Текст книги "William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition"

Автор книги: William Shakespeare

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Ay, noble Titus, and resolved withal

To do myself this reason and this right.

MARCUS

Suum cuique is our Roman justice.

This prince in justice seizeth but his own.

LUCIUS

And that he will and shall, if Lucius live.

TITUS

Traitors, avaunt! Where is the Emperor’s guard?

MUTIUS

Brothers, help to convey her hence away,

And with my sword I’ll keep this door safe.

Exeunt Bassianus, Marcus, Quintus, and Martius, with Lavinia

(To Titus) My lord, you pass not here.

TITUS

What, villain boy,

Barr’st me my way in Rome?

He attacks Mutius

MUTIUS

Help, Lucius, help!

Titus kills him

LUCIUS (to Titus)

My lord, you are unjust; and more than so,

In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son.

TITUS

Nor thou nor he are any sons of mine.

My sons would never so dishonour me.

Traitor, restore Lavinia to the Emperor.

LUCIUS

Dead, if you will, but not to be his wife

That is another’s lawful promised love.

Exit with Mutius’ body

Enter aloft Saturninus the Emperor with Tamora

and Chiron and Demetrius, her two sons, and

Aaron the Moor

TITUS

Follow, my lord, and I’ll soon bring her back.

SATURNINUS

No, Titus, no. The Emperor needs her not,

Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock.

I’ll trust by leisure him that mocks me once,

Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons,

Confederates all thus to dishonour me.

Was none in Rome to make a stale

But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,

Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine

That saidst I begged the empire at thy hands.

TITUS

O monstrous, what reproachful words are these?

SATURNINUS

But go thy ways, go give that changing piece

To him that flourished for her with his sword.

A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy,

One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons,

To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.

TITUS

These words are razors to my wounded heart.

SATURNINUS

And therefore, lovely Tamora, Queen of Goths,

That like the stately Phoebe ‘mongst her nymphs

Dost overshine the gallant’st dames of Rome,

If thou be pleased with this my sudden choice,

Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride,

And will create thee Empress of Rome.

Speak, Queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my choice?

And here I swear by all the Roman gods,

Sith priest and holy water are so near,

And tapers burn so bright, and everything

In readiness for Hymenaeus stand,

I will not re-salute the streets of Rome,

Or climb my palace, till from forth this place

I lead espoused my bride along with me.

TAMORA

And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I swear

If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths

She will a handmaid be to his desires,

A loving nurse, a mother to his youth.

SATURNINUS

Ascend, fair Queen, Pantheon. Lords, accompany

Your noble emperor and his lovely bride,

Sent by the heavens for Prince Saturnine,

Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered.

There shall we consummate our spousal rites.

Exeunt all but Titus

TITUS

I am not bid to wait upon this bride.

Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone,

Dishonoured thus and challenged of wrongs?

Enter Marcus and Titus’ sons Lucius, Quintus, and

Martius, ⌈carrying Mutius’ body⌉

MARCUS

O Titus, see, O see what thou hast done—

In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son.

TITUS

No, foolish Tribune, no; no son of mine,

Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed

That hath dishonoured all our family;

Unworthy brother and unworthy sons!

LUCIUS

But let us give him burial as becomes,

Give Mutius burial with our brethren.

TITUS

Traitors, away, he rests not in this tomb.

This monument five hundred years hath stood,

Which I have sumptuously re-edified.

Here none but soldiers and Rome’s servitors

Repose in fame, none basely slain in brawls.

Bury him where you can; he comes not here.

MARCUS

My lord, this is impiety in you.

My nephew Mutius’ deeds do plead for him.

He must be buried with his brethren.

⌈QUINTUS and MARTIUS⌉

And shall, or him we will accompany.

TITUS

‘And shall’? What villain was it spake that word?

⌈QUINTUS⌉

He that would vouch it in any place but here.

TITUS

What, would you bury him in my despite?

MARCUS

No, noble Titus, but entreat of thee

To pardon Mutius and to bury him.

TITUS

Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest,

And with these boys mine honour thou hast

wounded.

My foes I do repute you every one,

So trouble me no more, but get you gone.

