Titus Andronicus

1593–1594

William Shakespeare

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Title: Titus Andronicus (published 1594)
Author: William Shakespeare (died 1616)

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Summary

Roman war hero Titus Andronicus returns victorious in his wars against the Goths. He kills one of the sons of the Queens of the Goths in a revenge ritual, despite her pleadings. When the queen becomes the Empress of Rome, she takes revenge on the house of Andronici for her son's blood. She has her sons rape and mutilate Titus' daughter, Lavinia, over her husband's murdered corpse, then frames Titus' own sons for the murder. Lavinia, however, manages to communicate to her father who the true murderers were, and Andronicus takes revenge, killing the queen and her two sons, but being killed in the act.

Source: Wikipedia

Dramatis Personæ

Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman general

Lavinia, his daughter

Lucius

Mutius

Martius

Quintus

his sons

Young Lucius, his grandson

Marcus Andronicus, Titus’s brother, a Roman tribune

Publius, his son

Sempronius

Caius

Valentine

Titus’s kinsmen

Saturninus, elder son of the former Roman emperor, later emperor

Bassianus, younger son of the former emperor

Tamora, Queen of the Goths, later empress

Aaron the Moor, Tamora’s lover

Alarbus

Demetrius

Chiron

Tamora’s sons

Aemilius, A Roman nobleman

Messenger

Nurse

A Roman Captain

Country Fellow

First Goth

Second Goth

Tribunes, Senators, Romans, Goths, Drummers, Trumpeters, Soldiers, Guards, Attendants, a black Child

ACT 1

Scene 1

Flourish. Enter the Tribunes (including Marcus Andronicus) and Senators aloft. And then enter, below, Saturninus and his followers at one door, and Bassianus and his followers at another door, with other Romans, Drums, and Trumpets.

SATURNINUS
line 0001Noble patricians, patrons of my right,
line 0002Defend the justice of my cause with arms.
line 0003And countrymen, my loving followers,
line 0004Plead my successive title with your swords.
5line 0005I am his firstborn son that was the last
line 0006That wore the imperial diadem of Rome.
line 0007Then let my father’s honors live in me,
line 0008Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.
BASSIANUS
line 0009Romans, friends, followers, favorers of my right,
10line 0010If ever Bassianus, Caesar’s son,
line 0011Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
line 0012Keep, then, this passage to the Capitol,
line 0013And suffer not dishonor to approach
line 0014The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate,
15line 0015To justice, continence, and nobility;
line 0016But let desert in pure election shine,
line 0017And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 9 MARCUSaloft, stepping forward and holding up the crown
line 0018Princes that strive by factions and by friends
line 0019Ambitiously for rule and empery,
20line 0020Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand
line 0021A special party, have by common voice,
line 0022In election for the Roman empery,
line 0023Chosen Andronicus, surnamèd Pius
line 0024For many good and great deserts to Rome.
25line 0025A nobler man, a braver warrior,
line 0026Lives not this day within the city walls.
line 0027He by the Senate is accited home
line 0028From weary wars against the barbarous Goths,
line 0029That with his sons, a terror to our foes,
30line 0030Hath yoked a nation strong, trained up in arms.
line 0031Ten years are spent since first he undertook
line 0032This cause of Rome, and chastisèd with arms
line 0033Our enemies’ pride. Five times he hath returned
line 0034Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons
35line 0035In coffins from the field.
line 0036And now at last, laden with honor’s spoils,
line 0037Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
line 0038Renownèd Titus flourishing in arms.
line 0039Let us entreat, by honor of his name
40line 0040Whom worthily you would have now succeed,
line 0041And in the Capitol and Senate’s right,
line 0042Whom you pretend to honor and adore,
line 0043That you withdraw you and abate your strength,
line 0044Dismiss your followers and, as suitors should,
45line 0045Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.
SATURNINUS
line 0046How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts!
BASSIANUS
line 0047Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy
line 0048In thy uprightness and integrity,
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 11 line 0049And so I love and honor thee and thine,
50line 0050Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,
line 0051And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
line 0052Gracious Lavinia, Rome’s rich ornament,
line 0053That I will here dismiss my loving friends,
line 0054And to my fortunes and the people’s favor
55line 0055Commit my cause in balance to be weighed.

Bassianus’ Soldiers exit.

SATURNINUS
line 0056Friends that have been thus forward in my right,
line 0057I thank you all and here dismiss you all,
line 0058And to the love and favor of my country
line 0059Commit myself, my person, and the cause.

Saturninus’ Soldiers exit.

60line 0060Rome, be as just and gracious unto me
line 0061As I am confident and kind to thee.
line 0062Open the gates and let me in.
BASSIANUS
line 0063Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor.

Flourish. They exit to go up into the Senate House. The Tribunes and Senators exit from the upper stage.

Enter a Captain.

CAPTAIN
line 0064Romans, make way! The good Andronicus,
65line 0065Patron of virtue, Rome’s best champion,
line 0066Successful in the battles that he fights,
line 0067With honor and with fortune is returned
line 0068From where he circumscribèd with his sword
line 0069And brought to yoke the enemies of Rome.

Sound drums and trumpets, and then enter two of Titus’ sons (Lucius and Mutius) and then two men bearing a coffin covered with black, then two other sons (Martius and Quintus), then Titus Andronicus, and then Tamora the Queen of Goths and her sons Alarbus, Chiron and (cont’d)

Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 13

(cont’d) Demetrius, with Aaron the Moor, and others as many as can be, then set down the coffin, and Titus speaks.

TITUS
70line 0070Hail Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds!
line 0071Lo, as the bark that hath discharged his fraught
line 0072Returns with precious lading to the bay
line 0073From whence at first she weighed her anchorage,
line 0074Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs,
75line 0075To resalute his country with his tears,
line 0076Tears of true joy for his return to Rome.
line 0077Thou great defender of this Capitol,
line 0078Stand gracious to the rites that we intend.
line 0079Romans, of five-and-twenty valiant sons,
80line 0080Half of the number that King Priam had,
line 0081Behold the poor remains alive and dead.
line 0082These that survive let Rome reward with love;
line 0083These that I bring unto their latest home,
line 0084With burial amongst their ancestors.
85line 0085Here Goths have given me leave to sheathe my sword.
line 0086Titus, unkind and careless of thine own,
line 0087Why suffer’st thou thy sons unburied yet
line 0088To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx?
line 0089Make way to lay them by their brethren.

They open the tomb.

90line 0090There greet in silence, as the dead are wont,
line 0091And sleep in peace, slain in your country’s wars.
line 0092O sacred receptacle of my joys,
line 0093Sweet cell of virtue and nobility,
line 0094How many sons hast thou of mine in store
95line 0095That thou wilt never render to me more?
LUCIUS
line 0096Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths,
line 0097That we may hew his limbs and on a pile,
line 0098Ad manes fratrum, sacrifice his flesh
line 0099Before this earthy prison of their bones,
100line 0100That so the shadows be not unappeased,
line 0101Nor we disturbed with prodigies on Earth.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 15 TITUS
line 0102I give him you, the noblest that survives,
line 0103The eldest son of this distressèd queen.
TAMORA
line 0104Stay, Roman brethren!—Gracious conqueror,
105line 0105Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed,
line 0106A mother’s tears in passion for her son.
line 0107And if thy sons were ever dear to thee,
line 0108O think my son to be as dear to me.
line 0109Sufficeth not that we are brought to Rome
110line 0110To beautify thy triumphs and return
line 0111Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke,
line 0112But must my sons be slaughtered in the streets
line 0113For valiant doings in their country’s cause?
line 0114O, if to fight for king and commonweal
115line 0115Were piety in thine, it is in these!

She kneels.

line 0116Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood.
line 0117Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?
line 0118Draw near them then in being merciful.
line 0119Sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge.
120line 0120Thrice-noble Titus, spare my first-born son.
TITUS
line 0121Patient yourself, madam, and pardon me.
line 0122These are their brethren whom your Goths beheld
line 0123Alive and dead, and for their brethren slain
line 0124Religiously they ask a sacrifice.
125line 0125To this your son is marked, and die he must,
line 0126T’ appease their groaning shadows that are gone.
LUCIUS
line 0127Away with him, and make a fire straight,
line 0128And with our swords upon a pile of wood
line 0129Let’s hew his limbs till they be clean consumed.

Exit Titus’ sons with Alarbus.

Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 17 TAMORArising and speaking aside to her sons
130line 0130O cruel, irreligious piety!
CHIRONaside to Tamora and Demetrius
line 0131Was never Scythia half so barbarous!
DEMETRIUSaside to Tamora and Chiron
line 0132Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome!
line 0133Alarbus goes to rest and we survive
line 0134To tremble under Titus’ threat’ning look.
135line 0135Then, madam, stand resolved, but hope withal
line 0136The selfsame gods that armed the Queen of Troy
line 0137With opportunity of sharp revenge
line 0138Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent
line 0139May favor Tamora the Queen of Goths
140line 0140(When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen)
line 0141To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes.

Enter the sons of Andronicus again with bloody swords.

LUCIUS
line 0142See, lord and father, how we have performed
line 0143Our Roman rites. Alarbus’ limbs are lopped,
line 0144And entrails feed the sacrificing fire,
145line 0145Whose smoke like incense doth perfume the sky.
line 0146Remaineth naught but to inter our brethren,
line 0147And with loud larums welcome them to Rome.
TITUS
line 0148Let it be so. And let Andronicus
line 0149Make this his latest farewell to their souls.

Sound trumpets, and lay the coffin in the tomb.

150line 0150In peace and honor rest you here, my sons,
line 0151Rome’s readiest champions, repose you here in rest,
line 0152Secure from worldly chances and mishaps.
line 0153Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells,
line 0154Here grow no damnèd drugs; here are no storms,
155line 0155No noise, but silence and eternal sleep.
line 0156In peace and honor rest you here, my sons.

Enter Lavinia.

Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 19 LAVINIA
line 0157In peace and honor live Lord Titus long;
line 0158My noble lord and father, live in fame.

She kneels.

line 0159Lo, at this tomb my tributary tears
160line 0160I render for my brethren’s obsequies,
line 0161And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy
line 0162Shed on this earth for thy return to Rome.
line 0163O bless me here with thy victorious hand,
line 0164Whose fortunes Rome’s best citizens applaud.
TITUS
165line 0165Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserved
line 0166The cordial of mine age to glad my heart!—
line 0167Lavinia, live, outlive thy father’s days
line 0168And fame’s eternal date, for virtue’s praise.

Lavinia rises.

Enter Marcus Andronicus, carrying a white robe. Enter aloft Saturninus, Bassianus, Tribunes, Senators, and Guards.

MARCUS
line 0169Long live Lord Titus, my belovèd brother,
170line 0170Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome.
TITUS
line 0171Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus.
MARCUS
line 0172And welcome, nephews, from successful wars—
line 0173You that survive, and you that sleep in fame.
line 0174Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all,
175line 0175That in your country’s service drew your swords;
line 0176But safer triumph is this funeral pomp,
line 0177That hath aspired to Solon’s happiness,
line 0178And triumphs over chance in honor’s bed.—
line 0179Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,
180line 0180Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been,
line 0181Send thee by me, their tribune and their trust,
line 0182This palliament of white and spotless hue,
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 21 line 0183And name thee in election for the empire
line 0184With these our late deceasèd emperor’s sons.
185line 0185Be candidatus, then, and put it on
line 0186And help to set a head on headless Rome.
TITUS
line 0187A better head her glorious body fits
line 0188Than his that shakes for age and feebleness.
line 0189To Tribunes and Senators aloft. What, should I don
190line 0190this robe and trouble you?
line 0191Be chosen with proclamations today,
line 0192Tomorrow yield up rule, resign my life,
line 0193And set abroad new business for you all?
line 0194Rome, I have been thy soldier forty years,
195line 0195And led my country’s strength successfully,
line 0196And buried one and twenty valiant sons,
line 0197Knighted in field, slain manfully in arms,
line 0198In right and service of their noble country.
line 0199Give me a staff of honor for mine age,
200line 0200But not a scepter to control the world.
line 0201Upright he held it, lords, that held it last.
MARCUS
line 0202Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery.
SATURNINUS
line 0203Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou tell?
line 0204TITUSPatience, Prince Saturninus.
205line 0205SATURNINUSRomans, do me right.
line 0206Patricians, draw your swords and sheathe them not
line 0207Till Saturninus be Rome’s emperor.—
line 0208Andronicus, would thou were shipped to hell
line 0209Rather than rob me of the people’s hearts.
LUCIUS
210line 0210Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good
line 0211That noble-minded Titus means to thee.
TITUS
line 0212Content thee, prince. I will restore to thee
line 0213The people’s hearts and wean them from themselves.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 23 BASSIANUS
line 0214Andronicus, I do not flatter thee,
215line 0215But honor thee, and will do till I die.
line 0216My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends,
line 0217I will most thankful be, and thanks, to men
line 0218Of noble minds, is honorable meed.
TITUS
line 0219People of Rome, and people’s tribunes here,
220line 0220I ask your voices and your suffrages.
line 0221Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus?
TRIBUNES
line 0222To gratify the good Andronicus
line 0223And gratulate his safe return to Rome,
line 0224The people will accept whom he admits.
TITUS
225line 0225Tribunes, I thank you, and this suit I make:
line 0226That you create our emperor’s eldest son,
line 0227Lord Saturnine, whose virtues will, I hope,
line 0228Reflect on Rome as Titan’s rays on Earth
line 0229And ripen justice in this commonweal.
230line 0230Then, if you will elect by my advice,
line 0231Crown him and say “Long live our emperor.”
MARCUS
line 0232With voices and applause of every sort,
line 0233Patricians and plebeians, we create
line 0234Lord Saturninus Rome’s great emperor,
235line 0235And say “Long live our Emperor Saturnine.”

A long flourish till Saturninus, Bassianus, and Guards come down.

SATURNINUS
line 0236Titus Andronicus, for thy favors done
line 0237To us in our election this day,
line 0238I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts,
line 0239And will with deeds requite thy gentleness.
240line 0240And for an onset, Titus, to advance
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 25 line 0241Thy name and honorable family,
line 0242Lavinia will I make my empress,
line 0243Rome’s royal mistress, mistress of my heart,
line 0244And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse.
245line 0245Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?
TITUS
line 0246It doth, my worthy lord, and in this match
line 0247I hold me highly honored of your Grace;
line 0248And here in sight of Rome to Saturnine,
line 0249King and commander of our commonweal,
250line 0250The wide world’s emperor, do I consecrate
line 0251My sword, my chariot, and my prisoners,
line 0252Presents well worthy Rome’s imperious lord.
line 0253Receive them, then, the tribute that I owe,
line 0254Mine honor’s ensigns humbled at thy feet.
SATURNINUS
255line 0255Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life.
line 0256How proud I am of thee and of thy gifts
line 0257Rome shall record.—And when I do forget
line 0258The least of these unspeakable deserts,
line 0259Romans, forget your fealty to me.
TITUSto Tamora
260line 0260Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor,
line 0261To him that for your honor and your state
line 0262Will use you nobly, and your followers.
SATURNINUSaside
line 0263A goodly lady, trust me, of the hue
line 0264That I would choose, were I to choose anew.—
265line 0265Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance.
line 0266Though chance of war hath wrought this change
line 0267of cheer,
line 0268Thou com’st not to be made a scorn in Rome.
line 0269Princely shall be thy usage every way.
270line 0270Rest on my word, and let not discontent
line 0271Daunt all your hopes. Madam, he comforts you
line 0272Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths.—
line 0273Lavinia, you are not displeased with this?
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 27 LAVINIA
line 0274Not I, my lord, sith true nobility
275line 0275Warrants these words in princely courtesy.
SATURNINUS
line 0276Thanks, sweet Lavinia.—Romans, let us go.
line 0277Ransomless here we set our prisoners free.
line 0278Proclaim our honors, lords, with trump and drum.

Flourish. Saturninus and his Guards exit, with Drums and Trumpets. Tribunes and Senators exit aloft.

BASSIANUS
line 0279Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.
TITUS
280line 0280How, sir? Are you in earnest then, my lord?
BASSIANUS
line 0281Ay, noble Titus, and resolved withal
line 0282To do myself this reason and this right.

Bassianus takes Lavinia by the arm.

MARCUS
line 0283Suum cuique is our Roman justice.
line 0284This prince in justice seizeth but his own.
LUCIUS
285line 0285And that he will and shall, if Lucius live!
TITUS
line 0286Traitors, avaunt! Where is the Emperor’s guard?

Enter Saturninus and his Guards.

line 0287Treason, my lord. Lavinia is surprised.
SATURNINUS
line 0288Surprised? By whom?
line 0289BASSIANUSBy him that justly may
290line 0290Bear his betrothed from all the world away.
MUTIUS
line 0291Brothers, help to convey her hence away,
line 0292And with my sword I’ll keep this door safe.

Bassianus, Lavinia, Marcus, Lucius, Quintus, and Martius exit.

Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 29 TITUSto Saturninus
line 0293Follow, my lord, and I’ll soon bring her back.

Saturninus, Tamora, Demetrius, Chiron, Aaron, and Guards exit.

MUTIUS
line 0294My lord, you pass not here.
295line 0295TITUSWhat, villain boy,
line 0296Barr’st me my way in Rome?

He stabs Mutius.

line 0297MUTIUSHelp, Lucius, help!

Mutius dies.

Enter Lucius.

LUCIUS
line 0298My lord, you are unjust, and more than so!
line 0299In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son.
TITUS
300line 0300Nor thou nor he are any sons of mine.
line 0301My sons would never so dishonor me.
line 0302Traitor, restore Lavinia to the Emperor.

Enter aloft the Emperor Saturninus with Tamora and her two sons and Aaron the Moor.

