The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 515

These are their brethren, whom your Goths beheld Alive and dead; and for their brethren slain Religiously they ask a sacrifice.

To this your son is mark'd, and die he must T' appease their groaning shadows that are gone.

LUCIUS. Away with him, and make a fire straight; And with our swords, upon a pile of wood, Let's hew his limbs till they be clean consum'd.

Exeunt t.i.tUS' SONS, with ALARBUS TAMORA. O cruel, irreligious piety!

CHIRON. Was never Scythia half so barbarous!

DEMETRIUS. Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome.

Alarbus goes to rest, and we survive To tremble under t.i.tus' threat'ning look.

Then, madam, stand resolv'd, but hope withal The self-same G.o.ds that arm'd the Queen of Troy With opportunity of sharp revenge Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent May favour Tamora, the Queen of Goths- When Goths were Goths and Tamora was queen- To quit the b.l.o.o.d.y wrongs upon her foes.

Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MUTIUS, the sons of ANDRONICUS, with their swords b.l.o.o.d.y

LUCIUS. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopp'd, And entrails feed the sacrificing fire, Whose smoke like incense doth perfume the sky.

Remaineth nought but to inter our brethren, And with loud 'larums welcome them to Rome.

t.i.tUS. Let it be so, and let Andronicus Make this his latest farewell to their souls.

[Sound trumpets and lay the coffin in the tomb]

In peace and honour rest you here, my sons; Rome's readiest champions, repose you here in rest, Secure from worldly chances and mishaps!

Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells, Here grow no d.a.m.ned drugs, here are no storms, No noise, but silence and eternal sleep.

In peace and honour rest you here, my sons!

Enter LAVINIA

LAVINIA. In peace and honour live Lord t.i.tus long; My n.o.ble lord and father, live in fame!

Lo, at this tomb my tributary tears I render for my brethren's obsequies; And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy Shed on this earth for thy return to Rome.

O, bless me here with thy victorious hand, Whose fortunes Rome's best citizens applaud!

t.i.tUS. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserv'd The cordial of mine age to glad my heart!

Lavinia, live; outlive thy father's days, And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise!

Enter, above, MARCUS ANDRONICUS and TRIBUNES; re-enter SATURNINUS, Ba.s.sIa.n.u.s, and attendants

MARCUS. Long live Lord t.i.tus, my beloved brother, Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome!

t.i.tUS. Thanks, gentle Tribune, n.o.ble brother Marcus.

MARCUS. And welcome, nephews, from successful wars, You that survive and you that sleep in fame.

Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all That in your country's service drew your swords; But safer triumph is this funeral pomp That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness And triumphs over chance in honour's bed.

t.i.tus Andronicus, the people of Rome, Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been, Send thee by me, their Tribune and their trust, This par]iament of white and spotless hue; And name thee in election for the empire With these our late-deceased Emperor's sons: Be candidatus then, and put it on, And help to set a head on headless Rome.

t.i.tUS. A better head her glorious body fits Than his that shakes for age and feebleness.

What should I don this robe and trouble you?

Be chosen with proclamations to-day, To-morrow yield up rule, resign my life, And set abroad new business for you all?

Rome, I have been thy soldier forty years, And led my country's strength successfully, And buried one and twenty valiant sons, Knighted in field, slain manfully in arms, In right and service of their n.o.ble country.

Give me a staff of honour for mine age, But not a sceptre to control the world.

Upright he held it, lords, that held it last.

MARCUS. t.i.tus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery.

SATURNINUS. Proud and ambitious Tribune, canst thou tell?

t.i.tUS. Patience, Prince Saturninus.

SATURNINUS. Romans, do me right.

Patricians, draw your swords, and sheathe them not Till Saturninus be Rome's Emperor.

Andronicus, would thou were s.h.i.+pp'd to h.e.l.l Rather than rob me of the people's hearts!

LUCIUS. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good That n.o.ble-minded t.i.tus means to thee!

t.i.tUS. Content thee, Prince; I will restore to thee The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves.

