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 Copyright, 1 901 
 
 By 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY
 
 ■COLLE 
 LIBRA! 
 
 THE TRAGEDY OF 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS. 
 
 Preface. 
 
 At, 
 
 Early Editions. In 1600 a quarto edition of Titus An- 
 dronicus was published, bearing the following title-page : — 
 
 " The most lamenta- | ble Romaine Tragedie of Titus \ 
 Andronicus. \ As it hath sundry times been playde by the 
 I Right Honourable the Earle of Pembrooke, the | Earl 
 of Darbie, the Earle of Sussex, and the | Lorde Cham- 
 berlaine theyr \ Seruants. | At London, | Printed by I. 
 R. for Edward White | and are to bee solde at his shoppe, 
 at the little | North doore of Paules, at the signe of I the 
 Gun. 1600." This is the earliest known edition, and is 
 referred to as Quarto i. 
 
 Another quarto, printed from the former, was brought 
 out in 161 1 : — 
 
 " The I most lamcn- ! table Tragedie | of Titus An- 
 dronicus. I As it hath sundry \ times beene plaide by the 
 Kings IMaiesties Seruants. | London, | Printed for Ed- 
 ward White, and are to be solde j at his shoppe, nere the 
 little Xorth dore of | Pauls, at the signe of the Gun. 
 161 1." 
 
 In the 1st Folio Titus Andronicus comes between Co- 
 riolanus and Romeo and Juliet: the text was somewhat 
 carelessly printed from a copy of the Second Quarto with 
 IMS. additions. The Second Scene of the Third Act, not 
 found in the quartos, is peculiar to the Folio version.
 
 Preface THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Date of Composition. According to Langbaine, in 
 his AccoiDit of tJie English Dramatic Poets, a quarto edi-, 
 tion of Titus Androniciis was printed in 1594; but no 
 copy has been discovered. The earUest allusion to Shake- 
 speare's connection with the subject is Meres' mention of 
 the play, in 1598, as one of Shakespeare's well-known 
 tragedies. There can be little doubt that Ravenscroft, 
 who " about the time of the Popish Plot," revived and 
 altered Titus Andronictts, preserved a trustworthy tra- 
 dition with respect to its authorship. " I have been told 
 by some anciently conversant with the stage, that it was 
 not originally Shakespeare's, but brought by a private 
 actor to be acted, and he only gave some master-touches 
 to one or two of the principal characters." Internal evi- 
 dence seems to corroborate the tradition, and Shake- 
 speare's additions are now generally assigned to about 
 1589-90. The following passages suggest Shakespearian 
 authorship; — L i. 9; IL i. 82, 83; I. i. 70-76, 117-119, 
 141, 142; IL ii. 1-6; II. iii. 10-15; III. i. 82-86, 91-97; 
 IV. iv. 81-86; V. ii. 21-27; V. iii. 160-168.* 
 
 The problem is complicated by the fact that there must 
 have been at least three plays on the subject, according to 
 the references in the Stationers' Registers, and Henslowe's 
 Diary. Jonson probably referred to an older play when 
 he wrote : — " He that will swear, Jeronimo or Androni- 
 cus are the best plays yet, shall pass unexcepted at here, 
 as a man whose judgment shows it is constant, and hath 
 stood still these five-and-twenty or thirty years " (Bar- 
 tholomcz^.' Fair, 1614). This would place the production 
 in question between 1584 and 1589. 
 
 The German " tragedy of Titus Andronicus," acted 
 abroad about the year 1600 by the English players, may 
 contain elements of the older original on which the pres- 
 
 *(C/'. H. B. Wheadey, New Shakespeare Soe., 1874; a synopsis 
 of critical opinion is to be found in Fleay's Manual, p. 44; Knight, 
 in his Pictorial Shakespeare, defends Shakespeare's authorship. 
 
 The fullest recent study of the subject is that of Dr. M. M. 
 Arnold Schroer, Marburg, 1891.)
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Preface 
 
 ent play was founded: among its characters there is a 
 ''' Vespasian," and it is noteworthy that there is a record 
 in Henslowe's diary of a " tittus and Vespasia " acted " by 
 Lord Strange's men" on the nth of April, 1591. The 
 play is marked " ne " {i.e. '' new "). Similarly, a " Titus 
 and Andronicus " is described as a new play by Henslowe 
 under the date of January 22nd, 1593-4. 
 
