I pray thee, do on them fome violent death; Tam. Well haft thou leffon'd us, this fhall we do. Tit. Marcus, my brother! Enter Marcus. 'tis fad Titus calls: Go, gentle Marcus, to thy nephew Lucius; Mar. This will I do, and foon return again. And take my minifters along with me. [Exit. Tit. Nay, nay, let Rape and Murder stay with me ; Or elfe I'll call my brother back again, And cleave to no revenge but Lucius. Tam. What fay you, boys, will you abide with him, Whiles I go tell my lord, the Emperor, How I have govern'd our determin'd jeft? Yield to his humour, fmooth and fpeak him fair, And tarry with him 'till I come again. Tit. I know them all, tho' they fuppofe me mad ; [Afide. Dem. Madam, depart at pleafure, leave us here. Tam. Tam. Farewel, Andronicus; Revenge now goes To lay a complot to betray thy foes. [Exit Tamora. Tit. I know, thou doft; and, fweet Revenge, farewel. Chi. Tell us, old man, how fhall we be employ'd? Tit. Tut, I have work enough for you to do. Publius, come hither, Caius, and Valentine! Enter Publius and Servants. Pub. What is your will? I take them, Chiron, and Demetrius. Tit. Fie, Publius, fie! thou art too much deceiv'd, The one is Murder, Rape is th' other's name; And therefore bind them, gentle Publius; Caius and Valentine, lay hands on them; Oft have you heard me wish for fuch an hour, And now I find it, therefore bind them fure. [Exit Titus. Chi. Villains, forbear; we are the Emprefs' fons. Pub. And therefore do we what we are commanded. Stop close their mouths; let them not speak a word. Is he fure bound ? look, that ye bind them fast. Enter Titus Andronicus with a Knife, and Lavinia with a Bafon. Tit. Come, come, Lavinia; look, thy foes are bound; Sirs, ftop their mouths, let them not speak to me, But let them hear what fearful words I utter. Oh, villains, Chiron and Demetrius! Here ftands the fpring whom you have ftain'd with mud, You kill'd her husband, and for that vile fault Both her sweet hands, her tongue, and That more dear Hark, Hark, wretches, how I mean to martyr you. And make two pasties of your shameful heads; To make this banquet, which I wish might prove [He cuts their throats. So, now bring them in, for I'll play the cook, And see them ready 'gainst the mother comes. [Exeunt. Enter Lucius, Marcus, and Goths with Aaron Prifoner. Luc. Uncle Marcus, fince it is my father's mind That I repair to Rome, I am content. Goth. And ours with thine, befall what fortune will. Luc. Good uncle, take you in this barbarous Moor, This ravenous tiger, this accurfed devil; Let him receive no fuftenance, fetter him, 'Till he be brought unto the Emp'ror's face, For teftimony of thefe foul proceedings; And fee, the ambush of our friends be strong; I fear, the Emperor means no good to us. Aar. Aar. Some devil whisper curfes in my ear, Sirs, help our uncle to convey him in. [Flourish. Sound trumpets. Enter Emperor and Empress, with Sat. What, hath the firmament more funs than one? Thefe quarrels must be quietly debated: The feaft is ready, which the careful Titus For peace, for love, for league, and good to Rome: Tit. Welcome, my gracious lord; welcome, dread Queen, Welcome, ye warlike Goths, welcome, Lucius, And welcome, all; although the cheer be poor, 'Twill fill your ftomachs, please you eat of it. Sat. Why art thou thus attir'd, Andronicus ? Tit. Because I would be fure to have all well, To entertain your Highness, and your Empress. Tam. We are beholden to you, good Andronicus. Tit. And if your Highnefs knew my heart, you were. My lord the Emperor, refolve me this; Was it well done of rafh Virginius, To flay his daughter with his own right-hand, Tit. Your reafon, mighty lord? Sat. Because the girl fhould not furvive her fhame, And by her prefence ftill renew his forrows. Tit. A reafon mighty, ftrong, and effectual, [He kills her. Sat. What haft thou done, unnatural and unkind? Tit. Kill'd her, for whom my tears have made me blind. I am as woful as Virginius was, And have a thousand times more cause than he To do this outrage. And it is now done. Sat. What, was the ravifh'd? tell, who did the deed? Tit. Will't please you eat, will't please your Highness Tam. Why haft thou flain thine only daughter thus ? They ravish'd her, and cut away her tongue, Tit. Why, there they are both, baked in that pye, Whereof their mother daintily hath fed; Eating the flesh, that fhe her felf hath bred. 'Tis true, 'tis true; witness, my knife's sharp point. [He ftabs the Empress. Sat. Die, frantick wretch, for this accurfed deed. [He ftabs Titus. Luc. Can the fon's eye behold his father bleed? There's meed for meed, death for a deadly deed. [Lucius ftabs the Emperor. Mar. You fad-fac'd men, people and fons of Rome, By uprore fever'd, like a flight of fowl Scatter'd by winds and high tempeftuous gufts, Oh, let me teach you how to knit again This fcatter'd corn into one mutual fheaf, Thefe broken limbs again into one body. Goth. |