⌈MARTIUS⌉

He is not with himself, let us withdraw.

⌈QUINTUS⌉

Not I, till Mutius’ bones be buried.

Marcus, Lucius, Quintus, and Martius kneel

MARCUS

Brother, for in that name doth nature plead—

⌈QUINTUS⌉

Father, and in that name doth nature speak—

TITUS

Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed.

MARCUS

Renowned Titus, more than half my soul—

LUCIUS

Dear father, soul and substance of us all—

MARCUS

Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter

His noble nephew here in virtue’s nest,

That died in honour and Lavinia’s cause.

Thou art a Roman; be not barbarous.

The Greeks upon advice did bury Ajax,

That slew himself; and wise Laertes’ son

Did graciously plead for his funerals.

Let not young Mutius then, that was thy joy,

Be barred his entrance here.

TITUS

Rise, Marcus, rise.

The dismall‘st day is this that e’er I saw,

To be dishonoured by my sons in Rome.

Well, bury him, and bury me the next.

They put Mutius in the tomb

LUCIUS

There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with thy friends’,

Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb. 385

ALL ⌈BUT TITUS⌉ (kneeling)

No man shed tears for noble Mutius;

He lives in fame, that died in virtue’s cause.

Exeunt ⌈all but Marcus and Titus⌉

MARCUS

My lord—to step out of these dreary dumps—

How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths

Is of a sudden thus advanced in Rome?

TITUS

I know not, Marcus, but I know it is—

Whether by device or no, the heavens can tell.

Is she not then beholden to the man

That brought her for this high good turn so far?

⌈MARCUS⌉

Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.

⌈Flourish.⌉ Enter the Emperor Saturninus, Tamora,

and her two sons (Chiron and Demetrius), with

Aaron the Moor at one door.

Enter at the other door Bassianus and Lavinia with

⌈Lucius, Quintus, and Martius⌉

SATURNINUS

So, Bassianus, you have played your prize.

God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride.

BASSIANUS

And you of yours, my lord. I say no more,

Nor wish no less; and so I take my leave.

SATURNINUS

Traitor, if Rome have law or we have power,

Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape.

BASSIANUS

‘Rape’ call you it, my lord, to seize my own—

My true betrothed love, and now my wife?

But let the laws of Rome determine all;

Meanwhile am I possessed of that is mine.

SATURNINUS

‘Tis good, sir; you are very short with us.

But if we live we’ll be as sharp with you.

BASSIANUS

My lord, what I have done, as best I may

Answer I must, and shall do with my life.

Only thus much I give your grace to know:

By all the duties that I owe to Rome,

This noble gentleman, Lord Titus here,

Is in opinion and in honour wronged,

That, in the rescue of Lavinia,

With his own hand did slay his youngest son

In zeal to you, and highly moved to wrath

To be controlled in that he frankly gave.

Receive him then to favour, Saturnine,

That hath expressed himself in all his deeds

A father and a friend to thee and Rome.

TITUS

Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds.

‘Tis thou and those that have dishonoured me.

⌈He kneels⌉

Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge

How I have loved and honoured Saturnine!

TAMORA (to Saturninus)

My worthy lord, if ever Tamora

Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine,

Then hear me speak indifferently for all;

And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past.

SATURNINUS

What, madam—be dishonoured openly

And basely put it up without revenge?

TAMORA

Not so, my lord. The gods of Rome forfend

I should be author to dishonour you.

But on mine honour dare I undertake

For good lord Titus’ innocence in all,

Whose fury not dissembled speaks his griefs.

Then at my suit look graciously on him.

Lose not so noble a friend on vain suppose,

Nor with sour looks afflict his gentle heart.

(Aside to Saturninus)

My lord, be ruled by me, be won at last,

Dissemble all your griefs and discontents.

You are but newly planted in your throne;

Lest then the people, and patricians too,

Upon a just survey take Titus’ part,

And so supplant you for ingratitude,

Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin,

Yield at entreats; and then let me alone:

I’ll find a day to massacre them all,

And raze their faction and their family,

The cruel father and his traitorous sons

To whom I sued for my dear son’s life,

And make them know what ’tis to let a queen

Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain.

