_Marc._ This was thy daughter.

_Tit._ Why, Marcus, so she is.

_Luc._ Ay me, this object kills me![4349]

_Tit._ Faint-hearted boy, arise, and look upon her. 65

Speak, Lavinia, what accursed hand[4350]

Hath made thee handless in thy father's sight?[4351]

What fool hath added water to the sea,

Or brought a faggot to bright-burning Troy?

My grief was at the height before thou camest;[4352] 70

And now, like Nilus, it disdaineth bounds.

Give me a sword, I'll chop off my hands too;[4353]

For they have fought for Rome, and all in vain;

And they have nursed this woe, in feeding life;[4354]

In bootless prayer have they been held up, 75

And they have served me to effectless use:

Now all the service I require of them

Is, that the one will help to cut the other.

'Tis well, Lavinia, that thou hast no hands;

For hands to do Rome service is but vain.[4355] 80

_Luc._ Speak, gentle sister, who hath martyr'd thee?

_Marc._ O, that delightful engine of her thoughts,

That blabb'd them with such pleasing eloquence,

Is torn from forth that pretty hollow cage,

Where, like a sweet melodious bird, it sung 85

Sweet varied notes, enchanting every ear![4356]

_Luc._ O, say thou for her, who hath done this deed?[4357]

_Marc._ O, thus I found her, straying in the park,

Seeking to hide herself, as doth the deer

That hath received some unrecuring wound. 90

_Tit._ It was my dear; and he that wounded her[4358]

Hath hurt me more than had he kill'd me dead:

For now I stand as one upon a rock,

Environ'd with a wilderness of sea;

Who marks the waxing tide grow wave by wave,[4359] 95

Expecting ever when some envious surge

Will in his brinish bowels swallow him.

This way to death my wretched sons are gone;

Here stands my other son, a banish'd man;

And here my brother, weeping at my woes: 100

But that which gives my soul the greatest spurn,

Is dear Lavinia, dearer than my soul.

Had I but seen thy picture in this plight,

It would have madded me: what shall I do

Now I behold thy lively body so?[4360] 105

Thou hast no hands, to wipe away thy tears;

Nor tongue, to tell me who hath martyr'd thee:

Thy husband he is dead; and for his death

Thy brothers are condemn'd, and dead by this.

Look, Marcus! ah, son Lucius, look on her! 110

When I did name her brothers, then fresh tears

Stood on her cheeks, as doth the honey-dew

Upon a gather'd lily almost wither'd.[4361]

_Marc._ Perchance she weeps because they kill'd her husband;

Perchance because she knows them innocent.[4362] 115

_Tit._ If they did kill thy husband, then be joyful,

Because the law hath ta'en revenge on them.

No, no, they would not do so foul a deed;

Witness the sorrow that their sister makes.

Gentle Lavinia, let me kiss thy lips; 120

Or make some sign how I may do thee ease:[4363]

Shall thy good uncle, and thy brother Lucius,

And thou, and I, sit round about some fountain,

Looking all downwards, to behold our cheeks

How they are stain'd, as meadows yet not dry[4364] 125

With miry slime left on them by a flood?

And in the fountain shall we gaze so long

Till the fresh taste be taken from that clearness,

And made a brine-pit with our bitter tears?

Or shall we cut away our hands, like thine? 130

Or shall we bite our tongues, and in dumb shows

Pass the remainder of our hateful days?

What shall we do? let us, that have our tongues,

Plot some device of further misery,[4365]

To make us wonder'd at in time to come. 135

_Luc._ Sweet father, cease your tears; for, at your grief,

See how my wretched sister sobs and weeps.

_Marc._ Patience, dear niece. Good Titus, dry thine eyes.

_Tit._ Ah, Marcus, Marcus! brother, well I wot

Thy napkin cannot drink a tear of mine, 140

For thou, poor man, hast drown'd it with thine own.

_Luc._ Ah, my Lavinia, I will wipe thy cheeks.

_Tit._ Mark, Marcus, mark! I understand her signs:

Had she a tongue to speak, now would she say

That to her brother which I said to thee: 145

His napkin, with his true tears all bewet,[4366]

Can do no service on her sorrowful cheeks.

O, what a sympathy of woe is this,

As far from help as Limbo is from bliss!

_Enter_ AARON.[4367]

_Aar._ Titus Andronicus, my lord the emperor[4368][4369] 150

Sends thee this word, that, if thou love thy sons,

Let Marcus, Lucius, or thyself, old Titus,

Or any one of you, chop off your hand,

And send it to the king: he for the same

Will send thee hither both thy sons alive;

And that shall be the ransom for their fault.

_Tit._ O gracious emperor! O gentle Aaron!

Did ever raven sing so like a lark,

That gives sweet tidings of the sun's uprise?

With all my heart, I'll send the emperor[4370] 160

My hand:[4370]

Good Aaron, wilt thou help to chop it off?

_Luc._ Stay, father! for that noble hand of thine,

That hath thrown down so many enemies,

Shall not be sent: my hand will serve the turn: 165

My youth can better spare my blood than you;

And therefore mine shall save my brothers' lives.

_Marc._ Which of your hands hath not defended Rome,

And rear'd aloft the bloody battle-axe,

Writing destruction on the enemy's castle?[4371] 170

O, none of both but are of high desert:

My hand hath been but idle; let it serve

To ransom my two nephews from their death;

Then have I kept it to a worthy end.

_Aar._ Nay, come, agree whose hand shall go along,[4369] 175

For fear they die before their pardon come.

_Marc._ My hand shall go.

_Luc._ By heaven, it shall not go!

_Tit._ Sirs, strive no more: such wither'd herbs as these[4372]

Are meet for plucking up, and therefore mine.

_Luc._ Sweet father, if I shall be thought thy son, 180

Let me redeem my brothers both from death.

_Marc._ And, for our father's sake and mother's care,

Now let me show a brother's love to thee.

_Tit._ Agree between you; I will spare my hand.

_Luc._ Then I'll go fetch an axe. 185

_Marc._ But I will use the axe. [_Exeunt Lucius and Marcus._[4373]

_Tit._ Come hither, Aaron; I'll deceive them both:

Lend me thy hand, and I will give thee mine.

_Aar._ [_Aside_] If that be call'd deceit, I will be honest,[4374]

And never, whilst I live, deceive men so: 190

But I'll deceive you in another sort,

And that you'll say, ere half an hour pass. [_Cuts off Titus's hand._

_Re-enter_ LUCIUS _and_ MARCUS.[4375]

_Tit._ Now stay your strife: what shall be is dispatch'd.[4376]

Good Aaron, give his majesty my hand:[4377]

Tell him it was a hand that warded him 195

From thousand dangers; bid him bury it;

More hath it merited; that let it have.[4378]

As for my sons, say I account of them[4379]

As jewels purchased at an easy price;

And yet dear too, because I bought mine own. 200

_Aar._ I go, Andronicus: and for thy hand

Look by and by to have thy sons with thee.

[_Aside_] Their heads, I mean. O, how this villany[4380]

Doth fat me with the very thoughts of it![4381]

Let fools do good, and fair men call for grace, 205

Aaron will have his soul black like his face. [_Exit._

_Tit._ O, here I lift this one hand up to heaven,[4382]

And bow this feeble ruin to the earth:

If any power pities wretched tears,[4383]

To that I call! [_To Lav._] What, would thou kneel with me?[4384] 210

Do, then, dear heart; for heaven shall hear our prayers;

Or with our sighs we'll breathe the welkin dim,

And stain the sun with fog, as sometime clouds

When they do hug him in their melting bosoms.

_Marc._ O brother, speak with possibilities,[4385] 215

And do not break into these deep extremes.[4386]

_Tit._ Is not my sorrow deep, having no bottom?[4387]

Then be my passions bottomless with them.

_Marc._ But yet let reason govern thy lament.

_Tit._ If there were reason for these miseries, 220

Then into limits could I bind my woes:

When heaven doth weep, doth not the earth o'erflow?

If the winds rage, doth not the sea wax mad,

Threatening the welkin with his big-swoln face?

And wilt thou have a reason for this coil? 225

I am the sea; hark, how her sighs do blow![4388]

She is the weeping welkin, I the earth:

Then must my sea be moved with her sighs;

Then must my earth with her continual tears

Become a deluge, overflow'd and drown'd:[4389] 230

For why my bowels cannot hide her woes,[4390]

But like a drunkard must I vomit them.

Then give me leave; for losers will have leave

To ease their stomachs with their bitter tongues.

_Enter a_ Messenger, _with two heads and a hand_.

_Mess._ Worthy Andronicus, ill art thou repaid 235

For that good hand thou sent'st the emperor.

Here are the heads of thy two noble sons;

And here's thy hand, in scorn to thee sent back,

Thy griefs their sports, thy resolution mock'd:[4391]

That woe is me to think upon thy woes, 240

More than remembrance of my father's death. [_Exit._

_Marc._ Now let hot Ætna cool in Sicily,[4392]

And be my heart an ever-burning hell!

These miseries are more than may be borne.

To weep with them that weep doth ease some deal, 245

But sorrow flouted at is double death.

_Luc._ Ah, that this sight should make so deep a wound,

And yet detested life not shrink thereat!

That ever death should let life bear his name,

Where life hath no more interest but to breathe! 250

[_Lavinia kisses Titus._[4393]

_Marc._ Alas, poor heart, that kiss is comfortless

As frozen water to a starved snake.

_Tit._ When will this fearful slumber have an end?

_Marc._ Now, farewell, flattery: die, Andronicus;[4394]

Thou dost not slumber: see, thy two sons' heads, 255

Thy warlike hand, thy mangled daughter here,[4395]

Thy other banish'd son with this dear sight[4396]

Struck pale and bloodless, and thy brother, I,[4397]

Even like a stony image, cold and numb.

Ah, now no more will I control thy griefs:[4398] 260

Rend off thy silver hair, thy other hand[4399]

Gnawing with thy teeth; and be this dismal sight[4400]

The closing up of our most wretched eyes:

Now is a time to storm; why art thou still?

_Tit._ Ha, ha, ha! 265

_Marc._ Why dost thou laugh? it fits not with this hour.

_Tit._ Why, I have not another tear to shed:

Besides, this sorrow is an enemy,

And would usurp upon my watery eyes

And make them blind with tributary tears: 270

Then which way shall I find Revenge's cave?[4401]

For these two heads do seem to speak to me,

And threat me I shall never come to bliss

Till all these mischiefs be return'd again

Even in their throats that have committed them. 275

Come, let me see what task I have to do.

You heavy people, circle me about,

That I may turn me to each one of you,

And swear unto my soul to right your wrongs.

The vow is made. Come, brother, take a head; 280

And in this hand the other will I bear.

Lavinia, thou shalt be employ'd in these things;[4402][4403]

Bear thou my hand, sweet wench, between thy teeth.[4403][4404]

As for thee, boy, go get thee from my sight;

Thou art an exile, and thou must not stay:

Hie to the Goths, and raise an army there: 285

And, if you love me, as I think you do,[4405]

Let's kiss and part, for we have much to do.

[_Exeunt all but Lucius._[4406]

_Luc._ Farewell, Andronicus, my noble father,[4407]

The wofull'st man that ever lived in Rome: 290

Farewell, proud Rome; till Lucius come again,[4408]

He leaves his pledges dearer than his life:[4409]

Farewell, Lavinia, my noble sister;

O, would thou wert as thou tofore hast been!

But now nor Lucius nor Lavinia lives 295

But in oblivion and hateful griefs.

If Lucius live, he will requite your wrongs;[4410]

And make proud Saturnine and his empress[4411]

Beg at the gates, like Tarquin and his queen.[4412]

Now will I to the Goths and raise a power, 300

To be revenged on Rome and Saturnine. [_Exit._[4413]

SCENE II. _A room in Titus's house. A banquet set out._

_Enter_ TITUS, MARCUS, LAVINIA, _and young_ LUCIUS, _a_ Boy.[4414]

_Tit._ So, so; now sit: and look you eat no more

Than will preserve just so much strength in us

As will revenge these bitter woes of ours.

Marcus, unknit that sorrow-wreathen knot:

Thy niece and I, poor creatures, want our hands,[4415] 5

And cannot passionate our tenfold grief

With folded arms. This poor right hand of mine

Is left to tyrannize upon my breast;

Who, when my heart, all mad with misery,[4416]

Beats in this hollow prison of my flesh, 10

Then thus I thump it down.

[_To Lavinia_] Thou map of woe, that thus dost talk in signs![4417]

When thy poor heart beats with outrageous beating,[4418]

Thou canst not strike it thus to make it still.[4419]

Wound it with sighing, girl, kill it with groans;[4420] 15

Or get some little knife between thy teeth,

And just against thy heart make thou a hole;

That all the tears that thy poor eyes let fall

May run into that sink, and soaking in

Drown the lamenting fool in sea-salt tears.[4421] 20

_Marc._ Fie, brother, fie! teach her not thus to lay

Such violent hands upon her tender life.

_Tit._ How now! has sorrow made thee dote already?

Why, Marcus, no man should be mad but I.

What violent hands can she lay on her life? 25

Ah, wherefore dost thou urge the name of hands;

To bid Æneas tell the tale twice o'er,

How Troy was burnt and he made miserable?

O, handle not the theme, to talk of hands,[4422]

Lest we remember still that we have none. 30

Fie, fie, how franticly I square my talk,

As if we should forget we had no hands,

If Marcus did not name the word of hands![4423]

Come, let's fall to; and, gentle girl, eat this:

Here is no drink. Hark, Marcus, what she says; 35

I can interpret all her martyr'd signs;

She says she drinks no other drink but tears,

Brew'd with her sorrow, mesh'd upon her cheeks:[4424]

Speechless complainer, I will learn thy thought;[4425]

In thy dumb action will I be as perfect 40

As begging hermits in their holy prayers:[4426]

Thou shalt not sigh, nor hold thy stumps to heaven,

Nor wink, nor nod, nor kneel, nor make a sign,

But I of these will wrest an alphabet,[4427]

And by still practice learn to know thy meaning. 45

_Boy._ Good grandsire, leave these bitter deep laments:

Make my aunt merry with some pleasing tale.

_Marc._ Alas, the tender boy, in passion moved,

Doth weep to see his grandsire's heaviness.

_Tit._ Peace, tender sapling; thou art made of tears, 50

And tears will quickly melt thy life away.

[_Marcus strikes the dish with a knife._

What dost thou strike at, Marcus, with thy knife?[4428][4429]

_Marc._ At that that I have kill'd, my lord,--a fly.[4428][4430]

_Tit._ Out on thee, murderer! thou kill'st my heart;[4428][4431]

Mine eyes are cloy'd with view of tyranny:[4428][4432] 55

A deed of death done on the innocent[4428]

Becomes not Titus' brother: get thee gone;[4428]

I see thou art not for my company.[4428]

_Marc._ Alas, my lord, I have but kill'd a fly.[4428]

_Tit._ 'But!' How, if that fly had a father and mother?[4428][4433] 60

How would he hang his slender gilded wings,[4428]

And buzz lamenting doings in the air![4428][4434]

Poor harmless fly,[4428]

That, with his pretty buzzing melody,[4428]

Came here to make us merry! and thou hast kill'd him.[4428][4435] 65

_Marc._ Pardon me, sir; it was a black ill-favour'd fly,[4428][4436]

Like to the empress' Moor; therefore I kill'd him.[4428]

_Tit._ O, O, O,[4428][4437]

Then pardon me for reprehending thee,[4428]

For thou hast done a charitable deed.[4428] 70

Give me thy knife, I will insult on him;[4428]

Flattering myself, as if it were the Moor[4428][4438]

Come hither purposely to poison me.[4428]

There's for thyself, and that's for Tamora.[4428]

Ah, sirrah![4428][4439] 75

Yet, I think, we are not brought so low,[4428][4440]

But that between us we can kill a fly[4428]

That comes in likeness of a coal-black Moor.[4428]

_Marc._ Alas, poor man! grief has so wrought on him,

He takes false shadows for true substances. 80

_Tit._ Come, take away. Lavinia, go with me:[4441]

I'll to thy closet; and go read with thee

Sad stories chanced in the times of old.

Come, boy, and go with me: thy sight is young,

And thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle. [_Exeunt._[4442] 85

FOOTNOTES:

[4323] ACT III. SCENE I.] Rowe. Actus Tertius. Ff. Omitted in Qq.

Rome. A street] Capell. A street in Rome. Theobald.

Enter....] Enter the Iudges and Senatours with Titus two sonnes bound,

passing on the Stage to the place of execution, and Titus going before

pleading. Qq Ff.

[4324] _now you_] _you now_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4325] _are_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _is_ Qq F₁.

[4326] [Lieth down;....] Andronicus lieth downe, and the Iudges passe

by him. Qq Ff.

[4327] _these, tribunes_] Qq F₁. _these, these Tribunes_ F₂ F₃. _these,

these, Tribunes_ F₄. _these, good tribunes_ Malone. _these two,

tribunes_ Jackson conj. _these, O tribunes_ Keightley (Collier conj.)

[4328] _languor and_] _anguish in_ Collier (Collier MS.)

[4329] _stanch_] Qq F₁. _stench_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4330] _befriend_] Qq F₃ F₄. _be friend_ F₁ F₂.