 Under any circumstances, Titus Andronicus stands 
 outside the regular early Shakespearian dramas, — the 
 gentle " love-plays " of his first period ; its value, how- 
 ever, in literary history, is this : — crude as it is, it cer- 
 tainly belongs to the same type of play, as the greater 
 tragedy of Hamlet', the machinery in both plays is much 
 the same ; both are Kydian dramas of Revenge ; Nemesis 
 triumphs in the end, entangling in her meshes the inno- 
 cent as well as the guilty, the perpetrators of crime as well 
 as the agents of vengeance. 
 
 Source of the Plot. It is remarkable that popular as 
 was the story of Titus Andronicus in the sixteenth cen- 
 tury, no direct source of the play has yet been discovered, 
 and nothing can be added to Theobald's comment. *' The 
 story," he observes, " we are to suppose merely fictitious. 
 Andronicus is a surname o^ pure Greek derivation. Ta- 
 mora is neither mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus, nor 
 anybody else that I can find. Nor had Rome, in the time 
 of her emperors, any war with the Goths that I know of; 
 not till after the translation of the Empire, I mean to 
 Byzantium. And yet the scene is laid at Rome, and Sa- 
 turninus is elected to the empire at the Capitol." 
 
 The ballad given in Percy's Reliques was evidently 
 based on the present play, though formerly considered as 
 its source,"^ 
 
 * Cf. Roxhurghc Ballads {Ballad Society), Vol. I.; the version 
 cannot, according to Chappell, be earlier than the reign of James 
 I., and is more probably of that of Charles I, The title of the 
 ballad is " The lamentable and tragical history of Titus Andro- 
 nicus. With the fall of his Sons in the Wars with the Goths, with 
 the manner of the Ravishment of his daughter Lavinia," etc. 
 
 3
 
 Preface THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 The Time of the Play. The period covered by the 
 play is four days represented on the stage; with, pos- 
 sibly, two intervals. 
 
 Day I, Act I. ; Act II. Sc. i. Day 2, Act II. Sc. ii.-iv. ; 
 Act III. Sc. i. Interval. Day 3, Act III. Sc. ii. Inter- 
 val. Day 4, Acts IV. and V. {v. P. A. Daniel's Time- 
 Analysis, p. 190).
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS 
 
 Critical Comments. 
 I. 
 
 Argument. 
 
 I. Titus Andronicus, a Roman general, returns home 
 in triumph after a conquest of the Goths, and is hailed 
 by a large part of the people as their next emperor. The 
 inheritance of the crown is just then in controversy be- 
 tween the deceased ruler's two sons. Titus will not take 
 advantage of the dispute and his own popularity, but 
 magnanimously sides with the elder son, Saturninus, 
 who is enabled by this influence to ascend the throne. 
 The new emperor asks Titus's daughter Lavinia in mar- 
 riage, which request is granted. But the project is 
 thwarted by the emperor's younger brother, Bassianus, 
 who carries off Lavinia — to whom he is betrothed — by 
 force. Titus is so enraged at this and so earnest in his 
 faith with Saturninus, that he kills one of his own sons 
 who has aided Bassianus. Nevertheless, the emperor 
 uses this as a pretext for slighting Titus, whose power 
 he fears ; and although he makes quick choice of another 
 wife in the person of Tamora, queen of the Goths, brought 
 captive by Titus, he seeks the downfall of the general. 
 He finds a ready second in Tamora, who hates Titus be- 
 cause he has offered up her son as a sacrifice to the slain 
 members of his family. 
 
 II. Though this deadly hatred exists on the part of 
 the imperial couple, they yet veil it under a show of amity. 
 The deluded Titus seeks to do them honour by giving a 
 hunt, which ends as a chapter of horrors. The empress 
 seizes the opportunity to meet her lover, a cruel and crafty 
 Moor named Aaron. By a series of devilish plots he
 
 Comments THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 incites the empress's two sons to ravish Lavinia, tear out 
 her tongue, and cut off her hands, so that she cannot 
 denounce them either in speech or writing. Bassianus is 
 slain, and the Moor directs suspicion against two sons of 
 Titus. 
 
 III. The two sons are sentenced and led to execution. 
 Aaron gives Titus to understand that their lives w411 be 
 spared if he will cut off his hand and send it to the em- 
 peror. Titus complies, but is mocked by the iNIoor, who 
 returns the hand with the heads of the two sons. Hence- 
 forth Titus devotes his whole life to vengeance. 
 