(Aloud) Come, come, sweet Emperor; come,

Andronicus,

Take up this good old man, and cheer the heart

That dies in tempest of thy angry frown.

SATURNINUS

Rise, Titus, rise; my empress hath prevailed.

TITUS (rising)

I thank your majesty and her, my lord,

These words, these looks, infuse new life in me.

TAMORA

Titus, I am incorporate in Rome,

A Roman now adopted happily,

And must advise the Emperor for his good.

This day all quarrels die, Andronicus;

And let it be mine honour, good my lord,

That I have reconciled your friends and you.

For you, Prince Bassianus, I have passed

My word and promise to the Emperor

That you will be more mild and tractable.

And fear not, lords, and you, Lavinia;

By my advice, all humbled on your knees,

You shall ask pardon of his majesty.

⌈Bassianus⌉, Lavinia, Lucius, Quintus, and

Martius kneel

⌈LOCIUS⌉

We do, and vow to heaven and to his highness

That what we did was mildly as we might,

Tend’ring our sister’s honour and our own.

MARCUS ⌈kneeling⌉

That on mine honour here do I protest.

SATURNINUS

Away, and talk not, trouble us no more.

TAMORA

Nay, nay, sweet Emperor, we must all be friends.

The Tribune and his nephews kneel for grace.

I will not be denied; sweetheart, look back.

SATURNINUS

Marcus, for thy sake and thy brother’s here,

And at my lovely Tamora’s entreats,

I do remit these young men’s heinous faults.

Stand up!

Marcus, Bassianus, Lavinia, and Titus’ sons stand

Lavinia, though you left me like a churl,

I found a friend, and sure as death I swore

I would not part a bachelor from the priest.

Come, if the Emperor’s court can feast two brides

You are my guest, Lavinia, and your friends.

This day shall be a love-day, Tamora.

TITUS

Tomorrow an it please your majesty

To hunt the panther and the hart with me,

With horn and hound we’ll give your grace bonjour.

SATURNINUS

Be it so, Titus, and gramercy, too. ⌈Flourish. Exeunt⌉

2.1 ⌈Enter Aaron alone.⌉

AARON

Now climbeth Tamora Olympus’ top,

Safe out of fortune’s shot, and sits aloft,

Secure of thunder’s crack or lightning flash,

Advanced above pale envy’s threat’ning reach.

As when the golden sun salutes the morn

And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,

Gallops the zodiac in his glistering coach

And overlooks the highest-peering hills,

So Tamora.

Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait,

And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown.

Then, Aaron, arm thy heart and fit thy thoughts

To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress,

And mount her pitch whom thou in triumph long

Hast prisoner held fettered in amorous chains,

And faster bound to Aaron’s charming eyes

Than is Prometheus tied to Caucasus.

Away with slavish weeds and servile thoughts!

I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold

To wait upon this new-made empress.

To wait, said I?—to wanton with this queen,

This goddess, this Semiramis, this nymph,

This siren that will charm Rome’s Saturnine

And see his shipwreck and his commonweal’s.

Hollo, what storm is this?

Enter Chiron and Demetrius, braving

DEMETRIUS

Chiron, thy years wants wit, thy wits wants edge

And manners to intrude where I am graced

And may, for aught thou knowest, affected be.

CHIRON

Demetrius, thou dost overween in all,

And so in this, to bear me down with braves.

‘Tis not the difference of a year or two

Makes me less gracious, or thee more fortunate.

I am as able and as fit as thou

To serve, and to deserve my mistress’ grace,

And that my sword upon thee shall approve,

And plead my passions for Lavinia’s love.

AARON (aside)

Clubs, clubs! These lovers will not keep the peace.

DEMETRIUS

Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised,

Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side,

Are you so desperate grown to threat your friends?

Go to, have your lath glued within your sheath

Till you know better how to handle it.

CHIRON

Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have

Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare.

DEMETRIUS

Ay, boy, grow ye so brave?

They draw

AARON

Why, how now, lords?

So near the Emperor’s palace dare ye draw

And maintain such a quarrel openly?

Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge.

