Titus Andronicus
| ACT I SCENE I | Rome. Before the Capitol. | |
| [ The Tomb of the ANDRONICI appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft. Enter, below, from one side, SATURNINUS and his Followers; and, from the other side, BASSIANUS and his Followers; with drum and colours ] | ||
| SATURNINUS | 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 | 5 | |
| That wore the imperial diadem of Rome; | ||
| Then let my father’s honours live in me, | ||
| Nor wrong mine age with this indignity. | ||
| BASSIANUS | Romans, friends, followers, favorers of my right, | |
| If ever Bassianus, Caesar’s son, | 10 | |
| 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; | 15 | |
| But let desert in pure election shine, | ||
| And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice. | ||
| [Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the crown] | ||
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | Princes, that strive by factions and by friends | |
| Ambitiously for rule and empery, | ||
| Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand | 20 | |
| A special party, have, by common voice, | ||
| In election for the Roman empery, | ||
| Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius | ||
| For many good and great deserts to Rome: | ||
| A nobler man, a braver warrior, | 25 | |
| Lives not this day within the city walls: | ||
| He by the senate is accit’d home | ||
| From weary wars against the barbarous Goths; | ||
| That, with his sons, a terror to our foes, | ||
| Hath yoked a nation strong, train’d up in arms. | 30 | |
| Ten years are spent since first he undertook | ||
| This cause of Rome and chastised with arms | ||
| Our enemies’ pride: five times he hath return’d | ||
| Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons | ||
| In coffins from the field; | 35 | |
| And now at last, laden with horror’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. | 45 | |
| SATURNINUS | How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts! | |
| BASSIANUS | Marcus Andronicus, so I do ally | |
| 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 favor | ||
| Commit my cause in balance to be weigh’d. | 55 | |
| [Exeunt the followers of BASSIANUS] | ||
| SATURNINUS | Friends, that have been thus forward in my right, | |
| I thank you all and here dismiss you all, | ||
| And to the love and favor of my country | ||
| Commit myself, my person and the cause. | ||
| [Exeunt the followers of SATURNINUS] | ||
| Rome, be as just and gracious unto me | 60 | |
| As I am confident and kind to thee. | ||
| Open the gates, and let me in. | ||
| BASSIANUS | Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor. | |
| [Flourish. SATURNINUS and BASSIANUS go up into the Capitol] | ||
| [Enter a Captain] | ||
| Captain | Romans, make way: the good Andronicus. | |
| Patron of virtue, Rome’s best champion, | 65 | |
| Successful in the battles that he fights, | ||
| With honour and with fortune is return’d | ||
| 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, with ALARBUS, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, AARON, and other Goths, prisoners; Soldiers and people following. The Bearers set down the coffin, and TITUS speaks ] | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds! | 70 |
| Lo, as the bark, that hath discharged her fraught, | ||
| Returns with precious jading 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, | 75 | |
| 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. | 85 | |
| 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. | ||
| [The tomb is opened] | ||
| 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, | ||
| Sweet cell of virtue and nobility, | ||
| How many sons of mine hast thou in store, | ||
| That thou wilt never render to me more! | 95 | |
| LUCIUS | 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, | 100 | |
| Nor we disturb’d with prodigies on earth. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | I give him you, the noblest that survives, | |
| The eldest son of this distressed queen. | ||
| TAMORA | Stay, Roman brethren! Gracious conqueror, | |
| Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, | 105 | |
| 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! | ||
| Sufficeth not that we are brought to Rome, | ||
| To beautify thy triumphs and return, | 110 | |
| Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke, | ||
| But must my sons be slaughter’d 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. | 115 | |
| Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood: | ||
| Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods? | ||
| Draw near them then in being merciful: | ||
| Sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge: | ||
| Thrice noble Titus, spare my first-born son. | 120 | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | 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, | 125 | |
| To appease their groaning shadows that are gone. | ||
| LUCIUS | 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 LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MUTIUS, with ALARBUS] | ||
| TAMORA | O cruel, irreligious piety! | 130 |
| CHIRON | Was ever Scythia half so barbarous? | |
| DEMETRIUS | Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome. | |
| Alarbus goes to rest; and we survive | ||
| To tremble under Titus’ threatening looks. | ||
| Then, madam, stand resolved, but hope withal | 135 | |
| The self-same gods that arm’d the Queen of Troy | ||
| With opportunity of sharp revenge | ||
| Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent, | ||
| May favor Tamora, the Queen of Goths– | ||
| When Goths were Goths and Tamora was queen– | 140 | |
| To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes. | ||