 IV. Pretending madness he sends strange messages to 
 the emperor, and also to Tamora's sons, whom he discov- 
 ers to be the authors of Lavinia's shame. 
 
 IMeantime another son of Titus, named Lucius, being 
 banished from Rome, gathers together a powerful army 
 of Goths, who menace the city. Tamora finds it neces- 
 sary to hold a parley with him at his father's house. 
 
 V. To arrange the interview, she goes with her two 
 sons, disguised, to Titus's house. He still feigns insanity 
 and, after she departs, kills the sons and bakes their re- 
 mains in a pie. The pie is shortly after offered to Ta- 
 mora at a feast, when she and the emperor meet Lucius 
 in parley. It is a fitting dish for a bloody banquet, since, 
 at the general slaughter which ensues, Lavinia, Tamora, 
 Titus, and Saturninus all are slain. Lucius tells the peo- 
 ple the true story of the persecutions of his father's house, 
 and is proclaimed emperor. The Moor is condemned to 
 a lingering death, half -buried in the sand. 
 
 McSpaddex : Shakespearian Synopses. 
 
 II. 
 
 Tamora. 
 
 . . . She is the presiding genius of the piece : and 
 in her we see, as we believe, the outbreak of that wonder- 
 ful conception of the union of powerful intellect and moral 
 
 6
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Comments 
 
 depravity which Shakspere was afterwards to make mani- 
 fest with such consummate wisdom. Strong passions, 
 ready wit, perfect self-possession, and a sort of oriental 
 imagination, take Tamora out of the class of ordinary 
 women. It is in her mouth that we find, for the most 
 part, what readers of Malone's school would call the 
 poetical language of the play. W^e will select specimens 
 (II. iii.) :— 
 
 " The birds chant melody on every bush; 
 The snake lies rolled in the cheerful sun ; 
 The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind, 
 And make a chequer'd shadow on the ground : 
 Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let us sit. 
 And — whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds 
 Replying shrilly to the well-tun'd horns, 
 As if a double hunt were heard at once, — 
 Let us sit down." 
 
 Again, in the same scene : — 
 
 " A barren detested vale, you see, it is : 
 The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean, 
 O'ercome with moss and baleful misseltoe. 
 Here never shines the sun ; here nothing breeds, 
 Unless the nightly owl, or fatal raven. 
 And, when they show'd me this abhorred pit, 
 They told me, here, at dead time of the night, 
 A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes. 
 Ten thousand swelling toads, as many urchins, 
 Would make such fearful and confused cries. 
 As any mortal body, hearing it. 
 Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly '' 
 
 . . . The lines which we have quoted may not be 
 amongst Shakspere 's highest things ; but they could not 
 have been produced except under the excitement of the 
 full swing of his dramatic power — bright touches dashed 
 in at the very hour when the whole design was growing 
 into shape upon the canvas, and the form of Tamora was 
 becoming alive with colour and expression. To imagine 
 
 7
 
 Comments THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 that the great passages of a drama are produced Hke " a 
 copy of verses," under any other influence than the large 
 and general inspiration which creates the whole drama, is, 
 we believe, utterly to mistake the essential nature of dra- 
 matic poetry. It would be equally just to say that the 
 nice but well-defined traits of character, which stand out 
 from the physical horrors of this play, when it is carefully 
 studied, were superadded by Shakspere to the coarser de- 
 lineations of some other man. 
 
 Knigpit : Pictorial Shakspere. 
 
 III. 
 
 Aaron. 
 
 Aaron, the ^loor, is a declared blackamoor, to whom a 
 Hebrew name seems to have been given to facilitate the 
 adhesion of hatefulness to his proceedings. I cannot con- 
 sider his character in detached trait without an odd in- 
 termingling of reminiscences of Shylock and Othello. 
 Aaron revels in cruelty and wickedness with a delight that 
 reminds of Shylock gloating over his promised pound of 
 flesh, but with more gratuitous viciousness, for he has not 
 Shylock's provocation — unless, indeed, we detect such a 
 feeling of general resentment against nature for his black- 
 ness, as Richard expresses for his deformity — akin both 
 to Shylock's sense of being an object of antipathy to Ven- 
 ice at large, for no better reason than his Judaism. The 
 avaricious Jew who could still think the best worth of a 
 jewel lay in his having '' had it of Leah when he was a 
 bachelor," is the invention of a poet who may have owned 
 to the idea of the cruel, coarse, reviling Aaron, still retain- 
 ing affection for his base offspring. He not only protects 
 his child by Tamora from her indignant sons, but, when 
 he is the caotive of Lucius, is prepared to undergo any 
 sufferinp-s rather than forep-o his chance of preserving his 
 life, and that boon granted he gives loose to his tongue 
 and, as if death under anv tortures were indifferent to
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Comments 
 
