Bid him encamp his soldiers where they are. As he regards his aged father's life. Mar. This will I do, and soon return again. [Exit. Tam. Now will I hence about thy business, And take my ministers along with me. Tit. Nay, nay, let Rape and Murder stay with me ; Or else I'll call my brother back again, And cleave to no revenge but Lucius. Tam. What say you, boys? will you abide with him, Whiles I go tell my lord, the emperor, How I have governed our determined jest? Yield to his humor, smooth and speak him fair, And tarry with him, till I come again. [Aside. Tit. I know them all, though they suppose me mad; And will o'erreach them in their own devices, A pair of cursed hellhounds, and their dam. [Aside. Dem. Madam, depart at pleasure, leave us here. Tam. Farewell, Andronicus. Revenge now goes To lay a complot to betray thy foes. [Exit TAMORA. Tit. I know thou dost; and, sweet Revenge, farewell. Chi. Tell us, old man, how shall we be employed? Tit. Tut, I have work enough for you to do.Publius, come hither, Caius, and Valentine! Enter PUBLIUS and others. Pub. What's your will? Tit. Know you these two? Th' empress' sons, Pub. I take them, Chiron and Demetrius. Tit. Fie, Publius, fie! thou art too much deceived; The one is Murder, Rape is the other's name : And therefore bind them, gentle Publius; Caius, and Valentine, lay hands on them. Oft have you heard me wish for such an hour, And now I find it; therefore bind them sure; [Exit TITUS. PUBLIUS, &c. lay hold on CHIRON and DEMETRIUS. Chi. Villains, forbear; we are the empress' sons. Pub. And therefore do we what we are com manded. Stop close their mouths, let them not speak a word. Is he sure bound? look that you bind them fast. Re-enter TITUS ANDRONICUS, with LAVINIA; she bearing a basin, and he a knife. Tit. Come, come, Lavinia; look, thy foes are bound ;- Sirs, stop their mouths, let them not speak to me; O villains, Chiron and Demetrius ! Here stands the spring whom you have stained with mud; This goodly summer with your winter mixed. You killed her husband; and, for that vile fault, Both her sweet hands, her tongue, and that, more dear 1 A coffin is the term for the crust of a raised pie. And make two pasties of your shameful heads; To make this banquet; which I wish may prove SCENE III. The same. A Pavilion, with tables, &c. Enter LUCIUS, MARCUS, and Goths, with AARON, prisoner. Luc. Uncle Marcus, since 'tis my father's mind, That I repair to Rome, I am content. 1 Goth. And ours, with thine,2 befall what fortune will. Luc. Good uncle, take you in this barbarous Moor, This ravenous tiger, this accursed devil; Let him receive no sustenance, fetter him, 1 i. e. her own produce. 2 "And our content runs parallel with thine, be the consequence of our coming to Rome what it may." Aar. Some devil whisper curses in mine ear, And prompt me, that my tongue may utter forth The venomous malice of my swelling heart! Luc. Away, inhuman dog! unhallowed slave!— Sirs, help our uncle to convey him in. [Exeunt Goths, with AARON. Flourish. The trumpets show the emperor is at hand. Enter SATURNINUS and TAMORA, with Tribunes, Senators, and others. Sat. What, hath the firmament more suns than one? Luc. What boots it thee, to call thyself a sun? Mar. Rome's emperor, and nephew, break the parle ; These quarrels must be quietly debated. The feast is ready, which the careful Titus Hath ordained to an honorable end, 1 For peace, for love, for league, and good to Rome. Please you, therefore, draw nigh, and take your places. Sat. Marcus, we will. [Hautboys sound. The company sit down at table. Enter TITUS, dressed like a young LUCIUS, and others. on the table. cook, LAVINIA, veiled, TITUS places the dishes Tit. Welcome, my gracious lord; welcome, dread queen; Welcome, ye warlike Goths; welcome, Lucius; Sat. Why art thou thus attired, Andronicus? 1 i. e. end the debate. Was it well done of rash Virginius, To slay his daughter with his own right hand, Tit. Your reason, mighty lord! Sat. Because the girl should not survive her shame, And by her presence still renew his sorrows. Tit. A reason mighty, strong, and effectual; A pattern, precedent, and lively warrant, For me, most wretched, to perform the like.— Die, die, Lavinia, and thy shame with thee; [He kills LAVINIA. And, with thy shame, thy father's sorrow die! I am as woful as Virginius was; And have a thousand times more cause than he Sat. What, was she ravished? tell, who did the deed. Tit. Will't please you eat? will't please your highness feed? Tam. Why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus? They ravished her, and cut away her tongue, Tit. Why, there they are both, baked in that pie; Whereof their mother daintily hath fed, Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred. 'Tis true, 'tis true; witness my knife's sharp point. [Killing TAMORA. Sat. Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed. [Killing TITUS. Luc. Can the son's eye behold his father bleed? There's meed for meed, death for a deadly deed. [Kills SATURNINUS. A great tumult. The People in confusion disperse. MARCUS, LUCIUS, and their partisans, ascend the steps before TITUS's house. |