Dem. Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome.
Alarbus goes to rest; and we survive
To tremble under Titus' threatening looks.
Then, madam, stand resolv'd; but hope withal,
The self-same gods, that arm'd the Queen of Troy
With opportunity of sharp revenge
Upon the Thracian tyrant in her tent,
May favour Tamora, the queen of Goths, -
When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen,-
To quit her) bloody wrongs upon her foes.

Re-enter LUCIUS, Quintus, MARTIUS, and MUTIUS, with their sucords

bloody.
Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd
Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopp'd,
And entrails feed the sacrificing fire,
Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky.
Remaineth naught, 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 sounded, and the coffin laid in the tomó. In peace and honour rest you here, my sons; Rome's readiest champions, repose you here, Secure from worldly chances and mishaps !

() in her tent,] "ie. in the tent where she and the other Trojan captive women were kept; for thither Hecuba by a wile had decoyed Polymnestor, in order to perpetrate her revenge. This we may learn from Euripides's Elecuba," &c. THEOBALD.—The old eds. have · in his tent.”—The writer of this speech (certainly not Shakespeare) seems to have been rather familiar with the classics.

() her] The old eds. have “the.”—“Read 'her' (with Rowe), or per. haps these.'” Walker's Crit. Eram., &c., vol. iii. p. 216.

(3) the coffin laid in the tomb.] So the quartos ("lay the Coffin sa the Tombe”).—The folio has “the Coffins ;

* but compare the earlier stage-direction, p. 277, "two Men bearing a coffin .. cofin." – From the language used by Titus while speaking of his dead sons, Mr. W. N. Lettsom thinks that “the author could scarcely have intended only one coffin to be produced : the company, no doubt, exhibited only one coffin beause they possessed no more.'

(©) repose you here,] “Old copies, redundantly in respect both to sense and metre, .repose you here in rest."" STEEVENS. Nay, most ridiculously in respect to sense.

set down the

Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells,
Here grow no damned grudges, here no storms, (10)
No noise; but silence and eternal sleep:

Enter LAVINIA.

In peace and honour rest you here, my sons !

Lav. In peace and honour live Lord Titus long;
My noble lord and father, live in fame!
Lo, at this tomb my tributary tears
I render, for my brethren's obsequies ;
And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy,
Shed on the earth, for thy return to Rome :
0, bless me here with thy victorious hand,
Whose fortunes Rome's best citizens applaud !

Tit. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserv'd
The cordial of mine age to glad my heart -
Lavinia, live; outlive thy father's days,
And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise !

Enter, belou, Marcus ANDRONICUS and Tribunes; re-enter

SATURNINUS and BASSIANUS, attended.
Marc. Long live Lord Titus, my beloved brother,
Gracious triúmpher in the eyes of Rome!

Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus.

Marc. And welcome, nephews, from successful wars,
You that survive, and you that sleep in fame!
Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all,
That in your country's service drew your swords :
But safer triumph is this funeral pomp,
That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness,
And triumphs over chance in honour's bed.
Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,

(10) Here grow no damned grudges, here no storms,] The quartos and the folio have “ here are no stormes.”—The editor of the second folio omits "are;" which Walker seems not to liave known, when he remarked as follows on the present line; “Qu. "grudye';' for the supernumerary syllable is, I think, altogether alien to the metre of this play. Or did the author write" here no storms'? 'here' for óhere are, a Lutinism.” Shakespeare's Versificuti n, &c., 11. 254.

Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been,
Send thee by me, their tribune and their trust
This palliament of white and spotless hue;
And name thee in election for the empire,
With these our late-deceased emperor's sons :
Be candidatus, then, and put it on,
And help to set a head on headless Rome.

Tit. A better head her glorious body fits
Than his that shakes for age and feebleness :
What should I don this robe, and trouble you?
Be chosen with proclamations (11) to-day,
To-morrow yield up rule, resign my life,
And set abroach (12) new business for

you all ?
Rome, I have been thy soldier forty years,
And led my country's strength successfully,
And buried one-and-twenty valiant sons,
Knighted in field, slain manfully in arms,
In right and service of their noble country:
Give me a staff of honour for mine age,
But not a sceptre to control the world :
Upright he held it, lords, that held it last.

Marc. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery (19)
Sat. Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou tell?
Tit. Patience, Prince Saturnine. (14)
Sat.

Romans, do me right
Patricians, draw your swords, and sheathe them not
Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor.—

(11) proclamations) Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector changes "proclamations” to “acclamations :" but compare, in p. 285, the words of Satur. ninus, on his being chosen emperor, “ Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum."

(12) abroach] So the third folio.—The earlier eds. have "abroad." (13) Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery.] “Perhaps,

Titus,

&

a

Thou shalt.' &c. Is not Marcus's a broken speech? He is going to add 'for Saturninus' when he is interrupted by Saturninus himselt. See context. 'Obtain and ask' is meant for a Latino-poetical vote por apótepov. The author of this first act, and of the other parts, evidently aims at the classical.” Walker's Crit. Exam., &c., vol. iii. p. 216.

(14) Saturnine.] Here the old eds. have “ Saturninus ;” but three tiines afterwards in the next page they have “Saturnine.”

)

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,
But honour thee, and will do till I die :
My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends, (15)
I will most thankful be; and thanks to men
Of noble minds is honourable meed.

Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here,
I ask your voices and your suffrages :
Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus ?

Tribunes. 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 commonweal:
Then, if you will elect by my advice,
Crown him, and say, “Long live our emperor !"

Marc. 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
To us in our election this day
I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts,
And will with deeds requite thy gentleness :
And, for an onset, Titus, to advance
Thy name and honourable family,
Lavinia will I make my empress,

(16)

(15) friends,] So the third folio.- The earlier eds. have “friend.”

(16) empress,] Here, as in some other passages of this drama, "empress” is to be pronounced as a trisyllable. (Several of the modern editors

Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart,
And in the sacred Pántheon (17) her espouse :
Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?

Tit. It doth, my worthy lord; and in this match
I hold me highly honour'd of your grace:
And here, in sight of Rome, to Saturnine-
King and commander of our commonweal,
The wide world's emperor—do I consecrate
My sword, my chariot, and my prisoners;
Presents well worthy Rome's imperious lord :
Receive them, then, the tribute that I owe,
Mine honour's ensigns humbled at thy feet.

Sat. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life!
How proud I am of thee and of thy gifts
Rome shall record; and when I do forget
The least of these unspeakable deserts,
Romans, forget your fealty to me.

Tit. [to Tamora] Now, madam, are you prisoner to an

emperor ; (18)

To him that, for your honour and your state,
Will use you nobly and your followers.

Sat. [aside] 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:
Princely shall be thy usage every way.
Rest on my word, and let not discontent
Daunt all your hopes: madam, he comforts you
Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths.
Lavinia, you are not displeas'd with this ?

Lav. Not I, my lord ; sith true nobility
Warrants these words in princely courtesy.

print “emperess,”—and inconsistently, for in the present play where á brethren" must be read as a trisyllable they do not priut “bretheren.")

(17) Pántheon] So the second folio.-The earlier eds. have “Pathan."

(18) Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor ;] “We should reari, I think (Shake speare's Versification, Art xxvi.), Now, madam, y'are prisoner to an emperor.'”

Walker's Crit. Ecum., &c., vol. iii. p. 216.