 him, declares and boasts of his atrocities in terms the most 
 exciting and exasperating. lago's dogged resolution to 
 speak no more " seems contrasted with this ; but lago, 
 it will be recollected, made some avowals when he was 
 first apprehended, that indicate pleasure m public scorn ot 
 his victims. Still there is a certain devilish glee in 
 Aaron's crime that distinguishes it from that of all other 
 villains of Shakespeare; he gloats over the enjoyment 
 and resorts to it with the propensity of an indulgence not 
 under the sting of fury or bitterness. " Inhuman dog 
 is a term assigned both to lago and Aaron. 
 
 Lloyd: Cntical Essays on the Plays of Shakespeare. 
 
 IV. 
 
 The Element of Horror. 
 
 Shakspere is the tragedy cf Terror; this is the tragedy 
 - of Horror . It reeks blood, it smeUs of blood ; 
 
 we almost feel that we have handled blood— it is so gross. 
 The mental stain is not whitened by Shakspere s sweet 
 springs of pitv ; the horror is not hallowed by that appal- 
 hno- sublimitv with which he invested his chosen ministers 
 of "death. It is tragedy only in the coarsest material -e- 
 
 lationships. r . ,, . 7 
 
 Massey; Shakspere s Sonnets never before Interpreted. 
 
 The play bears a close resemblance to the best speci- 
 mens of dramatic production known on the English stage 
 at the time we suppose it to have been written ; and it 
 resembles them in their best qualities. T^Iarlowe whose 
 Tamhurlaine was acted before 1587, had just unfettered 
 the English drama from the shackles of rhyme and 
 touched its versification with the first beginnings of free- 
 dom and varietv. As if to square the account for this 
 advance upon the dramatic taste and culture ot the time, 
 he trained his verse to a stately and high-resoundmg 
 
 9
 
 Comments THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 march, and often made it puff well-nigh to the cracking 
 of its cheeks with rhetorical grandiloquence and smoke. 
 The theatrical audiences then to be had would hardly be- 
 stow much applause on any tragedies but what gave them 
 to " sup full of horrors " ; and Marlowe was apt enough, 
 without the stimulus of any such motives, to provide them 
 banquets of that sort. To distinguish rightly between 
 the broad and vulgar ways of the horrible, and the high 
 and subtle courses of tragic terror, was a point of art 
 which he did not live to reach, and probably could not have 
 reached if he had lived. To discover these hidden courses 
 required the far clearer and keener vision of Shakespeare ; 
 nor does it stand to reason that even he or any other man 
 could have discovered them, without first practising in the 
 ways already opened and approved. Of course, as ex- 
 perience gradually developed his native strengths, and at 
 the same time taught him what they were sufficient for, 
 he would naturally throw aside, one after another, the 
 strengths of custom, of example, and public taste ; since 
 these would grow to be felt as incumbrances, as he grew 
 able to do better without them. 
 
 Hudson : The Works of Shakespeare. 
 
 A good and noble character (like Titus) breaks through 
 the most indispensable, the most sacred ties of nature, 
 owing to a want of clearness of moral consciousness, of 
 power, and self-control, and tramples upon all parental 
 feelings. It is this deed, which is spun out into the fear- 
 ful tissue of the following scenes of horror, that first 
 awakens the fiend in Tamora's nature, and the brute in 
 Aaron. When evil is challenged by the good itself, it 
 not only annihilates itself, but the good as well, which, of 
 course, is then no longer truly good. It is from this point 
 of view that the whole drama is composed ; it forms the 
 organic centre in which all the separate rays converge. 
 But the horrible, when so accumulated, and made such an 
 ordinary, natural element of life, requires a deeper and 
 