LUCIUS
line 0303Dead if you will, but not to be his wife
line 0304That is another’s lawful promised love.He exits.
SATURNINUS
305line 0305No, Titus, no, the Emperor needs her not,
line 0306Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock.
line 0307I’ll trust by leisure him that mocks me once,
line 0308Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons,
line 0309Confederates all thus to dishonor me.
310line 0310Was none in Rome to make a stale
line 0311But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,
line 0312Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine
line 0313That said’st I begged the empire at thy hands.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 31 TITUS
line 0314O monstrous! What reproachful words are these?
SATURNINUS
315line 0315But go thy ways. Go give that changing piece
line 0316To him that flourished for her with his sword.
line 0317A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy,
line 0318One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons,
line 0319To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.
TITUS
320line 0320These words are razors to my wounded heart.
SATURNINUS
line 0321And therefore, lovely Tamora, Queen of Goths,
line 0322That like the stately Phoebe ’mongst her nymphs
line 0323Dost overshine the gallant’st dames of Rome,
line 0324If thou be pleased with this my sudden choice,
325line 0325Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride,
line 0326And will create thee Emperess of Rome.
line 0327Speak, Queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my
line 0328choice?
line 0329And here I swear by all the Roman gods,
330line 0330Sith priest and holy water are so near,
line 0331And tapers burn so bright, and everything
line 0332In readiness for Hymenaeus stand,
line 0333I will not resalute the streets of Rome
line 0334Or climb my palace till from forth this place
335line 0335I lead espoused my bride along with me.
TAMORA
line 0336And here in sight of heaven to Rome I swear,
line 0337If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths,
line 0338She will a handmaid be to his desires,
line 0339A loving nurse, a mother to his youth.
SATURNINUS
340line 0340Ascend, fair queen, to Pantheon.—Lords, accompany
line 0341Your noble emperor and his lovely bride,
line 0342Sent by the heavens for Prince Saturnine,
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 33 line 0343Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquerèd.
line 0344There shall we consummate our spousal rites.

All but Titus exit.

TITUS
345line 0345I am not bid to wait upon this bride.
line 0346Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone,
line 0347Dishonored thus and challengèd of wrongs?

Enter Marcus and Titus’ sons Lucius, Martius, and Quintus.

MARCUS
line 0348O Titus, see! O, see what thou hast done!
line 0349In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son.
TITUS
350line 0350No, foolish tribune, no; no son of mine,
line 0351Nor thou, nor these confederates in the deed
line 0352That hath dishonored all our family.
line 0353Unworthy brother and unworthy sons!
LUCIUS
line 0354But let us give him burial as becomes,
355line 0355Give Mutius burial with our brethren.
TITUS
line 0356Traitors, away! He rests not in this tomb.
line 0357This monument five hundred years hath stood,
line 0358Which I have sumptuously reedified.
line 0359Here none but soldiers and Rome’s servitors
360line 0360Repose in fame, none basely slain in brawls.
line 0361Bury him where you can. He comes not here.
MARCUS
line 0362My lord, this is impiety in you.
line 0363My nephew Mutius’ deeds do plead for him.
line 0364He must be buried with his brethren.
MARTIUS
365line 0365And shall, or him we will accompany.
TITUS
line 0366“And shall”? What villain was it spake that word?
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 35 MARTIUS
line 0367He that would vouch it in any place but here.
TITUS
line 0368What, would you bury him in my despite?
MARCUS
line 0369No, noble Titus, but entreat of thee
370line 0370To pardon Mutius and to bury him.
TITUS
line 0371Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest,
line 0372And with these boys mine honor thou hast wounded.
line 0373My foes I do repute you every one.
line 0374So trouble me no more, but get you gone.
QUINTUS
375line 0375He is not with himself; let us withdraw.
MARTIUS
line 0376Not I, till Mutius’ bones be burièd.

The brother (Marcus) and the sons (Lucius, Martius, and Quintus) kneel.

MARCUS
line 0377Brother, for in that name doth nature plead—
MARTIUS
line 0378Father, and in that name doth nature speak—
TITUS
line 0379Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed.
MARCUS
380line 0380Renownèd Titus, more than half my soul—
LUCIUS
line 0381Dear father, soul and substance of us all—
MARCUS
line 0382Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter
line 0383His noble nephew here in virtue’s nest,
line 0384That died in honor and Lavinia’s cause.
385line 0385Thou art a Roman; be not barbarous.
line 0386The Greeks upon advice did bury Ajax,
line 0387That slew himself, and wise Laertes’ son
line 0388Did graciously plead for his funerals.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 37 line 0389Let not young Mutius, then, that was thy joy,
390line 0390Be barred his entrance here.
line 0391TITUSRise, Marcus, rise.

They rise.

line 0392The dismall’st day is this that e’er I saw,
line 0393To be dishonored by my sons in Rome.
line 0394Well, bury him, and bury me the next.

They put Mutius in the tomb.

LUCIUS
395line 0395There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with thy friends’,
line 0396Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb.

They all except Titus kneel and say:

line 0397No man shed tears for noble Mutius.
line 0398He lives in fame, that died in virtue’s cause.

All but Marcus and Titus exit.

MARCUS
line 0399My lord, to step out of these dreary dumps,
400line 0400How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths
line 0401Is of a sudden thus advanced in Rome?
TITUS
line 0402I know not, Marcus, but I know it is.
line 0403Whether by device or no, the heavens can tell.
line 0404Is she not then beholding to the man
405line 0405That brought her for this high good turn so far?
line 0406Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.

Flourish. Enter the Emperor Saturninus, Tamora and her two sons, with Aaron the Moor, Drums and Trumpets, at one door. Enter at the other door Bassianus and Lavinia, with Lucius, Martius, and Quintus, and others.

SATURNINUS
line 0407So, Bassianus, you have played your prize.
line 0408God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride.
BASSIANUS
line 0409And you of yours, my lord. I say no more,
410line 0410Nor wish no less, and so I take my leave.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 39 SATURNINUS
line 0411Traitor, if Rome have law or we have power,
line 0412Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape.
BASSIANUS
line 0413“Rape” call you it, my lord, to seize my own,
line 0414My true betrothèd love and now my wife?
415line 0415But let the laws of Rome determine all.
line 0416Meanwhile am I possessed of that is mine.
SATURNINUS
line 0417’Tis good, sir, you are very short with us.
line 0418But if we live, we’ll be as sharp with you.
BASSIANUS
line 0419My lord, what I have done, as best I may,
420line 0420Answer I must, and shall do with my life.
line 0421Only thus much I give your Grace to know:
line 0422By all the duties that I owe to Rome,
line 0423This noble gentleman, Lord Titus here,
line 0424Is in opinion and in honor wronged,
425line 0425That in the rescue of Lavinia
line 0426With his own hand did slay his youngest son,
line 0427In zeal to you, and highly moved to wrath
line 0428To be controlled in that he frankly gave.
line 0429Receive him then to favor, Saturnine,
430line 0430That hath expressed himself in all his deeds
line 0431A father and a friend to thee and Rome.
TITUS
line 0432Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds.
line 0433’Tis thou, and those, that have dishonored me.
line 0434Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge
435line 0435How I have loved and honored Saturnine.He kneels.
TAMORAto Saturninus
line 0436My worthy lord, if ever Tamora
line 0437Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine,
line 0438Then hear me speak indifferently for all,
line 0439And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 41 SATURNINUS
440line 0440What, madam, be dishonored openly,
line 0441And basely put it up without revenge?
TAMORA
line 0442Not so, my lord; the gods of Rome forfend
line 0443I should be author to dishonor you.
line 0444But on mine honor dare I undertake
445line 0445For good Lord Titus’ innocence in all,
line 0446Whose fury not dissembled speaks his griefs.
line 0447Then at my suit look graciously on him.
line 0448Lose not so noble a friend on vain suppose,
line 0449Nor with sour looks afflict his gentle heart.
450line 0450Aside to Saturninus. My lord, be ruled by me; be
line 0451won at last.
line 0452Dissemble all your griefs and discontents.
line 0453You are but newly planted in your throne.
line 0454Lest, then, the people, and patricians too,
455line 0455Upon a just survey take Titus’ part
line 0456And so supplant you for ingratitude,
line 0457Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin.
line 0458Yield at entreats, and then let me alone.
line 0459I’ll find a day to massacre them all
460line 0460And raze their faction and their family,
line 0461The cruel father and his traitorous sons,
line 0462To whom I sued for my dear son’s life,
line 0463And make them know what ’tis to let a queen
line 0464Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain.
465line 0465Aloud. Come, come, sweet emperor.—Come,
line 0466Andronicus.—
line 0467Take up this good old man, and cheer the heart
line 0468That dies in tempest of thy angry frown.
SATURNINUS
line 0469Rise, Titus, rise. My empress hath prevailed.
TITUSrising
470line 0470I thank your Majesty and her, my lord.
line 0471These words, these looks, infuse new life in me.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 43 TAMORA
line 0472Titus, I am incorporate in Rome,
line 0473A Roman now adopted happily,
line 0474And must advise the Emperor for his good.
475line 0475This day all quarrels die, Andronicus.—
line 0476And let it be mine honor, good my lord,
line 0477That I have reconciled your friends and you.—
line 0478For you, Prince Bassianus, I have passed
line 0479My word and promise to the Emperor
480line 0480That you will be more mild and tractable.—
line 0481And fear not, lords—and you, Lavinia.
line 0482By my advice, all humbled on your knees,
line 0483You shall ask pardon of his Majesty.

Marcus, Lavinia, Lucius, Martius, and Quintus kneel.

LUCIUS
line 0484We do, and vow to heaven and to his Highness
485line 0485That what we did was mildly as we might,
line 0486Tend’ring our sister’s honor and our own.
MARCUS
line 0487That on mine honor here do I protest.
SATURNINUS
line 0488Away, and talk not; trouble us no more.
TAMORA
line 0489Nay, nay, sweet emperor, we must all be friends.
490line 0490The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace.
line 0491I will not be denied. Sweetheart, look back.
SATURNINUS
line 0492Marcus, for thy sake, and thy brother’s here,
line 0493And at my lovely Tamora’s entreats,
line 0494I do remit these young men’s heinous faults.
495line 0495Stand up.They rise.
line 0496Lavinia, though you left me like a churl,
line 0497I found a friend, and sure as death I swore
line 0498I would not part a bachelor from the priest.
line 0499Come, if the Emperor’s court can feast two brides,
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 45 500line 0500You are my guest, Lavinia, and your friends.—
line 0501This day shall be a love-day, Tamora.
TITUS
line 0502Tomorrow, an it please your Majesty
line 0503To hunt the panther and the hart with me,
line 0504With horn and hound we’ll give your Grace bonjour.
SATURNINUS
505line 0505Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too.

Sound trumpets. All but Aaron exit.

ACT 2

Scene 1

AARON
line 0506Now climbeth Tamora Olympus’ top,
line 0507Safe out of Fortune’s shot, and sits aloft,
line 0508Secure of thunder’s crack or lightning flash,
line 0509Advanced above pale Envy’s threat’ning reach.
5line 0510As when the golden sun salutes the morn
line 0511And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
line 0512Gallops the zodiac in his glistering coach
line 0513And overlooks the highest-peering hills,
line 0514So Tamora.
10line 0515Upon her wit doth earthly honor wait,
line 0516And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown.
line 0517Then, Aaron, arm thy heart and fit thy thoughts
line 0518To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress,
line 0519And mount her pitch whom thou in triumph long
15line 0520Hast prisoner held, fettered in amorous chains
line 0521And faster bound to Aaron’s charming eyes
line 0522Than is Prometheus tied to Caucasus.
line 0523Away with slavish weeds and servile thoughts!
line 0524I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold
20line 0525To wait upon this new-made emperess.
line 0526To wait, said I? To wanton with this queen,
line 0527This goddess, this Semiramis, this nymph,
line 0528This siren that will charm Rome’s Saturnine
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 51 line 0529And see his shipwrack and his commonweal’s.
25line 0530Holla! What storm is this?

Enter Chiron and Demetrius, braving.

DEMETRIUS
line 0531Chiron, thy years wants wit, thy wits wants edge
line 0532And manners, to intrude where I am graced,
line 0533And may, for aught thou knowest, affected be.
CHIRON
line 0534Demetrius, thou dost overween in all,
30line 0535And so in this, to bear me down with braves.
line 0536’Tis not the difference of a year or two
line 0537Makes me less gracious or thee more fortunate.
line 0538I am as able and as fit as thou
line 0539To serve and to deserve my mistress’ grace,
35line 0540And that my sword upon thee shall approve
line 0541And plead my passions for Lavinia’s love.
AARONaside
line 0542Clubs, clubs! These lovers will not keep the peace.
DEMETRIUSto Chiron
line 0543Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised,
line 0544Gave you a dancing rapier by your side,
40line 0545Are you so desperate grown to threat your friends?
line 0546Go to. Have your lath glued within your sheath
line 0547Till you know better how to handle it.
CHIRON
line 0548Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have,
line 0549Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare.
DEMETRIUS
45line 0550Ay, boy, grow you so brave?They draw.
line 0551AARONWhy, how now, lords?
line 0552So near the Emperor’s palace dare you draw
line 0553And maintain such a quarrel openly?
line 0554Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge.
50line 0555I would not for a million of gold
line 0556The cause were known to them it most concerns,
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 53 line 0557Nor would your noble mother for much more
line 0558Be so dishonored in the court of Rome.
line 0559For shame, put up.
55line 0560DEMETRIUSNot I, till I have sheathed
line 0561My rapier in his bosom, and withal
line 0562Thrust those reproachful speeches down his throat
line 0563That he hath breathed in my dishonor here.
CHIRON
line 0564For that I am prepared and full resolved,
60line 0565Foul-spoken coward, that thund’rest with thy tongue
line 0566And with thy weapon nothing dar’st perform.
line 0567AARONAway, I say!
line 0568Now by the gods that warlike Goths adore,
line 0569This petty brabble will undo us all.
65line 0570Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous
line 0571It is to jet upon a prince’s right?
line 0572What, is Lavinia then become so loose
line 0573Or Bassianus so degenerate
line 0574That for her love such quarrels may be broached
70line 0575Without controlment, justice, or revenge?
line 0576Young lords, beware! And should the Empress know
line 0577This discord’s ground, the music would not please.
CHIRON
line 0578I care not, I, knew she and all the world.
line 0579I love Lavinia more than all the world.
DEMETRIUS
75line 0580Youngling, learn thou to make some meaner choice.
line 0581Lavinia is thine elder brother’s hope.
AARON
line 0582Why, are you mad? Or know you not in Rome
line 0583How furious and impatient they be,
line 0584And cannot brook competitors in love?
80line 0585I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths
line 0586By this device.
line 0587CHIRONAaron, a thousand deaths
line 0588Would I propose to achieve her whom I love.
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 55 AARON
line 0589To achieve her how?
85line 0590DEMETRIUSWhy makes thou it so strange?
line 0591She is a woman, therefore may be wooed;
line 0592She is a woman, therefore may be won;
line 0593She is Lavinia, therefore must be loved.
line 0594What, man, more water glideth by the mill
90line 0595Than wots the miller of, and easy it is
line 0596Of a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know.
line 0597Though Bassianus be the Emperor’s brother,
line 0598Better than he have worn Vulcan’s badge.
AARONaside
line 0599Ay, and as good as Saturninus may.
DEMETRIUS
95line 0600Then why should he despair that knows to court it
line 0601With words, fair looks, and liberality?
line 0602What, hast not thou full often struck a doe
line 0603And borne her cleanly by the keeper’s nose?
AARON
line 0604Why, then, it seems some certain snatch or so
100line 0605Would serve your turns.
line 0606CHIRONAy, so the turn were served.
line 0607DEMETRIUSAaron, thou hast hit it.
line 0608AARONWould you had hit it too!
line 0609Then should not we be tired with this ado.
105line 0610Why, hark you, hark you! And are you such fools
line 0611To square for this? Would it offend you then
line 0612That both should speed?
CHIRON
line 0613Faith, not me.
line 0614DEMETRIUSNor me, so I were one.
AARON
110line 0615For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar.
line 0616’Tis policy and stratagem must do
line 0617That you affect, and so must you resolve
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 57 line 0618That what you cannot as you would achieve,
line 0619You must perforce accomplish as you may.
115line 0620Take this of me: Lucrece was not more chaste
line 0621Than this Lavinia, Bassianus’ love.
line 0622A speedier course than ling’ring languishment
line 0623Must we pursue, and I have found the path.
line 0624My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;
120line 0625There will the lovely Roman ladies troop.
line 0626The forest walks are wide and spacious,
line 0627And many unfrequented plots there are,
line 0628Fitted by kind for rape and villainy.
line 0629Single you thither then this dainty doe,
125line 0630And strike her home by force, if not by words.
line 0631This way, or not at all, stand you in hope.
line 0632Come, come, our empress, with her sacred wit
line 0633To villainy and vengeance consecrate,
line 0634Will we acquaint withal what we intend,
130line 0635And she shall file our engines with advice
line 0636That will not suffer you to square yourselves,
line 0637But to your wishes’ height advance you both.
line 0638The Emperor’s court is like the house of Fame,
line 0639The palace full of tongues, of eyes, and ears;
135line 0640The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf, and dull.
line 0641There speak and strike, brave boys, and take your
line 0642turns.
line 0643There serve your lust, shadowed from heaven’s eye,
line 0644And revel in Lavinia’s treasury.
CHIRON
140line 0645Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice.
DEMETRIUS
line 0646Sit fas aut nefas, till I find the stream
line 0647To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits,
line 0648Per Stygia, per manes vehor.

They exit.

Act 2 Scene 2 - Pg 59

Scene 2

Enter Titus Andronicus and his three sons, and Marcus, making a noise with hounds and horns.

TITUS
line 0649The hunt is up, the moon is bright and gray,
line 0650The fields are fragrant, and the woods are green.
line 0651Uncouple here, and let us make a bay
line 0652And wake the Emperor and his lovely bride,
5line 0653And rouse the Prince, and ring a hunter’s peal,
line 0654That all the court may echo with the noise.
line 0655Sons, let it be your charge, as it is ours,
line 0656To attend the Emperor’s person carefully.
line 0657I have been troubled in my sleep this night,
10line 0658But dawning day new comfort hath inspired.