Ba.s.sIa.n.u.s. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee, But honour thee, and will do till I die.

My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends, I will most thankful be; and thanks to men Of n.o.ble minds is honourable meed.

t.i.tUS. People of Rome, and people's Tribunes here, I ask your voices and your suffrages: Will ye bestow them friendly on Andronicus?

TRIBUNES. To gratify the good Andronicus, And gratulate his safe return to Rome, The people will accept whom he admits.

t.i.tUS. Tribunes, I thank you; and this suit I make, That you create our Emperor's eldest son, Lord Saturnine; whose virtues will, I hope, Reflect on Rome as t.i.tan's rays on earth, And ripen justice in this commonweal.

Then, if you will elect by my advice, Crown him, and say 'Long live our Emperor!'

MARCUS. With voices and applause of every sort, Patricians and plebeians, we create Lord Saturninus Rome's great Emperor; And say 'Long live our Emperor Saturnine!'

[A long flourish till they come down]

SATURNINUS. t.i.tus Andronicus, for thy favours done To us in our election this day I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts, And will with deeds requite thy gentleness; And for an onset, t.i.tus, to advance Thy name and honourable family, Lavinia will I make my emperess, Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart, And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse.

Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?

t.i.tUS. It doth, my worthy lord, and in this match I hold me highly honoured of your Grace, And here in sight of Rome, to Saturnine, King and commander of our commonweal, The wide world's Emperor, do I consecrate My sword, my chariot, and my prisoners, Presents well worthy Rome's imperious lord; Receive them then, the tribute that I owe, Mine honour's ensigns humbled at thy feet.

SATURNINUS. Thanks, n.o.ble t.i.tus, father of my life.

How proud I am of thee and of thy gifts Rome shall record; and when I do forget The least of these unspeakable deserts, Romans, forget your fealty to me.

t.i.tUS. [To TAMORA] Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor; To him that for your honour and your state Will use you n.o.bly and your followers.

SATURNINUS. [Aside] A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue That I would choose, were I to choose anew.- Clear up, fair Queen, that cloudy countenance; Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer, Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome- Princely shall be thy usage every way.

Rest on my word, and let not discontent Daunt all your hopes. Madam, he comforts you Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths.

Lavinia, you are not displeas'd with this?

LAVINIA. Not I, my lord, sith true n.o.bility Warrants these words in princely courtesy.

SATURNINUS. Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go.

Ransomless here we set our prisoners free.

Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.

[Flourish]

Ba.s.sIa.n.u.s. Lord t.i.tus, by your leave, this maid is mine.

[Seizing LAVINIA]

t.i.tUS. How, sir! Are you in earnest then, my lord?

Ba.s.sIa.n.u.s. Ay, n.o.ble t.i.tus, and resolv'd 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.

t.i.tUS. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the Emperor's guard?

Treason, my lord- Lavinia is surpris'd!

SATURNINUS. Surpris'd! By whom?

Ba.s.sIa.n.u.s. By him that justly may Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.

Exeunt Ba.s.sIa.n.u.s and MARCUS with LAVINIA MUTIUS. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my sword I'll keep this door safe.

Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS t.i.tUS. Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back.

MUTIUS. My lord, you pa.s.s not here.

t.i.tUS. What, villain boy!

Bar'st me my way in Rome?

MUTIUS. Help, Lucius, help!

t.i.tUS kills him. During the fray, exeunt SATURNINUS, TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, and AARON

Re-enter Lucius

LUCIUS. My lord, you are unjust, and more than so: In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son.

t.i.tUS. Nor thou nor he are any sons of mine; My sons would never so dishonour me.

Re-enter aloft the EMPEROR with TAMORA and her two Sons, and AARON the Moor

Traitor, restore Lavinia to the Emperor.

LUCIUS. Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife, That is another's lawful promis'd love. Exit SATURNINUS. No, t.i.tus, 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 there none else in Rome to make a stale But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus, Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine That saidst I begg'd the empire at thy hands.

t.i.tUS. O monstrous! What reproachful words are these?