 lO
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Comments 
 
 more accurate foundation. It is not sufficient simply to 
 presuppose a general state of decay, because the horrible 
 is not necessarily the general form of the tragic, even in 
 such a state of things. However even this fault is one 
 that could be tolerated, at least, it is not wholly wanting 
 in motive. The principal and actual defect is, in reality, 
 the total absence of the conciliatory element in the tragic 
 pathos. Titus Andronicus dies without having even once 
 come to the consciousness and conviction of his guilt, to 
 the duty of submitting to the will of the gods, in short, 
 without that which is good and beautiful in him having 
 been purified and sublimated by the tragic pathos. It is 
 the same with his younger sons ; nay, even Lavinia, whose 
 character is intended to be one of noble womanliness, can, 
 with cold indifference, hold the basin which is to catch 
 the blood of the two victims, and is herself killed by the 
 dagger of her own father while assisting at the horrible 
 repast. Aaron, Tamora, and Saturnine die as they have 
 lived, and Lucius marks his elevation to the dignity of 
 governor with the command for the inhuman and revolt- 
 ing execution of the I\Ioor. Thus the drama ends in a 
 shrill discord wdiich is but little relieved by the abrupt and 
 cold declaration of the new ruler : — 
 
 " Then afterwards to order well the state 
 That like events may ne'er it ruinate." 
 
 Ulrici : Shakspeare's Dramatic Art. 
 V. 
 Style and Authorship. 
 
 Precocity is the characteristic sign of genius, and, as is 
 well known, almost every poet has made his first poetic 
 flight while his physical nature was still in a state of de- 
 velopment. This must have been the case with Shake- 
 speare's contemporaries, Marlowe and Ben Jonson, for 
 they both published works of importance before they came 
 of age. Walter Scott at the age of between fourteen and 
 
 II
 
 Comments THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 fifteen made his first venture in epic poems of considerable 
 length, and Byron in his thirteenth year even attempted to 
 write a drama. Chatterton, Keats, and Shelley are fa- 
 mous instances of early poetical precocity ; and in the 
 domain of painting and music are almost surpassed by 
 Raphael, Handel, Mozart, and Mendelssohn. Is Shake- 
 speare alone to be made an exception to the rule? The 
 fact of his early marriage is almost sufficient to convince 
 us of the contrary. Besides, all his outward circum- 
 stances and the influence of his home, as well as the 
 poetical, sensuously gay, popular life amidst which he was 
 brought up, must have encouraged the early development 
 of his mind. What an important influence theatrical rep- 
 resentations must have exercised upon him we may see in 
 the case of young persons in our own day. Even chil- 
 dren who possess a mere minimum of poetical fancy take 
 delight in a puppet show for which they have themselves 
 arranged a play. Looked at from this point of view, it 
 would be unreasonable forthwith to reject as absurd the 
 supposition that Titus Androniciis was written before 
 Shakespeare had left Stratford. 
 
 Elze: Williaiii Shakespeare, 
 
 As I re-read this play after coming straight from the 
 study of Marlowe, I find again and again passages that, 
 as it seems to me, no hand but his could have written. It 
 is not easy in a question of this kind to set down in detail 
 reasons for our belief. IMarlowe's influence permeated 
 so thoroughly the dramatic literature of his day, that it is 
 hard sometimes to distinguish between master and pupil. 
 When the master is writing at his best there is no diffi- 
 culty, but when his work is hasty and ill-digested, or has 
 been left incomplete and has received additions from other 
 hands, then our perplexity is great. In our disgust at the 
 brutal horrors that crowd the pages of Titus Androniciis, 
 we must beware of blinding ourselves to the imaginative 
 power that marks much of the writing. 
 
 BuLLEN : Works of Christopher Marlowe,
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Comments 
 
 It was no invention of Shakespeare's ; it is not recon- 
 structed upon Shakespeare's Hnes ; but, as we see, char- 
 acters were renamed, some of the matter was recast, 
 crudities were struck out^here and there the writing was 
 touched over, and some fresh Hnes were inserted. We 
 find hnes in which we feel young Shakespeare's touch, and 
 while the whole construction of the play that Shakespeare 
 worked upon is thoroughly unlike the inventions of 
 Shakespeare himself, its crude horrors are, no doubt, felt 
 the more intensely for his removal of absurdities in the 
 first way of telling them, and for touches of his that gave 
 more pomp of words and more force to the style, with now 
 and then some small hint of a grace beyond the reach of 
 the inventor and first writer of the play. 
 
 Morley: English Writers. 
 
