SCENE I. Rome. Before the Capitol. The tomb of the Andronici appearing; the Tribunes Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, my right, Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the crown. Mar. Princes- -that strive by factions, and by friends, Ambitiously for rule and empery, Lives not this day within the city walls: From weary wars against the barbarous Goths; friends, followers, favourers of Ten years are spent, since first he undertook If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son, A d, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice. This cause of Rome, and chastised with arms And now at last, laden with honour's spoils, And in the Capitol and senate's right, Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts! Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy And so I love and honour thee and thine, [Exeunt the Followers of BASSIANUS. Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my right, I thank you all, and here dismiss you all; [Exeunt the Followers of SATURNINUS. Bas. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor. [SAT. and BAs. go into the Capitol, and ereunt with Senators, MARCUS, &C. Enter a Captain and others Cap. Romans, make way; The good Andronicus, Lo, as the bark, that hath discharg'd her fraught, [The tomb is opened. There greet in silence, as the dead are wont, And sleep in peace, slain in your country's wars Sweet cell of virtue and nobility, How many sons of mine hast thou in store, Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths, Tit. I give him you; the noblest that survives, The eldest son of this distressed queen. Tam. Stay, Roman brethren;- Gracious con queror, Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, A mother's tears in passion for her son : Tit. Patient yourself, madam, and pardon me. These are their brethren, whom you Goths beheld Alive, and dead; and for their brethren slain, Religiously they ask a sacrifice : To this your son is mark'd; and die he must, Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety! Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent, May favour Tamora, the queen of Goths, (When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen,) To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes. Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MUTIUS, with their swords bloody. Luc. See, lord and father, how we have performı'd Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopp'd, And entrails feed the sacrificing fire, Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky. Remaineth nought, but to inter our brethren, And with loud 'larums welcome them to Rome. Tit. Let it be so, and let Andronicus Make this his latest farewell to their souls. [Trumpets soured, and the coffin laid in the tomb In peace and honour rest you here, my sons; Rome's readiest champions, repose you here, Secure from worldly chances and mishaps! Here lurks no treason, here no envy wells, *Here grow no damned grudges; here, are no storms, | I will most thankful be: and thanks, to men No noise, but silence and eternal sleep: Enter LAVINIA. In peace and honour rest you here, my sons! Tit. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserv'd Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, SATURNINUS, Mar. Long live lord Titus, my beloved brother, Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome! Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Mar You that survive, and you that sleep in fame. Tit. A better head her glorious body fits, Mar. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery. Tit. Patience, prince Saturnine. Sat. Romans, do me right; Patricians, draw your swords, and sheath them not Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor : Andronicus, 'would thou wert shipp'd to hell, Rather than rob me of the people's hearts. Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good That noble-minded Titus means to thee! Tit. Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves. Bas. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee Of noble minds, is honourable nieed. Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here, I ask your voices, and your suffrages; Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus? Trib. To gratify the good Andronicus, And gratulate his safe return to Rome, The people will accept whom he admits. Tit. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make. That you create your emperor's eldest son, Lord Saturnine; whose virtues will, I hope, Reflect on Rome, as Titan's rays on earth, And ripen justice in this common-weal: Then if you will elect by my advice, Crown him, and say, Long live our emperor ! Mar. With voices and applause of every sort, Patricians, and plebeians, we create Lord Saturninus, Rome's great emperor ; And say,- Long live our emperor Saturnine! [A long flourish. Sat. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts, Sat. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life! Tit. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an em peror ; [TO TAMORA To him, that for your honour and your state, Will use you nobly, and your followers. Sat. A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue That I would choose, were I to choose anew.— Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance; Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer, Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome: Lav. Not I, my lord; sith true nobility Sat. Thanks, sweet Lavinia. - Romans, let us go. Ransomeless here we set our prisoners free: Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. Bas. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine. [Seizing LAVINIA. Tit. How, sir? Are you in earnest then, my lord? Bas. Ay, noble Titus; and resolv'd withal, To do myself this reason and this right. [The Emperor courts TAMORA in dumb show Mar. Suum cuique is our Roman justice: This prince in justice seizeth but his own. Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live. Tit. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's guard? Treason, my lord; Lavinia is surpriz'd. Sat. Surpriz'd! By whom? Bas. By him that justly may Bear his betroth'd from all the world away. [Exeunt MARCUS and BASSIANUS, with LAVINIA. Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my sword I'll keep this door safe. [Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. Tit. Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back. Mut. My lord, you pass not here. Tit. What, villain boy! Barr'st me my way in Rome? [TITUS kills MUTIUS. Mut. Help, Lucius, help! Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. My lord, you are unjust; and, more than so, In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son. Tit. Nor thou, nor he, are any sons of mine: Luc. Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife, That is another's lawful promis'd love. [Erit. Sat. No, Titus, no; the emperor needs her not, Was there none else in Rome to make a stale of, Tit. O monstrous! what reproachful words are these? Sat. But go thy ways; go, give that changing piece To him that flourish'd for her with his sword: To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome. Tit. These words are razors to my wounded heart. Sat. And therefore, lovely Tamora, queen of That like the stately Phoebe 'mongst her nymphs, And here I swear by all the Roman Gods, - In readiness for Hymeneus stand, I will not re-salute the streets of Rome, I lead espous'd my bride along with me. Tam. And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I swear, If Saturnine advance the queen of Goths, A loving nurse, a mother to his youth. Sat. Ascend, fair queen, Pantheon: -Lords, accompany Your noble emperor, and his lovely bride, Sent by the heavens for prince Saturnine, Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquer'd: There shall we cónsummate our spousal rites. [Exeunt SATURNINUS, and his Followers; TAMORAL and her sons; AARON, and Goths. Tit. I am not bid to wait upon this bride; Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone, Dishonour'd thus, and challenged of wrongs? Re-enter MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. Mar. O, Titus, see, O, see, what thou hast done! In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son. Tit. No, foolish tribune, no; no son of mine,Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed That hath dishonour'd all our family; Unworthy brother, and unworthy sons! Luc. But let us give him burial, as becomes; Give Mutius burial with our brethren. Tit. Traitors, away! he rests not in this tomb. This monument five hundred years hath stood, Which I have sumptuously re-edified: Here none but soldiers, and Rome's servitors, Repose in fame; none basely slain in brawls :Bury him where you can, he comes not here. Mar. My lord, this is impiety in you: My nephew Mutius' deeds do plead for him; He must be buried with his brethren. Quin. Mart. And shall, or him we will accompany. Tit. And shall? What villain was it spoke thac word? Quin. He that would vouch't in any place but to step out of these dreary | My lord, be rul'd by me, be won at last, How comes it, that the subtle queen of Goths Tit. I know not, Marcus; but, I know, it is; Whether by device, or no, the heavens can tell : Is she not then beholden to the man That brought her for this high good turn so far? Yes, and will nobly him remunerate. Flourish. Re-enter at one side, SATURNINUS, attended; TAMORA, CHIRON, DEMETRIUS, and AARON: At the other, BASSIANUS, LAVINIA, and others. Sat. So Bassianus, you have play'd your prize; God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride. Bas. And you of yours, my lord: I say no more, Nor wish no less; and so I take my leave. Sut. Traitor, if Rome have law, or we have power, Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape. Bas. Rape, call you it, my lord, to seize my own, My true-betrothed love, and now my wife? But let the laws of Rome determine all; Mean while I am possess'd of that is mine. Sat. 'Tis good, sir: You are very short with us; But, if we live, we'll be as sharp with you. Bas. My lord, what I have done, as best I may, With his own hand did slay his youngest son, Tit. Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds; 'Tis thou, and those, that have dishonour'd me: Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge, How I have lov'd and honour'd Saturnine! Tam. My worthy lord, if ever Tamora Sat. What! madam! be dishonour'd openly, Tam. Not so, my lord; The gods of Rome forefend, I should be author to dishonour you! Dissemble all your griefs and discontents: Kneel in the streets, and beg for grace in Aside. Come, come, sweet emperor, come, Andronicus, Take up this good old man, and cheer the heart That dies in tempest of thy angry frown. Sat. Rise, Titus, rise; my empress hath prevail'd Tit. I thank your majesty, and her, my lord: These words, these looks, infuse new life in me. Tam. Titus, I am incorporate in Rome, A Roman now adopted happily, And must advise the emperor for his good. This day all quarrels die, Andronicus ;And let it be mine honour, good my lord, That I have reconcil'd your friends and you. For you, prince Bassianus, I have pass'd My word and promise to the emperor, That you will be more mild and tractable. And fear not, lords, and you, Lavinia ; By my advice, all humbled on your knees, You shall ask pardon of his majesty. Luc. We do; and vow to heaven, and to his highness, That, what we did, was mildly, as we might, Mar. That on mine honour here I do protest. The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace; I do remit these young men's heinous faults. Lavinia, though you left me like a churl, I found a friend: and sure as death I swore, Tit To-morrow, an it please your majesty, |