| [ Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS and MUTIUS, with their swords bloody ] | ||
| LUCIUS | See, lord and father, how we have perform’d | |
| Our Roman rites: Alarbus’ limbs are lopp’d, | ||
| And entrails feed the sacrificing fire, | ||
| Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky. | 145 | |
| Remaineth nought, but to inter our brethren, | ||
| And with loud ‘larums welcome them to Rome. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Let it be so; and let Andronicus | |
| Make this his latest farewell to their souls. | ||
| [Trumpets sounded, and the coffin laid in the tomb] | ||
| In peace and honour rest you here, my sons; | 150 | |
| 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 grudges; here are no storms, | ||
| No noise, but silence and eternal sleep: | 155 | |
| In peace and honour rest you here, my sons! | ||
| [Enter LAVINIA] | ||
| LAVINIA | 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, | ||
| Shed on the earth, for thy return to Rome: | ||
| O, bless me here with thy victorious hand, | ||
| Whose fortunes Rome’s best citizens applaud! | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserved | 165 |
| 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 ] | ||
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | Long live Lord Titus, my beloved brother, | |
| Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome! | 170 | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus. | |
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | 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: | 175 | |
| 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, | ||
| With these our late-deceased emperor’s sons: | ||
| Be candidatus then, and put it on, | 185 | |
| And help to set a head on headless Rome. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | 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, | 195 | |
| 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 | |
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery. | |
| SATURNINUS | Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou tell? | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Patience, Prince Saturninus. | |
| SATURNINUS | Romans, do me right: | |
| Patricians, draw your swords: and sheathe them not | 205 | |
| Till Saturninus be Rome’s emperor. | ||
| Andronicus, would thou wert shipp’d to hell, | ||
| Rather than rob me of the people’s hearts! | ||
| LUCIUS | Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good | |
| That noble-minded Titus means to thee! | 210 | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee | |
| The people’s hearts, and wean them from themselves. | ||
| BASSIANUS | Andronicus, I do not flatter thee, | |
| But honour thee, and will do till I die: | ||
| My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends, | 215 | |
| I will most thankful be; and thanks to men | ||
| Of noble minds is honourable meed. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | People of Rome, and people’s tribunes here, | |
| I ask your voices and your suffrages: | ||
| Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus? | 220 | |
| Tribunes | To gratify the good Andronicus, | |
| And gratulate his safe return to Rome, | ||
| The people will accept whom he admits. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make, | |
| That you create your emperor’s eldest son, | 225 | |
| 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!’ | 230 | |
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | With voices and applause of every sort, | |
| Patricians and plebeians, we create | ||
| Lord Saturninus Rome’s great emperor, | ||
| And say ‘Long live our Emperor Saturnine!’ | ||
| [A long flourish till they come down] | ||
| SATURNINUS | Titus Andronicus, for thy favors done | 235 |
| 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, | 240 | |
| Lavinia will I make my empress, | ||
| Rome’s royal mistress, mistress of my heart, | ||
| And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse: | ||
| Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee? | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | It doth, my worthy lord; and in this match | 245 |
| 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; | 250 | |
| Presents well worthy Rome’s imperial lord: | ||
| Receive them then, the tribute that I owe, | ||
| Mine honour’s ensigns humbled at thy feet. | ||
| SATURNINUS | Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life! | |
| How proud I am of thee and of thy gifts | 255 | |
| Rome shall record, and when I do forget | ||
| The least of these unspeakable deserts, | ||
| Romans, forget your fealty to me. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | [To TAMORA] Now, madam, are you prisoner to | |
| an emperor; | 260 | |
| To him that, for your honour and your state, | ||
| Will use you nobly and your followers. | ||
| SATURNINUS | A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue | |
| That I would choose, were I to choose anew. | ||
| Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance: | 265 | |
| 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 | 270 | |
| Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths. | ||
| Lavinia, you are not displeased with this? | ||
| LAVINIA | Not I, my lord; sith true nobility | |
| Warrants these words in princely courtesy. | ||
| SATURNINUS | Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go; | 275 |
| Ransomless here we set our prisoners free: | ||
| Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. | ||
| [Flourish. SATURNINUS courts TAMORA in dumb show] | ||
| BASSIANUS | Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine. | |
| [Seizing LAVINIA] | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | How, sir! are you in earnest then, my lord? | |