Here a cry of hounds, and wind horns in a peal. Then enter Saturninus, Tamora, Bassianus, Lavinia, Chiron, Demetrius, and their Attendants.

TITUS
line 0659Many good morrows to your Majesty;—
line 0660Madam, to you as many, and as good.—
line 0661I promisèd your Grace a hunter’s peal.
SATURNINUS
line 0662And you have rung it lustily, my lords—
15line 0663Somewhat too early for new-married ladies.
BASSIANUS
line 0664Lavinia, how say you?
line 0665LAVINIAI say no.
line 0666I have been broad awake two hours and more.
SATURNINUS
line 0667Come on, then. Horse and chariots let us have,
20line 0668And to our sport. To Tamora Madam, now shall
line 0669you see
line 0670Our Roman hunting.
line 0671MARCUSI have dogs, my lord,
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 61 line 0672Will rouse the proudest panther in the chase
25line 0673And climb the highest promontory top.
TITUS
line 0674And I have horse will follow where the game
line 0675Makes way and runs like swallows o’er the plain.
DEMETRIUSaside to Chiron
line 0676Chiron, we hunt not, we, with horse nor hound,
line 0677But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground.

They exit.

Scene 3

Enter Aaron, alone, carrying a bag of gold.

AARON
line 0678He that had wit would think that I had none,
line 0679To bury so much gold under a tree
line 0680And never after to inherit it.
line 0681Let him that thinks of me so abjectly
5line 0682Know that this gold must coin a stratagem
line 0683Which, cunningly effected, will beget
line 0684A very excellent piece of villainy.He hides the bag.
line 0685And so repose, sweet gold, for their unrest
line 0686That have their alms out of the Empress’ chest.

Enter Tamora alone to Aaron the Moor.

TAMORA
10line 0687My lovely Aaron, wherefore look’st thou sad,
line 0688When everything doth make a gleeful boast?
line 0689The birds chant melody on every bush,
line 0690The snakes lies rollèd in the cheerful sun,
line 0691The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind
15line 0692And make a checkered shadow on the ground.
line 0693Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let us sit,
line 0694And whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds,
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 63 line 0695Replying shrilly to the well-tuned horns,
line 0696As if a double hunt were heard at once,
20line 0697Let us sit down and mark their yellowing noise.
line 0698And after conflict such as was supposed
line 0699The wand’ring prince and Dido once enjoyed
line 0700When with a happy storm they were surprised,
line 0701And curtained with a counsel-keeping cave,
25line 0702We may, each wreathèd in the other’s arms,
line 0703Our pastimes done, possess a golden slumber,
line 0704Whiles hounds and horns and sweet melodious birds
line 0705Be unto us as is a nurse’s song
line 0706Of lullaby to bring her babe asleep.
AARON
30line 0707Madam, though Venus govern your desires,
line 0708Saturn is dominator over mine.
line 0709What signifies my deadly standing eye,
line 0710My silence, and my cloudy melancholy,
line 0711My fleece of woolly hair that now uncurls
35line 0712Even as an adder when she doth unroll
line 0713To do some fatal execution?
line 0714No, madam, these are no venereal signs.
line 0715Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand,
line 0716Blood and revenge are hammering in my head.
40line 0717Hark, Tamora, the empress of my soul,
line 0718Which never hopes more heaven than rests in thee,
line 0719This is the day of doom for Bassianus.
line 0720His Philomel must lose her tongue today,
line 0721Thy sons make pillage of her chastity
45line 0722And wash their hands in Bassianus’ blood.

He takes out a paper.

line 0723Seest thou this letter? Take it up, I pray thee,
line 0724And give the King this fatal-plotted scroll.

He hands her the paper.

line 0725Now, question me no more. We are espied.
line 0726Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty,
50line 0727Which dreads not yet their lives’ destruction.
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 65

Enter Bassianus and Lavinia.

TAMORA
line 0728Ah, my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than life!
AARON
line 0729No more, great empress. Bassianus comes.
line 0730Be cross with him, and I’ll go fetch thy sons
line 0731To back thy quarrels, whatsoe’er they be.

He exits.

BASSIANUS
55line 0732Who have we here? Rome’s royal empress,
line 0733Unfurnished of her well-beseeming troop?
line 0734Or is it Dian, habited like her,
line 0735Who hath abandonèd her holy groves
line 0736To see the general hunting in this forest?
TAMORA
60line 0737Saucy controller of my private steps,
line 0738Had I the power that some say Dian had,
line 0739Thy temples should be planted presently
line 0740With horns, as was Acteon’s, and the hounds
line 0741Should drive upon thy new-transformèd limbs,
65line 0742Unmannerly intruder as thou art.
LAVINIA
line 0743Under your patience, gentle empress,
line 0744’Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning,
line 0745And to be doubted that your Moor and you
line 0746Are singled forth to try experiments.
70line 0747Jove shield your husband from his hounds today!
line 0748’Tis pity they should take him for a stag.
BASSIANUS
line 0749Believe me, queen, your swarthy Cimmerian
line 0750Doth make your honor of his body’s hue,
line 0751Spotted, detested, and abominable.
75line 0752Why are you sequestered from all your train,
line 0753Dismounted from your snow-white goodly steed,
line 0754And wandered hither to an obscure plot,
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 67 line 0755Accompanied but with a barbarous Moor,
line 0756If foul desire had not conducted you?
LAVINIA
80line 0757And being intercepted in your sport,
line 0758Great reason that my noble lord be rated
line 0759For sauciness.—I pray you, let us hence,
line 0760And let her joy her raven-colored love.
line 0761This valley fits the purpose passing well.
BASSIANUS
85line 0762The King my brother shall have notice of this.
LAVINIA
line 0763Ay, for these slips have made him noted long.
line 0764Good king to be so mightily abused!
TAMORA
line 0765Why, I have patience to endure all this.

Enter Chiron and Demetrius.

DEMETRIUS
line 0766How now, dear sovereign and our gracious mother,
90line 0767Why doth your Highness look so pale and wan?
TAMORA
line 0768Have I not reason, think you, to look pale?
line 0769These two have ticed me hither to this place,
line 0770A barren, detested vale you see it is;
line 0771The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean,
95line 0772Overcome with moss and baleful mistletoe.
line 0773Here never shines the sun, here nothing breeds,
line 0774Unless the nightly owl or fatal raven.
line 0775And when they showed me this abhorrèd pit,
line 0776They told me, here at dead time of the night
100line 0777A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes,
line 0778Ten thousand swelling toads, as many urchins,
line 0779Would make such fearful and confusèd cries
line 0780As any mortal body hearing it
line 0781Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly.
105line 0782No sooner had they told this hellish tale
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 69 line 0783But straight they told me they would bind me here
line 0784Unto the body of a dismal yew
line 0785And leave me to this miserable death.
line 0786And then they called me foul adulteress,
110line 0787Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms
line 0788That ever ear did hear to such effect.
line 0789And had you not by wondrous fortune come,
line 0790This vengeance on me had they executed.
line 0791Revenge it as you love your mother’s life,
115line 0792Or be you not henceforth called my children.
DEMETRIUSdrawing his dagger
line 0793This is a witness that I am thy son.
CHIRONdrawing his dagger
line 0794And this for me, struck home to show my strength.

They stab Bassianus.

LAVINIA
line 0795Ay, come, Semiramis, nay, barbarous Tamora,
line 0796For no name fits thy nature but thy own!
TAMORA
120line 0797Give me the poniard! You shall know, my boys,
line 0798Your mother’s hand shall right your mother’s wrong.
DEMETRIUS
line 0799Stay, madam, here is more belongs to her.
line 0800First thrash the corn, then after burn the straw.
line 0801This minion stood upon her chastity,
125line 0802Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty,
line 0803And with that painted hope braves your mightiness;
line 0804And shall she carry this unto her grave?
CHIRON
line 0805And if she do, I would I were an eunuch!
line 0806Drag hence her husband to some secret hole,
130line 0807And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust.
TAMORA
line 0808But when you have the honey you desire,
line 0809Let not this wasp outlive, us both to sting.
CHIRON
line 0810I warrant you, madam, we will make that sure.—
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 71 line 0811Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy
135line 0812That nice-preservèd honesty of yours.
LAVINIA
line 0813O Tamora, thou bearest a woman’s face—
TAMORA
line 0814I will not hear her speak. Away with her.
LAVINIA
line 0815Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word.
DEMETRIUSto Tamora
line 0816Listen, fair madam. Let it be your glory
140line 0817To see her tears, but be your heart to them
line 0818As unrelenting flint to drops of rain.
LAVINIA
line 0819When did the tiger’s young ones teach the dam?
line 0820O, do not learn her wrath; she taught it thee.
line 0821The milk thou suck’st from her did turn to marble.
145line 0822Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny.
line 0823Yet every mother breeds not sons alike.
line 0824To Chiron. Do thou entreat her show a woman’s pity.
CHIRON
line 0825What, wouldst thou have me prove myself a bastard?
LAVINIA
line 0826’Tis true; the raven doth not hatch a lark.
150line 0827Yet have I heard—O, could I find it now!—
line 0828The lion, moved with pity, did endure
line 0829To have his princely paws pared all away.
line 0830Some say that ravens foster forlorn children,
line 0831The whilst their own birds famish in their nests.
155line 0832O, be to me, though thy hard heart say no,
line 0833Nothing so kind, but something pitiful.
TAMORA
line 0834I know not what it means.—Away with her.
LAVINIA
line 0835O, let me teach thee! For my father’s sake,
line 0836That gave thee life when well he might have slain thee,
160line 0837Be not obdurate; open thy deaf ears.
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 73 TAMORA
line 0838Hadst thou in person ne’er offended me,
line 0839Even for his sake am I pitiless.—
line 0840Remember, boys, I poured forth tears in vain
line 0841To save your brother from the sacrifice,
165line 0842But fierce Andronicus would not relent.
line 0843Therefore away with her, and use her as you will;
line 0844The worse to her, the better loved of me.
LAVINIA
line 0845O Tamora, be called a gentle queen,
line 0846And with thine own hands kill me in this place!
170line 0847For ’tis not life that I have begged so long;
line 0848Poor I was slain when Bassianus died.
TAMORA
line 0849What begg’st thou, then? Fond woman, let me go!
LAVINIA
line 0850’Tis present death I beg, and one thing more
line 0851That womanhood denies my tongue to tell.
175line 0852O, keep me from their worse-than-killing lust,
line 0853And tumble me into some loathsome pit
line 0854Where never man’s eye may behold my body.
line 0855Do this, and be a charitable murderer.
TAMORA
line 0856So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee.
180line 0857No, let them satisfy their lust on thee.
DEMETRIUSto Lavinia
line 0858Away, for thou hast stayed us here too long!
LAVINIAto Tamora
line 0859No grace, no womanhood? Ah, beastly creature,
line 0860The blot and enemy to our general name,
line 0861Confusion fall—
CHIRON
185line 0862Nay, then, I’ll stop your mouth.—Bring thou her
line 0863husband.
line 0864This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him.

They put Bassianus’ body in the pit and exit, carrying off Lavinia.

Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 75 TAMORA
line 0865Farewell, my sons. See that you make her sure.
line 0866Ne’er let my heart know merry cheer indeed
190line 0867Till all the Andronici be made away.
line 0868Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor,
line 0869And let my spleenful sons this trull deflower.

She exits.

Enter Aaron with two of Titus’ sons, Quintus and Martius.

AARON
line 0870Come on, my lords, the better foot before.
line 0871Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit
195line 0872Where I espied the panther fast asleep.
QUINTUS
line 0873My sight is very dull, whate’er it bodes.
MARTIUS
line 0874And mine, I promise you. Were it not for shame,
line 0875Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile.

He falls into the pit.

QUINTUS
line 0876What, art thou fallen? What subtle hole is this,
200line 0877Whose mouth is covered with rude-growing briers
line 0878Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood
line 0879As fresh as morning dew distilled on flowers?
line 0880A very fatal place it seems to me.
line 0881Speak, brother! Hast thou hurt thee with the fall?
MARTIUS
205line 0882O, brother, with the dismal’st object hurt
line 0883That ever eye with sight made heart lament!
AARONaside
line 0884Now will I fetch the King to find them here,
line 0885That he thereby may have a likely guess
line 0886How these were they that made away his brother.

He exits.

Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 77 MARTIUS
210line 0887Why dost not comfort me and help me out
line 0888From this unhallowed and bloodstainèd hole?
QUINTUS
line 0889I am surprisèd with an uncouth fear.
line 0890A chilling sweat o’erruns my trembling joints.
line 0891My heart suspects more than mine eye can see.
MARTIUS
215line 0892To prove thou hast a true-divining heart,
line 0893Aaron and thou look down into this den
line 0894And see a fearful sight of blood and death.
QUINTUS
line 0895Aaron is gone, and my compassionate heart
line 0896Will not permit mine eyes once to behold
220line 0897The thing whereat it trembles by surmise.
line 0898O, tell me who it is, for ne’er till now
line 0899Was I a child to fear I know not what.
MARTIUS
line 0900Lord Bassianus lies berayed in blood,
line 0901All on a heap, like to a slaughtered lamb,
225line 0902In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit.
QUINTUS
line 0903If it be dark, how dost thou know ’tis he?
MARTIUS
line 0904Upon his bloody finger he doth wear
line 0905A precious ring that lightens all this hole,
line 0906Which like a taper in some monument
230line 0907Doth shine upon the dead man’s earthy cheeks
line 0908And shows the ragged entrails of this pit.
line 0909So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus
line 0910When he by night lay bathed in maiden blood.
line 0911O, brother, help me with thy fainting hand—
235line 0912If fear hath made thee faint as me it hath—
line 0913Out of this fell devouring receptacle,
line 0914As hateful as Cocytus’ misty mouth.
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 79 QUINTUSreaching into the pit
line 0915Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out,
line 0916Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good,
240line 0917I may be plucked into the swallowing womb
line 0918Of this deep pit, poor Bassianus’ grave.

He pulls Martius’ hand.

line 0919I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink.
MARTIUS
line 0920Nor I no strength to climb without thy help.
QUINTUS
line 0921Thy hand once more. I will not loose again
245line 0922Till thou art here aloft or I below.
line 0923Thou canst not come to me. I come to thee.

He falls in.

Enter the Emperor Saturninus, with Attendants, and Aaron the Moor.

SATURNINUS
line 0924Along with me! I’ll see what hole is here
line 0925And what he is that now is leapt into it.—
line 0926Say, who art thou that lately didst descend
250line 0927Into this gaping hollow of the earth?
MARTIUS
line 0928The unhappy sons of old Andronicus,
line 0929Brought hither in a most unlucky hour
line 0930To find thy brother Bassianus dead.
SATURNINUS
line 0931My brother dead! I know thou dost but jest.
255line 0932He and his lady both are at the lodge
line 0933Upon the north side of this pleasant chase.
line 0934’Tis not an hour since I left them there.
MARTIUS
line 0935We know not where you left them all alive,
line 0936But, out alas, here have we found him dead.

Enter Tamora, Titus Andronicus, and Lucius.

Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 81 260line 0937TAMORAWhere is my lord the King?
SATURNINUS
line 0938Here, Tamora, though grieved with killing grief.
TAMORA
line 0939Where is thy brother Bassianus?
SATURNINUS
line 0940Now to the bottom dost thou search my wound.
line 0941Poor Bassianus here lies murderèd.
TAMORA
265line 0942Then all too late I bring this fatal writ,
line 0943The complot of this timeless tragedy,
line 0944And wonder greatly that man’s face can fold
line 0945In pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny.

She giveth Saturnine a letter.

SATURNINUSreads the letter:
line 0946An if we miss to meet him handsomely,
270line 0947Sweet huntsman—Bassianus ’tis we mean—
line 0948Do thou so much as dig the grave for him;
line 0949Thou know’st our meaning. Look for thy reward
line 0950Among the nettles at the elder tree
line 0951Which overshades the mouth of that same pit
275line 0952Where we decreed to bury Bassianus.
line 0953Do this, and purchase us thy lasting friends.
line 0954O Tamora, was ever heard the like?
line 0955This is the pit, and this the elder tree.—
line 0956Look, sirs, if you can find the huntsman out
280line 0957That should have murdered Bassianus here.
AARON
line 0958My gracious lord, here is the bag of gold.
SATURNINUSto Titus
line 0959Two of thy whelps, fell curs of bloody kind,
line 0960Have here bereft my brother of his life.—
line 0961Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison.
285line 0962There let them bide until we have devised
line 0963Some never-heard-of torturing pain for them.
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 83 TAMORA
line 0964What, are they in this pit? O wondrous thing!
line 0965How easily murder is discoverèd.

Attendants pull Quintus, Martius, and the body of Bassianus from the pit.

TITUSkneeling
line 0966High Emperor, upon my feeble knee
290line 0967I beg this boon with tears not lightly shed,
line 0968That this fell fault of my accursèd sons—
line 0969Accursèd if the faults be proved in them—
SATURNINUS
line 0970If it be proved! You see it is apparent.
line 0971Who found this letter? Tamora, was it you?
TAMORA
295line 0972Andronicus himself did take it up.
TITUS
line 0973I did, my lord, yet let me be their bail,
line 0974For by my father’s reverend tomb I vow
line 0975They shall be ready at your Highness’ will
line 0976To answer their suspicion with their lives.
SATURNINUS
300line 0977Thou shalt not bail them. See thou follow me.—
line 0978Some bring the murdered body, some the murderers.
line 0979Let them not speak a word. The guilt is plain.
line 0980For, by my soul, were there worse end than death,
line 0981That end upon them should be executed.
TAMORA
305line 0982Andronicus, I will entreat the King.
line 0983Fear not thy sons; they shall do well enough.
TITUSrising
line 0984Come, Lucius, come. Stay not to talk with them.

They exit, with Attendants leading Martius and Quintus and bearing the body of Bassianus.

Act 2 Scene 4 - Pg 85

Scene 4

Enter the Empress’ sons, Demetrius and Chiron, with Lavinia, her hands cut off, and her tongue cut out, and ravished.