I would not for a million of gold

The cause were known to them it most concerns,

Nor would your noble mother for much more

Be so dishonoured in the court of Rome.

For shame, put up.

DEMETRIUS

Not I, till I have sheathed

My rapier in his bosom, and withal

Thrust those reproachful speeches down his throat

That he hath breathed in my dishonour here.

CHIRON

For that I am prepared and full resolved,

Foul-spoken coward, that thund‘rest with thy tongue,

And with thy weapon nothing dar’st perform.

AARON Away, I say.

Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore,

This petty brabble will undo us all.

Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous

It is to jet upon a prince’s right?

What, is Lavinia then become so loose,

Or Bassianus so degenerate,

That for her love such quarrels may be broached

Without controlment, justice, or revenge?

Young lords, beware; and should the Empress know

This discord’s ground, the music would not please.

CHIRON

I care not, I, knew she and all the world,

I love Lavinia more than all the world.

DEMETRIUS

Youngling, learn thou to make some meaner choice.

Lavinia is thine elder brother’s hope.

AARON

Why, are ye mad? Or know ye not in Rome

How furious and impatient they be,

And cannot brook competitors in love?

I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths

By this device.

CHIRON

Aaron, a thousand deaths

Would I propose to achieve her whom I love.

AARON

To achieve her how?

DEMETRIUS

Why makes thou it so strange?

She is a woman, therefore may be wooed;

She is a woman, therefore may be won;

She is Lavinia, therefore must be loved.

What, man, more water glideth by the mill

Than wots the miller of, and easy it is

Of a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know.

Though Bassianus be the Emperor’s brother,

Better than he have worn Vulcan’s badge.

AARON (aside)

Ay, and as good as Saturninus may.

DEMETRIUS

Then why should he despair that knows to court it

With words, fair looks, and liberality?

What, hast not thou full often struck a doe

And borne her cleanly by the keeper’s nose?

AARON

Why then, it seems some certain snatch or so

Would serve your turns.

CHIRON

Ay, so the turn were served.

DEMETRIUS

Aaron, thou hast hit it.

AARON

Would you had hit it too,

Then should not we be tired with this ado.

Why, hark ye, hark ye, and are you such fools

To square for this? Would it offend you then

That both should speed?

CHIRON

Faith, not me.

DEMETRIUS

Nor me, so I were one.

AARON

For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar.

‘Tis policy and stratagem must do

That you affect, and so must you resolve

That what you cannot as you would achieve,

You must perforce accomplish as you may.

Take this of me: Lucrece was not more chaste

Than this Lavinia, Bassianus’ love.

A speedier course than ling’ring languishment

Must we pursue, and I have found the path.

My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;

There will the lovely Roman ladies troop.

The forest walks are wide and spacious,

And many unfrequented plots there are,

Fitted by kind for rape and villainy.

Single you thither then this dainty doe,

And strike her home by force, if not by words,

This way or not at all stand you in hope.

Come, come; our Empress, with her sacred wit

To villainy and vengeance consecrate,

Will we acquaint with all what we intend,

And she shall file our engines with advice

That will not suffer you to square yourselves,

But to your wishes’ height advance you both.

The Emperor’s court is like the house of Fame,

The palace full of tongues, of eyes and ears,

The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf, and dull.

There speak and strike, brave boys, and take your turns.

There serve your lust, shadowed from heaven’s eye,

And revel in Lavinia’s treasury.

CHIRON

Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice.

DEMETRIUS

Sit fas aut nefas, till I find the stream

To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits,

Per Styga, per manes vehor. Exeunt

2.2 Enter Titus Andronicus and his three sons (Quintus, Lucius, and Martius), and Marcus, making a noise with hounds and horns

TITUS

The hunt is up, the morn is bright and grey,

The fields are fragrant and the woods are green.

Uncouple here, and let us make a bay

And wake the Emperor and his lovely bride,

And rouse the Prince, and ring a hunter’s peal,

That all the court may echo with the noise.

Sons, let it be your charge, as it is ours,

To attend the Emperor’s person carefully.

I have been troubled in my sleep this night,

But 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

Many good-morrows to your majesty.

Madam, to you as many, and as good.