_more with_] _with more_ Collier (Collier MS.)

[Exeunt. Ff. om. Qq. Tribunes &c. pass Titus, and Exeunt with the

Prisoners. Capell (after _tears,_ line 13).

[4331] _urns_] Hanmer. _ruines_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃. _ruins_ F₄.

[4332] _his_] _her_ Rowe.

[4333] _showers: In ... drought_] _showres. In ... drought,_ Qq.

_showres In ... drought:_ F₁ F₂. _showers In ... drought:_ F₃ F₄.

[4334] Enter ... weapon....] Qq Ff. Enter ... sword.... Rowe.

[4335] _reverend_] F₃ F₄. _reverent_ Qq F₁ F₂.

_O gentle_] _gentle_ Rowe.

_O gentle, aged men_] _gentle-aged-men_ Boswell. _gentle-aged men_ S.

Walker conj. _aged gentlemen_ Anon. conj.

[4336] _you not_] Qq F₂ F₃ F₄. _not_ F₁.

[4337] _you,--_] _you--_ Rowe. _you._ Qq Ff.

[4338] _man:_] _man:_ [rises.] Capell.

[4339] _or ... them...._] Edd. _or ... them._ Q₁. _or if they did

marke, All bootlesse unto them._ Q₂. _oh if they did heare They would

not pitty me._ Ff. _or if they did mark, They would not pity me._ Pope.

_or, if they did mark, All bootless unto them, they would not pity me._

Capell. _or ... them since I complain._ Dyce conj.

[4340] _to_] Q₁. _bootles to_ Q₂ F₁ F₂. _bootless to_ F₃ F₄.

[4341] _they are_] _they're_ Pope. _are_ Hanmer.

[4342] [rising. Hudson.

[4343] _A stone ... stones_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

_A stone is_] _Stone's_ Steevens conj.

_soft as_] Qq. _as soft_ Ff.

[4344] [Rises] Dyce. om. Qq Ff.

[4345] _stand'st_] _standest_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4346] _pronounced_] _pronounc'd_ F₃ F₄. _pronounc'st_ F₁ F₂.

_pronounst_ Qq.

[4347] _must prey_] _must pray_ Q₁ F₁. _no prey_] _no pray_ Q₁.

[4348] SCENE II. Pope.

_aged_] Q₁. _noble_ Q₂ Ff.

[4349] _Ay_] F₄. _Aye_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃. _Ah_ Rowe.

[4350] _Lavinia_] Qq F₁. _my Lavinia_ F₂ F₃ F₄. _speak, Lavinia_ Anon.

conj.

[4351] _sight_] _spight_ Theobald.

[4352] _height_] _light_ F₂.

[4353] _I'll_] _or_ Steevens conj.

[4354] _And ... life_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

[4355] _is_] Qq Ff. _are_ Rowe.

[4356] _Sweet ... every ear_] _Rich ... old and young_ Collier MS.]

_Sweet varied_] _Sweet various_ F₄. _Sweet-varied_ S. Walker conj.

[4357] _O ... deed?_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

[4358] _It ... her_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.]

_dear_] F₃. _deare_ Qq F₁ F₂. _deer_ F₄.

[4359] _Who ... wave_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

_marks_] _markes_ Qq F₁. _makes_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4360] _lively_] _lovely_ Johnson (1771, '73). _living_ Collier MS.

[4361] _gather'd_] F₄. _gathred_ Qq F₁ F₂. _gath'red_ F₃.

_wither'd_] Rowe. _withered_ Qq Ff.

[4362] _them_] Q₁. _him_ Q₂ Ff.

[4363] _sign_] _signe_ Qq. _signes_ F₁ F₂ F₃. _signs_ F₄.

[4364] _as_] Collier (Collier MS. and Long MS.) _in_ Qq Ff. _like_

Rowe. _e'en_ Anon. conj.

[4365] _device_] Theobald. _devise_ Qq Ff.

_misery_ Qq. _miseries_ Ff.

[4366] _with his_] F₄. _with her_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4367] Enter Aaron] Enter Aron the Moore alone. Qq Ff.

[4368] SCENE III. Pope.

[4369] Aar.] Moore. Qq Ff.

[4370] _With ... hand_] As in Steevens. One line in Qq Ff.

_emperor My hand_] _king my hand_ Capell. _my hand to him_ Collier

(Collier MS.)

[4371] _enemy's_] Steevens (Capell conj.) _enemies_ Qq Ff. _enemies'_

Warburton.

_castle_] _casque_ Theobald. _cask_ Hanmer. _crest_ S. Walker conj.

_castles_ Keightley. See note (III).

[4372] _wither'd_] F₄. _withred_ Qq. _withered_ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4373] _use the axe_] _use it_ Collier (Capell conj.)

[Exeunt Lucius and Marcus.] Theobald. Exeunt. Qq Ff.

[4374] Aar.] Aron. Q₁. Moore. Q₂ Ff.

[Aside] First marked by Rowe. Capell marks lines 191, 192 only, as

spoken aside.

[4375] _pass_] _can pass_ Steevens (1793).

[Cuts off....] He cuts off Titus hand. Qq. Ff.

Re-enter....] Capell. Enter Lucius and Marcus againe. Qq Ff.

[4376] _your_] _you_ F₁.

[4377] _my_] _me_ F₁.

[4378] _merited;_] _merited?_ Hanmer.

[4379] _for_] _for for_ F₁.

[4380] [Aside] First marked by Rowe.

[4381] _fat_] _sat_ F₂.

_thoughts_] Qq F₁. _thought_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4382] SCENE IV. Pope.

_O, here_] _O here_ Q₁. _O heere_ Q₂ F₁ F₂. _O hear_ F₃. _O hear,_ F₄.

[4383] _wretched_] _wretches'_ S. Walker conj.

[4384] [To Lav.] Johnson. om. Qq Ff.

_would_] Qq. _wilt_ Ff. _won't_ Capell conj.

[4385] _possibilities_] _possibilitie_ Q₁.

[4386] _deep extremes_] _two extreams_ Rowe. _woe-extremes_ Warburton.

[4387] _Is ... sorrow_] _Are ... sorrows_ S. Walker conj.

[4388] _blow_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _flow_ Qq F₁.

[4389] _overflow'd and drown'd_] Ff. _overflowed and drowned_ Qq.

[4390] _For why_] Dyce. _For why,_ Qq Ff. _For why?_ Capell.

[4391] _griefs ... sports_] _griefe ... sports_ Q₁. _grief's ... sport_

Pope.

[4392] _Sicily_] F₃ F₄. _Cycilie_ Q₁. _Cicilie_ Q₂ F₁. _Cicily_ F₂.

[4393] _breathe_] F₄. _breath_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃.

[Lavinia....] Lavinia kisses him. Johnson. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4394] _flattery_] _slattery_ F₂.

[4395] _hand_] Qq F₄. _hands_ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4396] _son_] F₄. _sonne_ Qq. _sonnes_ F₁ F₂. _sons_ F₃.

_dear_] _dire_ Hanmer.

[4397] _our_] _your_ Theobald.

[4398] _thy_] Theobald. _my_ Qq Ff.

[4399] _Rend off_] _Rent off_ Q₁ Ff. _Rent of_ Q₂.

[4400] _Gnawing_] _Gnaw_ Capell.

[4401] _cave?_] Q₂ Ff. _cave._ Q₁.

[4402] _Lavinia_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _And Lavinia_ Qq F₁.

_Lavinia ... employ'd_] _Lavinia,_ (in a line by itself) _Thou too

shalt be employed_ Steevens conj. _And thou shalt be employed_ Collier

conj.

_employed in these things_] Ff. _imployde in these Armes_ Q₁. _imployd

in these Armes_ Q₂. _employed in these aims_ Grant White (Dyce conj.)

_employ'd: these arms!_ Edd. (Globe edition). See note (IV).

[4403] _employ'd ... hand,_] _employed: in these arms Bear thou my

hand:--_ Jackson conj.

[4404] _teeth_] _arms_ Capell.

[4405] _you do_] _'tis true_ Collier MS.

[4406] [Exeunt....] Exeunt. Manet Lucius. Ff. Exeunt. Qq.

[4407] SCENE V. Pope.

[4408] _Rome; till_] _Rome; 'till_ Rowe (ed. 2). _Rome till_ Qq. _Rome,

till_ Ff.

[4409] _leaves_] Rowe. _loves_ Qq Ff.

[4410] _requite_] Qq F₃ F₄. _requit_ F₁ F₂.

[4411] _Saturnine_] Qq F₁. _Saturninus_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4412] _like_] _likes_ F₁.

[4413] [Exit.] Exit Lucius. Qq Ff.

[4414] SCENE II.] Capell. SCENE VI. Pope.

A room....] An apartment.... Theobald.

A banquet....] A Bnaket. F₁. A Banquet. F₂ F₃ F₄.

Enter....] Enter Andronicus, Marcus, Lavinia and the Boy. Ff. The whole

of this scene is omitted in the Quartos.

[4415] _and_] _an_ F₂.

[4416] _Who_] Ff. _And_ Rowe.

[4417] [To Lavinia] Johnson.

[4418] _with outrageous_] _without ragious_ F₁.

[4419] _still._] _still?_ F₁ F₂. _still:_ F₃ F₄.

[4420] _sighing_] _singing_ Rowe.

[4421] _fool_] F₃ F₄. _foole_ F₁ F₂. _soul_ Long MS. (erased).

_sea-salt_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _Sea salt_ F₁.

[4422] _to talk_] _no talk_ Rowe.

[4423] _hands!_] _hands?_ F₃ F₄. _hands._ F₁ F₂.

[4424] _Brew'd_] _Breu'd_ F₁.

_sorrow_] F₁. _sorrows_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4425] _complainer, I_] Capell. _complaynet, I_ F₁. _complaint, O I_ F₂

F₃ F₄.

[4426] _hermits_] _hemits_ F₂.

[4427] _wrest_] _rest_ Warburton (a misprint).

[4428] _What ... Moor_] Erased in Collier MS.

[4429] _thy_] F₂ F₃ F₄. om F₁.

[4430] _fly_] _flys_ F₁.

[4431] _thee,_] F₄. _thee_ F₃. _the_ F₁ F₂.

[4432] _are_] F₂ F₃ F₄. om. F₁.

[4433] _'But!' How, if_] _But? How if_ F₁ F₂. _But? How, if_ F₃. _But,

how if_ F₄. _But how, if_ Stevens.

_father and mother?_] _father, sir?_ Capell. _father, brother?_ Ritson

conj. _father?_ Stevens conj.

[4434] _lamenting doings_] _laments and dolings_ Hanmer.

_doings_] _dolings_ Theobald. _dronings_ Anon. MS. conj. apud Theobald

('Shakespeare restored' p. 184).

[4435] _Came ... him._] One line in Capell. Two in Ff.

[4436] _Pardon ... fly,_] One line in Pope. Two in Ff.

_sir; it was_] _it was_ Hanmer. _'twas_ Capell conj.

[4437] _O, O, O,_] _O, O,_ Capell, reading _O, O, ... thee,_ as one

line.

[4438] _myself_] _my selfes_ F₁.

[4439] _Ah, sirrah!_] As a separate line in Capell. Joined to line 74

in Ff. Omitted by Pope. Joined to line 76 in Steevens (1778).

[4440] _Yet, I think_] _Yet still I think_ Pope. _Why, yet, I think_

Capell. _Yet I do think_ Steevens. _But yet I think_ or _Yet do I

think_ Grant White conj.

[4441] Tit. _Come, take away._] Capell. See note (V).

[4442] _begin_] Ff. _begins_ Rowe (ed. 2).

ACT IV.

SCENE I. _Rome. Titus's garden._

_Enter young_ LUCIUS _and_ LAVINIA _running after him, and the

boy flies from her, with his books under his arm. Then

enter_ TITUS _and_ MARCUS.[4443]

_Boy._ Help, grandsire, help! my aunt Lavinia[4444]

Follows me every where, I know not why:

Good uncle Marcus, see how swift she comes.

Alas, sweet aunt, I know not what you mean.

_Marc._ Stand by me, Lucius; do not fear thine aunt.[4445] 5

_Tit._ She loves thee, boy, too well to do thee harm.

_Boy._ Ay, when my father was in Rome she did.

_Marc._ What means my niece Lavinia by these signs?

_Tit._ Fear her not, Lucius: somewhat doth she mean:[4446]

See, Lucius, see how much she makes of thee:[4447] 10

Somewhither would she have thee go with her.[4448]

Ah, boy, Cornelia never with more care[4449]

Read to her sons than she hath read to thee[4450]

Sweet poetry and Tully's Orator.[4451]

_Marc._ Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus?[4452] 15

_Boy._ My lord, I know not, I, nor can I guess,

Unless some fit or frenzy do possess her:[4453]

For I have heard my grandsire say full oft,

Extremity of griefs would make men mad;[4454]

And I have read that Hecuba of Troy 20

Ran mad for sorrow: that made me to fear;[4455]

Although, my lord, I know my noble aunt

Loves me as dear as e'er my mother did,

And would not, but in fury, fright my youth:

Which made me down to throw my books and fly, 25

Causeless perhaps. But pardon me, sweet aunt:

And, madam, if my uncle Marcus go,

I will most willingly attend your ladyship.[4456]

_Marc._ Lucius, I will. [_Lavinia turns over with her

stumps the books which Lucius has let fall._[4457]

_Tit._ How now, Lavinia! Marcus, what means this? 30

Some book there is that she desires to see.

Which is it, girl, of these? Open them, boy.

But thou art deeper read, and better skill'd:

Come, and take choice of all my library,[4458]

And so beguile thy sorrow, till the heavens 35

Reveal the damn'd contriver of this deed.[4459]

Why lifts she up her arms in sequence thus?

_Marc._ I think she means that there were more than one[4460]

Confederate in the fact; ay, more there was;

Or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge.[4461] 40

_Tit._ Lucius, what book is that she tosseth so?[4462]

_Boy._ Grandsire, 'tis Ovid's Metamorphoses:[4463]

My mother gave it me.

_Marc._ For love of her that's gone,

Perhaps she cull'd it from among the rest.

_Tit._ Soft! so busily she turns the leaves![4464] 45

Help her:[4465]

What would she find? Lavinia, shall I read?

This is the tragic tale of Philomel,

And treats of Tereus' treason and his rape;

And rape, I fear, was root of thine annoy. 50

_Marc._ See, brother, see; note how she quotes the leaves.

_Tit._ Lavinia, wert thou thus surprised, sweet girl,

Ravish'd and wrong'd as Philomela was,

Forced in the ruthless, vast, and gloomy woods?

See, see![4466] 55

Ay, such a place there is, where we did hunt--[4466]

O, had we never, never hunted there!--

Pattern'd by that the poet here describes,

By nature made for murders and for rapes.

_Marc._ O, why should nature build so foul a den, 60

Unless the gods delight in tragedies?[4467]

_Tit._ Give signs, sweet girl, for here are none but friends,

What Roman lord it was durst do the deed:

Or slunk not Saturnine, as Tarquin erst,[4468]

That left the camp to sin in Lucrece' bed?[4469] 65

_Marc._ Sit down, sweet niece: brother, sit down by me.

Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury,

Inspire me, that I may this treason find!

My lord, look here: look here, Lavinia:

This sandy plot is plain; guide, if thou canst, 70

This after me. [_He writes his name with his staff, and

guides it with feet and mouth._] I have writ

my name[4470]

Without the help of any hand at all.

Cursed be that heart that forced us to this shift![4471]

Write thou, good niece; and here display at last[4472]

What God will have discovered for revenge:[4473] 75

Heaven guide thy pen to print thy sorrows plain,

That we may know the traitors and the truth!

[_She takes the staff in her month, and guides it

with her stumps, and writes._

_Tit._ O, do ye read, my lord, what she hath writ?[4474]

'Stuprum. Chiron. Demetrius.'

_Marc._ What, what! the lustful sons of Tamora 80

Performers of this heinous, bloody deed?[4475]

_Tit._ Magni Dominator poli,[4476]

Tam lentus audis scelera? tam lentus vides?

_Marc._ O, calm thee, gentle lord; although I know

There is enough written upon this earth 85

To stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughts

And arm the minds of infants to exclaims.[4477]

My lord, kneel down with me; Lavinia, kneel;

And kneel, sweet boy, the Roman Hector's hope;

And swear with me, as, with the woful fere[4478] 90

And father of that chaste dishonour'd dame,[4479]

Lord Junius Brutus sware for Lucrece' rape,[4480]

That we will prosecute by good advice[4481]

Mortal revenge upon these traitorous Goths,

And see their blood, or die with this reproach.[4482] 95

_Tit._ 'Tis sure enough, an you knew how.[4483]

But if you hunt these bear-whelps, then beware:[4484][4485]

The dam will wake; and if she wind you once,[4485][4486]

She's with the lion deeply still in league,

And lulls him whilst she playeth on her back,[4487] 100

And when he sleeps will she do what she list.