DEMETRIUS
line 0985So, now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak,
line 0986Who ’twas that cut thy tongue and ravished thee.
CHIRON
line 0987Write down thy mind; bewray thy meaning so,
line 0988An if thy stumps will let thee play the scribe.
DEMETRIUS
5line 0989See how with signs and tokens she can scrowl.
CHIRONto Lavinia
line 0990Go home. Call for sweet water; wash thy hands.
DEMETRIUS
line 0991She hath no tongue to call, nor hands to wash;
line 0992And so let’s leave her to her silent walks.
CHIRON
line 0993An ’twere my cause, I should go hang myself.
DEMETRIUS
10line 0994If thou hadst hands to help thee knit the cord.

Chiron and Demetrius exit.

Enter Marcus from hunting.

MARCUS
line 0995Who is this? My niece, that flies away so fast?—
line 0996Cousin, a word. Where is your husband?
line 0997If I do dream, would all my wealth would wake me.
line 0998If I do wake, some planet strike me down
15line 0999That I may slumber an eternal sleep.
line 1000Speak, gentle niece. What stern ungentle hands
line 1001Hath lopped and hewed and made thy body bare
line 1002Of her two branches, those sweet ornaments
line 1003Whose circling shadows kings have sought to sleep in,
20line 1004And might not gain so great a happiness
line 1005As half thy love? Why dost not speak to me?
Act 2 Scene 4 - Pg 87 line 1006Alas, a crimson river of warm blood,
line 1007Like to a bubbling fountain stirred with wind,
line 1008Doth rise and fall between thy rosèd lips,
25line 1009Coming and going with thy honey breath.
line 1010But sure some Tereus hath deflowered thee,
line 1011And lest thou shouldst detect him cut thy tongue.
line 1012Ah, now thou turn’st away thy face for shame,
line 1013And notwithstanding all this loss of blood,
30line 1014As from a conduit with three issuing spouts,
line 1015Yet do thy cheeks look red as Titan’s face,
line 1016Blushing to be encountered with a cloud.
line 1017Shall I speak for thee, shall I say ’tis so?
line 1018O, that I knew thy heart, and knew the beast,
35line 1019That I might rail at him to ease my mind.
line 1020Sorrow concealèd, like an oven stopped,
line 1021Doth burn the heart to cinders where it is.
line 1022Fair Philomela, why she but lost her tongue,
line 1023And in a tedious sampler sewed her mind;
40line 1024But, lovely niece, that mean is cut from thee.
line 1025A craftier Tereus, cousin, hast thou met,
line 1026And he hath cut those pretty fingers off
line 1027That could have better sewed than Philomel.
line 1028O, had the monster seen those lily hands
45line 1029Tremble like aspen leaves upon a lute
line 1030And make the silken strings delight to kiss them,
line 1031He would not then have touched them for his life.
line 1032Or had he heard the heavenly harmony
line 1033Which that sweet tongue hath made,
50line 1034He would have dropped his knife and fell asleep,
line 1035As Cerberus at the Thracian poet’s feet.
line 1036Come, let us go and make thy father blind,
line 1037For such a sight will blind a father’s eye.
line 1038One hour’s storm will drown the fragrant meads;
55line 1039What will whole months of tears thy father’s eyes?
line 1040Do not draw back, for we will mourn with thee.
line 1041O, could our mourning ease thy misery!

They exit.

ACT 3

Scene 1

Enter the Judges and Senators with Titus’ two sons (Quintus and Martius) bound, passing on the stage to the place of execution, and Titus going before, pleading.

TITUS
line 1042Hear me, grave fathers; noble tribunes, stay.
line 1043For pity of mine age, whose youth was spent
line 1044In dangerous wars whilst you securely slept;
line 1045For all my blood in Rome’s great quarrel shed,
5line 1046For all the frosty nights that I have watched,
line 1047And for these bitter tears which now you see,
line 1048Filling the agèd wrinkles in my cheeks,
line 1049Be pitiful to my condemnèd sons,
line 1050Whose souls is not corrupted as ’tis thought.
10line 1051For two-and-twenty sons I never wept
line 1052Because they died in honor’s lofty bed.

Andronicus lieth down, and the Judges pass by him.

They exit with the prisoners as Titus continues speaking.

line 1053For these, tribunes, in the dust I write
line 1054My heart’s deep languor and my soul’s sad tears.
line 1055Let my tears stanch the earth’s dry appetite.
15line 1056My sons’ sweet blood will make it shame and blush.
line 1057O Earth, I will befriend thee more with rain
line 1058That shall distil from these two ancient ruins
line 1059Than youthful April shall with all his showers.
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 93 line 1060In summer’s drought I’ll drop upon thee still;
20line 1061In winter with warm tears I’ll melt the snow
line 1062And keep eternal springtime on thy face,
line 1063So thou refuse to drink my dear sons’ blood.

Enter Lucius with his weapon drawn.

line 1064O reverend tribunes, O gentle agèd men,
line 1065Unbind my sons, reverse the doom of death,
25line 1066And let me say, that never wept before,
line 1067My tears are now prevailing orators.
LUCIUS
line 1068O noble father, you lament in vain.
line 1069The Tribunes hear you not; no man is by,
line 1070And you recount your sorrows to a stone.
TITUS
30line 1071Ah, Lucius, for thy brothers let me plead.—
line 1072Grave tribunes, once more I entreat of you—
LUCIUS
line 1073My gracious lord, no tribune hears you speak.
TITUS
line 1074Why, ’tis no matter, man. If they did hear,
line 1075They would not mark me; if they did mark,
35line 1076They would not pity me. Yet plead I must,
line 1077And bootless unto them.
line 1078Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones,
line 1079Who, though they cannot answer my distress,
line 1080Yet in some sort they are better than the Tribunes,
40line 1081For that they will not intercept my tale.
line 1082When I do weep, they humbly at my feet
line 1083Receive my tears and seem to weep with me,
line 1084And were they but attirèd in grave weeds,
line 1085Rome could afford no tribunes like to these.
45line 1086A stone is soft as wax, tribunes more hard than
line 1087stones;
line 1088A stone is silent and offendeth not,
line 1089And tribunes with their tongues doom men to death.
line 1090But wherefore stand’st thou with thy weapon drawn?
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 95 LUCIUS
50line 1091To rescue my two brothers from their death,
line 1092For which attempt the Judges have pronounced
line 1093My everlasting doom of banishment.
TITUSrising
line 1094O happy man, they have befriended thee!
line 1095Why, foolish Lucius, dost thou not perceive
55line 1096That Rome is but a wilderness of tigers?
line 1097Tigers must prey, and Rome affords no prey
line 1098But me and mine. How happy art thou then
line 1099From these devourers to be banishèd.
line 1100But who comes with our brother Marcus here?

Enter Marcus with Lavinia.

MARCUS
60line 1101Titus, prepare thy agèd eyes to weep,
line 1102Or, if not so, thy noble heart to break.
line 1103I bring consuming sorrow to thine age.
TITUS
line 1104Will it consume me? Let me see it, then.
MARCUS
line 1105This was thy daughter.
65line 1106TITUSWhy, Marcus, so she is.
line 1107LUCIUSAy me, this object kills me!
TITUS
line 1108Faint-hearted boy, arise and look upon her.—
line 1109Speak, Lavinia. What accursèd hand
line 1110Hath made thee handless in thy father’s sight?
70line 1111What fool hath added water to the sea
line 1112Or brought a faggot to bright-burning Troy?
line 1113My grief was at the height before thou cam’st,
line 1114And now like Nilus it disdaineth bounds.—
line 1115Give me a sword. I’ll chop off my hands too,
75line 1116For they have fought for Rome and all in vain;
line 1117And they have nursed this woe in feeding life;
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 97 line 1118In bootless prayer have they been held up,
line 1119And they have served me to effectless use.
line 1120Now all the service I require of them
80line 1121Is that the one will help to cut the other.—
line 1122’Tis well, Lavinia, that thou hast no hands,
line 1123For hands to do Rome service is but vain.
LUCIUS
line 1124Speak, gentle sister. Who hath martyred thee?
MARCUS
line 1125O, that delightful engine of her thoughts,
85line 1126That blabbed them with such pleasing eloquence,
line 1127Is torn from forth that pretty hollow cage
line 1128Where, like a sweet melodious bird, it sung
line 1129Sweet varied notes, enchanting every ear.
LUCIUS
line 1130O, say thou for her who hath done this deed!
MARCUS
90line 1131O, thus I found her straying in the park,
line 1132Seeking to hide herself as doth the deer
line 1133That hath received some unrecuring wound.
TITUS
line 1134It was my dear, and he that wounded her
line 1135Hath hurt me more than had he killed me dead.
95line 1136For now I stand as one upon a rock,
line 1137Environed with a wilderness of sea,
line 1138Who marks the waxing tide grow wave by wave,
line 1139Expecting ever when some envious surge
line 1140Will in his brinish bowels swallow him.
100line 1141This way to death my wretched sons are gone;
line 1142Here stands my other son a banished man,
line 1143And here my brother, weeping at my woes.
line 1144But that which gives my soul the greatest spurn
line 1145Is dear Lavinia, dearer than my soul.
105line 1146Had I but seen thy picture in this plight
line 1147It would have madded me. What shall I do,
line 1148Now I behold thy lively body so?
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 99 line 1149Thou hast no hands to wipe away thy tears,
line 1150Nor tongue to tell me who hath martyred thee.
110line 1151Thy husband he is dead, and for his death
line 1152Thy brothers are condemned, and dead by this.—
line 1153Look, Marcus!—Ah, son Lucius, look on her!
line 1154When I did name her brothers, then fresh tears
line 1155Stood on her cheeks as doth the honeydew
115line 1156Upon a gathered lily almost withered.
MARCUS
line 1157Perchance she weeps because they killed her husband,
line 1158Perchance because she knows them innocent.
TITUS
line 1159If they did kill thy husband, then be joyful,
line 1160Because the law hath ta’en revenge on them.—
120line 1161No, no, they would not do so foul a deed.
line 1162Witness the sorrow that their sister makes.—
line 1163Gentle Lavinia, let me kiss thy lips,
line 1164Or make some sign how I may do thee ease.
line 1165Shall thy good uncle and thy brother Lucius
125line 1166And thou and I sit round about some fountain,
line 1167Looking all downwards to behold our cheeks,
line 1168How they are stained like meadows yet not dry
line 1169With miry slime left on them by a flood?
line 1170And in the fountain shall we gaze so long
130line 1171Till the fresh taste be taken from that clearness
line 1172And made a brine pit with our bitter tears?
line 1173Or shall we cut away our hands like thine?
line 1174Or shall we bite our tongues and in dumb shows
line 1175Pass the remainder of our hateful days?
135line 1176What shall we do? Let us that have our tongues
line 1177Plot some device of further misery
line 1178To make us wondered at in time to come.
LUCIUS
line 1179Sweet father, cease your tears, for at your grief
line 1180See how my wretched sister sobs and weeps.
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 101 MARCUS
140line 1181Patience, dear niece.—Good Titus, dry thine eyes.
TITUS
line 1182Ah, Marcus, Marcus! Brother, well I wot
line 1183Thy napkin cannot drink a tear of mine,
line 1184For thou, poor man, hast drowned it with thine own.
LUCIUS
line 1185Ah, my Lavinia, I will wipe thy cheeks.
TITUS
145line 1186Mark, Marcus, mark. I understand her signs.
line 1187Had she a tongue to speak, now would she say
line 1188That to her brother which I said to thee.
line 1189His napkin, with his true tears all bewet,
line 1190Can do no service on her sorrowful cheeks.
150line 1191O, what a sympathy of woe is this,
line 1192As far from help as limbo is from bliss.

Enter Aaron the Moor alone.

AARON
line 1193Titus Andronicus, my lord the Emperor
line 1194Sends thee this word, that if thou love thy sons,
line 1195Let Marcus, Lucius, or thyself, old Titus,
155line 1196Or any one of you, chop off your hand
line 1197And send it to the King; he for the same
line 1198Will send thee hither both thy sons alive,
line 1199And that shall be the ransom for their fault.
TITUS
line 1200O gracious emperor! O gentle Aaron!
160line 1201Did ever raven sing so like a lark,
line 1202That gives sweet tidings of the sun’s uprise?
line 1203With all my heart I’ll send the Emperor my hand.
line 1204Good Aaron, wilt thou help to chop it off?
LUCIUS
line 1205Stay, father, for that noble hand of thine,
165line 1206That hath thrown down so many enemies,
line 1207Shall not be sent. My hand will serve the turn.
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 103 line 1208My youth can better spare my blood than you,
line 1209And therefore mine shall save my brothers’ lives.
MARCUS
line 1210Which of your hands hath not defended Rome
170line 1211And reared aloft the bloody battleax,
line 1212Writing destruction on the enemy’s castle?
line 1213O, none of both but are of high desert.
line 1214My hand hath been but idle; let it serve
line 1215To ransom my two nephews from their death.
175line 1216Then have I kept it to a worthy end.
AARON
line 1217Nay, come, agree whose hand shall go along,
line 1218For fear they die before their pardon come.
MARCUS
line 1219My hand shall go.
line 1220LUCIUSBy heaven, it shall not go!
TITUS
180line 1221Sirs, strive no more. Such withered herbs as these
line 1222Are meet for plucking up, and therefore mine.
LUCIUS
line 1223Sweet father, if I shall be thought thy son,
line 1224Let me redeem my brothers both from death.
MARCUS
line 1225And for our father’s sake and mother’s care,
185line 1226Now let me show a brother’s love to thee.
TITUS
line 1227Agree between you. I will spare my hand.
line 1228LUCIUSThen I’ll go fetch an ax.
line 1229MARCUSBut I will use the ax.Lucius and Marcus exit.
TITUS
line 1230Come hither, Aaron. I’ll deceive them both.
190line 1231Lend me thy hand, and I will give thee mine.
AARONaside
line 1232If that be called deceit, I will be honest
line 1233And never whilst I live deceive men so.
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 105 line 1234But I’ll deceive you in another sort,
line 1235And that you’ll say ere half an hour pass.

He cuts off Titus’ hand.

Enter Lucius and Marcus again.

TITUS
195line 1236Now stay your strife. What shall be is dispatched.—
line 1237Good Aaron, give his Majesty my hand.
line 1238Tell him it was a hand that warded him
line 1239From thousand dangers. Bid him bury it.
line 1240More hath it merited; that let it have.
200line 1241As for my sons, say I account of them
line 1242As jewels purchased at an easy price,
line 1243And yet dear, too, because I bought mine own.
AARON
line 1244I go, Andronicus, and for thy hand
line 1245Look by and by to have thy sons with thee.
205line 1246Aside. Their heads, I mean. O, how this villainy
line 1247Doth fat me with the very thoughts of it!
line 1248Let fools do good and fair men call for grace;
line 1249Aaron will have his soul black like his face.

He exits.

TITUS
line 1250O, here I lift this one hand up to heaven,
210line 1251And bow this feeble ruin to the earth.He kneels.
line 1252If any power pities wretched tears,
line 1253To that I call. Lavinia kneels. What, wouldst thou
line 1254kneel with me?
line 1255Do, then, dear heart, for heaven shall hear our
215line 1256prayers,
line 1257Or with our sighs we’ll breathe the welkin dim
line 1258And stain the sun with fog, as sometime clouds
line 1259When they do hug him in their melting bosoms.
MARCUS
line 1260O brother, speak with possibility,
220line 1261And do not break into these deep extremes.
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 107 TITUS
line 1262Is not my sorrow deep, having no bottom?
line 1263Then be my passions bottomless with them.
MARCUS
line 1264But yet let reason govern thy lament.
TITUS
line 1265If there were reason for these miseries,
225line 1266Then into limits could I bind my woes.
line 1267When heaven doth weep, doth not the Earth o’erflow?
line 1268If the winds rage, doth not the sea wax mad,
line 1269Threat’ning the welkin with his big-swoll’n face?
line 1270And wilt thou have a reason for this coil?
230line 1271I am the sea. Hark how her sighs doth flow!
line 1272She is the weeping welkin, I the Earth.
line 1273Then must my sea be movèd with her sighs;
line 1274Then must my Earth with her continual tears
line 1275Become a deluge, overflowed and drowned,
235line 1276Forwhy my bowels cannot hide her woes
line 1277But like a drunkard must I vomit them.
line 1278Then give me leave, for losers will have leave
line 1279To ease their stomachs with their bitter tongues.

Enter a Messenger with two heads and a hand.

MESSENGER
line 1280Worthy Andronicus, ill art thou repaid
240line 1281For that good hand thou sent’st the Emperor.
line 1282Here are the heads of thy two noble sons,
line 1283And here’s thy hand in scorn to thee sent back.
line 1284Thy grief their sports, thy resolution mocked,
line 1285That woe is me to think upon thy woes
245line 1286More than remembrance of my father’s death.

He exits.

MARCUS
line 1287Now let hot Etna cool in Sicily,
line 1288And be my heart an everburning hell!
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 109 line 1289These miseries are more than may be borne.
line 1290To weep with them that weep doth ease some deal,
250line 1291But sorrow flouted at is double death.
LUCIUS
line 1292Ah, that this sight should make so deep a wound
line 1293And yet detested life not shrink thereat!
line 1294That ever death should let life bear his name,
line 1295Where life hath no more interest but to breathe.

Lavinia kisses Titus.

MARCUS
255line 1296Alas, poor heart, that kiss is comfortless
line 1297As frozen water to a starvèd snake.
TITUS
line 1298When will this fearful slumber have an end?
MARCUS
line 1299Now farewell, flatt’ry; die, Andronicus.
line 1300Thou dost not slumber. See thy two sons’ heads,
260line 1301Thy warlike hand, thy mangled daughter here,
line 1302Thy other banished son with this dear sight
line 1303Struck pale and bloodless; and thy brother, I,
line 1304Even like a stony image cold and numb.
line 1305Ah, now no more will I control thy griefs.
265line 1306Rent off thy silver hair, thy other hand,
line 1307Gnawing with thy teeth, and be this dismal sight
line 1308The closing up of our most wretched eyes.
line 1309Now is a time to storm. Why art thou still?
line 1310TITUSHa, ha, ha!
MARCUS
270line 1311Why dost thou laugh? It fits not with this hour.

