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