You are a young huntsman, Marcus; let alone;[4488]

And, come, I will go get a leaf of brass,

And with a gad of steel will write these words,

And lay it by: the angry northern wind 105

Will blow these sands, like Sibyl's leaves, abroad,

And where's your lesson then? Boy, what say you?[4489]

_Boy._ I say, my lord, that if I were a man,

Their mother's bed-chamber should not be safe

For these bad bondmen to the yoke of Rome. 110

_Marc._ Ay, that's my boy! thy father hath full oft

For his ungrateful country done the like.[4490]

_Boy._ And, uncle, so will I, an if I live.[4491]

_Tit._ Come, go with me into mine armoury;[4492]

Lucius, I'll fit thee, and withal, my boy[4493] 115

Shall carry from me to the empress' sons[4493][4494]

Presents that I intend to send them both:

Come, come; thou'lt do thy message, wilt thou not?[4495]

_Boy._ Ay, with my dagger in their bosoms, grandsire.[4496]

_Tit._ No, boy, not so; I'll teach thee another course.[4497] 120

Lavinia, come. Marcus, look to my house:

Lucius and I'll go brave it at the court;

Ay, marry, will we, sir; and we'll be waited on.

[_Exeunt Titus, Lavinia, and Young Lucius._[4498]

_Marc._ O heavens, can you hear a good man groan,

And not relent, or not compassion him? 125

Marcus, attend him in his ecstasy,

That hath more scars of sorrow in his heart

Than foemen's marks upon his batter'd shield,

But yet so just that he will not revenge.[4499]

Revenge, ye heavens, for old Andronicus! [_Exit._[4500] 130

SCENE II. _The same. A room in the palace._

_Enter_ AARON, CHIRON, _and_ DEMETRIUS _at one door; and at

another door, young_ LUCIUS _and an_ Attendant, _with a

bundle of weapons, and verses writ upon them_.[4501]

_Chi._ Demetrius, here's the son of Lucius;

He hath some message to deliver us.

_Aar._ Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather.

_Boy._ My lords, with all the humbleness I may,

I greet your honours from Andronicus. 5

[_Aside_] And pray the Roman gods confound you both![4502]

_Dem._ Gramercy, lovely Lucius: what's the news?[4503]

_Boy._ [_Aside_] That you are both decipher'd, that's the news,[4502][4504]

For villains mark'd with rape.--May it please you,[4505]

My grandsire, well advised, hath sent by me 10

The goodliest weapons of his armoury

To gratify your honourable youth,

The hope of Rome; for so he bid me say;[4506]

And so I do, and with his gifts present

Your lordships, that, whenever you have need,[4507] 15

You may be armed and appointed well:

And so I leave you both, [_Aside_] like bloody villains.[4502]

[_Exeunt Boy and Attendant._[4508]

_Dem._ What's here? A scroll, and written round about!

Let's see:

[_Reads_] 'Integer vitæ, scelerisque purus, 20

Non eget Mauri jaculis, nec arcu.'[4509]

_Chi._ O, 'tis a verse in Horace; I know it well:

I read it in the grammar long ago.

_Aar._ Ay, just; a verse in Horace; right, you have it.

[_Aside_] Now, what a thing it is to be an ass![4510] 25

Here's no sound jest: the old man hath found their guilt,[4510][4511]

And sends them weapons wrapp'd about with lines,[4510][4512]

That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick.[4510]

But were our witty empress well afoot,[4510]

She would applaud Andronicus' conceit:[4510] 30

But let her rest in her unrest awhile.--[4510]

And now, young lords, was't not a happy star

Led us to Rome, strangers, and more than so,

Captives, to be advanced to this height?

It did me good, before the palace gate 35

To brave the tribune in his brother's hearing.[4513]

_Dem._ But me more good, to see so great a lord

Basely insinuate and send us gifts.

_Aar._ Had he not reason, Lord Demetrius?

Did you not use his daughter very friendly? 40

_Dem._ I would we had a thousand Roman dames

At such a bay, by turn to serve our lust.[4514]

_Chi._ A charitable wish and full of love.[4515]

_Aar._ Here lacks but your mother for to say amen.[4515][4516]

_Chi._ And that would she for twenty thousand more. 45

_Dem._ Come, let us go, and pray to all the gods

For our beloved mother in her pains.

_Aar._ [_Aside_] Pray to the devils; the gods have given

us over. [_Trumpets sound within._[4517]

_Dem._ Why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus?

_Chi._ Belike, for joy the emperor hath a son. 50

_Dem._ Soft! who comes here?

_Enter_ Nurse, _with a blackamoor_ Child.

_Nur._ Good morrow, lords:[4518][4519]

O, tell me, did you see Aaron the Moor?[4519]

_Aar._ Well, more or less, or ne'er a whit at all,

Here Aaron is; and what with Aaron now?

_Nur._ O gentle Aaron, we are all undone! 55

Now help, or woe betide thee evermore!

_Aar._ Why, what a caterwauling dost thou keep![4520]

What dost thou wrap and fumble in thine arms?

_Nur._ O, that which I would hide from heaven's eye,

Our empress' shame and stately Rome's disgrace! 60

She is deliver'd, lords, she is deliver'd.[4521]

_Aar._ To whom?[4522][4523]

_Nur._ I mean, she is brought a-bed.[4522]

_Aar._ Well, God give her good rest! What hath he sent her?[4522][4524]

_Nur._ A devil.[4522]

_Aar._ Why, then she is the devil's dam;[4522][4525]

A joyful issue.[4522][4525] 65

_Nur._ A joyless, dismal, black and sorrowful issue:

Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad

Amongst the fairest breeders of our clime:[4526]

The empress sends it thee, thy stamp, thy seal,

And bids thee christen it with thy dagger's point. 70

_Aar._ 'Zounds, ye whore! is black so base a hue?[4527]

Sweet blowse, you are a beauteous blossom, sure.[4528]

_Dem._ Villain, what hast thou done?

_Aar._ That which thou canst not undo.[4529]

_Chi._ Thou hast undone our mother. 75

_Aar._ Villain, I have done thy mother.[4530]

_Dem._ And therein, hellish dog, thou hast undone her.[4531]

Woe to her chance, and damn'd her loathed choice!

Accursed the offspring of so foul a fiend!

_Chi._ It shall not live. 80

_Aar._ It shall not die.[4532]

_Nur._ Aaron, it must; the mother wills it so.

_Aar._ What, must it, nurse? then let no man but I

Do execution on my flesh and blood.

_Dem._ I'll broach the tadpole on my rapier's point: 85

Nurse, give it me; my sword shall soon dispatch it.

_Aar._ Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up.

[_Takes the Child from the Nurse, and draws._[4533]

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, 90

He dies upon my scimitar's sharp point[4534]

That touches this my first-born son and heir!

I tell you, younglings, not Enceladus,

With all his threatening band of Typhon's brood,

Nor great Alcides, nor the god of war, 95

Shall seize this prey out of his father's hands.[4535]

What, what, ye sanguine, shallow-hearted boys![4536]

Ye white-limed walls! ye alehouse painted signs![4537]

Coal-black is better than another hue,

In that it scorns to bear another hue;[4538] 100

For all the water in the ocean

Can never turn the swan's black legs to white,[4539]

Although she lave them hourly in the flood.

Tell the empress from me, I am of age[4540]

To keep mine own, excuse it how she can. 105

_Dem._ Wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus?

_Aar._ My mistress is my mistress, this myself,

The vigour and the picture of my youth:

This before all the world do I prefer;

This maugre all the world will I keep safe, 110

Or some of you shall smoke for it in Rome.

_Dem._ By this our mother is for ever 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.[4541] 115

_Aar._ Why, there's the privilege your beauty bears:

Fie, treacherous hue, that will betray with blushing

The close enacts and counsels of the heart![4542]

Here's a young lad framed of another leer:

Look, how the black slave smiles upon the father, 120

As who should say 'Old lad, I am thine own.'

He is your brother, lords, sensibly fed

Of that self-blood that first gave life to you;

And from that womb where you imprison'd were[4543]

He is enfranchised and come to light: 125

Nay, he is your brother by the surer side,[4544]

Although my seal be stamped in his face.

_Nur._ Aaron, what shall I say unto the empress?[4545]

_Dem_. Advise thee, Aaron, what is to be done,

And we will all subscribe to thy advice:[4546] 130

Save thou the child, so we may all be safe.[4547]

_Aar._ Then sit we down, and let us all consult.

My son and I will have the wind of you:

Keep there: now talk at pleasure of your safety. [_They sit._[4548]

_Dem._ How many women saw this child of his? 135

_Aar._ Why, so, brave lords! when we join in league,[4549]

I am a lamb: but if you brave the Moor,

The chafed boar, the mountain lioness,

The ocean swells not so as Aaron storms.[4550]

But say, again, how many saw the child?[4551] 140

_Nur._ Cornelia the midwife and myself;

And no one else but the deliver'd empress.[4552]

_Aar._ The empress, the midwife, and yourself:

Two may keep counsel when the third's away:[4553]

Go to the empress, tell her this I said. [_He kills the Nurse._[4554] 145

Weke, weke![4555]

So cries a pig prepared to the spit.[4555][4556]

_Dem._ What mean'st thou, Aaron? wherefore didst thou this?[4557]

_Aar._ O Lord, sir, 'tis a deed of policy:

Shall she live to betray this guilt of ours, 150

A long-tongued babbling gossip? no, lords, no:

And now be it known to you my full intent.

Not far, one Muliteus, my countryman,[4558]

His wife but yesternight was brought to bed;

His child is like to her, fair as you are: 155

Go pack with him, and give the mother gold,

And tell them both the circumstance of all;

And how by this their child shall be advanced,[4559]

And be received for the emperor's heir,[4560]

And substituted in the place of mine, 160

To calm this tempest whirling in the court;[4561]

And let the emperor dandle him for his own.

Hark ye, lords; you see I have given her physic,

[_Pointing to the Nurse._[4562]

And you must needs bestow her funeral;

The fields are near, and you are gallant grooms: 165

This done, see that you take no longer days,[4563]

But send the midwife presently to me.

The midwife and the nurse well made away,

Then let the ladies tattle what they please.[4564]

_Chi._ Aaron, I see thou wilt not trust the air[4565] 170

With secrets.[4565]

_Dem._ For this care of Tamora,

Herself and hers are highly bound to thee.

[_Exeunt Dem. and Chi. bearing off the Nurse's body._[4566]

_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. 175

Come on, you thick-lipp'd slave, I'll bear you hence;

For it is you that puts us to our shifts:[4567]

I'll make you feed on berries and on roots,[4568]

And feed on curds and whey, and suck the goat,[4569]

And cabin in a cave, and bring you up 180

To be a warrior and command a camp. [_Exit._

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 (PUBLIUS, SEMPRONIUS, _and_ CAIUS), _with

bows_.[4570]

_Tit._ Come, Marcus, come; kinsmen, this is the way.[4571]

Sir boy, let me see your archery;[4572]

Look ye draw home enough, and 'tis there straight.

Terras Astræa reliquit:[4573]

Be you remember'd, Marcus, she's gone, she's fled.[4573][4574] 5

Sirs, take you to your tools. You, cousins, shall[4573][4575]

Go sound the ocean, and cast your nets;[4573]

Happily you may catch her in the sea;[4573][4576]

Yet there's as little justice as at land:

No; Publius and Sempronius, you must do it; 10

'Tis you must dig with mattock and with spade,

And pierce the inmost centre of the earth:

Then, when you come to Pluto's region,

I pray you, deliver him this petition;[4577]

Tell him, it is for justice and for aid, 15

And that it comes from old Andronicus,

Shaken with sorrows in ungrateful Rome.

Ah, Rome! Well, well; I made thee miserable

What time I threw the people's suffrages

On him that thus doth tyrannize o'er me. 20

Go, get you gone; and pray be careful all,

And leave you not a man-of-war unsearch'd:

This wicked emperor may have shipp'd her hence;

And, kinsmen, then we may go pipe for justice.

_Marc._ O Publius, is not this a heavy case, 25

To see thy noble uncle thus distract?

_Pub._ Therefore, my lord, it highly us concerns[4578][4579]

By day and night to attend him carefully,

And feed his humour kindly as we may,

Till time beget some careful remedy. 30

_Marc._ Kinsmen, his sorrows are past remedy.[4580]

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![4581] 35

What, have you met with her?[4581]

_Pub._ No, my good lord; but Pluto sends you word,[4578]

If you will have Revenge from hell, you shall:

Marry, for Justice, she is so employ'd,[4582]

He thinks, with Jove in heaven, or somewhere else, 40

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.[4583]

Marcus, we are but shrubs, no cedars we, 45

No big-boned men framed of the Cyclops' size;

But metal, Marcus, steel to the very back,

Yet wrung with wrongs more than our backs can bear:[4584]

And sith there's no justice in earth nor hell,[4585]

We will solicit heaven, and move the gods 50

To send down Justice for to wreak our wrongs.

Come, to this gear. You are a good archer, Marcus;[4586]

[_He gives them the arrows._

'Ad Jovem,' that's for you: here, 'Ad Apollinem:'[4587]

'Ad Martem,' that's for myself:[4588]

Here, boy, to Pallas: here, to Mercury: 55

To Saturn, Caius, not to Saturnine;[4589]

You were as good to shoot against the wind.

To it, boy! Marcus, loose when I bid.[4590]

Of my word, I have written to effect;[4591]

There's not a god left unsolicited. 60

_Marc._ Kinsmen, shoot all your shafts into the court:[4592]

We will afflict the emperor in his pride.

_Tit._ Now, masters, draw. [_They shoot._] O, well said, Lucius![4593]

Good boy, in Virgo's lap; give it Pallas.[4594]

_Marc._ My lord, I aim a mile beyond the moon;[4595] 65

Your letter is with Jupiter by this.

_Tit._ Ha, ha![4596]

Publius, Publius, what hast thou done?[4596]

See, see, thou hast shot off one of Taurus' horns.[4597]

_Marc._ This was the sport, my lord: when Publius shot, 70

The Bull, being gall'd, gave Aries such a knock

That down fell both the Ram's horns in the court;

And who should find them but the empress' villain?[4598]

She laugh'd, and told the Moor he should not choose

But give them to his master for a present. 75

_Tit._ Why, there it goes: God give his lordship joy![4599]

_Enter a Clown, with a basket, and two pigeons in it._[4600]

News, news from heaven! Marcus, the post is come.[4601]

Sirrah, what tidings? have you any letters?

Shall I have justice? what says Jupiter?

_Clo._ O, the gibbet-maker! he says that he hath taken[4602] 80

them down again, for the man must not be hanged till the

next week.

_Tit._ But what says Jupiter, I ask thee?[4603]

_Clo._ Alas, sir, I know not Jupiter; I never drank with[4604][4605]

him in all my life.[4604] 85

_Tit._ Why, villain, art not thou the carrier?

_Clo._ Ay, of my pigeons, sir; nothing else.[4606]

_Tit._ Why, didst thou not come from heaven?

_Clo._ From heaven! alas, sir, I never came there: God[4607]

forbid I should be so bold to press to heaven in my young[4608] 90

days. Why, I am going with my pigeons to the tribunal

plebs, to take up a matter of brawl betwixt my uncle and

one of the emperial's men.

_Marc._ Why, sir, that is as fit as can be to serve for

your oration; and let him deliver the pigeons to the 95

emperor from you.

_Tit._ Tell me, can you deliver an oration to the emperor

with a grace?

_Clo._ Nay, truly, sir, I could never say grace in all my life.

_Tit._ Sirrah, come hither: make no more ado, 100

But give your pigeons to the emperor:

By me thou shalt have justice at his hands.

Hold, hold; meanwhile here's money for thy charges.[4609]

Give me pen and ink.[4610]

Sirrah, can you with a grace deliver a supplication? 105

_Clo._ Ay, sir.

_Tit._ Then here is a supplication for you. And when you

come to him, at the first approach you must kneel; then kiss

his foot; then deliver up your pigeons; and then look for

your reward. I'll be at hand, sir; see you do it bravely. 110

_Clo._ I warrant you, sir, let me alone.

_Tit._ Sirrah, hast thou a knife? come, let me see it.

Here, Marcus, fold it in the oration;

For thou hast made it like an humble suppliant:

And when thou hast given it to the emperor,[4611] 115

Knock at my door, and tell me what he says.

_Clo._ God be with you, sir; I will. [_Exit._[4612]

_Tit._ Come, Marcus, let us go. Publius, follow me. [_Exeunt._[4613]

SCENE IV. _The same. Before the palace._

_Enter_ SATURNINUS, TAMORA, CHIRON, DEMETRIUS, Lords, _and

others_; SATURNINUS _with the Arrows in his hand that_

TITUS _shot_.[4614]

_Sat._ Why, lords, what wrongs are these! was ever seen[4615]

An emperor in Rome thus overborne,[4616]

Troubled, confronted thus, and for the extent

Of egal justice used in such contempt?[4617]

My lords, you know, as know the mightful gods,[4618] 5

However these disturbers of our peace[4619]

Buzz in the people's ears, there nought hath pass'd

But even with law against the wilful sons[4620]

Of old Andronicus. And what an if[4621]

His sorrows have so overwhelm'd his wits, 10

Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks,[4622]

His fits, his frenzy and his bitterness?