Titus and Lavinia rise.

TITUS
line 1312Why, I have not another tear to shed.
line 1313Besides, this sorrow is an enemy
line 1314And would usurp upon my wat’ry eyes
line 1315And make them blind with tributary tears.
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 111 275line 1316Then which way shall I find Revenge’s cave?
line 1317For these two heads do seem to speak to me
line 1318And threat me I shall never come to bliss
line 1319Till all these mischiefs be returned again
line 1320Even in their throats that hath committed them.
280line 1321Come, let me see what task I have to do.
line 1322You heavy people, circle me about
line 1323That I may turn me to each one of you
line 1324And swear unto my soul to right your wrongs.
line 1325The vow is made. Come, brother, take a head,
285line 1326And in this hand the other will I bear.—
line 1327And, Lavinia, thou shalt be employed in these arms.
line 1328Bear thou my hand, sweet wench, between thy
line 1329teeth.—
line 1330As for thee, boy, go get thee from my sight.
290line 1331Thou art an exile, and thou must not stay.
line 1332Hie to the Goths and raise an army there.
line 1333And if you love me, as I think you do,
line 1334Let’s kiss and part, for we have much to do.

All but Lucius exit.

LUCIUS
line 1335Farewell, Andronicus, my noble father,
295line 1336The woefull’st man that ever lived in Rome.
line 1337Farewell, proud Rome, till Lucius come again.
line 1338He loves his pledges dearer than his life.
line 1339Farewell, Lavinia, my noble sister.
line 1340O, would thou wert as thou tofore hast been!
300line 1341But now nor Lucius nor Lavinia lives
line 1342But in oblivion and hateful griefs.
line 1343If Lucius live he will requite your wrongs
line 1344And make proud Saturnine and his empress
line 1345Beg at the gates like Tarquin and his queen.
305line 1346Now will I to the Goths and raise a power
line 1347To be revenged on Rome and Saturnine.

Lucius exits.

Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 113

Scene 2

A banquet. Enter Titus Andronicus, Marcus, Lavinia, and the boy Young Lucius, with Servants.

TITUS
line 1348So, so. Now sit, and look you eat no more
line 1349Than will preserve just so much strength in us
line 1350As will revenge these bitter woes of ours.
line 1351Marcus, unknit that sorrow-wreathen knot.
5line 1352Thy niece and I, poor creatures, want our hands
line 1353And cannot passionate our tenfold grief
line 1354With folded arms. This poor right hand of mine
line 1355Is left to tyrannize upon my breast,
line 1356Who, when my heart, all mad with misery,
10line 1357Beats in this hollow prison of my flesh,
line 1358Then thus I thump it down.—
line 1359Thou map of woe, that thus dost talk in signs,
line 1360When thy poor heart beats with outrageous beating,
line 1361Thou canst not strike it thus to make it still.
15line 1362Wound it with sighing, girl, kill it with groans;
line 1363Or get some little knife between thy teeth
line 1364And just against thy heart make thou a hole,
line 1365That all the tears that thy poor eyes let fall
line 1366May run into that sink and, soaking in,
20line 1367Drown the lamenting fool in sea-salt tears.
MARCUS
line 1368Fie, brother, fie! Teach her not thus to lay
line 1369Such violent hands upon her tender life.
TITUS
line 1370How now! Has sorrow made thee dote already?
line 1371Why, Marcus, no man should be mad but I.
25line 1372What violent hands can she lay on her life?
line 1373Ah, wherefore dost thou urge the name of hands,
line 1374To bid Aeneas tell the tale twice o’er
line 1375How Troy was burnt and he made miserable?
line 1376O, handle not the theme, to talk of hands,
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 115 30line 1377Lest we remember still that we have none.—
line 1378Fie, fie, how franticly I square my talk,
line 1379As if we should forget we had no hands
line 1380If Marcus did not name the word of hands!
line 1381Come, let’s fall to, and, gentle girl, eat this.
35line 1382Here is no drink!—Hark, Marcus, what she says.
line 1383I can interpret all her martyred signs.
line 1384She says she drinks no other drink but tears
line 1385Brewed with her sorrow, mashed upon her cheeks.—
line 1386Speechless complainer, I will learn thy thought.
40line 1387In thy dumb action will I be as perfect
line 1388As begging hermits in their holy prayers.
line 1389Thou shalt not sigh, nor hold thy stumps to heaven,
line 1390Nor wink, nor nod, nor kneel, nor make a sign,
line 1391But I of these will wrest an alphabet
45line 1392And by still practice learn to know thy meaning.
YOUNG LUCIUSweeping
line 1393Good grandsire, leave these bitter deep laments.
line 1394Make my aunt merry with some pleasing tale.
MARCUS
line 1395Alas, the tender boy, in passion moved,
line 1396Doth weep to see his grandsire’s heaviness.
TITUS
50line 1397Peace, tender sapling. Thou art made of tears,
line 1398And tears will quickly melt thy life away.

Marcus strikes the dish with a knife.

line 1399What dost thou strike at, Marcus, with thy knife?
MARCUS
line 1400At that that I have killed, my lord, a fly.
TITUS
line 1401Out on thee, murderer! Thou kill’st my heart.
55line 1402Mine eyes are cloyed with view of tyranny;
line 1403A deed of death done on the innocent
line 1404Becomes not Titus’ brother. Get thee gone.
line 1405I see thou art not for my company.
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 117 MARCUS
line 1406Alas, my lord, I have but killed a fly.
TITUS
60line 1407“But”? How if that fly had a father and mother?
line 1408How would he hang his slender gilded wings
line 1409And buzz lamenting doings in the air!
line 1410Poor harmless fly,
line 1411That, with his pretty buzzing melody,
65line 1412Came here to make us merry! And thou hast killed
line 1413him.
MARCUS
line 1414Pardon me, sir. It was a black, ill-favored fly,
line 1415Like to the Empress’ Moor. Therefore I killed him.
line 1416TITUSO, O, O!
70line 1417Then pardon me for reprehending thee,
line 1418For thou hast done a charitable deed.
line 1419Give me thy knife. I will insult on him,
line 1420Flattering myself as if it were the Moor
line 1421Come hither purposely to poison me.
75line 1422There’s for thyself, and that’s for Tamora.
line 1423Ah, sirrah!
line 1424Yet I think we are not brought so low
line 1425But that between us we can kill a fly
line 1426That comes in likeness of a coal-black Moor.
MARCUS
80line 1427Alas, poor man, grief has so wrought on him
line 1428He takes false shadows for true substances.
TITUS
line 1429Come, take away.—Lavinia, go with me.
line 1430I’ll to thy closet and go read with thee
line 1431Sad stories chancèd in the times of old.—
85line 1432Come, boy, and go with me. Thy sight is young,
line 1433And thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle.

They exit.

ACT 4

Scene 1

Enter Lucius’ son and Lavinia running after him, and the boy flies from her with his books under his arm. Enter Titus and Marcus.

YOUNG LUCIUS
line 1434Help, grandsire, help! My aunt Lavinia
line 1435Follows me everywhere, I know not why.—
line 1436Good uncle Marcus, see how swift she comes!—
line 1437Alas, sweet aunt, I know not what you mean.
MARCUS
5line 1438Stand by me, Lucius. Do not fear thine aunt.
TITUS
line 1439She loves thee, boy, too well to do thee harm.
YOUNG LUCIUS
line 1440Ay, when my father was in Rome she did.
MARCUS
line 1441What means my niece Lavinia by these signs?
TITUS
line 1442Fear her not, Lucius. Somewhat doth she mean.
10line 1443See, Lucius, see, how much she makes of thee.
line 1444Somewhither would she have thee go with her.
line 1445Ah, boy, Cornelia never with more care
line 1446Read to her sons than she hath read to thee
line 1447Sweet poetry and Tully’s Orator.
Act 4 Scene 1 - Pg 123 MARCUS
15line 1448Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus?
YOUNG LUCIUS
line 1449My lord, I know not, I, nor can I guess,
line 1450Unless some fit or frenzy do possess her;
line 1451For I have heard my grandsire say full oft,
line 1452Extremity of griefs would make men mad,
20line 1453And I have read that Hecuba of Troy
line 1454Ran mad for sorrow. That made me to fear,
line 1455Although, my lord, I know my noble aunt
line 1456Loves me as dear as e’er my mother did,
line 1457And would not but in fury fright my youth,
25line 1458Which made me down to throw my books and fly,
line 1459Causeless, perhaps.—But pardon me, sweet aunt.
line 1460And, madam, if my uncle Marcus go,
line 1461I will most willingly attend your Ladyship.
line 1462MARCUSLucius, I will.
TITUS
30line 1463How now, Lavinia?—Marcus, what means this?
line 1464Some book there is that she desires to see.—
line 1465Which is it, girl, of these?—Open them, boy.—
line 1466To Lavinia. But thou art deeper read and better
line 1467skilled.
35line 1468Come and take choice of all my library,
line 1469And so beguile thy sorrow till the heavens
line 1470Reveal the damned contriver of this deed.—
line 1471Why lifts she up her arms in sequence thus?
MARCUS
line 1472I think she means that there were more than one
40line 1473Confederate in the fact. Ay, more there was,
line 1474Or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge.
TITUS
line 1475Lucius, what book is that she tosseth so?
YOUNG LUCIUS
line 1476Grandsire, ’tis Ovid’s Metamorphosis.
line 1477My mother gave it me.
Act 4 Scene 1 - Pg 125 45line 1478MARCUSFor love of her that’s gone,
line 1479Perhaps, she culled it from among the rest.
TITUS
line 1480Soft! So busily she turns the leaves.
line 1481Help her! What would she find?—Lavinia, shall I read?
line 1482This is the tragic tale of Philomel,
50line 1483And treats of Tereus’ treason and his rape.
line 1484And rape, I fear, was root of thy annoy.
MARCUS
line 1485See, brother, see! Note how she quotes the leaves.
TITUS
line 1486Lavinia, wert thou thus surprised, sweet girl,
line 1487Ravished and wronged as Philomela was,
55line 1488Forced in the ruthless, vast, and gloomy woods?
line 1489See, see! Ay, such a place there is where we did hunt—
line 1490O, had we never, never hunted there!—
line 1491Patterned by that the poet here describes,
line 1492By nature made for murders and for rapes.
MARCUS
60line 1493O, why should nature build so foul a den,
line 1494Unless the gods delight in tragedies?
TITUS
line 1495Give signs, sweet girl, for here are none but friends,
line 1496What Roman lord it was durst do the deed.
line 1497Or slunk not Saturnine, as Tarquin erst,
65line 1498That left the camp to sin in Lucrece’ bed?
MARCUS
line 1499Sit down, sweet niece.—Brother, sit down by me.

They sit.

line 1500Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury
line 1501Inspire me, that I may this treason find.—
line 1502My lord, look here.—Look here, Lavinia.

He writes his name with his staff and guides it with feet and mouth.

70line 1503This sandy plot is plain; guide, if thou canst,
line 1504This after me. I have writ my name
Act 4 Scene 1 - Pg 127 line 1505Without the help of any hand at all.
line 1506Cursed be that heart that forced us to this shift!
line 1507Write thou, good niece, and here display at last
75line 1508What God will have discovered for revenge.
line 1509Heaven guide thy pen to print thy sorrows plain,
line 1510That we may know the traitors and the truth.

She takes the staff in her mouth, and guides it with her stumps and writes.

line 1511O, do you read, my lord, what she hath writ?
TITUS
line 1512“Stuprum. Chiron, Demetrius.”
MARCUS
80line 1513What, what! The lustful sons of Tamora
line 1514Performers of this heinous, bloody deed?
line 1515TITUSMagni Dominator poli,
line 1516Tam lentus audis scelera, tam lentus vides?
MARCUS
line 1517O, calm thee, gentle lord, although I know
85line 1518There is enough written upon this earth
line 1519To stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughts
line 1520And arm the minds of infants to exclaims.
line 1521My lord, kneel down with me.—Lavinia, kneel.—
line 1522And kneel, sweet boy, the Roman Hector’s hope,

They all kneel.

90line 1523And swear with me—as, with the woeful fere
line 1524And father of that chaste dishonored dame,
line 1525Lord Junius Brutus swore for Lucrece’ rape—
line 1526That we will prosecute by good advice
line 1527Mortal revenge upon these traitorous Goths,
95line 1528And see their blood or die with this reproach.

They rise.

TITUS
line 1529’Tis sure enough, an you knew how.
line 1530But if you hunt these bearwhelps, then beware;
line 1531The dam will wake an if she wind you once.
line 1532She’s with the lion deeply still in league,
Act 4 Scene 1 - Pg 129 100line 1533And lulls him whilst she playeth on her back;
line 1534And when he sleeps will she do what she list.
line 1535You are a young huntsman, Marcus; let alone.
line 1536And come, I will go get a leaf of brass,
line 1537And with a gad of steel will write these words,
105line 1538And lay it by. The angry northern wind
line 1539Will blow these sands like Sibyl’s leaves abroad,
line 1540And where’s our lesson then?—Boy, what say you?
YOUNG LUCIUS
line 1541I say, my lord, that if I were a man,
line 1542Their mother’s bedchamber should not be safe
110line 1543For these base bondmen to the yoke of Rome.
MARCUS
line 1544Ay, that’s my boy! Thy father hath full oft
line 1545For his ungrateful country done the like.
YOUNG LUCIUS
line 1546And, uncle, so will I, an if I live.
TITUS
line 1547Come, go with me into mine armory.
115line 1548Lucius, I’ll fit thee, and withal my boy
line 1549Shall carry from me to the Empress’ sons
line 1550Presents that I intend to send them both.
line 1551Come, come. Thou ’lt do my message, wilt thou not?
YOUNG LUCIUS
line 1552Ay, with my dagger in their bosoms, grandsire.
TITUS
120line 1553No, boy, not so. I’ll teach thee another course.—
line 1554Lavinia, come.—Marcus, look to my house.
line 1555Lucius and I’ll go brave it at the court;
line 1556Ay, marry, will we, sir, and we’ll be waited on.

All but Marcus exit.

MARCUS
line 1557O heavens, can you hear a good man groan
125line 1558And not relent, or not compassion him?
line 1559Marcus, attend him in his ecstasy,
line 1560That hath more scars of sorrow in his heart
Act 4 Scene 2 - Pg 131 line 1561Than foemen’s marks upon his battered shield,
line 1562But yet so just that he will not revenge.
130line 1563Revenge the heavens for old Andronicus!

He exits.

Scene 2

Enter Aaron, Chiron, and Demetrius at one door, and at the other door young Lucius and another, with a bundle of weapons and verses writ upon them.

CHIRON
line 1564Demetrius, here’s the son of Lucius.
line 1565He hath some message to deliver us.
AARON
line 1566Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather.
YOUNG LUCIUS
line 1567My lords, with all the humbleness I may,
5line 1568I greet your Honors from Andronicus—
line 1569Aside. And pray the Roman gods confound you both.
DEMETRIUS
line 1570Gramercy, lovely Lucius. What’s the news?
YOUNG LUCIUSaside
line 1571That you are both deciphered, that’s the news,
line 1572For villains marked with rape.—May it please you,
10line 1573My grandsire, well advised, hath sent by me
line 1574The goodliest weapons of his armory
line 1575To gratify your honorable youth,
line 1576The hope of Rome; for so he bid me say,
line 1577And so I do, and with his gifts present
15line 1578Your Lordships, that, whenever you have need,
line 1579You may be armèd and appointed well,
line 1580And so I leave you both—aside like bloody villains.

He exits, with Attendant.

DEMETRIUS
line 1581What’s here? A scroll, and written round about.
Act 4 Scene 2 - Pg 133 line 1582Let’s see:
20line 1583He reads: “Integer vitae, scelerisque purus,
line 1584Non eget Mauri iaculis, nec arcu.”
CHIRON
line 1585O, ’tis a verse in Horace; I know it well.
line 1586I read it in the grammar long ago.
AARON
line 1587Ay, just; a verse in Horace; right, you have it.
25line 1588Aside. Now, what a thing it is to be an ass!
line 1589Here’s no sound jest. The old man hath found their
line 1590guilt
line 1591And sends them weapons wrapped about with lines
line 1592That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick.
30line 1593But were our witty empress well afoot,
line 1594She would applaud Andronicus’ conceit.
line 1595But let her rest in her unrest awhile.—
line 1596And now, young lords, was ’t not a happy star
line 1597Led us to Rome, strangers, and, more than so,
35line 1598Captives, to be advancèd to this height?
line 1599It did me good before the palace gate
line 1600To brave the tribune in his brother’s hearing.
DEMETRIUS
line 1601But me more good to see so great a lord
line 1602Basely insinuate and send us gifts.
AARON
40line 1603Had he not reason, Lord Demetrius?
line 1604Did you not use his daughter very friendly?
DEMETRIUS
line 1605I would we had a thousand Roman dames
line 1606At such a bay, by turn to serve our lust.
CHIRON
line 1607A charitable wish, and full of love!
AARON
45line 1608Here lacks but your mother for to say amen.
CHIRON
line 1609And that would she, for twenty thousand more.
Act 4 Scene 2 - Pg 135 DEMETRIUS
line 1610Come, let us go and pray to all the gods
line 1611For our belovèd mother in her pains.
AARONaside
line 1612Pray to the devils; the gods have given us over.

Trumpets sound offstage.

DEMETRIUS
50line 1613Why do the Emperor’s trumpets flourish thus?
CHIRON
line 1614Belike for joy the Emperor hath a son.
line 1615DEMETRIUSSoft, who comes here?

