Do shameful execution on herself. But if my frosty signs and chaps of age, Cannot induce you to attend my words, Speak, Rome's dear friend; [To Lucius.] as erst our ancestor, 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 surpris'd king Priam's Troy; That gives our Troy, our Rome, the civil wound.- But floods of tears will drown my oratory, And break my very utterance; even i'the time Here is a captain, let him tell the tale; Your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak. Were they that murdered our emperor's brother; Lastly, myself unkindly banished, The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out, Who drown'd their enmity in my true tears, 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, For when no friends are by, men praise themselves. Mar. Now is my turn to speak; Behold this child, [Pointing to the child in the arms of an Of this was Tamora delivered; Chief architect and plotter of these woes; Damu'd as he is, to witness this is true. Now judge, what cause had Titus to revenge Now you have heard the truth, what say yon, Ro mans? Have we done aught amiss? Show us wherein, Will, hand in hand, all headlong east us down, Emil, Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome, The common voice do cry, it shall be so. Rom. [Several speak.] Lucius, all hail; Rome's royal emperor! Lucius, &c. descend. Mar. Go, go into old Titus' sorrowful house; [To an Attendant. And hither hale that misbelieving Moor. To be adjug'd some direful slaughtering death, Rom. [Several speak.] 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;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, [Kisses Titus. These sorrowful drops upon thy blood-stain'd face, The last true duties of thy noble son! Mar. Tear for tear, and loving kiss for kiss, 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! Luc. Come hither, boy; come, come, and learn of us To melt in showers: Thy grandsire lov'd thee well: Sung thee asleep, his loving breast thy pillow; Meet, and agreeing with thine infancy; In that respect then, like a loving child, Shed yet some small drops from thy tender spring, Friends should associate friends in grief and woe: Boy. O grandsire, grandsire! even with all my heart Would I were dead, so you did live again !— Enter Attendants, with Aaron. 1 Rom. 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; There let him stand, and rave and cry for food: If any one relieves or pities him, For the offence he dies. This is our doom: Aar. O, why should wrath be mute, and fury I am no baby, I, that, with base prayers, I do repent it from my very soul. Luc. Some loving friends convey the emperor hence, And give him burial in his father's grave: No funeral rite, nor man in mournful weeds, But throw her forth to beasts, and birds of prey: [Exeunt. All the editors and criticks agree in supposing this play spurious. I see no reason for differing from them; for the colour of the style is wholly different from that of the other plays. JOHNSON. |