And now he writes to heaven for his redress:

See, here's to Jove, and this to Mercury;

This to Apollo; this to the god of war: 15

Sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of Rome!

What's this but libelling against the senate,[4623]

And blazoning our unjustice every where?[4623][4624]

A goodly humour, is it not, my lords?

As who would say, in Rome no justice were. 20

But if I live, his feigned ecstasies[4625]

Shall be no shelter to these outrages:

But he and his shall know that justice lives

In Saturninus' health; whom, if he sleep,[4626][4627]

He'll so awake, as he in fury shall[4627] 25

Cut off the proud'st conspirator that lives.[4628]

_Tam._ My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine,[4629]

Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,[4630]

Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus' age,[4631]

The effects of sorrow for his valiant sons, 30

Whose loss hath pierced him deep and scarr'd his heart;

And rather comfort his distressed plight[4632]

Than prosecute the meanest or the best

For these contempts. [_Aside_] Why, thus it shall become[4633]

High-witted Tamora to gloze with all:[4634] 35

But, Titus, I have touch'd thee to the quick,[4635]

Thy life-blood out: if Aaron now be wise,[4635][4636]

Then is all safe, the anchor in the port.[4637]

_Enter_ Clown.

How now, good fellow! wouldst thou speak with us?

_Clo._ Yea, forsooth, an your mistership be emperial.[4638] 40

_Tam._ Empress I am, but yonder sits the emperor.

_Clo._ 'Tis he. God and Saint Stephen give you god-den:[4639][4640]

I have brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons[4639]

here. [_Saturninus reads the letter._[4639][4641]

_Sat._ Go, take him away, and hang him presently.[4642] 45

_Clo._ How much money must I have?[4643]

_Tam._ Come, sirrah, you must be hanged.[4644]

_Clo._ Hanged! by'r lady, then I have brought up a neck[4645]

to a fair end. [_Exit, guarded._[4646]

_Sat._ Despiteful and intolerable wrongs! 50

Shall I endure this monstrous villany?

I know from whence this same device proceeds:[4647]

May this be borne? As if his traitorous sons,[4648]

That died by law for murder of our brother,

Have by my means been butcher'd wrongfully![4649] 55

Go, drag the villain hither by the hair;

Nor age nor honour shall shape privilege:[4650]

For this proud mock I'll be thy slaughter-man;

Sly frantic wretch, that holp'st to make me great,

In hope thyself should govern Rome and me. 60

_Enter_ ÆMILIUS.[4651]

What news with thee, Æmilius?[4652]

_Æmil._ Arm, my lords; Rome never had more cause.[4653]

The Goths have gather'd head, and with a power[4654]

Of high-resolved men, bent to the spoil,

They hither march amain, under conduct[4655] 65

Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus;

Who threats, in course of this revenge, to do[4656]

As much as ever Coriolanus did.

_Sat._ Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths?[4657][4658]

These tidings nip me, and I hang the head 70

As flowers with frost or grass beat down with storms:

Ay, now begin our sorrows to approach:[4659]

'Tis he the common people love so much;

Myself hath often heard them say,[4660]

When I have walked like a private man, 75

That Lucius' banishment was wrongfully,

And they have wish'd that Lucius were their emperor.[4661]

_Tam._ Why should you fear? is not your city strong?[4662]

_Sat._ Ay, but the citizens favour Lucius,[4657]

And will revolt from me to succour him. 80

_Tam._ King, be thy thoughts imperious, like thy name.

Is the sun dimm'd, that gnats do fly in it?[4663]

The eagle suffers little birds to sing,

And is not careful what they mean thereby,

Knowing that with the shadow of his wings[4664] 85

He can at pleasure stint their melody:

Even so mayst thou the giddy men of Rome.[4665]

Then cheer thy spirit: for know, thou emperor,

I will enchant the old Andronicus

With words more sweet, and yet more dangerous, 90

Than baits to fish, or honey-stalks to sheep;

Whenas the one is wounded with the bait,

The other rotted with delicious feed.[4666]

_Sat._ But he will not entreat his son for us.[4657][4667]

_Tam._ If Tamora entreat him, then he will:[4668] 95

For I can smooth, and fill his aged ears[4669]

With golden promises; that, were his heart

Almost impregnable, his old ears deaf,[4670]

Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue.

[_To Æmilius_] Go thou before, be our ambassador:[4671] 100

Say that the emperor requests a parley

Of warlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting

Even at his father's house, the old Andronicus.[4672]

_Sat._ Æmilius, do this message honourably:[4657][4667]

And if he stand on hostage for his safety,[4673] 105

Bid him demand what pledge will please him best.

_Æmil._ Your bidding shall I do effectually. [_Exit._

_Tam._ Now will I to that old Andronicus,

And temper him with all the art I have,[4674]

To pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths. 110

And now, sweet emperor, be blithe again,

And bury all thy fear in my devices.[4675]

_Sat._ Then go successantly, and plead to him. [_Exeunt._[4676]

FOOTNOTES:

[4443] ACT IV. SCENE I.] Rowe. Actus Quartus. Ff. om. Qq.

Rome. Titus's garden.] Edd. Titus's House. Theobald. Before Titus'

House. Capell.

Enter young Lucius....] Ff. Enter Lucius sonne.... Qq.

Then enter....] Enter.... Qq Ff.

[4444] Boy.] Ff. Puer. Qq (and throughout the scene).

[4445] _thine_] Qq. _thy_ Ff.

[4446] _Fear her not_] Qq. _Feare not_ Ff. _Fear thou not_ Rowe.

[4447] _See_] Marc. _See_ S. Walker conj.

[4448] _Somewhither_] _Some whether_ Qq F₁. _Some whither_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4449] Ah,] F₄. _A_ Q₁. _Ah_ Q₂ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4450] _Read ... read_] Ff. _Red ... red_ Qq.

[4451] _Orator_] _Oratory_ Rowe. _oratory_ Pope.

[4452] Marc.] Capell. Qq Ff continue the line to the preceding speaker.

[4453] _or_] _of_ Anon. conj.

[4454] _griefs_] _greeves_ Q₁. _grief_ Rowe.

[4455] _for_] Q₁. _through_ Q₂ Ff.

[4456] _will_] F₁ F₂. om. F₃ F₄.

[4457] [Lavinia....] Malone, following Capell. om. Qq Ff.

[4458] _take_] _make_ Rowe.

[4459] After _deed_ Ff insert, as a separate line, _What booke?_

[4460] _were_] Q₁. _was_ Q₂ Ff.

[4461] _for_] Qq. _to_ Ff.

[4462] _tosseth_] _tosses_ Rowe.

[4463] _Metamorphoses_] Pope. _Metamorphosis_ Qq Ff.

[4464] _Soft! so_] _Soft, so_ Qq Ff. _Soft! see how_ Rowe. _Soft, soft;

how_ Capell. _Soft! how_ Knight. _Soft, soft! so_ Keightley.

[4465] _Help her:_] As a separate line in Capell. Joined to line 47 in

Qq Ff. Helping her (as a stage direction) Edd. Globe ed. (Dyce conj.)

See note (VI).

[4466] _See ... hunt_] As in Pope. One line in Qq Ff.

[4467] _tragedies?_] _tragedies,_ Q₁.

[4468] _slunk_] F₃ F₄. _slunke_ F₁ F₂. _slonke_ Qq.

_erst_] _ersts_ F₁.

[4469] _sin_] _finne_ Q₁.

_bed?_] F₃ F₄. _bed._ Qq F₁ F₂.

[4470] _me. I_] _mee, I_ Q₁. _me, I_ Q₂ F₁. _me, when I_ F₂ F₃ F₄. _me.

where I_ Collier MS. _me. There I_ Collier conj. _me. See, I_ Keightley.

[He ... mouth.] Qq Ff, after line 69. Transferred hither by Collier.

Placed after line 72 by Capell.

feet] his feet F₄.

mouth.] mouths. F₂.

[4471] _be that_] _be the_ Collier MS.

_heart_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _hart_ Qq F₁.

_this_] Qq F₂ F₃ F₄. _that_ F₁.

[4472] _last_] _least_ Rowe.

[4473] _discovered_] _discover'd_ F₃ F₄.

[4474] Tit.] F₂ F₃ F₄. Titus. Q₂. Ti. F₁. Omitted in Q₁. Boy. Capell

MS. conj.

_ye_] _you_ F₃ F₄.

_writ_] _writs_ F₁.

[4475] _heinous_] _hateful_ Rowe.

[4476] _Magni Dominator_] Qq Ff. _Magne Dominator_ Theobald. _Magne

Regnator_ Hanmer.

[4477] _exclaims_] _exclaim_ Keightley. _extremes_ Anon. conj.

[4478] _fere_] _feere_ Qq F₁ F₂. _feer_ F₃. _peer_ F₄.

[4479] _dishonour'd_] Capell. _dishonoured_ Qq Ff.

[4480] _sware_] F₃ F₄. _sweare_ Qq F₁ F₂.

[4481] _advice_] Q₁ F₃ F₄. _advise_ Q₂ F₁ F₂. _device_ Collier conj.

[4482] _or_] _ere_ Theobald.

[4483] _an_] Capell. _and_ Qq Ff. _if_ Pope.

_how_] _how to do it_ Collier (Collier MS.)

[4484] _hunt_] _hurt_ Rowe.

[4485] _beware: The_] Capell. _beware, The_ Qq. _beware The_ Ff. _be

ware: The_ Capell conj.

[4486] _wake; and if ... once,_] Theobald. _wake, and if ... once,_ Qq

Ff. _wake, an if ... once:_ Staunton.

[4487] _playeth_] _palyeth_ F₁.

[4488] _You are_] _You're_ Pope.

_let alone_] Q₁. _let it alone_ Q₂ Ff.

[4489] _your_] _you_ Q₁.

[4490] _his_] _this_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4491] _an if_] Theobald. _and if_ Qq Ff.

[4492] _mine_] _my_ Pope.

[4493] _boy Shall_] _boy, Shalt_ Capell.

[4494] _from_] _for_ Capell.

[4495] _thy_] _my_ Rowe.

[4496] _bosoms_] _bosomes_ Qq F₁. _bosome_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4497] _thee_] om. Collier MS.

[4498] [Exeunt....] Exeunt Boy, Titus and Lavinia. Capell. Exeunt. Qq

Ff.

[4499] _yet_] _yet's_ Hanmer.

[4500] _Revenge, ye heavens,_] Dyce (Johnson conj.) _Revenge the

heavens_ Qq Ff. _Revenge, oh heav'ns,_ Hanmer. _Revenge thee, heav'ns,_

Warburton. _Revenge then heavens,_ Tyrwhitt conj. _Revenge thee,

heaven,_ Capell. _Revenge!--the heavens'_ Jackson conj. _Revenge, the

heavens,_ S. Walker conj.

[4501] SCENE II.] Pope.

The same. A room in the palace.] Capell. The Palace. Theobald.

Enter ... an Attendant....] Enter ... another.... Qq Ff.

[4502] [Aside] First marked by Capell.

[4503] _what's_] _what_ Q₁.

[4504] Boy. _That ... news,_] Puer. _That ... newes,_ Qq. Omitted in Ff.

[4505] _For villains_] _For villaines_ Qq. _For villaine's_ F₁. Boy.

_For villaines_ F₂. Boy. _For villains_ F₃ F₄.

[4506] _bid_] Q₁. _bad_ Q₂ Ff.

[4507] _that_] Pope. om. Qq Ff.

[4508] _like bloody_] _like-bloody_ Anon. conj.

[Exeunt....] Capell. Exit. Qq Ff.

[4509] _eget_] Qq F₃ F₄. _egit_ F₁ F₂.

_Mauri_] _maury_ Q₂ F₁.

_arcu_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _arcus_ Qq F₁.

[4510] _Now ... awhile_] First marked as 'Aside' by Johnson.

[4511] _sound_] _fond_ Theobald.

[4512] _them_] Q₁. _the_ Q₂ Ff.

[4513] _brother's_] Rowe. _brothers_ Q₂ Ff. _bothers_ Q₁.

[4514] _our_] _out_ F₂.

[4515] Chi. _A charitable ... love._ Aar. _Here_] Aar. _A

charitable ... love: Here_ S. Walker conj.

[4516] _lacks_] Qq F₃ F₄. _lack's_ F₁ F₂. _lacketh_ Theobald.

_your_] Qq F₃ F₄. _you_ F₁ F₂.

_for to say_] _for say_ F₂. _to say_ Pope.

[4517] [Aside] Johnson.

[Trumpets sound within.] Trumpets sound. Qq. Flourish. Ff. Trumpets

within. Capell.

[4518] Enter....] Qq Ff. Enter a Nurse hastily, with a Child in her

Arms. Capell.

SCENE III. Pope.

[4519] _Good ... Moor?_] As in Ff. One line in Qq.

[4520] _caterwauling_] Theobald. _catterwaling_ Q₁. _catterwalling_ Q₂

Ff.

[4521] _deliver'd ... deliver'd_] Pope. _delivered ... delivered_ Qq Ff.

[4522] _To whom ... issue_] Capell ends the lines at _God ... devil ...

joyful issue._

[4523] _whom_?] _whom._ Q₁.

_a-bed_] _a bed_ Qq F₁ F₂. _to bed_ F₃ F₄.

[4524] _Well ... her_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

[4525] _Why ... issue_] Arranged as by Hanmer. One line in Qq Ff.

[4526] _breeders_] _burdens_ Collier MS.

[4527] _'Zounds, ye_] _Zounds ye_ Qq. _Out you_ Ff. _Out, out, you_

Theobald. _Out on you,_ Capell. _Why, zounds you_ Keightley. _Zounds,

you white_ Lettsom conj.

[4528] _blowse_] _blows_ Q₂.

[4529] _That_] _Done! that_ Capell, ending the line at _thou_.

[4530] Aar. _Villain ... mother._] Qq. Omitted in Ff.

_I have_] _I've_ Theobald.

[4531] _undone her._] _undone her,_ Q₁. _undone,_ Q₃ F₁ F₂. _undone--_

F₃ F₄.

[4532] _It ... die_] _I say, it ... die_ Steevens conj.

[4533] [Takes....] Capell, substantially. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4534] _scimitar's_] Hanmer. _Semitars_ Qq Ff. _Cymitar's_ Rowe.

[4535] _prey_] _pray_ Q₁.

[4536] _ye sanguine_] _y'unsanguine_ Hanmer.

[4537] _white-limed_] _white limed_ Pope (ed. 2). _white-lim'd_

Theobald, _white-limbde_ Qq. _white-limb'd_ Ff. _white-limn'd_ Malone

conj.

[4538] _scorns_] _seems_ Johnson. See note (VII).

[4539] _white_] _write_ F₂.

[4540] _of age_] _a man_ Collier MS.

[4541] _ignomy_] _ignomie_ Qq. _ignominie_ F₁. _ignominy_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4542] _the heart_] _thy heart_ Q₁.

[4543] _that_] Q₂ Ff. _your_ Q₁.

_imprison'd_] Pope. _imprisoned_ Qq Ff.

[4544] _he is_] _he's_ Pope.

[4545] _empress?_] _empresse._ Q₁.

[4546] _advice_] F₄. _advise_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4547] _all be_] _be all_ Pope.

[4548] [They sit.] They sit on the ground. Rowe. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4549] _when_] _now when_ or _so when_ Anon. conj.

_we_] Qq F₁. _we all_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4550] _as_] Qq F₃ F₄. _at_ F₁ F₂.

[4551] _child?_] _child._ Q₁.

[4552] _no one_] Qq. _none_ Ff.

_deliver'd_] Pope. _delivered_ Qq Ff.

[4553] _the_] _the the_ F₁.

[4554] [He kills the Nurse.] He kils her. Qq Ff.

[4555] _Weke ... spit_] Edd. One line in Qq Ff.

[4556] _prepared_] Qq F₁ F₂. _prepar'd_ F₃ F₄.

[4557] _What ... this?_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

[4558] _far, one Muliteus_] Qq Ff. _far, one Muliteus lives_ Rowe.

_far, one Muley lives_ Steevens conj. _far, one Muli lives_ Singer.

_far hence, Muli lives_ Collier (Collier MS.), _far on, Muli lives_

Collier conj.

[4559] _shall_] _may_ Johnson (1771).

[4560] _received_] _receiv'd_ Warburton.

[4561] _whirling_] _whistling_ Long MS.

[4562] _Hark ye, lords_] _Hark ye, my lords_ Theobald. _But, hark ye,

lords_ Capell.

_you see_] Q₁. _ye see_ Q₂ Ff.

_I_] _that I_ Steevens (1793).

[Pointing to the Nurse.] Johnson. om. Qq Ff.

[4563] _take no longer days_] _make no long delays_ Collier MS.

[4564] _please_] _may_ Collier MS.

[4565] _Aaron ... secrets_] Arranged as by Theobald. One line in Qq. Ff.

[4566] [Exeunt....] Exeunt ... Nurse. Capell. Exeunt. Qq. Ff.

[4567] _puts_] _put_ Theobald.

[4568] _feed_] _thrive_ Collier MS. See note (VIII).

[4569] _feed_] _feast_ Hanmer.

[4570] SCENE III.] Capell. SCENE IV. Pope.

The same. A public place.] Capell. A street near the Palace. Theobald.