Enter Nurse, with a blackamoor child in her arms.

line 1616NURSEGood morrow, lords.
line 1617O, tell me, did you see Aaron the Moor?
AARON
55line 1618Well, more or less, or ne’er a whit at all,
line 1619Here Aaron is. And what with Aaron now?
NURSE
line 1620O, gentle Aaron, we are all undone!
line 1621Now help, or woe betide thee evermore.
AARON
line 1622Why, what a caterwauling dost thou keep!
60line 1623What dost thou wrap and fumble in thy arms?
NURSE
line 1624O, that which I would hide from heaven’s eye,
line 1625Our empress’ shame and stately Rome’s disgrace.
line 1626She is delivered, lords, she is delivered.
line 1627AARONTo whom?
65line 1628NURSEI mean, she is brought abed.
AARON
line 1629Well, God give her good rest. What hath he sent her?
line 1630NURSEA devil.
AARON
line 1631Why, then she is the devil’s dam. A joyful issue!
Act 4 Scene 2 - Pg 137 NURSE
line 1632A joyless, dismal, black, and sorrowful issue!
70line 1633Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad
line 1634Amongst the fair-faced breeders of our clime.
line 1635The Empress sends it thee, thy stamp, thy seal,
line 1636And bids thee christen it with thy dagger’s point.
AARON
line 1637Zounds, you whore, is black so base a hue?
75line 1638To the baby. Sweet blowse, you are a beauteous
line 1639blossom, sure.
line 1640DEMETRIUSVillain, what hast thou done?
line 1641AARONThat which thou canst not undo.
line 1642CHIRONThou hast undone our mother.
80line 1643AARONVillain, I have done thy mother.
DEMETRIUS
line 1644And therein, hellish dog, thou hast undone her.
line 1645Woe to her chance, and damned her loathèd choice!
line 1646Accursed the offspring of so foul a fiend!
line 1647CHIRONIt shall not live.
85line 1648AARONIt shall not die.
NURSE
line 1649Aaron, it must. The mother wills it so.
AARON
line 1650What, must it, nurse? Then let no man but I
line 1651Do execution on my flesh and blood.
DEMETRIUS
line 1652I’ll broach the tadpole on my rapier’s point.
90line 1653Nurse, give it me. My sword shall soon dispatch it.
AARONtaking the baby
line 1654Sooner this sword shall plow thy bowels up!
line 1655Stay, murderous villains, will you kill your brother?
line 1656Now, by the burning tapers of the sky
line 1657That shone so brightly when this boy was got,
95line 1658He dies upon my scimitar’s sharp point
line 1659That touches this my firstborn son and heir.
line 1660I tell you, younglings, not Enceladus
Act 4 Scene 2 - Pg 139 line 1661With all his threat’ning band of Typhon’s brood,
line 1662Nor great Alcides, nor the god of war
100line 1663Shall seize this prey out of his father’s hands.
line 1664What, what, you sanguine, shallow-hearted boys,
line 1665You white-limed walls, you alehouse painted signs!
line 1666Coal-black is better than another hue
line 1667In that it scorns to bear another hue;
105line 1668For all the water in the ocean
line 1669Can never turn the swan’s black legs to white,
line 1670Although she lave them hourly in the flood.
line 1671Tell the Empress from me, I am of age
line 1672To keep mine own, excuse it how she can.
DEMETRIUS
110line 1673Wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus?
AARON
line 1674My mistress is my mistress, this myself,
line 1675The vigor and the picture of my youth.
line 1676This before all the world do I prefer;
line 1677This maugre all the world will I keep safe,
115line 1678Or some of you shall smoke for it in Rome.
DEMETRIUS
line 1679By this our mother is forever shamed.
CHIRON
line 1680Rome will despise her for this foul escape.
NURSE
line 1681The Emperor in his rage will doom her death.
CHIRON
line 1682I blush to think upon this ignomy.
AARON
120line 1683Why, there’s the privilege your beauty bears.
line 1684Fie, treacherous hue, that will betray with blushing
line 1685The close enacts and counsels of thy heart.
line 1686Here’s a young lad framed of another leer.
line 1687Look how the black slave smiles upon the father,
125line 1688As who should say “Old lad, I am thine own.”
Act 4 Scene 2 - Pg 141 line 1689He is your brother, lords, sensibly fed
line 1690Of that self blood that first gave life to you,
line 1691And from that womb where you imprisoned were
line 1692He is enfranchisèd and come to light.
130line 1693Nay, he is your brother by the surer side,
line 1694Although my seal be stampèd in his face.
NURSE
line 1695Aaron, what shall I say unto the Empress?
DEMETRIUS
line 1696Advise thee, Aaron, what is to be done,
line 1697And we will all subscribe to thy advice.
135line 1698Save thou the child, so we may all be safe.
AARON
line 1699Then sit we down, and let us all consult.
line 1700My son and I will have the wind of you.
line 1701Keep there. Now talk at pleasure of your safety.
DEMETRIUSto the Nurse
line 1702How many women saw this child of his?
AARON
140line 1703Why, so, brave lords! When we join in league,
line 1704I am a lamb; but if you brave the Moor,
line 1705The chafèd boar, the mountain lioness,
line 1706The ocean swells not so as Aaron storms.
line 1707To the Nurse. But say again, how many saw the
145line 1708child?
NURSE
line 1709Cornelia the midwife and myself,
line 1710And no one else but the delivered Empress.
AARON
line 1711The Empress, the midwife, and yourself.
line 1712Two may keep counsel when the third’s away.
150line 1713Go to the Empress; tell her this I said.

He kills her.

line 1714“Wheak, wheak”! So cries a pig preparèd to the spit.
DEMETRIUS
line 1715What mean’st thou, Aaron? Wherefore didst thou this?
Act 4 Scene 2 - Pg 143 AARON
line 1716O Lord, sir, ’tis a deed of policy.
line 1717Shall she live to betray this guilt of ours,
155line 1718A long-tongued babbling gossip? No, lords, no.
line 1719And now be it known to you my full intent:
line 1720Not far one Muliteus my countryman
line 1721His wife but yesternight was brought to bed.
line 1722His child is like to her, fair as you are.
160line 1723Go pack with him, and give the mother gold,
line 1724And tell them both the circumstance of all,
line 1725And how by this their child shall be advanced
line 1726And be receivèd for the Emperor’s heir,
line 1727And substituted in the place of mine,
165line 1728To calm this tempest whirling in the court;
line 1729And let the Emperor dandle him for his own.
line 1730Hark you, lords, you see I have given her physic,

indicating the Nurse

line 1731And you must needs bestow her funeral.
line 1732The fields are near, and you are gallant grooms.
170line 1733This done, see that you take no longer days,
line 1734But send the midwife presently to me.
line 1735The midwife and the nurse well made away,
line 1736Then let the ladies tattle what they please.
CHIRON
line 1737Aaron, I see thou wilt not trust the air
175line 1738With secrets.
line 1739DEMETRIUSFor this care of Tamora,
line 1740Herself and hers are highly bound to thee.

Demetrius and Chiron exit, carrying the Nurse’s body.

AARON
line 1741Now to the Goths, as swift as swallow flies,
line 1742There to dispose this treasure in mine arms
180line 1743And secretly to greet the Empress’ friends.—
line 1744Come on, you thick-lipped slave, I’ll bear you hence,
Act 4 Scene 3 - Pg 145 line 1745For it is you that puts us to our shifts.
line 1746I’ll make you feed on berries and on roots,
line 1747And feed on curds and whey, and suck the goat,
185line 1748And cabin in a cave, and bring you up
line 1749To be a warrior and command a camp.

He exits with the baby.

Scene 3

Enter Titus, old Marcus, his son Publius, young Lucius, and other gentlemen (Caius and Sempronius) with bows, and Titus bears the arrows with letters on the ends of them.

TITUS
line 1750Come, Marcus, come. Kinsmen, this is the way.—
line 1751Sir boy, let me see your archery.
line 1752Look you draw home enough and ’tis there straight.—
line 1753Terras Astraea reliquit.
5line 1754Be you remembered, Marcus, she’s gone, she’s fled.—
line 1755Sirs, take you to your tools. You, cousins, shall
line 1756Go sound the ocean and cast your nets;
line 1757Happily you may catch her in the sea;
line 1758Yet there’s as little justice as at land.
10line 1759No; Publius and Sempronius, you must do it.
line 1760’Tis you must dig with mattock and with spade,
line 1761And pierce the inmost center of the Earth.
line 1762Then, when you come to Pluto’s region,
line 1763I pray you, deliver him this petition.
15line 1764Tell him it is for justice and for aid,
line 1765And that it comes from old Andronicus,
line 1766Shaken with sorrows in ungrateful Rome.
line 1767Ah, Rome! Well, well, I made thee miserable
line 1768What time I threw the people’s suffrages
20line 1769On him that thus doth tyrannize o’er me.
Act 4 Scene 3 - Pg 147 line 1770Go, get you gone, and pray be careful all,
line 1771And leave you not a man-of-war unsearched.
line 1772This wicked emperor may have shipped her hence,
line 1773And, kinsmen, then we may go pipe for justice.
MARCUS
25line 1774O Publius, is not this a heavy case
line 1775To see thy noble uncle thus distract?
PUBLIUS
line 1776Therefore, my lords, it highly us concerns
line 1777By day and night t’ attend him carefully,
line 1778And feed his humor kindly as we may,
30line 1779Till time beget some careful remedy.
MARCUS
line 1780Kinsmen, his sorrows are past remedy
line 1781But …
line 1782Join with the Goths, and with revengeful war
line 1783Take wreak on Rome for this ingratitude,
35line 1784And vengeance on the traitor Saturnine.
TITUS
line 1785Publius, how now? How now, my masters?
line 1786What, have you met with her?
PUBLIUS
line 1787No, my good lord, but Pluto sends you word,
line 1788If you will have Revenge from hell, you shall.
40line 1789Marry, for Justice, she is so employed,
line 1790He thinks, with Jove in heaven, or somewhere else,
line 1791So that perforce you must needs stay a time.
TITUS
line 1792He doth me wrong to feed me with delays.
line 1793I’ll dive into the burning lake below
45line 1794And pull her out of Acheron by the heels.
line 1795Marcus, we are but shrubs, no cedars we,
line 1796No big-boned men framed of the Cyclops’ size,
line 1797But metal, Marcus, steel to the very back,
line 1798Yet wrung with wrongs more than our backs can
50line 1799bear;
Act 4 Scene 3 - Pg 149 line 1800And sith there’s no justice in Earth nor hell,
line 1801We will solicit heaven and move the gods
line 1802To send down Justice for to wreak our wrongs.
line 1803Come, to this gear. You are a good archer, Marcus.

He gives them the arrows.

55line 1804“Ad Jovem,” that’s for you;—here, “Ad Apollinem”;—
line 1805“Ad Martem,” that’s for myself;—
line 1806Here, boy, “to Pallas”;—here, “to Mercury”;—
line 1807“To Saturn,” Caius—not to Saturnine!
line 1808You were as good to shoot against the wind.
60line 1809To it, boy!—Marcus, loose when I bid.
line 1810Of my word, I have written to effect;
line 1811There’s not a god left unsolicited.
MARCUS
line 1812Kinsmen, shoot all your shafts into the court.
line 1813We will afflict the Emperor in his pride.
TITUS
65line 1814Now, masters, draw. They shoot. O, well said,
line 1815Lucius!
line 1816Good boy, in Virgo’s lap! Give it Pallas.
MARCUS
line 1817My lord, I aim a mile beyond the moon.
line 1818Your letter is with Jupiter by this.
TITUS
70line 1819Ha, ha! Publius, Publius, what hast thou done?
line 1820See, see, thou hast shot off one of Taurus’ horns!
MARCUS
line 1821This was the sport, my lord; when Publius shot,
line 1822The Bull, being galled, gave Aries such a knock
line 1823That down fell both the Ram’s horns in the court,
75line 1824And who should find them but the Empress’ villain?
line 1825She laughed and told the Moor he should not choose
line 1826But give them to his master for a present.
TITUS
line 1827Why, there it goes. God give his Lordship joy!
Act 4 Scene 3 - Pg 151

Enter a country fellow with a basket and two pigeons in it.

line 1828News, news from heaven! Marcus, the post is
80line 1829come.—
line 1830Sirrah, what tidings? Have you any letters?
line 1831Shall I have Justice? What says Jupiter?
line 1832COUNTRY FELLOWHo, the gibbet-maker? He says that
line 1833he hath taken them down again, for the man must
85line 1834not be hanged till the next week.
line 1835TITUSBut what says Jupiter, I ask thee?
line 1836COUNTRY FELLOWAlas, sir, I know not Jubiter; I never
line 1837drank with him in all my life.
line 1838TITUSWhy, villain, art not thou the carrier?
90line 1839COUNTRY FELLOWAy, of my pigeons, sir; nothing else.
line 1840TITUSWhy, didst thou not come from heaven?
line 1841COUNTRY FELLOWFrom heaven? Alas, sir, I never
line 1842came there. God forbid I should be so bold to press
line 1843to heaven in my young days. Why, I am going with
95line 1844my pigeons to the tribunal plebs, to take up a matter
line 1845of brawl betwixt my uncle and one of the Emperal’s
line 1846men.
line 1847MARCUSto Titus Why, sir, that is as fit as can be to
line 1848serve for your oration; and let him deliver the pigeons
100line 1849to the Emperor from you.
line 1850TITUSTell me, can you deliver an oration to the Emperor
line 1851with a grace?
line 1852COUNTRY FELLOWNay, truly, sir, I could never say
line 1853grace in all my life.
TITUS
105line 1854Sirrah, come hither. Make no more ado,
line 1855But give your pigeons to the Emperor.
line 1856By me thou shalt have justice at his hands.
line 1857Hold, hold; meanwhile here’s money for thy
Act 4 Scene 4 - Pg 153 line 1858charges.—Give me pen and ink.—Sirrah, can you
110line 1859with a grace deliver up a supplication?

He writes.

line 1860COUNTRY FELLOWAy, sir.
line 1861TITUSThen here is a supplication for you, and when
line 1862you come to him, at the first approach you must
line 1863kneel, then kiss his foot, then deliver up your pigeons,
115line 1864and then look for your reward. I’ll be at
line 1865hand, sir. See you do it bravely.

He hands him a paper.

line 1866COUNTRY FELLOWI warrant you, sir. Let me alone.
TITUS
line 1867Sirrah, hast thou a knife? Come, let me see it.—

He takes the knife and gives it to Marcus.

line 1868Here, Marcus, fold it in the oration,
120line 1869For thou hast made it like an humble suppliant.—
line 1870And when thou hast given it to the Emperor,
line 1871Knock at my door and tell me what he says.
line 1872COUNTRY FELLOWGod be with you, sir. I will.

He exits.

line 1873TITUSCome, Marcus, let us go.—Publius, follow me.

They exit.

Scene 4

Enter Emperor Saturninus and Empress Tamora and her two sons Chiron and Demetrius, with Attendants. The Emperor brings the arrows in his hand that Titus shot at him.

SATURNINUS
line 1874Why, lords, what wrongs are these! Was ever seen
line 1875An emperor in Rome thus overborne,
line 1876Troubled, confronted thus, and for the extent
line 1877Of equal justice, used in such contempt?
Act 4 Scene 4 - Pg 155 5line 1878My lords, you know, as know the mightful gods,
line 1879However these disturbers of our peace
line 1880Buzz in the people’s ears, there naught hath passed
line 1881But even with law against the willful sons
line 1882Of old Andronicus. And what an if
10line 1883His sorrows have so overwhelmed his wits?
line 1884Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks,
line 1885His fits, his frenzy, and his bitterness?
line 1886And now he writes to heaven for his redress!
line 1887See, here’s “to Jove,” and this “to Mercury,”
15line 1888This “to Apollo,” this to the god of war.
line 1889Sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of Rome!
line 1890What’s this but libeling against the Senate
line 1891And blazoning our unjustice everywhere?
line 1892A goodly humor is it not, my lords?
20line 1893As who would say, in Rome no justice were.
line 1894But if I live, his feignèd ecstasies
line 1895Shall be no shelter to these outrages,
line 1896But he and his shall know that justice lives
line 1897In Saturninus’ health, whom, if he sleep,
25line 1898He’ll so awake as he in fury shall
line 1899Cut off the proud’st conspirator that lives.
TAMORA
line 1900My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine,
line 1901Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,
line 1902Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus’ age,
30line 1903Th’ effects of sorrow for his valiant sons,
line 1904Whose loss hath pierced him deep and scarred his
line 1905heart,
line 1906And rather comfort his distressèd plight
line 1907Than prosecute the meanest or the best
35line 1908For these contempts. Aside. Why, thus it shall
line 1909become
line 1910High-witted Tamora to gloze with all.
line 1911But, Titus, I have touched thee to the quick.
line 1912Thy lifeblood out, if Aaron now be wise,
40line 1913Then is all safe, the anchor in the port.
Act 4 Scene 4 - Pg 157

Enter Country Fellow.

line 1914How now, good fellow, wouldst thou speak with us?
line 1915COUNTRY FELLOWYea, forsooth, an your Mistresship be
line 1916emperial.
TAMORA
line 1917Empress I am, but yonder sits the Emperor.
45line 1918COUNTRY FELLOW’Tis he!—God and Saint Stephen
line 1919give you good e’en. I have brought you a letter and
line 1920a couple of pigeons here.

Saturninus reads the letter.

SATURNINUS
line 1921Go, take him away, and hang him presently.
line 1922COUNTRY FELLOWHow much money must I have?
50line 1923TAMORACome, sirrah, you must be hanged.
line 1924COUNTRY FELLOWHanged! By ’r Lady, then I have
line 1925brought up a neck to a fair end.

He exits with Attendants.

SATURNINUS
line 1926Despiteful and intolerable wrongs!
line 1927Shall I endure this monstrous villainy?
55line 1928I know from whence this same device proceeds.
line 1929May this be borne?—as if his traitorous sons,
line 1930That died by law for murder of our brother,
line 1931Have by my means been butchered wrongfully!
line 1932Go, drag the villain hither by the hair.
60line 1933Nor age nor honor shall shape privilege.
line 1934For this proud mock, I’ll be thy slaughterman,
line 1935Sly, frantic wretch, that holp’st to make me great
line 1936In hope thyself should govern Rome and me.