| BASSIANUS | Ay, noble Titus; and resolved withal | 280 |
| To do myself this reason and this right. | ||
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | ‘Suum cuique’ is our Roman justice: | |
| This prince in justice seizeth but his own. | ||
| LUCIUS | And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live. | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor’s guard? | 285 |
| Treason, my lord! Lavinia is surprised! | ||
| SATURNINUS | Surprised! by whom? | |
| BASSIANUS | By him that justly may | |
| Bear his betroth’d from all the world away. | ||
| [Exeunt BASSIANUS and MARCUS with LAVINIA] | ||
| MUTIUS | Brothers, help to convey her hence away, | 290 |
| And with my sword I’ll keep this door safe. | ||
| [Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS] | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Follow, my lord, and I’ll soon bring her back. | |
| MUTIUS | My lord, you pass not here. | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | What, villain boy! | |
| Barr’st me my way in Rome? | 295 | |
| [Stabbing MUTIUS] | ||
| MUTIUS | Help, Lucius, help! | |
| [Dies] | ||
| [ During the fray, SATURNINUS, TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON and AARON go out and re-enter, above ] | ||
| [Re-enter LUCIUS] | ||
| LUCIUS | My lord, you are unjust, and, more than so, | |
| In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Nor thou, nor he, are any sons of mine; | |
| My sons would never so dishonour me: | 300 | |
| Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor. | ||
| LUCIUS | Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife, | |
| That is another’s lawful promised love. | ||
| [Exit] | ||
| SATURNINUS | No, Titus, no; the emperor needs her not, | |
| Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock: | 305 | |
| I’ll trust, by leisure, him that mocks me once; | ||
| Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons, | ||
| Confederates all thus to dishonour me. | ||
| Was there none else in Rome to make a stale, | ||
| But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus, | 310 | |
| Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine, | ||
| That said’st I begg’d the empire at thy hands. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | O monstrous! what reproachful words are these? | |
| SATURNINUS | But go thy ways; go, give that changing piece | |
| To him that flourish’d for her with his sword | 315 | |
| A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy; | ||
| One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons, | ||
| To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | These words are razors to my wounded heart. | |
| SATURNINUS | And therefore, lovely Tamora, queen of Goths, | 320 |
| That like the stately Phoebe ‘mongst her nymphs | ||
| Dost overshine the gallant’st dames of Rome, | ||
| If thou be pleased with this my sudden choice, | ||
| Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride, | ||
| And will create thee empress of Rome, | 325 | |
| 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, | 330 | |
| 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. | ||
| TAMORA | And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I swear, | |
| If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths, | 335 | |
| She will a handmaid be to his desires, | ||
| A loving nurse, a mother to his youth. | ||
| SATURNINUS | Ascend, fair queen, Pantheon. Lords, accompany | |
| Your noble emperor and his lovely bride, | ||
| Sent by the heavens for Prince Saturnine, | 340 | |
| Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered: | ||
| There shall we consummate our spousal rites. | ||
| [Exeunt all but TITUS] | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | I am not bid to wait upon this bride. | |
| Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone, | ||
| Dishonour’d thus, and challenged of wrongs? | 345 | |
| [Re-enter MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS] | ||
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | O Titus, see, O, see what thou hast done! | |
| In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | No, foolish tribune, no; no son of mine, | |
| Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed | ||
| That hath dishonour’d all our family; | 350 | |
| Unworthy brother, and unworthy sons! | ||
| LUCIUS | But let us give him burial, as becomes; | |
| Give Mutius burial with our brethren. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Traitors, away! he rests not in this tomb: | |
| This monument five hundred years hath stood, | 355 | |
| Which I 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. | ||
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | My lord, this is impiety in you: | 360 |
| My nephew Mutius’ deeds do plead for him | ||
| He must be buried with his brethren. | ||
| MARTIUS | And shall, or him we will accompany. | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | ‘And shall!’ what villain was it that spake | |
| that word? | 365 | |
| QUINTUS | He that would vouch it in any place but here. | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | What, would you bury him in my despite? | |
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | No, noble Titus, but entreat of thee | |
| To pardon Mutius and to bury him. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest, | 370 |
| 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. | ||
| MARTIUS | He is not with himself; let us withdraw. | |
| QUINTUS | Not I, till Mutius’ bones be buried. | 375 |
| [MARCUS and the Sons of TITUS kneel] | ||
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | Brother, for in that name doth nature plead,– | |
| QUINTUS | Father, and in that name doth nature speak,– | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed. | |