 The young poet, born in an age and country having a 
 cultivated poetic literature, good or bad, must, until he has 
 formed his own ear by practice, and thus too by practice 
 made his language take the impress and colour of his own 
 mind, echo and repeat the tune of his instructors. This 
 may be observed in Shakespeare's earlier comedies : and 
 to my ear many lines and passages of Androniciis — such 
 as the speech of Tamora in Act II. Scene iii., " The birds 
 chant melody on every bush," etc., etc., and in this same 
 Scene the lines in the mouth of the same personage, " A 
 barren detested vale, you see it is," recall the rhythm and 
 taste of much of the poetry of the Tu^o Gentlemen of Ve- 
 rona. The matchless freedom of dramatic dialogue and 
 emotion, and of lyrical movement — the grand organ swell 
 of contemplative harmony, were all to be afterwards ac- 
 quired by repeated trial and continued practice. The ver- 
 sification and melody of Titus Androniens are nearer to 
 those of Shakespeare's two or three earlier comedies than 
 those are to the solemn harmony of Prospero's majestic 
 morality. . . . Air. Hallam has said of the undis- 
 puted Roman tragedies, that " it is manifest that in these 
 
 13
 
 Comments THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Roman character and still more Roman manners are not 
 exhibited with the precision of the scholar " — a criticism 
 from which few scholars will dissent as to the manners, 
 though few will agree with it as to " Roman character/' 
 But if this be true in any extent of the historical dramas 
 composed in the fulness of the poet's knowledge and talent 
 we shall find the same sort of defects in Titus Androniciis, 
 and carried to a greater excess. The story is put together 
 without any historical basis, or any congruity with any 
 period of Roman history. The Tribune of the people is 
 represented as an efficient popular magistrate, while there 
 is an elective yet despotic emperor. The personages are 
 Pagans, appealing to " Apollo, Pallas, Juno, or Mercury, ' 
 while at the beginning of the play we find a wedding 
 according to the Catholic ritual, with " priest and holy 
 water," and tapers " burning bright " ; and at the end an 
 allusion to a Christian funeral, with " burial and mournful 
 weeds and mournful bell *' ; to say nothing of Aaron's 
 sneer at '* Popish ceremonies," or of the " ruined monas- 
 tery " in the plain near Rome. 
 
 For all these reasons, I am so far from rejecting this 
 play as spurious, that I regard it as a valuable and cu- 
 rious evidence of the history of its author's intellectual 
 progress. 
 
 Verplaxck : The Illustrated Shakespeare. 
 
 To me, as to Hallam and many others, the play declares 
 as plainly as play can speak, " I am not Shakspere's ; my 
 repulsive subject, my blood and horrors, are not and never 
 were, his." I accept the tradition that Ravenscroft re- 
 ports when he revived and altered the play in 1687, ^^^^ 
 it was brought to Shakspere to be touched up and pre- 
 pared for the stage. 
 
 FuRXivALL : The Leopold Shakspere. 
 
 This is the period of Shakspere's tentative dramatic 
 efforts. Among these, notwithstanding strong external 
 
 14
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Comments 
 
 evidence — the testimony of Meres, and the fact that 
 Heminge and Condell included the play in the first folio — 
 it is difficult to admit Titus Androniciis. That tragedy 
 belongs to the pre-Shaksperian school of bloody dramas. 
 If any portions of it be from Shakspere's hand, it has at 
 least this interest — it shows that there was a period of 
 Shakspere's authorship when the Poet had not yet dis- 
 covered himself, a period when he yielded to the popular 
 influences of the day and hour ; this much interest, and 
 no more. That Shakspere himself entered with passion 
 or energy into the literary movement which the Spanish 
 Tragedy of Kyd may be taken to represent, his other early 
 writings forbid us to believe. The supposed Sturm und 
 Drang period of Shakspere's artistic career exists only in 
 the imagination of his German critics. The early years of 
 Shakspere's authorship were years of bright and tender 
 play of fancy and of feeling. If an epoch of storm and 
 stress at any time arrived, it was when Shakspere's genius 
 had reached its full maturity, and Lear was the product 
 of that epoch. But then, if the storm and stress were 
 prolonged and urgent, Shakspere possessed sufficient 
 power of endurance, and had obtained sufficient grasp of 
 the strong sure roots of life, to save him from being borne 
 away into the chaos or in any direction across the borders 
 of the ordered realm of art. Upon the whole, Titus An- 
 dronicns may be disregarded. Even if it were a work of 
 Shakspere, we should still call it un-Shaksperian. 
 