Enter....] Enter Titus, old Marcus, young Lucius, and other gentlemen

with bowes, and Titus beares the arrowes with Letters on the endes of

them. Qq Ff.

young Lucius, and other Gentlemen (Publius ... Caius)] Edd. Publius,

young Lucius, and other Gentlemen, Collier, ed. 2 (Williams conj.)

[4571] _come; kinsmen_,] Theobald. _come, kinsemen_ Q₁. _come, kinsmen_

Q₂ F₁ F₂ F₃. _come kinsmen,_ F₄.

[4572] _let_] Qq F₁. _now let_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4573] _Terras ... sea_] Arranged as by Capell. Four lines, ending

_Marcus ... tooles, ... Ocean, ... sea,_ in Qq Ff.

[4574] _you_] _your_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4575] _Sirs_] _Sir_ Johnson (1771).

[4576] _Happily_] _happily_ Qq. _haply_ Ff.

_catch_] Q₁. _finde_ Q₂. _find_ Ff.

[4577] _deliver him_] Qq F₁ F₂. _to deliver him_ F₃ F₄. _to deliver_

Pope.

[4578] Pub.] 1. G. Capell.

[4579] _lord_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _lords_ Qq F₁.

[4580] _Kinsmen_] _Kinsman_ S. Walker conj.

[4581] _masters! What, have_] _masters, what? Have_ Hanmer. _masters?

well; What, have_ Capell.

[4582] _so_] _now_ Hanmer.

[4583] _Acheron_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _Acaron_ Qq F₁.

[4584] _backs_] Qq F₄. _back_ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4585] _there's no justice_] _no justice is_ Collier (Collier MS.)

_nor_] _or_ Hanmer.

[4586] _Come, to_] Theobald. _Come to_ Qq Ff.

_You are_] _you're_ Pope.

[4587] _Apollinem_] Rowe (ed. 2). _Apollonem_ Qq F₂ F₃ F₄. _Appollonem_

F₁.

[4588] _that's_] _O, that's_ Capell.

[4589] _To Saturn, Caius_] Capell. _To Saturnine, to Caius_ Qq Ff. _To

Cœlus and to Saturn_ Rowe (ed. 1). _To Saturn and to Cœlus_ Rowe (ed.

2).

[4590] _boy_] _my boys_ Capell. _my boy_ Keightley.

_loose_] _loose thou_ Hanmer. _loose you_ Malone.

[4591] _Of my_] _O' my_ Hanmer. _Sirs, o' my_ Capell.

[4592] _Kinsmen_] _Kindsmen_ Q₁.

[4593] [They shoot.] Rowe. om. Qq Ff.

[4594] _boy, in_] Theobald. _boy in_ Qq Ff.

_give it_] _she'll give it_ Capell. _give it to_ Johnson.

_Pallas_] _to Pallas_ Hanmer.

[4595] _aim_] F₄. _aime_ Qq F₁. _ayme_ F₂. _aym_ F₃. _am_ Rowe. _aim'd_

Collier MS.

[4596] _Ha! ha! Publius, Publius_] As in Dyce. In the same line in Qq

Ff. _Ha, Publius, Publius, ha!_ Hanmer. _Ha! Publius, Publius_ Capell.

[4597] _thou hast_] _thou'st_ Pope.

[4598] _empress' villain_] _empress, villain_ Rowe.

_villain?_] Hanmer. _villaine:_ Qq Ff.

[4599] _his_] Q₁. _your_ Q₂ Ff.

[4600] a Clown] the Clowne Qq Ff.

in it] Qq F₁. om. F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4601] _News ... come._] One line in Rowe (ed. 2). Two, the first

ending _heaven,_ in Qq Ff.

[4602] _O,_] _Ho_ Qq Ff. _Who?_ Rowe.

_gibbet-maker_] F₄. _Iiebbetmaker_ Q₁. _Iibbetmaker_ Q₂ F₁ F₂ F₃.

_he hath_] _hath_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4603] _But_] _Tut_ F₃ F₄.

[4604] _Alas, ... life._] As prose first by Capell. Two lines, the

first ending _Jupiter,_ in Qq Ff.

[4605] _Jupiter_] _Jew Peter_ Steevens conj.

[4606] _nothing_] _of nothing_ Keightley.

[4607] _From ... there:_] As prose in Pope. A separate line in Qq Ff.

[4608] _to heaven_] _into heaven_ Rowe.

[4609] _here's_] Qq F₄. _her's_ F₁ F₃. _hers_ F₂.

[4610] _pen_] Qq F₁. _a pen_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4611] _to_] Q₁. om. Q₂ Ff.

[4612] [Exit.] Qq F₁. om. F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4613] _let us_] _let's_ Steevens (1793).

[4614] SCENE IV.] Capell. SCENE V. Pope.

The same. Before....] Capell. The Palace. Theobald.

Enter....] Malone, after Capell. Enter Emperour and Empresse, and her

two sonnes, the Emperour brings the Arrowes in his hand that Titus shot

at him. Qq Ff (shoot F₂).

[4615] _Why, lords,_] As in Qq. As a separate line in Ff.

[4616] _An_] _Am_ F₂.

_in_] _of_ Rowe.

[4617] _egal_] _egall_ Qq F₁. _equall_ F₂. _equal_ F₃ F₄.

_contempt?_] _contempt._ Q₁.

[4618] _know, as know ... gods_] Edd. _know, as do ... gods_ Rowe.

_know the mightfull gods_ Qq Ff. _know, the mightfull gods no less_

Collier (Collier MS.)

[4619] _these_] _the_ Rowe.

[4620] _law_] _the law_ Boswell. See note (IX).

[4621] _an if_] Theobald. _and if_ Qq Ff.

[4622] _wreaks_] _freaks_ Hanmer.

[4623] _the senate, And blazoning_] _the state, And blazing_ Capell

conj.

[4624] _unjustice_] Qq. _injustice_ Ff.

[4625] _ecstasies_] _extasy_ Capell conj.

[4626] _health_] _wealth_ Capell conj.

_whom_] _who_ Capell.

[4627] _if he ... as he_] Qq Ff. _if she ... as she_ Rowe.

[4628] _proud'st_] _proudest_ Rowe.

[4629] _my lovely_] _most lovely_ Warburton.

[4630] _thoughts_] _thought_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4631] _age_] _rage_ Capell conj.

[4632] _comfort_] _pity_ Capell.

[4633] [Aside] F₁, opposite line 35. Omitted in Qq F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4634] _with all_] _withal_ Pope.

[4635] _quick, Thy_] _quick, And, through the bodies of thy children,

drawn Thy_ S. Walker conj.

[4636] _Thy life-blood out_] _Thy life blood out_ Qq F₁. _Thy life

blood ont_ F₂. _Thy life blood on't_ F₃ F₄. _My ... on't_ Grant White.

_The ... on't_ Collier MS. See note (VIII).

_out: ... wise,_] _out, ... wise:_ Staunton conj.

[4637] _anchor_] Q₁. _anchor's_ Q₂ Ff.

[4638] _Yea_] _Yes_ Johnson.

_an_] Pope. _&_ Q₁. _and_ Q₂ Ff.

_mistership_] _mistresship_ Johnson.

[4639] _'Tis ... here._] As prose first in Capell. Two lines in Qq Ff.

Four rhyming lines in Collier MS.

[4640] _god-den_] _godden_ Q₁. _good den_ Q₂ F₁ F₂ F₃. _good-e'en_ F₄.

_good-even_ Theobald.

[4641] _here_] _for want of better_ Collier MS.

[Saturninus....] The Emperor.... Johnson. Hee.... Qq Ff.

[4642] _presently._] _presently?_ Q₁.

[4643] _have?_] _have._ Q₁.

[4644] _you_] _thou_ F₃ F₄.

[4645] _by'r_] F₄. _ber_ F₁ _bir_ F₂ F₃. _be_ Qq.

_then_] _then, friend,_ Collier MS., reading as rhymed verse.

_up a_] _my_ Collier MS.

[4646] [Exit, guarded.] Capell. Exit. Qq Ff.

[4647] _device_] F₄. _devise_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4648] _borne? As_] Ff. _borne, as_ Qq.

[4649] _butcher'd_] Ff. _butchered_ Qq.

[4650] _shape_] _share_ Hanmer. _have_ Collier MS.

[4651] Enter Æmilius.] Theobald. Enter Nuntius Emillius. Qq F₁ F₂.

Enter Nuntius Emilius. F₃. Enter Nuntius Æmilius. F₄.

[4652] _What...._] Capell. Satur. _What...._ Q₁ F₁ F₂ F₃. Saturn.

_What...._ Q₂. Sat. _What...._ F₄.

[4653] _Arm, my lords_] _Arme my Lords_ Qq F₁ F₂. _Arm my Lords_ F₃ F₄.

_Arm, my lords, arm_ Hanmer. _Arm, arm, my lords_ Warburton. _Arm, arm,

my lord_ Edd., Globe Ed. (Capell conj.) _Arm, my lord_ Dyce. _Arm ye,

my lords_ Anon. conj.

[4654] _gather'd_] Ff. _gathered_ Qq.

[4655] _conduct_] Qq F₁. _the conduct_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4656] _this_] _his_ Rowe.

[4657] Sat.] King. Qq.

[4658] _Goths?_] _Gothes,_ Qq.

[4659] _Ay, now begin_] Rowe. _I, now begin_ F₃ F₄. _I now begins_ Q₁.

_I, now begins_ Q₂ F₁. _I now begin_ F₂.

[4660] _hath often heard_] Qq Ff. _hath often over-heard_ Theobald.

_have often over-heard_ Hanmer. _hath very often heard_ Collier

(Collier MS.)

_say_] _say aloud_ Keightley.

[4661] _they have_] om. Collier MS.

_that Lucius_] _he_ Anon. conj.

[4662] _your_] Qq. _our_ Ff.

[4663] _in it_] _in 's flame_ Collier MS.

_in it?_] _in it;_ Qq.

[4664] _wings_] _wing_ Knight, reading lines 83-86 as a quatrain.

[4665] _mayst_] _may'st_ F₃ F₄. _mayest_ Qq F₁ F₂.

[4666] _feed_] _feede_ Q₂. _seede_ Q₁. _Foode_ F₁ F₂. _Food_ F₃ F₄.

[4667] Sat.] King. Qq Ff.

[4668] _then_] _than_ Q₁.

[4669] _smooth_] _sooth_ Capell conj.

_ears_] _eares_ Q₁. _eare_ Q₂ F₁ F₂. _ear_ F₃ F₄.

[4670] _ears_] _yeares_ Qq.

[4671] [To Æmilius] Rowe. _before, be_] Capell. _before to be_ Qq.

_before to_ Ff. _before as_ Rowe.

[4672] _Even ... Andronicus._] Q₁. Omitted in Q₂ Ff.

[4673] _on_] F₄. _in_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4674] _with all_] _withall_ F₂.

[4675] _devices_] F₃ F₄. _devises_ Qq F₁ F₂.

[4676] _successantly_] _successfully_ Rowe. _incessantly_ Capell. _thou

instantly_ Collier conj.

_successantly, and plead_] _and plead incessantly_ Collier conj.

_to him_] Qq. _for him_ Ff. _for me_ Rowe. _'fore him_ Collier (Collier

MS.) See note (VIII).

[Exeunt] Qq. Exit. Ff.

ACT V.

SCENE I. _Plains near Rome._

_Flourish. Enter_ LUCIUS _and_ Goths, _with drum and colours_.[4677]

_Luc._ Approved warriors, and my faithful friends,

I have received letters from great Rome,

Which signify what hate they bear their emperor,[4678]

And how desirous of our sight they are.

Therefore, great lords, be, as your titles witness, 5

Imperious, and impatient of your wrongs;

And wherein Rome hath done you any scath,

Let him make treble satisfaction.

_First Goth._ Brave slip, sprung from the great Andronicus,[4679]

Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort; 10

Whose high exploits and honourable deeds

Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt,

Be bold in us: we'll follow where thou lead'st,[4680]

Like stinging bees in hottest summer's day,

Led by their master to the flowered fields,[4681] 15

And be avenged on cursed Tamora.[4682]

_All the Goths._ And as he saith, so say we all with him.[4683]

_Luc._ I humbly thank him, and I thank you all.

But who comes here, led by a lusty Goth?

_Enter a_ Goth, _leading_ AARON _with his_ Child _in his arms_.[4684]

_Sec. Goth._ Renowned Lucius, from our troops I stray'd[4685] 20

To gaze upon a ruinous monastery;

And, as I earnestly did fix mine eye

Upon the wasted building, suddenly[4686]

I heard a child cry underneath a wall.

I made unto the noise; when soon I heard 25

The crying babe controll'd with this discourse:

'Peace, tawny slave, half me and half thy dam!

Did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art,

Had nature lent thee but thy mother's look,

Villain, thou mightst have been an emperor: 30

But where the bull and cow are both milk-white,

They never do beget a coal-black calf.

Peace, villain, peace!'--even thus he rates the babe--

'For I must bear thee to a trusty Goth;

Who, when he knows thou art the empress' babe, 35

Will hold thee dearly for thy mother's sake.'

With this, my weapon drawn, I rush'd upon him,

Surprised him suddenly, and brought him hither,

To use as you think needful of the man.

_Luc._ O worthy Goth, this is the incarnate devil 40

That robb'd Andronicus of his good hand;

This is the pearl that pleased your empress' eye;

And here's the base fruit of his burning lust.[4687]

Say, wall-eyed slave, whither wouldst thou convey[4688]

This growing image of thy fiend-like face?[4689] 45

Why dost not speak? what, deaf? not a word?[4690]

A halter, soldiers! hang him on this tree,

And by his side his fruit of bastardy.

_Aar._ Touch not the boy; he is of royal blood.

_Luc._ Too like the sire for ever being good. 50

First hang the child, that he may see it sprawl;

A sight to vex the father's soul withal.

Get me a ladder.

[_A ladder brought, which Aaron is made to ascend._[4691]

_Aar._ Lucius, save the child,

And bear it from me to the empress.

If thou do this, I'll show thee wondrous things, 55

That highly may advantage thee to hear:

If thou wilt not, befall what may befall,

I'll speak no more but 'Vengeance rot you all!'[4692]

_Luc._ Say on: an if it please me which thou speak'st,[4693]

Thy child shall live, and I will see it nourish'd. 60

_Aar._ An if it please thee! why, assure thee, Lucius,[4694]

'Twill vex thy soul to hear what I shall speak;

For I must talk of murders, rapes and massacres,

Acts of black night, abominable deeds,[4695]

Complots of mischief, treason, villanies[4696] 65

Ruthful to hear, yet piteously perform'd:[4697]

And this shall all be buried in my death,[4698]

Unless thou swear to me my child shall live.

_Luc._ Tell on thy mind; I say thy child shall live.[4699]

_Aar._ Swear that he shall, and then I will begin. 70

_Luc._ Who should I swear by? thou believest no god:[4700]

That granted, how canst thou believe an oath?[4701]

_Aar._ What if I do not? as, indeed, I do not;[4702]

Yet, for I know thou art religious

And hast a thing within thee called conscience, 75

With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies,

Which I have seen thee careful to observe,

Therefore I urge thy oath; for that I know[4703]

An idiot holds his bauble for a god,[4703]

And keeps the oath which by that god he swears,[4703] 80

To that I'll urge him: therefore thou shalt vow[4703]

By that same god, what god soe'er it be,

That thou adorest and hast in reverence,

To save my boy, to nourish and bring him up;[4704]

Or else I will discover nought to thee.[4705] 85

_Luc._ Even by my god I swear to thee I will.[4706]

_Aar._ First know thou, I begot him on the empress.[4707]

_Luc._ O most insatiate, and luxurious woman![4708]

_Aar._ Tut, Lucius, this was but a deed of charity

To that which thou shalt hear of me anon. 90

'Twas her two sons that murder'd Bassianus;[4709]

They cut thy sister's tongue, and ravish'd her,

And cut her hands, and trimm'd her as thou saw'st.[4710]

_Luc._ O detestable villain! call'st thou that trimming?[4711][4712]

_Aar._ Why, she was wash'd and cut and trimm'd, and 'twas[4711] 95

Trim sport for them that had the doing of it.[4711][4713]

_Luc._ O barbarous, beastly villains, like thyself!

_Aar._ Indeed, I was their tutor to instruct them:

That codding spirit had they from their mother,

As sure a card as ever won the set; 100

That bloody mind, I think, they learn'd of me,

As true a dog as ever fought at head.

Well, let my deeds be witness of my worth.

I train'd thy brethren to that guileful hole,

Where the dead corpse of Bassianus lay: 105

I wrote the letter that thy father found,

And hid the gold within the letter mention'd,

Confederate with the queen and her two sons:

And what not done, that thou hast cause to rue,

Wherein I had no stroke of mischief in it?[4714] 110

I play'd the cheater for thy father's hand;

And, when I had it, drew myself apart,[4715]

And almost broke my heart with extreme laughter:

I pried me through the crevice of a wall[4716]

When for his hand he had his two sons' heads; 115

Beheld his tears and laugh'd so heartily,

That both mine eyes were rainy like to his:

And when I told the empress of this sport,

She swounded almost at my pleasing tale,[4717]

And for my tidings gave me twenty kisses. 120

_First Goth._ What, canst thou say all this, and never blush?[4679]

_Aar._ Ay, like a black dog, as the saying is.[4718]

_Luc._ Art thou not sorry for these heinous deeds?