Enter nuntius, Aemilius.

line 1937SATURNINUSWhat news with thee, Aemilius?
AEMILIUS
65line 1938Arm, my lords! Rome never had more cause.
line 1939The Goths have gathered head, and with a power
Act 4 Scene 4 - Pg 159 line 1940Of high-resolvèd men bent to the spoil,
line 1941They hither march amain under conduct
line 1942Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus,
70line 1943Who threats, in course of this revenge, to do
line 1944As much as ever Coriolanus did.
SATURNINUS
line 1945Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths?
line 1946These tidings nip me, and I hang the head
line 1947As flowers with frost or grass beat down with storms.
75line 1948Ay, now begins our sorrows to approach.
line 1949’Tis he the common people love so much.
line 1950Myself hath often heard them say,
line 1951When I have walkèd like a private man,
line 1952That Lucius’ banishment was wrongfully,
80line 1953And they have wished that Lucius were their emperor.
TAMORA
line 1954Why should you fear? Is not your city strong?
SATURNINUS
line 1955Ay, but the citizens favor Lucius
line 1956And will revolt from me to succor him.
TAMORA
line 1957King, be thy thoughts imperious like thy name.
85line 1958Is the sun dimmed that gnats do fly in it?
line 1959The eagle suffers little birds to sing
line 1960And is not careful what they mean thereby,
line 1961Knowing that with the shadow of his wings
line 1962He can at pleasure stint their melody.
90line 1963Even so mayst thou the giddy men of Rome.
line 1964Then cheer thy spirit, for know, thou emperor,
line 1965I will enchant the old Andronicus
line 1966With words more sweet and yet more dangerous
line 1967Than baits to fish or honey-stalks to sheep,
95line 1968Whenas the one is wounded with the bait,
line 1969The other rotted with delicious feed.
SATURNINUS
line 1970But he will not entreat his son for us.
Act 4 Scene 4 - Pg 161 TAMORA
line 1971If Tamora entreat him, then he will,
line 1972For I can smooth and fill his agèd ears
100line 1973With golden promises, that were his heart
line 1974Almost impregnable, his old ears deaf,
line 1975Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue.
line 1976To Aemilius. Go thou before to be our ambassador.
line 1977Say that the Emperor requests a parley
105line 1978Of warlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting
line 1979Even at his father’s house, the old Andronicus.
SATURNINUS
line 1980Aemilius, do this message honorably,
line 1981And if he stand in hostage for his safety,
line 1982Bid him demand what pledge will please him best.
AEMILIUS
110line 1983Your bidding shall I do effectually.

He exits.

TAMORA
line 1984Now will I to that old Andronicus
line 1985And temper him with all the art I have
line 1986To pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths.
line 1987And now, sweet emperor, be blithe again,
115line 1988And bury all thy fear in my devices.
SATURNINUS
line 1989Then go successantly, and plead to him.

They exit.

ACT 5

Scene 1

Flourish. Enter Lucius with an army of Goths, with Drums and Soldiers.

LUCIUS
line 1990Approvèd warriors and my faithful friends,
line 1991I have receivèd letters from great Rome
line 1992Which signifies what hate they bear their emperor
line 1993And how desirous of our sight they are.
5line 1994Therefore, great lords, be as your titles witness,
line 1995Imperious, and impatient of your wrongs,
line 1996And wherein Rome hath done you any scathe,
line 1997Let him make treble satisfaction.
FIRST GOTH
line 1998Brave slip sprung from the great Andronicus,
10line 1999Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort,
line 2000Whose high exploits and honorable deeds
line 2001Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt,
line 2002Be bold in us. We’ll follow where thou lead’st,
line 2003Like stinging bees in hottest summer’s day
15line 2004Led by their master to the flowered fields,
line 2005And be avenged on cursèd Tamora.
GOTHS
line 2006And as he saith, so say we all with him.
LUCIUS
line 2007I humbly thank him, and I thank you all.
line 2008But who comes here, led by a lusty Goth?
Act 5 Scene 1 - Pg 167

Enter a Goth, leading of Aaron with his child in his arms.

SECOND GOTH
20line 2009Renownèd Lucius, from our troops I strayed
line 2010To gaze upon a ruinous monastery,
line 2011And as I earnestly did fix mine eye
line 2012Upon the wasted building, suddenly
line 2013I heard a child cry underneath a wall.
25line 2014I made unto the noise, when soon I heard
line 2015The crying babe controlled with this discourse:
line 2016“Peace, tawny slave, half me and half thy dame!
line 2017Did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art,
line 2018Had nature lent thee but thy mother’s look,
30line 2019Villain, thou mightst have been an emperor.
line 2020But where the bull and cow are both milk white,
line 2021They never do beget a coal-black calf.
line 2022Peace, villain, peace!”—even thus he rates the babe—
line 2023“For I must bear thee to a trusty Goth
35line 2024Who, when he knows thou art the Empress’ babe,
line 2025Will hold thee dearly for thy mother’s sake.”
line 2026With this, my weapon drawn, I rushed upon him,
line 2027Surprised him suddenly, and brought him hither
line 2028To use as you think needful of the man.
LUCIUS
40line 2029O worthy Goth, this is the incarnate devil
line 2030That robbed Andronicus of his good hand;
line 2031This is the pearl that pleased your empress’ eye;
line 2032And here’s the base fruit of her burning lust.—
line 2033Say, wall-eyed slave, whither wouldst thou convey
45line 2034This growing image of thy fiendlike face?
line 2035Why dost not speak? What, deaf? Not a word?—
line 2036A halter, soldiers! Hang him on this tree,
line 2037And by his side his fruit of bastardy.
AARON
line 2038Touch not the boy. He is of royal blood.
Act 5 Scene 1 - Pg 169 LUCIUS
50line 2039Too like the sire for ever being good.
line 2040First hang the child, that he may see it sprawl,
line 2041A sight to vex the father’s soul withal.
line 2042Get me a ladder.

A ladder is brought, which Aaron is made to climb.

line 2043AARONLucius, save the child
55line 2044And bear it from me to the Empress.
line 2045If thou do this, I’ll show thee wondrous things
line 2046That highly may advantage thee to hear.
line 2047If thou wilt not, befall what may befall,
line 2048I’ll speak no more but “Vengeance rot you all!”
LUCIUS
60line 2049Say on, and if it please me which thou speak’st,
line 2050Thy child shall live, and I will see it nourished.
AARON
line 2051And if it please thee? Why, assure thee, Lucius,
line 2052’Twill vex thy soul to hear what I shall speak;
line 2053For I must talk of murders, rapes, and massacres,
65line 2054Acts of black night, abominable deeds,
line 2055Complots of mischief, treason, villainies,
line 2056Ruthful to hear, yet piteously performed.
line 2057And this shall all be buried in my death,
line 2058Unless thou swear to me my child shall live.
LUCIUS
70line 2059Tell on thy mind. I say thy child shall live.
AARON
line 2060Swear that he shall, and then I will begin.
LUCIUS
line 2061Who should I swear by? Thou believest no god.
line 2062That granted, how canst thou believe an oath?
AARON
line 2063What if I do not? As indeed I do not.
75line 2064Yet, for I know thou art religious
line 2065And hast a thing within thee callèd conscience,
line 2066With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies
Act 5 Scene 1 - Pg 171 line 2067Which I have seen thee careful to observe,
line 2068Therefore I urge thy oath; for that I know
80line 2069An idiot holds his bauble for a god
line 2070And keeps the oath which by that god he swears,
line 2071To that I’ll urge him. Therefore thou shalt vow
line 2072By that same god, what god soe’er it be
line 2073That thou adorest and hast in reverence,
85line 2074To save my boy, to nourish and bring him up,
line 2075Or else I will discover naught to thee.
LUCIUS
line 2076Even by my god I swear to thee I will.
AARON
line 2077First know thou, I begot him on the Empress.
LUCIUS
line 2078O, most insatiate and luxurious woman!
AARON
90line 2079Tut, Lucius, this was but a deed of charity
line 2080To that which thou shalt hear of me anon.
line 2081’Twas her two sons that murdered Bassianus.
line 2082They cut thy sister’s tongue, and ravished her,
line 2083And cut her hands, and trimmed her as thou sawest.
LUCIUS
95line 2084O detestable villain, call’st thou that trimming?
AARON
line 2085Why, she was washed, and cut, and trimmed; and
line 2086’twas
line 2087Trim sport for them which had the doing of it.
LUCIUS
line 2088O, barbarous beastly villains, like thyself!
AARON
100line 2089Indeed, I was their tutor to instruct them.
line 2090That codding spirit had they from their mother,
line 2091As sure a card as ever won the set;
line 2092That bloody mind I think they learned of me,
line 2093As true a dog as ever fought at head.
105line 2094Well, let my deeds be witness of my worth.
Act 5 Scene 1 - Pg 173 line 2095I trained thy brethren to that guileful hole
line 2096Where the dead corpse of Bassianus lay.
line 2097I wrote the letter that thy father found,
line 2098And hid the gold within that letter mentioned,
110line 2099Confederate with the Queen and her two sons.
line 2100And what not done that thou hast cause to rue,
line 2101Wherein I had no stroke of mischief in it?
line 2102I played the cheater for thy father’s hand,
line 2103And, when I had it, drew myself apart
115line 2104And almost broke my heart with extreme laughter.
line 2105I pried me through the crevice of a wall
line 2106When, for his hand, he had his two sons’ heads,
line 2107Beheld his tears, and laughed so heartily
line 2108That both mine eyes were rainy like to his.
120line 2109And when I told the Empress of this sport,
line 2110She sounded almost at my pleasing tale,
line 2111And for my tidings gave me twenty kisses.
GOTH
line 2112What, canst thou say all this and never blush?
AARON
line 2113Ay, like a black dog, as the saying is.
LUCIUS
125line 2114Art thou not sorry for these heinous deeds?
AARON
line 2115Ay, that I had not done a thousand more.
line 2116Even now I curse the day—and yet, I think,
line 2117Few come within the compass of my curse—
line 2118Wherein I did not some notorious ill,
130line 2119As kill a man, or else devise his death;
line 2120Ravish a maid or plot the way to do it;
line 2121Accuse some innocent and forswear myself;
line 2122Set deadly enmity between two friends;
line 2123Make poor men’s cattle break their necks;
135line 2124Set fire on barns and haystalks in the night,
line 2125And bid the owners quench them with their tears.
line 2126Oft have I digged up dead men from their graves
line 2127And set them upright at their dear friends’ door,
Act 5 Scene 1 - Pg 175 line 2128Even when their sorrows almost was forgot,
140line 2129And on their skins, as on the bark of trees,
line 2130Have with my knife carvèd in Roman letters
line 2131“Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead.”
line 2132But I have done a thousand dreadful things
line 2133As willingly as one would kill a fly,
145line 2134And nothing grieves me heartily indeed
line 2135But that I cannot do ten thousand more.
LUCIUS
line 2136Bring down the devil, for he must not die
line 2137So sweet a death as hanging presently.

Aaron is brought down from the ladder.

AARON
line 2138If there be devils, would I were a devil,
150line 2139To live and burn in everlasting fire,
line 2140So I might have your company in hell
line 2141But to torment you with my bitter tongue.
LUCIUS
line 2142Sirs, stop his mouth, and let him speak no more.

Enter Aemilius.

GOTH
line 2143My lord, there is a messenger from Rome
155line 2144Desires to be admitted to your presence.
line 2145LUCIUSLet him come near.Aemilius comes forward.
line 2146Welcome, Aemilius. What’s the news from Rome?
AEMILIUS
line 2147Lord Lucius, and you princes of the Goths,
line 2148The Roman Emperor greets you all by me;
160line 2149And, for he understands you are in arms,
line 2150He craves a parley at your father’s house,
line 2151Willing you to demand your hostages,
line 2152And they shall be immediately delivered.
line 2153GOTHWhat says our general?
LUCIUS
165line 2154Aemilius, let the Emperor give his pledges
Act 5 Scene 2 - Pg 177 line 2155Unto my father and my uncle Marcus,
line 2156And we will come. March away.

They exit.

Scene 2

Enter Tamora and her two sons, disguised.

TAMORA
line 2157Thus, in this strange and sad habiliment
line 2158I will encounter with Andronicus
line 2159And say I am Revenge, sent from below
line 2160To join with him and right his heinous wrongs.
5line 2161Knock at his study, where they say he keeps
line 2162To ruminate strange plots of dire revenge.
line 2163Tell him Revenge is come to join with him
line 2164And work confusion on his enemies.

They knock, and Titus (above) opens his study door.

TITUS
line 2165Who doth molest my contemplation?
10line 2166Is it your trick to make me ope the door,
line 2167That so my sad decrees may fly away
line 2168And all my study be to no effect?
line 2169You are deceived, for what I mean to do,
line 2170See here, in bloody lines I have set down,
15line 2171And what is written shall be executed.
TAMORA
line 2172Titus, I am come to talk with thee.
TITUS
line 2173No, not a word. How can I grace my talk,
line 2174Wanting a hand to give it action?
line 2175Thou hast the odds of me; therefore, no more.
TAMORA
20line 2176If thou didst know me, thou wouldst talk with me.
Act 5 Scene 2 - Pg 179 TITUS
line 2177I am not mad. I know thee well enough.
line 2178Witness this wretched stump; witness these crimson
line 2179lines;
line 2180Witness these trenches made by grief and care;
25line 2181Witness the tiring day and heavy night;
line 2182Witness all sorrow that I know thee well
line 2183For our proud empress, mighty Tamora.
line 2184Is not thy coming for my other hand?
TAMORA
line 2185Know, thou sad man, I am not Tamora.
30line 2186She is thy enemy, and I thy friend.
line 2187I am Revenge, sent from th’ infernal kingdom
line 2188To ease the gnawing vulture of thy mind
line 2189By working wreakful vengeance on thy foes.
line 2190Come down and welcome me to this world’s light.
35line 2191Confer with me of murder and of death.
line 2192There’s not a hollow cave or lurking-place,
line 2193No vast obscurity or misty vale
line 2194Where bloody murder or detested rape
line 2195Can couch for fear but I will find them out,
40line 2196And in their ears tell them my dreadful name,
line 2197Revenge, which makes the foul offender quake.
TITUS
line 2198Art thou Revenge? And art thou sent to me
line 2199To be a torment to mine enemies?
TAMORA
line 2200I am. Therefore come down and welcome me.
TITUS
45line 2201Do me some service ere I come to thee.
line 2202Lo, by thy side, where Rape and Murder stands,
line 2203Now give some surance that thou art Revenge:
line 2204Stab them, or tear them on thy chariot wheels,
line 2205And then I’ll come and be thy wagoner,
50line 2206And whirl along with thee about the globe,
line 2207Provide thee two proper palfreys, black as jet,
line 2208To hale thy vengeful wagon swift away,
Act 5 Scene 2 - Pg 181 line 2209And find out murderers in their guilty caves.
line 2210And when thy car is loaden with their heads,
55line 2211I will dismount and by thy wagon wheel
line 2212Trot like a servile footman all day long,
line 2213Even from Hyperion’s rising in the east
line 2214Until his very downfall in the sea.
line 2215And day by day I’ll do this heavy task,
60line 2216So thou destroy Rapine and Murder there.
TAMORA
line 2217These are my ministers and come with me.
TITUS
line 2218Are they thy ministers? What are they called?
TAMORA
line 2219Rape and Murder; therefore callèd so
line 2220’Cause they take vengeance of such kind of men.
TITUS
65line 2221Good Lord, how like the Empress’ sons they are,
line 2222And you the Empress! But we worldly men
line 2223Have miserable, mad, mistaking eyes.
line 2224O sweet Revenge, now do I come to thee,
line 2225And if one arm’s embracement will content thee,
70line 2226I will embrace thee in it by and by.

He exits above.

TAMORA
line 2227This closing with him fits his lunacy.
line 2228Whate’er I forge to feed his brainsick humors,
line 2229Do you uphold and maintain in your speeches,
line 2230For now he firmly takes me for Revenge;
75line 2231And, being credulous in this mad thought,
line 2232I’ll make him send for Lucius his son;
line 2233And whilst I at a banquet hold him sure,
line 2234I’ll find some cunning practice out of hand
line 2235To scatter and disperse the giddy Goths,
80line 2236Or, at the least, make them his enemies.
line 2237See, here he comes, and I must ply my theme.
Act 5 Scene 2 - Pg 183

Enter Titus.

TITUS
line 2238Long have I been forlorn, and all for thee.
line 2239Welcome, dread Fury, to my woeful house.—
line 2240Rapine and Murder, you are welcome too.
85line 2241How like the Empress and her sons you are!
line 2242Well are you fitted, had you but a Moor.
line 2243Could not all hell afford you such a devil?
line 2244For well I wot the Empress never wags
line 2245But in her company there is a Moor;
90line 2246And, would you represent our queen aright,
line 2247It were convenient you had such a devil.
line 2248But welcome as you are. What shall we do?
TAMORA
line 2249What wouldst thou have us do, Andronicus?
DEMETRIUS
line 2250Show me a murderer; I’ll deal with him.
CHIRON
95line 2251Show me a villain that hath done a rape,
line 2252And I am sent to be revenged on him.
TAMORA
line 2253Show me a thousand that hath done thee wrong,
line 2254And I will be revengèd on them all.
TITUSto Demetrius
line 2255Look round about the wicked streets of Rome,
100line 2256And when thou findst a man that’s like thyself,
line 2257Good Murder, stab him; he’s a murderer.
line 2258To Chiron. Go thou with him, and when it is thy
line 2259hap
line 2260To find another that is like to thee,
105line 2261Good Rapine, stab him; he is a ravisher.
line 2262To Tamora. Go thou with them; and in the
line 2263Emperor’s court
line 2264There is a queen attended by a Moor.
line 2265Well shalt thou know her by thine own proportion,
Act 5 Scene 2 - Pg 185 110line 2266For up and down she doth resemble thee.
line 2267I pray thee, do on them some violent death.
line 2268They have been violent to me and mine.
TAMORA
line 2269Well hast thou lessoned us; this shall we do.
line 2270But would it please thee, good Andronicus,
115line 2271To send for Lucius, thy thrice-valiant son,
line 2272Who leads towards Rome a band of warlike Goths,
line 2273And bid him come and banquet at thy house?
line 2274When he is here, even at thy solemn feast,
line 2275I will bring in the Empress and her sons,
120line 2276The Emperor himself, and all thy foes,
line 2277And at thy mercy shall they stoop and kneel,
line 2278And on them shalt thou ease thy angry heart.
line 2279What says Andronicus to this device?
TITUScalling
line 2280Marcus, my brother, ’tis sad Titus calls.

