: Tam. Stay, Roman brethren, gracious conqueror (3) Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome, Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke?] It is evident, as this Paffage has hitherto been pointed, none of the editors underfood the true Meaning. If Tamora and her Family return captive to Rome, they must have been before prifoners of war to the Romans: and that is more than what is hinted, or fuppos'd, any where in the play. But the truth is, return is not a Verb but a Subftantive; and relates to Titus and not to Tamora: The regulation I have given the text, I dare warrant, reftores the Author's intention. To beautify thy triumphs and return. Thrice noble Titus, fpare my first-born fon. Tit. Patient yourfelf, madam, and pardon me. To this your fon is markt, and die he muft, Chi. Was ever Scythia half fo barbarous ? Dem. Oppofe me, Scythia, to ambitious Rome. Alarbus, go to reft! and we furvive To tremble under Titus' threatning looks. Then, madam, ftand refolv'd; but hope withal, Upon the Thracian tyrant in her tent, May favour Tamora, the Queen of Goths, (When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was Queen) To quit her bloody wrongs upon her foes. Enter Mutius, Marcus, Quintus and Lucius. Luc. See, Lord and father, how we have perform'd Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopt; And intrails feed the facrificing fire; Whofe fmoke, like incenfe, doth perfume the fky. (4) The felf-fame gods, that arm'd the Queen of Troy read, against the att Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent, &c ] thority of all the copies,- -in her tent; i. e. in the tent where the and the other Trojan captive women were kept: for thither Hecuba by a wile had decoyed Polymneftor, in order to perpetrate her revenge. This we may learn from EURIPIDES'S Hecuba; the only Author, that I can at prefent remember, from whom our writer must have gleaned this circumstance. Make Make this his lateft farewel to their fouls. İn [Then found trumpets, and lay the coffins in the tomb. peace and honour reft you here, my fons, Rome's readieft champions, repofe you here, Secure from worldly chances and mishaps: Here lurks no treafon, here no envy fwells; Here grow no damned grudges, here no ftorms, No noife: but filence and eternal fleep: In peace and honour reft you here, my fons! Lav. In peace and honour live Lord Titus long, Tit. Kind Rome, that haft thus lovingly referv'd Mar. Long live Lord Titus, my beloved brother, Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus. Mar. And welcome, nephews, from fuccefsful wars, You that furvive, and you that fleep in fame: Fair Lords, your fortunes are alike in all, (6) That (5) Lavinia, live; out-live thy father's days: And Fame's eternal date for Virtue's praife!] Were the text to be admitted genuine, nothing could be fo abfurd as for Titus to wish, his daughter might ont-live the eternal date of Fame. This, as my friend Mr. Warburton merrily obferves, is like the loyal patriot in the laft reign, who wifh'd, King George might reign for ever, and the Prince and Princefs after him! I have, by the change of a fingle monofyllable reftored the Paffage to a fenfible and kind with. (6) Fair Lords, your fortunes are alike in all.] This is addreffed by the tribune to all his brother's fons, as well dead as alive. But how could it be then faid, that their fortunes were all alike? The expreffion feems liable to an open abfurdity. Perhaps, we may reconcile ourfelves That in your country's fervice drew your fwords. And help to fet a head on headless Rome. Mar. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery. Sat. Romans, do me right. Patricians, draw your fwords, and fheath them not "Till Saturninus be Rome's Emperor. Andronicus, would thou wert fhipt to hell, Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good ourfelves to it, thus: "Some of you are returned fafe, and with glory; you, that have not lived to return, share the glory of your "brethren's fortune, in having died for your country: And though you cannot partake in the joy of their triumph; yet ftill you en joy a fafer triumph, exempt from chance and cafualty." That |