The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 517

Enter AARON

AARON. Now climbeth Tamora Olympus' top, Safe out of Fortune's shot, and sits aloft, Secure of thunder's crack or lightning flash, Advanc'd 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 glistening 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, fett'red 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 s.h.i.+ne in pearl and gold, To wait upon this new-made emperess.

To wait, said I? To wanton with this queen, This G.o.ddess, this Semiramis, this nymph, This siren that will charm Rome's Saturnine, And see his s.h.i.+pwreck and his commonweal's.

Hullo! 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 grac'd, And may, for aught thou knowest, affected be.

CHIRON. Demetrius, thou dost over-ween 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 pa.s.sions for Lavinia's love.

AARON. [Aside] Clubs, clubs! These lovers will not keep the peace.

DEMETRIUS. Why, boy, although our mother, unadvis'd, 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. [Coming forward] 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 n.o.ble mother for much more Be so dishonoured in the court of Rome.

For shame, put up.

DEMETRIUS. Not I, till I have sheath'd My rapier in his bosom, and withal Thrust those reproachful speeches down his throat That he hath breath'd in my dishonour here.

CHIRON. For that I am prepar'd and full resolv'd, Foul-spoken coward, that thund'rest with thy tongue, And with thy weapon nothing dar'st perform.

AARON. Away, I say!

Now, by the G.o.ds that warlike Goths adore, This pretty 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 Ba.s.sia.n.u.s so degenerate, That for her love such quarrels may be broach'd Without controlment, justice, or revenge?

Young lords, beware; an 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: Lavina 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 compet.i.tors 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 mak'st thou it so strange?

She is a woman, therefore may be woo'd; She is a woman, therefore may be won; She is Lavinia, therefore must be lov'd.

What, man! more water glideth by the mill Than wots the miller of; and easy it is Of a cut loaf to steal a s.h.i.+ve, we know.

Though Ba.s.sia.n.u.s 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 s.n.a.t.c.h 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 tir'd 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, Ba.s.sia.n.u.s' 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 s.p.a.cious, 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 l.u.s.t, 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

SCENE II.

A forest near Rome

Enter t.i.tUS ANDRONICUS, and his three sons, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, making a noise with hounds and horns; and MARCUS

t.i.tUS. 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 inspir'd.

Here a cry of hounds, and wind horns in a peal.

Then enter SATURNINUS, TAMORA, Ba.s.sIa.n.u.s 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 l.u.s.tily, my lords- Somewhat too early for new-married ladies.

Ba.s.sIa.n.u.s. 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.

t.i.tUS. And I have horse will follow where the game Makes way, and run like swallows o'er the plain.

DEMETRIUS. Chiron, we hunt not, we, with horse nor hound, But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground. Exeunt

SCENE III.

A lonely part of the forest

Enter AARON alone, with a bag of gold