Enter Marcus.

125line 2281Go, gentle Marcus, to thy nephew Lucius.
line 2282Thou shalt inquire him out among the Goths.
line 2283Bid him repair to me and bring with him
line 2284Some of the chiefest princes of the Goths.
line 2285Bid him encamp his soldiers where they are.
130line 2286Tell him the Emperor and the Empress too
line 2287Feast at my house, and he shall feast with them.
line 2288This do thou for my love, and so let him,
line 2289As he regards his agèd father’s life.
MARCUS
line 2290This will I do, and soon return again.Marcus exits.
TAMORA
135line 2291Now will I hence about thy business
line 2292And take my ministers along with me.
TITUS
line 2293Nay, nay, let Rape and Murder stay with me,
line 2294Or else I’ll call my brother back again
line 2295And cleave to no revenge but Lucius.
Act 5 Scene 2 - Pg 187 TAMORAaside to Chiron and Demetrius
140line 2296What say you, boys? Will you abide with him
line 2297Whiles I go tell my lord the Emperor
line 2298How I have governed our determined jest?
line 2299Yield to his humor, smooth and speak him fair,
line 2300And tarry with him till I turn again.
TITUSaside
145line 2301I knew them all, though they supposed me mad,
line 2302And will o’erreach them in their own devices—
line 2303A pair of cursèd hellhounds and their dam!
DEMETRIUSaside to Tamora
line 2304Madam, depart at pleasure. Leave us here.
TAMORA
line 2305Farewell, Andronicus. Revenge now goes
150line 2306To lay a complot to betray thy foes.
TITUS
line 2307I know thou dost; and, sweet Revenge, farewell.

Tamora exits.

CHIRON
line 2308Tell us, old man, how shall we be employed?
TITUS
line 2309Tut, I have work enough for you to do.—
line 2310Publius, come hither; Caius, and Valentine.

Publius, Caius, and Valentine enter.

155line 2311PUBLIUSWhat is your will?
line 2312TITUSKnow you these two?
PUBLIUS
line 2313The Empress’ sons, I take them—Chiron, Demetrius.
TITUS
line 2314Fie, Publius, fie, thou art too much deceived.
line 2315The one is Murder, and Rape is the other’s name;
160line 2316And therefore bind them, gentle Publius.
line 2317Caius and Valentine, lay hands on them.
Act 5 Scene 2 - Pg 189 line 2318Oft have you heard me wish for such an hour,
line 2319And now I find it. Therefore bind them sure,
line 2320And stop their mouths if they begin to cry.

Titus exits.

CHIRON
165line 2321Villains, forbear! We are the Empress’ sons.
PUBLIUS
line 2322And therefore do we what we are commanded.—
line 2323Stop close their mouths; let them not speak a word.
line 2324Is he sure bound? Look that you bind them fast.

Enter Titus Andronicus with a knife, and Lavinia with a basin.

TITUS
line 2325Come, come, Lavinia. Look, thy foes are bound.—
170line 2326Sirs, stop their mouths. Let them not speak to me,
line 2327But let them hear what fearful words I utter.—
line 2328O villains, Chiron and Demetrius!
line 2329Here stands the spring whom you have stained with
line 2330mud,
175line 2331This goodly summer with your winter mixed.
line 2332You killed her husband, and for that vile fault
line 2333Two of her brothers were condemned to death,
line 2334My hand cut off and made a merry jest,
line 2335Both her sweet hands, her tongue, and that more dear
180line 2336Than hands or tongue, her spotless chastity,
line 2337Inhuman traitors, you constrained and forced.
line 2338What would you say if I should let you speak?
line 2339Villains, for shame you could not beg for grace.
line 2340Hark, wretches, how I mean to martyr you.
185line 2341This one hand yet is left to cut your throats,
line 2342Whiles that Lavinia ’tween her stumps doth hold
line 2343The basin that receives your guilty blood.
line 2344You know your mother means to feast with me,
line 2345And calls herself Revenge, and thinks me mad.
190line 2346Hark, villains, I will grind your bones to dust,
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 191 line 2347And with your blood and it I’ll make a paste,
line 2348And of the paste a coffin I will rear,
line 2349And make two pasties of your shameful heads,
line 2350And bid that strumpet, your unhallowed dam,
195line 2351Like to the earth swallow her own increase.
line 2352This is the feast that I have bid her to,
line 2353And this the banquet she shall surfeit on;
line 2354For worse than Philomel you used my daughter,
line 2355And worse than Procne I will be revenged.
200line 2356And now prepare your throats.—Lavinia, come,
line 2357Receive the blood.He cuts their throats.
line 2358And when that they are dead,
line 2359Let me go grind their bones to powder small,
line 2360And with this hateful liquor temper it,
205line 2361And in that paste let their vile heads be baked.
line 2362Come, come, be everyone officious
line 2363To make this banquet, which I wish may prove
line 2364More stern and bloody than the Centaurs’ feast.
line 2365So. Now bring them in, for I’ll play the cook
210line 2366And see them ready against their mother comes.

They exit, carrying the dead bodies.

Scene 3

Enter Lucius, Marcus, and the Goths, with Aaron, Guards, and an Attendant carrying the baby.

LUCIUS
line 2367Uncle Marcus, since ’tis my father’s mind
line 2368That I repair to Rome, I am content.
FIRST GOTH
line 2369And ours with thine, befall what fortune will.
LUCIUS
line 2370Good uncle, take you in this barbarous Moor,
5line 2371This ravenous tiger, this accursèd devil.
line 2372Let him receive no sust’nance. Fetter him
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 193 line 2373Till he be brought unto the Empress’ face
line 2374For testimony of her foul proceedings.
line 2375And see the ambush of our friends be strong.
10line 2376I fear the Emperor means no good to us.
AARON
line 2377Some devil whisper curses in my ear
line 2378And prompt me that my tongue may utter forth
line 2379The venomous malice of my swelling heart.
LUCIUS
line 2380Away, inhuman dog, unhallowed slave!—
15line 2381Sirs, help our uncle to convey him in.

Sound trumpets.

line 2382The trumpets show the Emperor is at hand.

Guards and Aaron exit.

Enter Emperor Saturninus and Empress Tamora with Aemilius, Tribunes, Attendants, and others.

SATURNINUS
line 2383What, hath the firmament more suns than one?
LUCIUS
line 2384What boots it thee to call thyself a sun?
MARCUS
line 2385Rome’s emperor, and nephew, break the parle.
20line 2386These quarrels must be quietly debated.
line 2387The feast is ready which the careful Titus
line 2388Hath ordained to an honorable end,
line 2389For peace, for love, for league and good to Rome.
line 2390Please you therefore draw nigh and take your places.
25line 2391SATURNINUSMarcus, we will.

Trumpets sounding, enter Titus like a cook, placing the dishes, with young Lucius and others, and Lavinia with a veil over her face.

TITUS
line 2392Welcome, my lord;—welcome, dread queen;—
line 2393Welcome, you warlike Goths;—welcome, Lucius;—
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 195 line 2394And welcome, all. Although the cheer be poor,
line 2395’Twill fill your stomachs. Please you eat of it.

They begin to eat.

SATURNINUS
30line 2396Why art thou thus attired, Andronicus?
TITUS
line 2397Because I would be sure to have all well
line 2398To entertain your Highness and your empress.
TAMORA
line 2399We are beholding to you, good Andronicus.
TITUS
line 2400An if your Highness knew my heart, you were.—
35line 2401My lord the Emperor, resolve me this:
line 2402Was it well done of rash Virginius
line 2403To slay his daughter with his own right hand
line 2404Because she was enforced, stained, and deflowered?
line 2405SATURNINUSIt was, Andronicus.
40line 2406TITUSYour reason, mighty lord?
SATURNINUS
line 2407Because the girl should not survive her shame,
line 2408And by her presence still renew his sorrows.
TITUS
line 2409A reason mighty, strong, and effectual;
line 2410A pattern, precedent, and lively warrant
45line 2411For me, most wretched, to perform the like.
line 2412Die, die, Lavinia, and thy shame with thee,
line 2413And with thy shame thy father’s sorrow die.

He kills Lavinia.

SATURNINUS
line 2414What hast thou done, unnatural and unkind?
TITUS
line 2415Killed her for whom my tears have made me blind.
50line 2416I am as woeful as Virginius was,
line 2417And have a thousand times more cause than he
line 2418To do this outrage, and it now is done.
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 197 SATURNINUS
line 2419What, was she ravished? Tell who did the deed.
TITUS
line 2420Will ’t please you eat?—Will ’t please your Highness
55line 2421feed?
TAMORA
line 2422Why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus?
TITUS
line 2423Not I; ’twas Chiron and Demetrius.
line 2424They ravished her and cut away her tongue,
line 2425And they, ’twas they, that did her all this wrong.
SATURNINUS
60line 2426Go fetch them hither to us presently.
TITUS
line 2427Why, there they are, both bakèd in this pie,
line 2428Whereof their mother daintily hath fed,
line 2429Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred.
line 2430’Tis true, ’tis true! Witness my knife’s sharp point.

He stabs the Empress.

SATURNINUS
65line 2431Die, frantic wretch, for this accursèd deed.

He kills Titus.

LUCIUS
line 2432Can the son’s eye behold his father bleed?

He kills Saturninus.

line 2433There’s meed for meed, death for a deadly deed.

A great tumult. Lucius, Marcus, and others go aloft to the upper stage.

MARCUS
line 2434You sad-faced men, people and sons of Rome,
line 2435By uproars severed as a flight of fowl
70line 2436Scattered by winds and high tempestuous gusts,
line 2437O, let me teach you how to knit again
line 2438This scattered corn into one mutual sheaf,
line 2439These broken limbs again into one body,
line 2440Lest Rome herself be bane unto herself,
75line 2441And she whom mighty kingdoms curtsy to,
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 199 line 2442Like a forlorn and desperate castaway,
line 2443Do shameful execution on herself.
line 2444But if my frosty signs and chaps of age,
line 2445Grave witnesses of true experience,
80line 2446Cannot induce you to attend my words,

He turns to Lucius.

line 2447Speak, Rome’s dear friend, as erst our ancestor,
line 2448When with his solemn tongue he did discourse
line 2449To lovesick Dido’s sad-attending ear
line 2450The story of that baleful burning night
85line 2451When subtle Greeks surprised King Priam’s Troy.
line 2452Tell us what Sinon hath bewitched our ears,
line 2453Or who hath brought the fatal engine in
line 2454That gives our Troy, our Rome, the civil wound.—
line 2455My heart is not compact of flint nor steel,
90line 2456Nor can I utter all our bitter grief,
line 2457But floods of tears will drown my oratory
line 2458And break my utterance even in the time
line 2459When it should move you to attend me most
line 2460And force you to commiseration.
95line 2461Here’s Rome’s young captain. Let him tell the tale,
line 2462While I stand by and weep to hear him speak.
LUCIUS
line 2463Then, gracious auditory, be it known to you
line 2464That Chiron and the damned Demetrius
line 2465Were they that murderèd our emperor’s brother,
100line 2466And they it were that ravishèd our sister.
line 2467For their fell faults our brothers were beheaded,
line 2468Our father’s tears despised, and basely cozened
line 2469Of that true hand that fought Rome’s quarrel out
line 2470And sent her enemies unto the grave;
105line 2471Lastly, myself unkindly banishèd,
line 2472The gates shut on me, and turned weeping out
line 2473To beg relief among Rome’s enemies,
line 2474Who drowned their enmity in my true tears
line 2475And oped their arms to embrace me as a friend.
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 201 110line 2476I am the turned-forth, be it known to you,
line 2477That have preserved her welfare in my blood
line 2478And from her bosom took the enemy’s point,
line 2479Sheathing the steel in my advent’rous body.
line 2480Alas, you know I am no vaunter, I;
115line 2481My scars can witness, dumb although they are,
line 2482That my report is just and full of truth.
line 2483But soft, methinks I do digress too much,
line 2484Citing my worthless praise. O, pardon me,
line 2485For when no friends are by, men praise themselves.
MARCUS
120line 2486Now is my turn to speak. Behold the child.
line 2487Of this was Tamora deliverèd,
line 2488The issue of an irreligious Moor,
line 2489Chief architect and plotter of these woes.
line 2490The villain is alive in Titus’ house,
125line 2491And as he is to witness, this is true.
line 2492Now judge what cause had Titus to revenge
line 2493These wrongs unspeakable, past patience,
line 2494Or more than any living man could bear.
line 2495Now have you heard the truth. What say you,
130line 2496Romans?
line 2497Have we done aught amiss? Show us wherein,
line 2498And from the place where you behold us pleading,
line 2499The poor remainder of Andronici
line 2500Will, hand in hand, all headlong hurl ourselves,
135line 2501And on the ragged stones beat forth our souls,
line 2502And make a mutual closure of our house.
line 2503Speak, Romans, speak, and if you say we shall,
line 2504Lo, hand in hand, Lucius and I will fall.
AEMILIUS
line 2505Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome,
140line 2506And bring our emperor gently in thy hand,
line 2507Lucius our emperor, for well I know
line 2508The common voice do cry it shall be so.
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 203 ROMANS
line 2509Lucius, all hail, Rome’s royal emperor!
MARCUSto Attendants
line 2510Go, go into old Titus’ sorrowful house,
145line 2511And hither hale that misbelieving Moor
line 2512To be adjudged some direful slaught’ring death
line 2513As punishment for his most wicked life.

Attendants exit. Lucius and Marcus come down from the upper stage.

ROMANS
line 2514Lucius, all hail, Rome’s gracious governor!
LUCIUS
line 2515Thanks, gentle Romans. May I govern so
150line 2516To heal Rome’s harms and wipe away her woe!
line 2517But, gentle people, give me aim awhile,
line 2518For nature puts me to a heavy task.
line 2519Stand all aloof, but, uncle, draw you near
line 2520To shed obsequious tears upon this trunk.

He kisses Titus.

155line 2521O, take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips,
line 2522These sorrowful drops upon thy bloodstained face,
line 2523The last true duties of thy noble son.
MARCUS
line 2524Tear for tear, and loving kiss for kiss,
line 2525Thy brother Marcus tenders on thy lips.

He kisses Titus.

160line 2526O, were the sum of these that I should pay
line 2527Countless and infinite, yet would I pay them.
LUCIUSto Young Lucius
line 2528Come hither, boy. Come, come, and learn of us
line 2529To melt in showers. Thy grandsire loved thee well.
line 2530Many a time he danced thee on his knee,
165line 2531Sung thee asleep, his loving breast thy pillow;
line 2532Many a story hath he told to thee,
line 2533And bid thee bear his pretty tales in mind
line 2534And talk of them when he was dead and gone.
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 205 MARCUS
line 2535How many thousand times hath these poor lips,
170line 2536When they were living, warmed themselves on thine!
line 2537O, now, sweet boy, give them their latest kiss.
line 2538Bid him farewell; commit him to the grave.
line 2539Do them that kindness, and take leave of them.
YOUNG LUCIUS
line 2540O grandsire, grandsire, ev’n with all my heart
175line 2541Would I were dead so you did live again!

He kisses Titus.

line 2542O Lord, I cannot speak to him for weeping.
line 2543My tears will choke me if I ope my mouth.

Enter Aaron with Guards.

ROMAN
line 2544You sad Andronici, have done with woes.
line 2545Give sentence on this execrable wretch
180line 2546That hath been breeder of these dire events.
LUCIUS
line 2547Set him breast-deep in earth and famish him.
line 2548There let him stand and rave and cry for food.
line 2549If anyone relieves or pities him,
line 2550For the offense he dies. This is our doom.
185line 2551Some stay to see him fastened in the earth.
AARON
line 2552Ah, why should wrath be mute and fury dumb?
line 2553I am no baby, I, that with base prayers
line 2554I should repent the evils I have done.
line 2555Ten thousand worse than ever yet I did
190line 2556Would I perform, if I might have my will.
line 2557If one good deed in all my life I did,
line 2558I do repent it from my very soul.

Aaron is led off by Guards.

LUCIUS
line 2559Some loving friends convey the Emperor hence,
line 2560And give him burial in his fathers’ grave.
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 207 195line 2561My father and Lavinia shall forthwith
line 2562Be closèd in our household’s monument.
line 2563As for that ravenous tiger, Tamora,
line 2564No funeral rite, nor man in mourning weed;
line 2565No mournful bell shall ring her burial;
200line 2566But throw her forth to beasts and birds to prey.
line 2567Her life was beastly and devoid of pity,
line 2568And being dead, let birds on her take pity.

They exit, carrying the dead bodies.

Titus Andronicus

Copyright Notice

Contents

Summary

Dramatis Personæ

Dramatis Personæ

ACT 1

Scene 1

ACT 2

Scene 1

Scene 2

Scene 3

Scene 4

ACT 3

Scene 1

Scene 2

ACT 4

Scene 1

Scene 2

Scene 3

Scene 4

ACT 5

Scene 1

Scene 2

Scene 3

Title

Notes & Highlights

Reading History

Settings

Typography

Colour scheme

Tap zones