 DowDEN : Shakspere. 
 
 i5
 
 DRAMATIS PERSONAE. 
 
 Saturninus, son to the late Emperor of Rome, afterwards em- 
 peror. 
 Basstanus, brother to Saturnmus. 
 Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman. 
 
 Marcus Andronicus, tribune of the people, and brother to Titus. 
 Lucius, "^ 
 
 QUINTUS, I ^ ^u A J 
 
 ,, > sons to Titus Andronicus. 
 
 Martius, 
 
 MuTius, 
 
 Young Lucius, a boy, son to Lucius. 
 
 PuBLius, son to Marcus Andronicus. 
 
 ^MiLius, a noble Roman. 
 
 Alarbus, ) 
 
 Demetrius, > sons to Tamora. 
 
 Chiron, ) 
 
 Aaron, a Moor, beloved by Tamora. 
 
 A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown ; Romans and Goths. 
 
 Tamora, queen of the Goths. 
 
 Lavinia. daughter to Titus Andronicus. 
 
 A Nurse, and a black Child. 
 
 Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, 
 and Attendants. 
 
 Scene: Rome, and the country near it.
 
 The Tragedy of 
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS. 
 
 ACT FIRST. 
 
 Scene I. 
 
 Rome. Before the Capitol. The Tomb of 
 the Andronici appearing. 
 
 Flourish. Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft. And 
 then enter belozc, Satnrninus and his Followers from 
 one side, and Bassianus and his Follozvers from the 
 other side, zvith drum and colours. 
 
 Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, 
 
 Defend the justice of my cause with arms; 
 And, countrymen, my loving followers, 
 Plead my successive title with your swords : 
 I am his first-born son, that was the last 
 That ware the imperial diadem ofl^-ome; 
 Then let my father's honours live in me. 
 Nor wrong mine age with this indignity. 
 
 Bas. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of my right, 
 If ever Bassianus, Caesar's son, lo 
 
 Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome, 
 Keep then this passage to the Capitol ; 
 And suffer not dishonour to approach 
 The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate, 
 To justice, continence and nobility: 
 But let desert in pure election shine ; 
 And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice. 
 
 17
 
 Act I. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Enter Marcus Andronicus, aloft, zvith the crown. 
 
 'Marc. Princes, that strive by factions and by friends 
 Ambitiously for rule and empery, 
 Know that the people of Rome, for whom we 
 
 stand 
 A special party, have by common voice, 21 
 
 In election for the Roman empery, 
 Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius 
 For many good and great deserts to Rome : 
 A nobler man, a braver warrior, 
 Lives not this day within the city walls : 
 He by the senate is accited home 
 From weary wars against the barbarous Goths ; 
 That, with his sons, a terror to our foes, 
 Hath yoked a nation strong, train'd up in arms. 30 
 Ten years are spent since first he undertook 
 This cause of Rome, and chastised with arms 
 Our enemies' pride : five times he hath return'd 
 Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons 
 In coffins from the field. 
 And now at last, laden with honour's spoils, 
 Returns the good Andronicus to Rome, 
 Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms. 
 Let us entreat, by honour of his name. 
 Whom worthily you w^ould have now succeed, 40 
 And in the Capitol and senate's right, 
 Whom you pretend to honour and adore, 
 That you w^ithdraw you and abate your strength. 
 Dismiss your followers and, as suitors should, 
 Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness. 
 
 Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts ! 
 
 18
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy 
 In thy uprightness and integrity, 
 And so I love and honour thee and thine, 
 Thy noble brother Titus and his sons, 50 
 
 And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all, 
 Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament. 
 That I will here dismiss my loving friends, 
 And to my fortunes and the people's favour 
 Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd. 
 
 [Exeunt the FoUoivcrs of Bassianns. 
 
 Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my right, 
 I thank you all, and here dismiss you all. 
 And to the love and favour of my country 
 Commit myself, my person and the cause. 
 
 [E.vciint the FoUozvers of Saturninns. 
 Rome, be as just and gracious unto me, 60 
 
 As I am confident and kind to thee. 
 Open the gates, and let me in. 
 
 Bas, Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor. 
 
 [Flourish. Saturninns and Bassianns go up 
 
 1)1 to the Capitol. 
 
 Enter a Captain. 
 
 Cap. Romans, make way : the good Andronicus, 
 Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion, 
 Successful in the battles that he fights. 
 With honour and with fortune is return'd 
 From where he circumscribed with his sword. 
 And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome. 
 
