Aar. Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up, [Takes the Child from the Nurse, and draws. Stay, murderous villains! will you kill your brother? Now, by the burning tapers of the sky, That shone so brightly when this boy was got, Shall seize this prey out of his father's hands. In that it scorns to bear another hue; Can never turn a swan's black legs to white, Dem. Wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus ? Dem. By this our mother is forever shamed. Chi. Rome will despise her for this foul escape." Nur. The emperor, in his rage, will doom her death. Chi. I blush to think upon this ignomy.3 unmingled ferocity, like Aaron, and, like him, the paramour of a royal mistress, exclaims: Erected high as mine, say thus, thus threaten To Roderigo and the Cardinal, Seek no queens here; I'll broach them, if they do, 1 A giant, the son of Titan and Terra. 2 i. e. this foul, illegitimate child. So in King John : Aar. Why, there's the privilege your beauty bears; Nur. Aaron, what shall I say unto the empress? Aar. Then sit we down, and let us all consult. league, I am a lamb; but if you brave the Moor, Nur. Cornelia the midwife, and myself, Aar. The emperess, the midwife, and yourself. Two may keep counsel, when the third's away; Go to the empress; tell her, this I said ;— [Stabbing her. Weke, weke !-So cries a pig, prepared to the spit. Dem. What mean'st thou, Aaron? Wherefore didst thou this? Aar. O lord, sir, 'tis a deed of policy. Shall she live to betray this guilt of ours? 1 Complexion. A long-tongued, babbling gossip? No, lords, no. Go pack 2 with him, and give the mother gold, The midwife, and the nurse, well made away, Chi. Aaron, I see, thou wilt not trust the air Dem. For this care of Tamora, Herself, and hers, are highly bound to thee. [Exeunt DEM. and CHI., bearing off the Nurse. Aar. Now to the Goths, as swift as swallow flies; There to dispose this treasure in mine arms, And secretly to greet the empress' friends. Come on, you thick-lipped slave, I'll bear you hence; For it is you that puts us to our shifts. I'll make you feed on berries, and on roots, And feed on curds and whey, and suck the goat, To be a warrior, and command a camp. [Exit. 1 The word lives, which is wanting in the old copies, was supplied by Rowe. Steevens thinks Muliteus a corruption for "Muly lives." 2 To pack is to contrive insidiously. SCENE III. The same. A public Place. Enter TITUS, bearing arrows, with letters at the ends of them; with him MARCUS, young LUCIUS, and other Gentlemen, with bows. Tit. Come, Marcus, come ;-kinsmen, this is the way; Sir boy, now let me see your archery; Look ye draw home enough, and 'tis there straight. Be you remembered, Marcus, she's gone, she's fled. Ah, Rome!-Well, well; I made thee miserable, To see thy noble uncle thus distract? Pub. Therefore, my lord, it highly us concerns, By day and night to attend him carefully; And feed his humor kindly as we may, Till time beget some careful remedy. Mar. Kinsmen, his sorrows are past remedy. Join with the Goths; and with revengeful war Take wreak on Rome for this ingratitude, And vengeance on the traitor Saturnine. Tit. Publius, how now? how now, my masters? What, Have you met with her? If Pub. No, my good lord; but Pluto sends you word you will have revenge from hell, you shall. Marry, for Justice, she is so employed, He thinks, with Jove in heaven, or some where else, So that perforce you must needs stay a time. Tit. He doth me wrong, to feed me with delays. I'll dive into the burning lake below, And pull her out of Acheron by the heels.- Yet wrung with wrongs, more than our backs can bear. Come, to this gear. You are a good archer, Marcus. Here, boy, to Pallas;-here, to Mercury; To Saturn, Caius,3 not to Saturnine,— You were as good to shoot against the wind.- O' my word, I have written to effect; There's not a god left unsolicited. Mar. Kinsmen, shoot all your shafts into the court; We will afflict the emperor in his pride. Tit. Now, masters, draw. [They shoot. ] O, well said, Lucius ! Good boy, in Virgo's lap; give it Pallas. Mar. My lord, I aim a mile beyond the moon; Your letter is with Jupiter by this. 1 Revenge. 2 Gear is here put for matter, business. 3 Caius appears to have been one of the kinsmen of Titus. |