I promised your grace a hunter’s peal.

SATURNINUS

And you have rung it lustily, my lords,

Somewhat too early for new-married ladies.

BASSIANUS

Lavinia, how say you?

LAVINIA

I say no.

I have been broad awake two hours and more.

SATURNINUS

Come on then, horse and chariots let us have,

And to our sport. (To Tamora) Madam, now shall ye see

Our Roman hunting.

MARCUS

I have dogs, my lord,

Will rouse the proudest panther in the chase,

And climb the highest promontory top.

TITUS

And I have horse will follow where the game

Makes way, and run like swallows o’er the plain.

DEMETRIUS (aside)

Chiron, we hunt not, we, with horse nor hound,

But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground. Exeunt

2.3 Enter Aaron alone, with gold

AARON

He that had wit would think that I had none,

To bury so much gold under a tree

And never after to inherit it.

Let him that thinks of me so abjectly

Know that this gold must coin a stratagem

Which, cunningly effected, will beget

A very excellent piece of villainy.

And so repose, sweet gold, for their unrest

That have their alms out of the Empress’ chest.

He hides the gold.

Enter Tamora alone to the Moor

TAMORA

My lovely Aaron, wherefore look‘st thou sad

When everything doth make a gleeful boast?

The birds chant melody on every bush,

The snakes lies rolled in the cheerful sun,

The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind

And make a chequered shadow on the ground.

Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let us sit,

And whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds,

Replying shrilly to the well-tuned horns,

As if a double hunt were heard at once,

Let us sit down and mark their yellowing noise,

And after conflict such as was supposed

The wand’ring prince and Dido once enjoyed

When with a happy storm they were surprised,

And curtained with a counsel-keeping cave,

We may, each wreathed in the other’s arms,

Our pastimes done, possess a golden slumber

Whiles hounds and horns and sweet melodious birds

Be unto us as is a nurse’s song

Of lullaby to bring her babe asleep.

AARON

Madam, though Venus govern your desires,

Saturn is dominator over mine.

What signifies my deadly-standing eye,

My silence, and my cloudy melancholy,

My fleece of woolly hair that now uncurls

Even as an adder when she doth unroll

To do some fatal execution?

No, madam, these are no venereal signs.

Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand,

Blood and revenge are hammering in my head.

Hark, Tamora, the empress of my soul,

Which never hopes more heaven than rests in thee,

This is the day of doom for Bassianus.

His Philomel must lose her tongue today,

Thy sons make pillage of her chastity

And wash their hands in Bassianus’ blood.

Seest thou this letter? (Giving a letter) Take it up, I pray thee,

And give the King this fatal-plotted scroll.

Now question me no more. We are espied.

Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty,

Which dreads not yet their lives’ destruction.

Enter Bassianus and Lavinia

TAMORA (aside to Aaron)

Ah, my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than life!

AARON (aside to Tamora)

No more, great Empress; Bassianus comes.

Be cross with him, and I’ll go fetch thy sons

To back thy quarrels, whatsoe’er they be. Exit

BASSIANUS

Who have we here? Rome’s royal empress

Unfurnished of her well-beseeming troop?

Or is it Dian, habited like her

Who hath abandoned her holy groves

To see the general hunting in this forest?

TAMORA

Saucy controller of my private steps,

Had I the power that some say Dian had,

Thy temples should be planted presently

With horns, as was Actaeon’s, and the hounds

Should drive upon thy new-transformed limbs,

Unmannerly intruder as thou art!

LAVINIA

Under your patience, gentle Empress,

‘Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning,

And to be doubted that your Moor and you

Are singled forth to try experiments.

Jove shield your husband from his hounds today—

‘Tis pity they should take him for a stag.

BASSIANUS

Believe me, Queen, your swart Cimmerian

Doth make your honour of his body’s hue,

Spotted, detested, and abominable.

Why are you sequestered from all your train,

Dismounted from your snow-white goodly steed,

And wandered hither to an obscure plot,

Accompanied but with a barbarous Moor,

If foul desire had not conducted you?