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | Renowned Titus, more than half my soul,– | |
| LUCIUS | Dear father, soul and substance of us all,– | 380 |
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | 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 | 385 | |
| That slew himself; and wise Laertes’ son | ||
| Did graciously plead for his funerals: | ||
| Let not young Mutius, then, that was thy joy | ||
| Be barr’d his entrance here. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Rise, Marcus, rise. | 390 |
| The dismall’st day is this that e’er I saw, | ||
| To be dishonour’d by my sons in Rome! | ||
| Well, bury him, and bury me the next. | ||
| [MUTIUS is put into the tomb] | ||
| LUCIUS | There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with thy friends, | |
| Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb. | 395 | |
| All | [Kneeling] No man shed tears for noble Mutius; | |
| He lives in fame that died in virtue’s cause. | ||
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | 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? | 400 | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | 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. | 405 | |
| [ Flourish. Re-enter, from one side, SATURNINUS attended, TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON and AARON; from the other, BASSIANUS, LAVINIA, and others ] | ||
| SATURNINUS | So, Bassianus, you have play’d your prize: | |
| God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride! | ||
| BASSIANUS | And you of yours, my lord! I say no more, | |
| Nor wish no less; and so, I take my leave. | ||
| SATURNINUS | Traitor, if Rome have law or we have power, | 410 |
| Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape. | ||
| BASSIANUS | Rape, call you it, my lord, to seize my own, | |
| My truth-betrothed love and now my wife? | ||
| But let the laws of Rome determine all; | ||
| Meanwhile I am possess’d of that is mine. | 415 | |
| SATURNINUS | ‘Tis good, sir: you are very short with us; | |
| But, if we live, we’ll be as sharp with you. | ||
| BASSIANUS | 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: | 420 | |
| By all the duties that I owe to Rome, | ||
| This noble gentleman, Lord Titus here, | ||
| Is in opinion and in honour wrong’d; | ||
| That in the rescue of Lavinia | ||
| With his own hand did slay his youngest son, | 425 | |
| In zeal to you and highly moved to wrath | ||
| To be controll’d in that he frankly gave: | ||
| Receive him, then, to favor, Saturnine, | ||
| That hath express’d himself in all his deeds | ||
| A father and a friend to thee and Rome. | 430 | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds: | |
| ‘Tis thou and those that have dishonour’d me. | ||
| Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge, | ||
| How I have loved and honour’d Saturnine! | ||
| TAMORA | My worthy lord, if ever Tamora | 435 |
| Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine, | ||
| Then hear me speak in indifferently for all; | ||
| And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past. | ||
| SATURNINUS | What, madam! be dishonour’d openly, | |
| And basely put it up without revenge? | 440 | |
| TAMORA | 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: | 445 | |
| Then, at my suit, look graciously on him; | ||
| Lose not so noble a friend on vain suppose, | ||
| Nor with sour looks afflict his gentle heart. | ||
| [Aside to SATURNINUS] My lord, be ruled by me, | ||
| be won at last; | 450 | |
| 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, | 455 | |
| Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin, | ||
| Yield at entreats; and then let me alone: | ||
| I’ll find a day to massacre them all | ||
| And raze their faction and their family, | ||
| The cruel father and his traitorous sons, | 460 | |
| To whom I sued for my dear son’s life, | ||
| And make them know what ’tis to let a queen | ||
| Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain. | ||
| [Aloud] | ||
| Come, come, sweet emperor; come, Andronicus; | ||
| Take up this good old man, and cheer the heart | 465 | |
| That dies in tempest of thy angry frown. | ||
| SATURNINUS | Rise, Titus, rise; my empress hath prevail’d. | |
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | I thank your majesty, and her, my lord: | |
| These words, these looks, infuse new life in me. | ||
| TAMORA | Titus, I am incorporate in Rome, | 470 |
| 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. | 475 | |
| For you, Prince Bassianus, I have pass’d | ||
| My word and promise to the emperor, | ||
| That you will be more mild and tractable. | ||
| And fear not lords, and you, Lavinia; | ||
| By my advice, all humbled on your knees, | 480 | |
| You shall ask pardon of his majesty. | ||
| LUCIUS | 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. | ||
| MARCUS ANDRONICUS | That, on mine honour, here I do protest. | 485 |
| SATURNINUS | Away, and talk not; trouble us no more. | |
| TAMORA | Nay, nay, sweet emperor, we must all be friends: | |
| The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace; | ||
| I will not be denied: sweet heart, look back. | ||
| SATURNINUS | Marcus, for thy sake and thy brother’s here, | 490 |
| 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. | 495 | |
| Come, if the emperor’s court can feast two brides, | ||
| You are my guest, Lavinia, and your friends. | ||
| This day shall be a love-day, Tamora. | ||
| TITUS ANDRONICUS | To-morrow, an it please your majesty | |
| To hunt the panther and the hart with me, | 500 | |
| With horn and hound we’ll give your grace bonjour. | ||
| SATURNINUS | Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too. | |
| [Flourish. Exeunt] | ||
Titus Andronicus, Act 2, Scene 1