_Aar._ Ay, that I had not done a thousand more.

Even now I curse the day--and yet, I think, 125

Few come within the compass of my curse--[4719]

Wherein I did not some notorious ill:

As kill a man, or else devise his death;

Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it;

Accuse some innocent, and forswear myself;[4720] 130

Set deadly enmity between two friends;

Make poor men's cattle break their necks;[4721]

Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night

And bid the owners quench them with their tears.[4722]

Oft have I digg'd up dead men from their graves, 135

And set them upright at their dear friends' doors,[4723]

Even when their sorrows almost were forgot;[4724]

And on their skins, as on the bark of trees,

Have with my knife carved in Roman letters

'Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead.' 140

Tut, I have done a thousand dreadful things

As willingly as one would kill a fly;

And nothing grieves me heartily indeed,

But that I cannot do ten thousand more.

_Luc._ Bring down the devil; for he must not die 145

So sweet a death as hanging presently.

_Aar._ If there be devils, would I were a devil,

To live and burn in everlasting fire,

So I might have your company in hell,

But to torment you with my bitter tongue! 150

_Luc._ Sirs, stop his mouth, and let him speak no more.

_Enter a_ Goth.[4725]

_Third Goth._ My lord, there is a messenger from Rome[4726]

Desires to be admitted to your presence.

_Luc._ Let him come near.

_Enter_ ÆMILIUS.[4727]

Welcome, Æmilius: what's the news from Rome?[4728] 155

_Æmil._ Lord Lucius, and you princes of the Goths,

The Roman emperor greets you all by me;

And, for he understands you are in arms,

He craves a parley at your father's house,

Willing you to demand your hostages, 160

And they shall be immediately deliver'd.[4729]

_First Goth._ What says our general?[4679]

_Luc._ Æmilius, let the emperor give his pledges

Unto my father and my uncle Marcus,

And we will come. March away. [_Flourish. Exeunt._[4730] 165

SCENE II. _Rome. Before Titus's house._

_Enter_ TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, _and_ CHIRON, _disguised_.[4731]

_Tam._ Thus, in this strange and sad habiliment,[4732]

I will encounter with Andronicus,

And say I am Revenge, sent from below

To join with him and right his heinous wrongs.

Knock at his study, where, they say, he keeps,[4733] 5

To ruminate strange plots of dire revenge;

Tell him Revenge is come to join with him,

And work confusion on his enemies. [_They knock._[4734]

_Enter_ TITUS, _above_.

_Tit._ Who doth molest my contemplation?

Is it your trick to make me ope the door, 10

That so my sad decrees may fly away,

And all my study be to no effect?[4735]

You are deceived: for what I mean to do

See here in bloody lines I have set down;

And what is written shall be executed. 15

_Tam._ Titus, I am come to talk with thee.[4736]

_Tit._ No, not a word: how can I grace my talk,

Wanting a hand to give it action?[4737]

Thou hast the odds of me; therefore no more.

_Tam._ If thou didst know me, thou wouldst talk with me.[4738] 20

_Tit._ I am not mad; I know thee well enough:

Witness this wretched stump, witness these crimson lines;[4739]

Witness these trenches made by grief and care;

Witness the tiring day and heavy night;

Witness all sorrow, that I know thee well 25

For our proud empress, mighty Tamora:

Is not thy coming for my other hand?[4740]

_Tam._ Know, thou sad man, I am not Tamora;[4741]

She is thy enemy, and I thy friend:

I am Revenge; sent from the infernal kingdom, 30

To ease the gnawing vulture of thy mind,[4742]

By working wreakful vengeance on thy foes.[4743]

Come down and welcome me to this world's light;

Confer with me of murder and of death:

There's not a hollow cave or lurking-place, 35

No vast obscurity or misty vale,

Where bloody murder or detested rape

Can couch for fear, but I will find them out,

And in their ears tell them my dreadful name,

Revenge, which makes the foul offender quake.[4744] 40

_Tit._ Art thou Revenge? and art thou sent to me,

To be a torment to mine enemies?[4745]

_Tam._ I am; therefore come down and welcome me.[4746]

_Tit._ Do me some service ere I come to thee.

Lo, by thy side where Rape and Murder stands;[4747] 45

Now give some surance that thou art Revenge,[4748]

Stab them, or tear them on thy chariot-wheels;

And then I'll come and be thy waggoner,

And whirl along with thee about the globes.[4749]

Provide thee two proper palfreys, black as jet,[4750] 50

To hale thy vengeful waggon swift away,

And find out murderers in their guilty caves:[4751]

And when thy car is loaden with their heads,

I will dismount, and by the waggon-wheel[4752]

Trot like a servile footman all day long, 55

Even from Hyperion's rising in the east[4753]

Until his very downfall in the sea:

And day by day I'll do this heavy task,

So thou destroy Rapine and Murder there.

_Tam._ These are my ministers and come with me.[4754] 60

_Tit._ Are these thy ministers? what are they call'd?

_Tam._ Rapine and Murder; therefore called so,[4755]

'Cause they take vengeance of such kind of men.[4756]

_Tit._ Good Lord, how like the empress' sons they are,

And you the empress! but we worldly men 65

Have miserable, mad, mistaking eyes.[4757]

O sweet Revenge, now do I come to thee;

And, if one arm's embracement will content thee,

I will embrace thee in it by and by. [_Exit above._[4758]

_Tam._ This closing with him fits his lunacy: 70

Whate'er I forge to feed his brain-sick fits,

Do you uphold and maintain in your speeches,[4759]

For now he firmly takes me for Revenge;

And, being credulous in this mad thought,

I'll make him send for Lucius his son; 75

And, whilst I at a banquet hold him sure,

I'll find some cunning practice out of hand,

To scatter and disperse the giddy Goths,

Or at the least make them his enemies.

See, here he comes, and I must ply my theme. 80

_Enter_ TITUS, _below_.[4760]

_Tit._ Long have I been forlorn, and all for thee:[4761]

Welcome, dread Fury, to my woful house:

Rapine and Murder, you are welcome too:

How like the empress and her sons you are!

Well are you fitted, had you but a Moor: 85

Could not all hell afford you such a devil?

For well I wot the empress never wags

But in her company there is a Moor;

And, would you represent our queen aright,

It were convenient you had such a devil: 90

But welcome, as you are. What shall we do?

_Tam._ What wouldst them have us do, Andronicus?

_Dem._ Show me a murderer, I'll deal with him.

_Chi._ Show me a villain that hath done a rape,

And I am sent to be revenged on him. 95

_Tam._ Show me a thousand that have done thee wrong,

And I will be revenged on them all.[4762]

_Tit._ Look round about the wicked streets of Rome,

And when thou find'st a man that's like thyself,

Good Murder, stab him; he's a murderer. 100

Go thou with him, and when it is thy hap

To find another that is like to thee,

Good Rapine, stab him; he's a ravisher.[4763]

Go thou with them; and in the emperor's court

There is a queen, attended by a Moor; 105

Well mayst thou know her by thine own proportion,[4764]

For up and down she doth resemble thee:

I pray thee, do on them some violent death;

They have been violent to me and mine.

_Tam._ Well hast thou lesson'd us; this shall we do. 110

But would it please thee, good Andronicus,[4765]

To send for Lucius, thy thrice valiant son,

Who leads towards Rome a band of warlike Goths,

And bid him come and banquet at thy house;

When he is here, even at thy solemn feast, 115

I will bring in the empress and her sons,

The emperor himself, and all thy foes;

And at thy mercy shall they stoop and kneel,

And on them shalt thou ease thy angry heart.

What says Andronicus to this device?[4766] 120

_Tit._ Marcus, my brother! 'tis sad Titus calls.

_Enter_ MARCUS.[4767]

Go, gentle Marcus, to thy nephew Lucius;

Thou shalt inquire him out among the Goths:

Bid him repair to me and bring with him

Some of the chiefest princes of the Goths: 125

Bid him encamp his soldiers where they are:

Tell him the emperor and the empress too

Feast at my house, and he shall feast with them.[4768]

This do thou for my love, and so let him,

As he regards his aged father's life. 130

_Marc._ This will I do, and soon return again. [_Exit._[4769]

_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, 135

And cleave to no revenge but Lucius.[4770]

_Tam._ [_Aside to her sons_] What say you, boys? will

you bide with him,[4771]

Whiles I go tell my lord the emperor

How I have govern'd our determined jest?

Yield to his humour, smooth and speak him fair,[4772] 140

And tarry with him till I turn again.[4773]

_Tit._ [_Aside_] I know them all, though they suppose me mad;[4774]

And will o'er-reach them in their own devices:[4775]

A pair of cursed hell-hounds and their dam.[4776]

_Dem._ Madam, depart at pleasure; leave us here. 145

_Tam._ Farewell, Andronicus: Revenge now goes

To lay a complot to betray thy foes.

_Tit._ I know thou dost; and, sweet Revenge, farewell.

[_Exit Tamora._[4777]

_Chi._ Tell us, old man, how shall we be employ'd?

_Tit._ Tut, I have work enough for you to do.[4778] 150

Publius, come hither, Caius, and Valentine!

_Enter_ PUBLIUS _and others_.[4779]

_Pub._ What is your will?[4780]

_Tit._ Know you these two?[4781]

_Pub._ The empress' sons, I take them, Chiron and[4779][4782][4783]

Demetrius.[4783] 155

_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, 160

And now I find it; therefore bind them sure;

And stop their mouths, if they begin to cry. [_Exit._

[_Publius, &c. lay hold on Chiron and Demetrius._[4784]

_Chi._ Villains, forbear! we are the empress' sons.

_Pub._ And therefore do we what we are commanded.[4779]

Stop close their mouths, let them not speak a word. 165

Is he sure bound? look that you bind them fast.

_Re-enter_ TITUS, _with_ LAVINIA; _he bearing a knife, and she a

basin_.[4785]

_Tit._ Come, come, Lavinia; look, thy foes are bound.[4786]

Sirs, stop their mouths, let them not speak to me;

But let them hear what fearful words I utter.

O villains, Chiron and Demetrius! 170

Here stands the spring whom you have stain'd with mud,

This goodly summer with your winter mix'd.

You kill'd her husband, and for that vile fault[4787]

Two of her brothers were condemn'd to death,

My hand cut off and made a merry jest; 175

Both her sweet hands, her tongue, and that more dear

Than hands or tongue, her spotless chastity,

Inhuman traitors, you constrain'd and forced.

What would you say, if I should let you speak?[4788]

Villains, for shame you could not beg for grace. 180

Hark, wretches! how I mean to martyr you.

This one hand yet is left to cut your throats,[4789]

Whilst that Lavinia 'tween her stumps doth hold[4790]

The basin that receives your guilty blood.

You know your mother means to feast with me,[4791] 185

And calls herself Revenge, and thinks me mad:

Hark, villains! I will grind your bones to dust,

And with your blood and it I'll make a paste;

And of the paste a coffin I will rear,[4792]

And make two pasties of your shameful heads; 190

And bid that strumpet, your unhallow'd dam,[4793]

Like to the earth, swallow her own increase.[4794]

This is the feast that I have bid her to,

And this the banquet she shall surfeit on;

For worse than Philomel you used my daughter, 195

And worse than Progne I will be revenged:[4795]

And now prepare your throats. Lavinia, come,

[_He cuts their throats._[4796]

Receive the blood: and when that they are dead,

Let me go grind their bones to powder small,

And with this hateful liquor temper it; 200

And in that paste let their vile heads be baked.[4797]

Come, come, be every one officious[4798]

To make this banquet; which I wish may prove[4799]

More stern and bloody than the Centaurs' feast.[4800]

So, now bring them in, for I'll play the cook,[4801] 205

And see them ready against their mother comes.

[_Exeunt, bearing the dead bodies._[4802]

SCENE III. _Court of Titus's house. A banquet set out._

_Enter_ LUCIUS, MARCUS, _and_ Goths, _with_ AARON, _prisoner_.[4803]

_Luc._ Uncle Marcus, since it is my father's mind[4804]

That I repair to Rome, I am content.

_First Goth._ And ours with thine, befall what fortune will.[4805]

_Luc._ Good uncle, take you in this barbarous Moor,

This ravenous tiger, this accursed devil; 5

Let him receive no sustenance, fetter him,[4806]

Till he be brought unto the empress' face,[4807]

For testimony of her foul proceedings:[4808]

And see the ambush of our friends be strong;

I fear the emperor means no good to us.[4809] 10

_Aar._ Some devil whisper curses in mine ear,[4810]

And prompt me, that my tongue may utter forth

The venomous malice of my swelling heart!

_Luc._ Away, inhuman dog! unhallow'd slave![4811]

Sirs, help our uncle to convey him in. 15

[_Exeunt Goths, with Aaron. Flourish within._[4812]

The trumpets show the emperor is at hand.

_Enter_ SATURNINUS _and_ TAMORA, _with_ ÆMILIUS, Tribunes,

Senators, _and others_.[4813]

_Sat._ What, hath the firmament moe suns than one?[4814]

_Luc._ What boots it thee to call thyself a sun?[4815]

_Marc._ Rome's emperor, and nephew, break the parle;[4816]

These quarrels must be quietly debated. 20

The feast is ready, which the careful Titus

Hath ordain'd to an honourable end,[4817]

For peace, for love, for league and good to Rome:

Please you, therefore, draw nigh, and take your places.

_Sat._ Marcus, we will. 25

[_Hautboys sound. The Company sit down at table._

_Enter_ TITUS, _like a Cook, placing the meat on the table,

and_ LAVINIA _with a veil over her face, young_ LUCIUS, _and

others_.[4818]

_Tit._ Welcome, my gracious lord; welcome, dread queen;[4819]

Welcome, ye warlike Goths; welcome, Lucius;[4820]

And welcome, all: although the cheer be poor,

'Twill fill your stomachs; please you eat of it.

_Sat._ Why art thou thus attired, Andronicus?[4821] 30

_Tit._ Because I would be sure to have all well,

To entertain your highness and your empress.

_Tam._ We are beholding to you, good Andronicus.[4822]

_Tit._ An if your highness knew my heart, you were.[4823]

My lord the emperor, resolve me this: 35

Was it well done of rash Virginius

To slay his daughter with his own right hand,

Because she was enforced, stain'd, and deflower'd?

_Sat._ It was, Andronicus.[4821]

_Tit._ Your reason, mighty lord?[4824] 40

_Sat._ Because the girl should not survive her shame,[4821]

And by her presence still renew his sorrows.

_Tit._ A reason mighty, strong and effectual,[4825]

A pattern, precedent, and lively warrant,[4826]

For me, most wretched, to perform the like. 45

Die, die, Lavinia, and thy shame with thee,

And with thy shame thy father's sorrow die! [_Kills Lavinia._[4827]

_Sat._ What hast thou done, unnatural and unkind?[4821][4828]

_Tit._ Kill'd her, for whom my tears have made me blind.

I am as woful as Virginius was, 50

And have a thousand times more cause than he

To do this outrage, and it now is done.[4829]

_Sat._ What, was she ravish'd? tell who did the deed.[4830]

_Tit._ Will't please you eat? will't please your highness feed?[4831]

_Tam._ Why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus?[4832] 55

_Tit._ Not I; 'twas Chiron and Demetrius:

They ravish'd her, and cut away her tongue;

And they, 'twas they, that did her all this wrong.

_Sat._ Go fetch them hither to us presently.[4821][4833]

_Tit._ Why, there they are both, baked in that pie; 60

Whereof their mother daintily hath fed,

Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred.

'Tis true, 'tis true; witness my knife's sharp point.

[_Kills Tamora._[4834]

_Sat._ Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed!

[_Kills Titus._[4835]

_Luc._ Can the son's eye behold his father bleed? 65

There's meed for meed, death for a deadly deed!

[_Kills Saturninus. A great tumult. Lucius,

Marcus, and others go up into the balcony._[4836]

_Marc._ You sad-faced men, people and sons of Rome,

By uproars sever'd, as a flight of fowl[4837]

Scatter'd by winds and high tempestuous gusts,[4838]

O, let me teach you how to knit again[4839] 70

This scatter'd corn into one mutual sheaf,

These broken limbs again into one body;[4840]

Lest Rome herself be bane unto herself,[4840]

And she whom mighty kingdoms court'sy to,[4841]

Like a forlorn and desperate castaway,[4842] 75

Do shameful execution on herself.

But if my frosty signs and chaps of age,[4843]

Grave witnesses of true experience,

Cannot induce you to attend my words,--

[_To Lucius_] Speak, Rome's dear friend: as erst our ancestor,[4844] 80

When with his solemn tongue he did discourse

To love-sick Dido's sad attending ear

The story of that baleful burning night[4845]

When subtle Greeks surprised King Priam's Troy;

Tell us what Sinon hath bewitch'd our ears, 85

Or who hath brought the fatal engine in

That gives our Troy, our Rome, the civil wound.