LAVINIA

And being intercepted in your sport,

Great reason that my noble lord be rated

For sauciness. (To Bassianus) I pray you, let us hence,

And let her joy her raven-coloured love.

This valley fits the purpose passing well.

BASSIANUS

The King my brother shall have note of this.

LAVINIA

Ay, for these slips have made him noted long.

Good King, to be so mightily abused!

TAMORA

Why have I patience to endure all this?

Enter Chiron and Demetrius

DEMETRIUS

How now, dear sovereign and our gracious mother,

Why doth your highness look so pale and wan?

TAMORA

Have I not reason, think you, to look pale?

These two have ‘ticed me hither to this place.

A barren detested vale you see it is;

The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean,

Overcome with moss and baleful mistletoe.

Here never shines the sun, here nothing breeds

Unless the nightly owl or fatal raven,

And when they showed me this abhorred pit

They told me here at dead time of the night

A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes,

Ten thousand swelling toads, as many urchins

Would make such fearful and confused cries

As any mortal body hearing it

Should straight fall mad or else die suddenly.

No sooner had they told this hellish tale

But straight they told me they would bind me here

Unto the body of a dismal yew

And leave me to this miserable death.

And then they called me foul adulteress,

Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms

That ever ear did hear to such effect.

And had you not by wondrous fortune come,

This vengeance on me had they executed.

Revenge it as you love your mother’s life,

Or be ye not henceforward called my children.

DEMETRIUS

This is a witness that I am thy son.

He stabs Bassianus

CHIRON

And this for me, struck home to show my strength.

He stabs Bassianus, who dies.

⌈Tamora turns to Lavinia⌉

LAVINIA

Ay, come, Semiramis—nay, barbarous Tamora,

For no name fits thy nature but thy own.

TAMORA (to Chiron)

Give me the poniard. You shall know, my boys,

Your mother’s hand shall right your mother’s wrong.

DEMETRIUS

Stay, madam, here is more belongs to her.

First thresh the corn, then after burn the straw.

This minion stood upon her chastity,

Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty,

And with that quaint hope braves your mightiness.

And shall she carry this unto her grave?

CHIRON

An if she do I would I were an eunuch.

Drag hence her husband to some secret hole,

And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust.

TAMORA

But when ye have the honey ye desire

Let not this wasp outlive, us both to sting.

CHIRON

I warrant you, madam, we will make that sure.

Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy

That nice-preserved honesty of yours.

LAVINIA

O Tamora, thou bearest a woman’s face—

TAMORA

I will not hear her speak. Away with her!

LAVINIA

Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word.

DEMETRIUS (to Tamora)

Listen, fair madam, let it be your glory

To see her tears, but be your heart to them

As unrelenting flint to drops of rain.

LAVINIA

When did the tiger’s young ones teach the dam?

O, do not learn her wrath! She taught it thee.

The milk thou sucked’st from her did turn to marble,

Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny.

Yet every mother breeds not sons alike.

(To Chiron) Do thou entreat her show a woman’s pity.

CHIRON

What, wouldst thou have me prove myself a bastard?

LAVINIA

’Tis true, the raven doth not hatch a lark.

Yet have I heard—O, could I find it now!—

The lion, moved with pity, did endure

To have his princely paws pared all away.

Some say that ravens foster forlorn children

The whilst their own birds famish in their nests.

O, be to me, though thy hard heart say no,

Nothing so kind, but something pitiful.

TAMORA

I know not what it means. Away with her!

LAVINIA

O, let me teach thee for my father’s sake,

That gave thee life when well he might have slain thee.

Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears.

TAMORA

Hadst thou in person ne’er offended me

Even for his sake am I pitiless.

Remember, boys, I poured forth tears in vain

To save your brother from the sacrifice,

But fierce Andronicus would not relent.

Therefore away with her, and use her as you will—

The worse to her, the better loved of me.

LAVINIA

O Tamora, be called a gentle queen,

And with thine own hands kill me in this place;

For ’tis not life that I have begged so long;

Poor I was slain when Bassianus died.

TAMORA

What begg’st thou then, fond woman? Let me go.

LAVINIA

’Tis present death I beg, and one thing more

That womanhood denies my tongue to tell.

O, keep me from their worse-than-killing lust,

And tumble me into some loathsome pit

Where never man’s eye may behold my body.

Do this, and be a charitable murderer.

TAMORA

So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee.

No, let them satisfy their lust on thee.

DEMETRIUS (to Lavinia)

Away, for thou hast stayed us here too long.

LAVINIA

No grace, no womanhood—ah, beastly creature,

The blot and enemy to our general name,

Confusion fall—

CHIRON

Nay then, I’ll stop your mouth. (To Demetrius) Bring thou her husband.

This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him.

Demetrius and Chiron cast Bassianus’ body into the

pit ⌈and cover the mouth of it with branches⌉, then

exeunt dragging Lavinia

TAMORA

Farewell, my sons. See that you make her sure.

Ne’er let my heart know merry cheer indeed

Till all the Andronici be made away.

Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor,

And let my spleenful sons this trull deflower. Exit

Enter Aaron with Quintus and Martius, two of

Titus’ sons

AARON

Come on, my lords, the better foot before.

Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit

Where I espied the panther fast asleep.

QUINTUS

My sight is very dull, whate’er it bodes.

MARTIUS

And mine, I promise you. Were it not for shame,

Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile.

He falls into the pit

QUINTUS

What, art thou fallen? What subtle hole is this,

Whose mouth is covered with rude-growing briers

Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood

As fresh as morning dew distilled on flowers?

A very fatal place it seems to me.

Speak, brother. Hast thou hurt thee with the fall?

MARTIUS

O brother, with the dismall’st object hurt

That ever eye with sight made heart lament.

AARON (aside)

Now will I fetch the King to find them here,

That he thereby may have a likely guess

How these were they that made away his brother.

Exit

MARTIUS

Why dost not comfort me and help me out

From this unhallowed and bloodstained hole?

QUINTUS

I am surprised with an uncouth fear.

A chilling sweat o’erruns my trembling joints;

My heart suspects more than mine eye can see.

MARTIUS

To prove thou hast a true-divining heart,

Aaron and thou look down into this den,

And see a fearful sight of blood and death.

QUINTUS

Aaron is gone, and my compassionate heart

Will not permit mine eyes once to behold

The thing whereat it trembles by surmise.

O, tell me who it is, for ne’er till now

Was I a child to fear I know not what.

MARTIUS

Lord Bassianus lies berayed in blood

All on a heap, like to a slaughtered lamb,

In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit.

QUINTUS

If it be dark how dost thou know ’tis he?

MARTIUS

Upon his bloody finger he doth wear

A precious ring that lightens all this hole,

Which like a taper in some monument

Doth shine upon the dead man’s earthy cheeks

And shows the ragged entrails of this pit.

So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus

When he by night lay bathed in maiden blood.

O brother, help me with thy fainting hand—

If fear hath made thee faint, as me it hath—

Out of this fell devouring receptacle,

As hateful as Cocytus’ misty mouth.

QUINTUS

Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out,

Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good,

I may be plucked into the swallowing womb

Of this deep pit, poor Bassianus’ grave.

I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink,

MARTIUS

Nor I no strength to climb without thy help.

QUINTUS

Thy hand once more, I will not loose again

Till thou art here aloft or I below.

Thou canst not come to me; I come to thee.

He falls into the pit.

Enter Saturninus the Emperor ⌈with attendants⌉,

and Aaron the Moor

SATURNINUS

Along with me! I’ll see what hole is here,

And what he is that now is leapt into it.

He speaks into the pit

Say, who art thou that lately didst descend

Into this gaping hollow of the earth?

MARTIUS

The unhappy sons of old Andronicus,

Brought hither in a most unlucky hour

To find thy brother Bassianus dead.

SATURNINUS

My brother dead! I know thou dost but jest.

He and his lady both are at the lodge

Upon the north side of this pleasant chase.

‘Tis not an hour since I left them there.

MARTIUS

We know not where you left them all alive,

But, out alas, here have we found him dead!

Enter Tamora, Titus Andronicus, and Lucius

TAMORA

Where is my lord the King?

SATURNINUS

Here, Tamora, though gripped with killing grief.

TAMORA