My heart is not compact of flint nor steel;

Nor can I utter all our bitter grief,

But floods of tears will drown my oratory, 90

And break my utterance, even in the time[4846]

When it should move you to attend me most,

Lending your kind commiseration.[4847]

Here is a captain, let him tell the tale;[4848]

Your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak. 95

_Luc._ Then, noble auditory, be it known to you,[4849]

That cursed Chiron and Demetrius

Were they that murdered our emperor's brother;[4850]

And they it were that ravished our sister:[4851]

For their fell faults our brothers were beheaded, 100

Our father's tears despised, and basely cozen'd

Of that true hand that fought Rome's quarrel out

And sent her enemies unto the grave.[4852]

Lastly, myself unkindly banished,

The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out, 105

To beg relief among Rome's enemies;

Who drown'd their enmity in my true tears,

And oped their arms to embrace me as a friend.

I am the turned forth, be it known to you,[4853]

That have preserved her welfare in my blood, 110

And from her bosom took the enemy's point,

Sheathing the steel in my adventurous body.

Alas, you know I am no vaunter, I;

My scars can witness, dumb although they are,

That my report is just and full of truth. 115

But, soft! methinks I do digress too much,

Citing my worthless praise: O, pardon me;

For when no friends are by, men praise themselves.

_Marc._ Now is my turn to speak. Behold the child:

[_Pointing to the Child in the arms of an Attendant._[4854]

Of this was Tamora delivered; 120

The issue of an irreligious Moor,

Chief architect and plotter of these woes:

The villain is alive in Titus' house,

And as he is, to witness this is true.[4855]

Now judge what cause had Titus to revenge[4856] 125

These wrongs, unspeakable, past patience,

Or more than any living man could bear.

Now you have heard the truth, what say you, Romans?

Have we done aught amiss, show us wherein,[4857]

And, from the place where you behold us now, 130

The poor remainder of Andronici[4858]

Will, hand in hand, all headlong cast us down[4859]

And on the ragged stones beat forth our brains[4860]

And make a mutual closure of our house.

Speak, Romans, speak, and if you say we shall, 135

Lo, hand in hand, Lucius and I will fall.

_Æmil._ Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome,[4861]

And bring our emperor gently in thy hand,

Lucius our emperor; for well I know

The common voice do cry it shall be so.[4862] 140

_All._ Lucius, all hail, Rome's royal emperor![4863]

_Marc._ Go, go into old Titus' sorrowful house, [_To Attendants._[4864]

And hither hale that misbelieving Moor,

To be adjudged some direful slaughtering death,[4865]

As punishment for his most wicked life. [_Exeunt Attendants._ 145

_LUCIUS, MARCUS, and the others descend._[4866]

_All._ Lucius, all hail, Rome's gracious governor![4867]

_Luc._ Thanks, gentle Romans: may I govern so,

To heal Rome's harms and wipe away her woe![4868]

But, gentle people, give me aim awhile,[4869]

For nature puts me to a heavy task;[4870] 150

Stand all aloof; but, uncle, draw you near,

To shed obsequious tears upon this trunk.[4871]

O, take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips, [_Kissing Titus._[4872]

These sorrowful drops upon thy blood-stain'd face,[4873]

The last true duties of thy noble son! 155

_Marc._ Tear for tear and loving kiss for kiss[4874]

Thy brother Marcus tenders on thy lips:

O, were the sum of these that I should pay

Countless and infinite, yet would I pay them!

_Luc._ Come hither, boy; come, come, and learn of us 160

To melt in showers: thy grandsire loved thee well:

Many a time he danced thee on his knee,

Sung thee asleep, his loving breast thy pillow;

Many a matter hath he told to thee,

Meet and agreeing with thine infancy;[4875] 165

In that respect then, like a loving child,

Shed yet some small drops from thy tender spring,

Because kind nature doth require it so:

Friends should associate friends in grief and woe:

Bid him farewell; commit him to the grave; 170

Do him that kindness, and take leave of him.[4876]

_Boy._ O grandsire, grandsire! even with all my heart[4877]

Would I were dead, so you did live again!

O Lord, I cannot speak to him for weeping;

My tears will choke me, if I ope my mouth. 175

_Re-enter_ Attendants with AARON.[4878]

_A Roman._ You sad Andronici, have done with woes:[4879]

Give sentence on this execrable wretch

That hath been breeder of these dire events.

_Luc._ Set him breast-deep in earth, and famish him;

There let him stand and rave and cry for food: 180

If any one relieves or pities him,

For the offence he dies. This is our doom:

Some stay to see him fasten'd in the earth.

_Aar._ O, why should wrath be mute, and fury dumb?[4880]

I am no baby, I, that with base prayers 185

I should repent the evils I have done:[4881]

Ten thousand worse than ever yet I did

Would I perform, if I might have my will:

If one good deed in all my life I did,

I do repent it from my very soul. 190

_Luc._ Some loving friends convey the emperor hence,[4882]

And give him burial in his father's grave:[4883]

My father and Lavinia shall forthwith

Be closed in our household's monument.

As for that heinous tiger, Tamora,[4884] 195

No funeral rite, nor man in mourning weeds,[4885]

No mournful bell shall ring her burial;[4886]

But throw her forth to beasts and birds of prey:[4887]

Her life was beastly and devoid of pity,[4888]

And, being so, shall have like want of pity.[4889] 200

See justice done on Aaron, that damn'd Moor,[4890]

By whom our heavy haps had their beginning:[4891]

Then, afterwards, to order well the state,[4892]

That like events may ne'er it ruinate. [_Exeunt._[4893]

FOOTNOTES:

[4677] ACT V. SCENE I.] Rowe. Actus Quintus. Ff. om. Qq.

Plains near Rome.] Capell. A camp. Rowe. A Camp, at a small Distance

from Rome. Theobald.

Flourish.] F₁. om. Qq F₂ F₃ F₄.

Enter....] Capell (substantially). Enter Lucius with an Armie of

Gothes, with Drum and Souldiers. Qq Ff (Drums Q₁).

[4678] _signify_] Rowe. _signifies_ Qq Ff. _signify's_ Anon. conj.

[4679] First Goth.] 1. G. Capell. Goth. Qq Ff.

[4680] _Be bold_] Qq F₃ F₄. _Behold_ F₁ F₂.

_us:_] _us;_ Theobald. _us,_ Q₂ Ff. _us_ Q₁.

[4681] _flowered_] _flowred_ Qq Ff. _flower'd_ Rowe.

[4682] _avenged_] _aduengd_ Q₁.

[4683] All the Goths.] Omn. F₂ F₃ F₄. Omitted in Qq F₁.

[4684] Enter ... leading....] F₂ F₃ F₄. Enter ... leading of.... Qq F₁.

[4685] SCENE II. Pope.

Sec. Goth.] 2. G. Capell. Goth. Qq Ff.

_Renowned_] _Renowmed_ Q₁.

[4686] _building, suddenly_] _building suddainly,_ Q₁.

[4687] _his_] _her_ Capell conj.

[4688] _whither_] Q₁ F₃ F₄. _whether_ Q₂ F₁ F₂.

[4689] _face?_] _face,_ Q₁.

[4690] _not_] Qq F₁. _no! not_ F₂ F₃ F₄. _what! not_ Keightley. _dumb?

not_ Anon. conj.

[4691] _Get me a ladder._] Given to Lucius first by Pope, ed. 2

(Theobald). In Qq Ff it is given to Aaron.

[A ladder....] Ladder brought, Aaron led up it. Capell. Omitted in Qq

Ff.

[4692] _more but_] Qq. _more: but_ Ff.

_'Vengeance ... all!'_] Put in inverted commas by Edd.

[4693] _an if_] Dyce. _and if_ Qq Ff.

[4694] _An if_] Warburton. _And if_ Qq Ff.

[4695] _night_] _nights_ Q₂.

[4696] _villanies_] _villaines_ F₂.

[4697] _yet piteously_] _yet pitilessly_ Heath conj. _yet piteousless_

Singer. _despiteously_ Collier (Collier MS.)

[4698] _in_] Q₁. _by_ Q₂ Ff.

[4699] _Tell ... live_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

[4700] _Who ... god_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

_by?_] F₃ F₄. _by,_ Qq F₁. _by;_ F₂.

[4701] _oath?_] _oath._ Q₁.

[4702] _not?_] Hanmer. _not,_ Qq Ff. _not!_ Theobald.

[4703] _for that ... urge him_] Marked as 'Aside' by Hanmer.

[4704] _to nourish_] Qq F₁ F₂. _nourish_ F₃ F₄.

[4705] _Or_] Qq F₄. _Ore_ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4706] _to_] _to to_ F₁.

[4707] _First ... empress_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

_the_] Qq F₁. _thy_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

_empress_] _emperess_ F₃.

[4708] _and_] Q₁. om. Q₂ Ff.

[4709] _murder'd_] Pope. _murdered_ Qq Ff.

[4710] _And ... hands_] Qq. _And ... hands off_ Ff. _Cut her hands off_

Collier MS.

_hands, and trimm'd_] _hands off; trim'd_ Capell.

_saw'st_] F₁ F₄. _sawest_ Qq. _sawst_ F₂ F₃.

[4711] _O detestable ... of it_] Arranged as by Capell. Three lines,

ending _trimming ... trimd ... it,_ in Qq. Four lines, ending

_villaine!... trimming?... trim'd ... it,_ in Ff.

[4712] _detestable_] _most detestable_ Hanmer, ending the lines

_that ... trimm'd ... of't._

_trimming?_] Ff. _trimming._ Q₁. _trimming_ Q₂.

[4713] _of it_] _of't_ Pope.

[4714] _in it?_] Rowe. _in it_, Q₁. _in it._ Q₂ Ff. _in't?_ Pope.

[4715] _apart_] _a part_ Q₁.

[4716] _crevice_] Ff. _crevie_ Qq.

[4717] _swounded_] _sounded_ Qq F₁ F₂. _swooned_ F₃ F₄.

[4718] _Ay, like_] Rowe. _I like_ Qq. _I, like_ Ff.

[4719] _within the_] _within few_ F₁.

[4720] _forswear_] _then forswear_ Hanmer, ending lines 130-132

_forswear ... between ... necks._

[4721] _break their necks_] _break their necks and die_ Malone conj.

_stray and break their_ Jackson conj. _ofttimes break their necks_

Collier (Collier MS.) Marked as an imperfect line by Keightley.

[4722] _owners_] _wretched owners_ Capell, ending lines 132-134 _at

fire ... bid ... tears._

_their_] _the_ F₁.

[4723] _upright_] _up right_ F₂.

_doors_] F₃ F₄. _doores_ F₂. _doore_ Qq F₁.

[4724] _sorrows ... were_] Malone. _sorrowes ... was_ Qq F₁.

_sorrow ... was_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4725] Enter a Goth.] Capell. Enter Emillius. Qq Ff. Enter a Goth with

Æmilius. Malone.

[4726] Third Goth.] 3. G. Capell. Goth. Qq Ff.

[4727] [Exit Goth. Capell.

Enter Æmilius.] Capell. After line 151 in Qq Ff.

[4728] _what's_] Qq F₄. _what_ F₁. _whats_ F₂ F₃.

[4729] _deliver'd_] Pope. _delivered_ Qq Ff.

[4730] _March away._ [Flourish. Exeunt] F₁. _March away._ Q₁. _March

away._ [Exeunt. Q₂ F₂ F₃ F₄. _away! march!_ [Exeunt. Hanmer. _Away._

[March. Exeunt. Capell. [March away. Exeunt. Steevens conj. _March!

away!_ [Exeunt. Collier.

[4731] SCENE II.] Rowe. SCENE III. Pope.

Rome. Before Titus's house.] Malone. Titus's Palace in Rome. Rowe.

Court of Titus's house. Capell.

Enter ... Demetrius and Chiron....] Enter Tamora, and her two sonnes

disguised. Qq Ff.

[4732] _this ... habiliment_] _this ... habillament_ Q₁. _this ...

habilliament_ Q₂ F₁. _this ... habillaments_ F₂. _this ... habiliments_

F₃ F₄. _these ... habiliments_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4733] _his_] _the_ Rowe.

[4734] [They knock. Enter Titus, above.] Capell. They knock, and Titus

appears above. Rowe. They knocke and Titus opens his studie doore. Qq

Ff.

[4735] _effect?_] _effect._ Q₁.

[4736] _Titus_] _Lord Titus_ Capell. _Old Titus_ Collier MS.

_am come_] _am Revenge, come_ Jackson conj. _am here come_ Staunton

conj.

_thee_] _thee awhile_ Steevens conj.

[4737] _it action?_] Ff. _that accord,_ Qq. _it that accord?_ Pope.

[4738] _If ... with me_] One in Qq. Two in Ff.

[4739] _Witness ... lines_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

_witness these_] _Witness the_ Rowe (ed. 2). _these_ Theobald.

[4740] _hand?_] _hand._ Q₁.

[4741] _Know, thou sad_] Capell. _Know thou sad_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃. _Know

thou, sad_ F₄.

[4742] _thy_] _the_ F₁.

[4743] _thy_] _my_ F₁.

[4744] _offender_] Q₁. _offenders_ Q₂ Ff.

[4745] _enemies?_] _enemies._ Q₁.

[4746] _me._] _me?_ Q₁.

[4747] _stands_] _stand_ Hanmer.

[4748] _surance_] _'surance_ Hanmer.

[4749] _globes_] _globe_ Dyce.

[4750] _thee two_] _the two_ F₂. _two_ Rowe. _thee_ Steevens (1793).

_black_] _as blacke_ Q₂ F₁.

[4751] _murderers_] Capell. _murder_ Qq Ff. _murders_ Rowe.

_caves_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _cares_ Qq F₁.

[4752] _the_] _thy_ Rowe.

[4753] _Hyperion's_] F₄. _Hiperions_ F₂. _Hiperious_ F₃. _Epeons_ Qq.

_Eptons_ F₁.

[4754] _these_] Dyce. _them_ Qq F₁. _they_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4755] _Rapine_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _Rape_ Qq F₁.

[4756] _'Cause_] Pope. _Cause_ Qq Ff.

_of_] _on_ Rowe.

[4757] _mad, mistaking_] _mad-mistaking_ S. Walker conj.

[4758] [Exit above.] Exit Titus from above. Rowe. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4759] _speeches_] _speech_ Rowe.

[4760] _ply_] Qq. _play_ Ff.

Enter....] Collier (Collier MS.) Enter Titus. Rowe. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4761] SCENE IV. Pope.

[4762] _I will_] _Ile_ F₁.

[4763] _he's_] Hanmer. _he is_ Qq Ff.

[4764] _thine_] Q₁. _thy_ Q₂ Ff.

[4765] _thee, good_] F₄. _thee good_ Qq F₁ _the good_ F₂ F₃.

[4766] _device_] Pope. _devise_ Qq Ff.

[4767] Enter Marcus.] Theobald. After line 120 in Qq Ff.

[4768] _Feast_] Qq. _Feasts_ Ff.

[4769] [Exit.] om. Qq F₁.

[4770] _Lucius_] _Lucius'_ S. Walker conj.

[4771] [Aside to her sons] Aside. Hanmer. To her sons. Johnson. Omitted

in Qq Ff.

_will you_] _you will_ Rowe (ed. 2).

_bide_] _abide_ Rowe. _'bide_ Collier (ed. 1).

[4772] _Yield_] _Yeede_ Q₁.

[Aside. Hanmer.

[4773] _turn_] _return_ Rowe (ed. 2). _come_ Pope.

[4774] [Aside] Rowe. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4775] _devices_] Rowe (ed. 2). _devises_ Qq Ff. _device_ S. Walker

conj.

[4776] _dam_] _Dame_ Q₁.

[4777] Tit.] Dem. Boswell.

[Exit Tamora.] Capell. In Rowe after line 147. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4778] _Tut_] _But_ Q₂.

[4779] _hither_] Ff. _hether_ Qq.

Enter Publius....] Enter Publius and Servants. Rowe. Enter certain

Gentlemen, and Domesticks. Capell. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4780] Pub.] 1. G. Capell.

[4781] _you_] _ye_ Rowe.

[4782] _and_] Theobald. om. Qq Ff.

[4783] _The ... Demetrius_] One line in Qq. Two, the first ending

_sonnes,_ in Ff.

[4784] _And ... cry_] Qq. Omitted in Ff, and restored by Capell.

[Exit.] Exit Titus. Rowe, after line 161. om. Qq Ff.

[Publius....] Malone, from Capell. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4785] _bound?_] F₃ F₄. _bound_, Qq F₁ F₂.

_you_] _ye_ F₄.

_fast._] Qq. _fast._ Exeunt. Ff.

Re-enter....] Capell. Enter Titus Andronicus with a knife, and Lavinia

with a Bason. Qq Ff.

[4786] SCENE V. Pope.

[4787] _vile_] F₄. _vild_ Q₁. _vilde_ Q₂. _vil'd_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4788] _you say_] _ye say_ Theobald.

[4789] _is_] _it_ F₂.

[4790] _'tween_] _'twixt_ Rowe.

[4791] _your_] _you_ F₂.

[4792] _I will_] _will I_ F₃ F₄.

[4793] _unhallow'd_] Pope. _unhallowed_ Qq Ff.

[4794] _own_] om. F₁.

[4795] _Progne_] _Proene_ Theobald.

[4796] [He....] Qq Ff (after line 204). He ... throats, and Lavinia

receives the blood in a bason. Rowe (after line 197).

[4797] _vile_] Q₁. _vilde_ Q₂. _vil'd_ F₁. _vild'd_ F₂. _wild_ F₃ F₄.

[4798] _every_] _ever_ F₂ F₃.

[4799] _may_] Qq. _might_ Ff.

[4800] _Centaurs'_] Warburton. _Centaurs_ Q₁ F₄. _Centaures_ Q₂ F₁ F₂

F₃. _Centaur's_ Johnson.

[4801] _them_] om. Capell.

_I'll_] _I will_ Staunton (Dyce conj.), reading _So,_ as a separate

line.

[4802] _against_] Qq. _gainst_ F₁ F₂. _'gainst_ F₃ F₄.

_their_] _the_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[Exeunt ... bodies.] Exeunt, bearing in the Bodies. Capell. Exeunt. Qq

Ff.

[4803] SCENE III.] Capell. Pope continues the scene.

Court ... out.] The same. Gardens of the same. A magnificcent

Pavillion; Tables under it; Domesticks attending. Capell.

Goths, with Aaron, prisoner.] Rowe. The Gothes. Qq Ff.

[4804] _Uncle_] _Good uncle_ Hanmer. _Why, uncle_ Capell. _Since,

uncle_ S. Walker conj.

_it is_] Warburton. _tis_ Qq. _'tis_ Ff.

[4805] First Goth.] 1. G. Capell. Goth. Qq Ff.

_thine, befall_] Q₁ F₄. _thine befall_ Q₂. _thine befall,_ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4806] _sustenance_] _sustnance_ Q₁.

[4807] _Till_] _Tell_ Q₁.

_empress'_] _Empresse_ Q₁. _Emperours_ Q₂ F₂ F₃ F₄. _Emperous_ F₁.

[4808] _her_] Qq F₁. _his_ F₂ F₃ F₄. _these_ Rowe.

[4809] _I fear_] F₄. _I feare_ Qq. _If ere_ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4810] Aar.] Aron. F₁. Aaron. F₂ F₃ F₄. Moore. Qq.

_mine_] Qq. _my_ Ff.

[4811] _unhallow'd_] Rowe (ed. 2). _unhallowed_ Qq Ff.

[4812] [Exeunt ... Aaron.] Rowe, after line 14. Attendants lead in

Aaron. Capell. om. Qq Ff.

Flourish within.] Flourish. Ff. om. Qq.

[4813] Enter....] Sound trumpets. Enter Emperour, and Empresse, with

Tribunes and others. Qq Ff.

Æmilius,] Dyce. om. Qq Ff.

[4814] SCENE VI. Pope.

Sat.] Ff. King. Qq.

_moe_] Qq. _more_ Ff.

[4815] _thee_] _the_ F₂.

[4816] _the parle_] Qq F₁. _the parly_ F₂ F₃ F₄. _your parley_ Hanmer.

[4817] _ordain'd_] Pope. _ordained_ Qq Ff.

[4818] Sat.] Empe. Q₁.

[Hautboys ... table.] Malone, after Capell. Hoboyes. A Table brought

in. Ff. Omitted in Qq.

Enter ... young Lucius and others.] Malone. Sound trumpets, enter ...

face. Qq. Enter ... face. Ff.

[4819] _Welcome ... queen;_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

[4820] _welcome, Lucius_] _thou Lucius, welcome_ Hanmer. _Lucius,

welcome_ Capell. _and welcome, Lucius_ Collier MS.

[4821] Sat.] King. Q₁.

[4822] _beholding_] _beholden_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4823] _An_] Hanmer. _And_ Qq Ff.

[4824] _lord?_] Q₂ Ff. _lord._ Q₁.

[4825] _reason mighty_] _mighty reason_ Capell.

_and_] om. Hanmer.

[4826] _precedent_] Pope. _president_ Qq Ff.

[4827] _sorrow die_] _sorrows flee_ Collier MS.

[Kills Lavinia.] he kills her. Q₂ Ff. om. Q₁.

[4828] _thou_] om. F₁.

_unkind?_] _unkinde,_ Q₁.

[4829] _To do ... done._] Omitted in Ff.

_now is_] Q₁. _is now_ Q₂.

[4830] Sat.] King. Qq.

_ravish'd_] _ravisht?_ Q₂ Ff. _ravisht,_ Q₁.

[4831] _Will't_] _Wil't_ F₄. _Wilt_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃, in both cases.

_Will't ... feed?_] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

[4832] _daughter thus?_] Q₁ F₂ F₃ F₄. _daughter_ Q₂. _daughter?_ F₁.

[4833] _hither_] Ff. _hether_ Qq.

[4834] [Kills Tamora.] He stabs the Empresse. Qq Ff.

[4835] Sat.] Empe. Qq.

[Kills Titus.] He stabs Titus. Rowe. om. Qq Ff.

[4836] [Kills Saturninus.] Lucius stabs the Emperor. Rowe. om. Qq Ff.

A great ... balcony.] Edd. Company in Confusion: A great Tumult: the

Andronici, and their Friends, gain the Steps of Titus' House: Tumult

ceases. Capell. om. Qq Ff.

[4837] _uproars_] _uprores_ Qq F₁. _uproree_ F₂. _uprore_ F₃ F₄.

_as_] Q₁. _like_ Q₂ Ff.

[4838] _tempestuous_] Ff. _tempestious_ Qq.

_gusts_] _guests_ F₂.

[4839] _how to_] Qq. _how, to_ Ff.

[4840] _body; Lest Rome_] Capell. _body._ Roman Lord. _Let Rome_ Qq.

_body._ Goth. _Let Rome_ Ff (Goth, F₂). _body._ Sen. _Lest Rome_

Malone. See note (X).

[4841] _court'sy to_] _cursie too_ Qq F₁. _cursie to_ F₂. _curtsie to_

F₃ F₄.

[4842] _castaway_] Ff. _cast away_ Qq.

[4843] _But if...._] Mar. _But if...._ F₄.

[4844] [To Lucius] Rowe. om. Qq Ff.

[4845] _baleful burning_] _baleful-burning_ S. Walker conj.

[4846] _my_] Q₁. _my very_ Q₂ Ff.

_in the_] _i' the_ Capell, reading _my very_ with Q₂ Ff.

[4847] _kind_] Qq. _kind hand_ Ff.

[4848] _a captain_] _our captain_ S. Walker conj.

[4849] _Then_] Qq. _This_ Ff.

[4850] _murdered_] Rowe. _murdred_ Qq Ff.

[4851] _they it were_] _they they were_ Hanmer. _they it was_ Capell.

[4852] _unto_] _into_ Rowe.

[4853] _I am the turned forth_] Q₁. _And I am the turned forth_ Q₂.

_And I am turned forth_ F₁ F₂ F₃. _And I am turn'd forth_ F₄. _And I am

the turn'd forth_ Capell. _And I'm thus turned forth_ S. Walker conj.

_And I am turn'd forth thus_ Keightley.

[4854] _turn_] _tongue_ Rowe, a misprint, corrected first by Capell.

_the_] Q₁. _this_ Q₂ Ff.

[Pointing....] Shewing it.... Capell. Omitted in Qq Ff.

[4855] _And_] Qq Ff. _Damn'd_ Theobald.

_is, to_] Ff. _is to_ Qq.

[4856] _cause_] F₄. _course_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃.

_revenge_] _revenge._ Q₁.

[4857] _amiss,_] _amisse,_ Q₁. _amisse?_ Q₂ Ff.

[4858] _Andronici_] F₁. _Andronicie_ Qq. _Andronicus_ F₂ F₃ F₄. _the

Andronici_ Capell.

[4859] _Will_] _We'll_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4860] _forth_] _out_ Rowe.

[4861] _Come, come ... Rome_] _Come down, come down ... Rome_ Capell.

_Come, come ... Rome, come down_ S. Walker conj. _Come, come to us, ...

Rome_ Keightley.

_reverend_] Rowe. _reveren'd_ F₄. _reverent_ Qq F₁ F₂ F₃. _reverendest_

Anon. conj.

[4862] _do_] _doth_ Hanmer.

[4863] All.] Rom. Capell. Marcus. Qq. Mar. Ff.

[4864] Marc.] Capell. om. Qq Ff.

[To Attendants.] Capell. om. Qq Ff. To an Attendant. Malone. To

Attendants, who go into the house. Dyce.

[4865] _adjudged_] _adiudge_ Q₁.

_direful slaughtering_] _direful lingering_ Collier MS.

_direful-slaughtering_ S. Walker conj.

[4866] [Exeunt Attendants.] Edd. om. Qq Ff.

Lucius....] Lucius, and the rest, come down; with them young Lucius.

Capell. om. Qq Ff.

[4867] All.] Rom. Capell. om. Qq Ff, continuing the line to Marcus.

_Rome's_] Rowe. _to Romes_ Qq Ff.

[4868] _harms_] _harm_ Rowe.

_wipe_] _drive_ Rowe.

[4869] _aim_] _room_ Collier conj. (withdrawn). _air_ Grant White conj.

[4870] _task_] _style_ Collier MS.

[4871] _trunk_] _bier_ Collier MS.

[Kneels over Titus' body. Capell.

[4872] _thy_] _they_ F₂.

_pale cold_] _pale-cold_ S. Walker conj.

[Kissing Titus.] Kisses Titus. Johnson. om. Qq Ff.

[4873] _blood-stain'd_] F₃ F₄. _blood slaine_ Q₁. _bloud-slaine_ Q F₁

F₂.

[4874] _Tear_] _Teare_ Qq F₁. _A teare_ F₂ F₃ F₄. _Ay, tear_ Rowe.

[Kneeling by him. Capell.

[4875] _thine_] _thy_ Rowe.

[4876] _him ... him_] Ff. _them ... them_ Qq.

_and take leave of him_] _all that he can have_ Collier MS.

[4877] Boy.] Ff. Puer. Qq.

_heart_] _hart._ Q₁. _hart,_ Q₂.

[4878] Re-enter Attendants....] Dyce. Enter Romans with Aaron. Rowe.

Enter Attendant.... Capell.

[4879] SCENE VII. Pope.

A Roman.] Romaine. Qq. Romans. F₁ F₃ F₄. Romanes. F₂. 2. R. Capell. 1

Rom. Malone. Æm. Edd., Globe Ed. (Dyce conj.)

[4880] _dumb?_] _dumb,_ Q₁.

[4881] _evils_] _evil_ Rowe.

[4882] _emperor_] _Emp._ F₁.

[4883] _father's_] Rowe. _fathers_ Qq Ff. _fathers'_ Anon. conj.

[4884] _heinous_] _ravenous_ Collier MS.

_tiger_] _tygress_ Rowe.

[4885] _rite_] Q₂ Ff. _right_ Q₁. _rites_ Rowe.

_mourning_] Q₁. _mournefull_ Q₂. _mournfull_ F₁ F₂. _mournful_ F₃ F₄.

[4886] _mournful bell_] _solemn bell_ Staunton conj.

[4887] _beasts_] Qq F₁ F₄. _beast_ F₂ F₃.

_of prey_] Ff. _to pray_ Q₁. _to prey_ Q₂.

[4888] _beastly_] Qq. _beast-like_ Ff.

[4889] _shall_] _she shall_ Hanmer.

[4890] _on Aaron_] _to Aaron_ Steevens (1793).

[4891] _By_] Qq. _From_ Ff.

_haps_] Qq F₃ F₄. _happes_ F₁. _happee_ F₂.

[4892] _Then_] _Than_ Q₁.

_to order_] _we'll order_ Rowe (ed. 2).

[4893] [Exeunt.] Exeunt omnes. Ff. om. Qq.

NOTES.

NOTE I.

II. 1. The Quartos have no distinction of act or scene here or

elsewhere. After _Exeunt_ comes immediately a stage direction _Sound

Trumpets, manet Moore._ The first Folio, after _Actus Secunda_, has

_Flourish. Enter Aaron alone._ The Editor of the second Folio seeing

the impropriety of introducing Aaron alone with a flourish of trumpets,

omitted the word _Flourish._ Capell was doubtless right in supposing

that it had been displaced from the end of the last scene.

Johnson is of opinion that this scene ought to continue the first act.

NOTE II.

II. 1. 134. Mr Collier, reading 'these,' says, 'The Quartos give the

text correctly.' The Quarto of 1611 has 'their.'

NOTE III.

III. 1. 170. In the copy of Theobald's edition before us, which

belonged to Warburton, the latter has written 'Mr Warburton' opposite

Theobald's note in defence of his emendation, thereby claiming for

himself the merit of the conjecture. But in his own edition he retains

the old reading 'castle,' while in a note he assigns the emendation to

Theobald, and ridicules him for adopting it. Theobald first proposed it

in a letter to Concanen (Nichols' _Illustrations_, II. 220).

NOTE IV.

III. 1. 277, 278. Perhaps the original MS. had as follows:

'And thou, Lavinia, shalt be imployd,

Beare thou my hand sweet wench betweene thy teeth.'

The Author, or some other corrector, to soften what must have been

ludicrous in representation, wrote 'Armes' above 'teeth' as a

substitute for the latter. The printer of the first Quarto took 'Armes'

to belong to the first line, and conjecturally filled up the lacuna

with 'in these,' making, also, an accidental alteration in the position

of 'thou.' Then a corrector of the second Quarto, from which the first

folio was printed, made sense of the passage by substituting 'things'

for 'Armes.'

NOTE V.

III. 2. 81. The first Folio has: '_An._ Come, take away:'

The second: 'And: Come take away:'

The third and fourth: 'And, Come, take away;'

thus continuing the speech to Marcus. Rowe omitted 'And,' and the true

reading was not restored before Capell.

Mr Collier, in his second edition, says: 'In the Folio of the Earl of

Ellesmere, this speech has no prefix; but the conjunction 'And' for

_And._ was mistakenly put before 'Come.'' Mr Staunton however tells us

that there is a full stop after 'And,' and that though not in italics

the word is clearly meant for _Andronicus_.

NOTE VI.

IV. 1. 46. Mr Dyce says that Theobald omitted the words 'Help her:' but

this is a mistake. They are retained by Theobald, and by every other

editor we know of.

NOTE VII.

IV. 2. 100. 'Seems' is an error of Johnson's own printer. In his note

on the passage, he conjectures that 'scorns' is the true reading,

without knowing that it was to be found in every edition previous to

his own. For an instance of similar carelessness, see Note VI. to _The

Third Part of King Henry VI._

NOTE VIII.

IV. 2. 178. Mr Collier, in his Appendix to Coleridge's Lectures, states

that his MS. corrector substitutes 'thrive' for 'feed' in this line,

while, in the note to his second edition of Shakespeare, he says that

the substitution is made in the next line, '_thrive_ on curds, &c.'

In IV. 4. 37, we have assigned a reading to the MS. corrector, because

we find it in Mr Collier's one-volume edition, though he has not

mentioned it elsewhere.

In IV. 4. 113, he gives, in the Appendix to Coleridge's Lectures,

and in his second edition of Shakespeare, 'Then go _incessantly_,

and plead 'fore him,' as the reading of the MS. corrector, while in

the one-volume edition, he gives, on the same authority, 'Then go

_successfully_, and plead 'fore him.' We have left unnoticed other

discrepancies, where, as is usually the case, they were unimportant

to the sense. We mention the fact once for all, in order to defend

ourselves from the charge of inaccuracy. Indeed, it is on this ground

alone that we ever call attention to those errors of our predecessors,

which are, in themselves, venial and unimportant.

NOTE IX.

IV. 4. 8. Steevens says that the first Folio here has 'the law.' It is

'law' in every copy which we have been able to consult.

NOTE X.

V. 3. 72, 73. Mr Collier mentions that the correction 'Lest' for 'Let'

was also made by Southerne in his copy of the fourth Folio. The further

correction, which is due to Capell, was claimed by Steevens, and is

frequently given to him by modern editors. The corruption was perhaps

due to a copyist or printer, who, not seeing that 'Let' was miswritten

for 'Lest,' yet felt that the words 'Let Rome, &c.' were not suitable

to Marcus, and gave them to a Roman lord, at a guess. The Editor of

the first Folio, or some corrector of the Quarto from which he printed,

thinking the words not suitable to a Roman, gave them to a _Goth_.

It may be however that the four lines 'Let Rome ... herself' were

intended to be spoken by a Roman lord after Marcus had stabbed the

Emperor. Perhaps they were an after-thought of the author and written

at the foot of the page, and the printer of the first Quarto, thus

misled, inserted them in the middle of Marcus's speech.

In so doubtful a case we have acquiesced in what may be considered the

received text.

CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.

Transcriber's Notes:

P. xiii added Erratum corrections to text.

Retained line wrapping in plays to retain prose numbering.

Converted linenotes to footnotes with anchors at line ends.

Retained incorrect line numbers, e.g. there are often more than

5 lines (or occasionally less than 5) between increments of 5.

Anchors assigned to linenotes without line references.

Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical

errors.

Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.

Enclosed italics markup in _underscores_.