 Drums and trumpets sounded. Enter Martins and Mu- 
 tius; after them, tzvo Men bearing a coffin covered 
 zvith black; then Lucius and Quintus. After them, 
 
 19
 
 Act I. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Titus Andronicus ; and then Tanwra Queen of Goths, 
 with Alarbus, Demetrius, Chiron, Aaron, and other 
 Goths, prisoners: Soldiers and People foUoz^'ing. 
 The Bearers set doivn the eofRn, and Titus speaks. 
 
 Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds ! 70 
 Lo, as the bark that hath discharged her fraught 
 Returns with precious lading to the bay 
 From whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage, 
 Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs. 
 To re-salute his country with his tears, 
 Tears of true joy for his return to Rome. 
 Thou great defender of this Capitol, 
 Stand gracious to the rites that we intend ! ' 
 Romans, of five and twenty valiant sons. 
 Half of the number that King Priam had, 80 
 
 Behold the poor remains, alive and dead ! 
 These that survive let Rome reward with love ; 
 These that I bring unto their latest home, 
 With burial amongst their ancestors : 
 Here Goths have given me leave to sheathe my 
 
 sword. 
 Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own. 
 Why suffer'st thou thy sons, unburied yet, 
 To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx ? 
 Make way to lay them by their brethren. 
 
 [They open the tomb. 
 There greet in silence, as the dead are wont, 90 
 
 And sleep in peace, slain in your country's wars ! 
 O sacred receptacle of my joys. 
 Sweet cell of virtue and nobility, 
 How many sons hast thou of mine in store. 
 That thou wilt never render to me more ! 
 20
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 Liic. Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths, 
 That we may hew his Hmbs and on a pile 
 ' Ad manes fratrum ' sacrifice his flesh 
 Before this earthy prison of their bones, 
 That so the shadows be not unappeased, loo 
 
 Nor we disturb'd with prodigies on earth. 
 Tit. I give him you, the noblest that survives, 
 
 The eldest son of this distressed queen. 
 Tarn. Stay, Roman brethren! Gracious conqueror, 
 Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, 
 A mother's tears in passion for her son : 
 And if thy sons were ever dear to thee, 
 O, think my son to be as dear to me ! 
 Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome, 
 To beautify thy triumphs and return, no 
 
 Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke ; 
 But must my sons be slaughter'd in the streets, 
 For valiant doings in their country's cause? 
 O, if to fight for king and commonweal 
 Were piety in thine, it is in these. 
 Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood. 
 Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods ? 
 Draw near them then in being merciful : 
 Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge : 
 Thrice-noble Titus, spare my first-born son. 120 
 
 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, 
 To appease their groaning shadows that are gone. 
 Liic. Away with him ! and make a fire straight ; 
 
 21
 
 Act I. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 And with our swords, upon a pile of wood, 
 
 Let 's hew his hmbs till they be clean consumed. 
 
 [Exeunt the sons of Andr onions with Alarhus. 
 
 Tani. O cruel, irreligious piety ! 130 
 
 Chi. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous? 
 
 Dcni. Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome. 
 Alarbus goes to rest, and we survive 
 To tremble under Titus' threatening look. 
 Then, madam, stand resolved ; but hope withal, 
 The self-same gods that arm'd the Queen of Troy 
 With opportunity of sharp revenge 
 Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent, 
 ]\lay favour Tamora, the queen of Goths, 
 When Goths were Goths and Tamora was queen, 
 To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes. 141 
 
 Re-enter the sons of Androniciis, ivith their szvords 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 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 sounded, and the co-ffin laid in the tomb. 
 In peace and honour rest you here, my sons : 1 50 
 
 Rome's readiest champions, repose you here in 
 
 rest, 
 Secure from worldly chances and mishaps ! 
 Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells, 
 Here grow no damned drugs ; here are no storms, 
 22
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 No noise, but silence and eternal sleep : 
 
 In peace and honour rest you here, my sons ! 
 
 Enter Lavinia. 
 
 Lav. In peace and honour live Lord Titus long ; 
 IMy noble lord and father, live in fame ! 
 Lo, at this tomb my tributary tears 
 I render, for my brethren's obsequies ; i6o 
 
 And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy 
 Shed on the earth, for thy return to Rome : 
 O, bless me here with thy victorious hand, 
 Wliose fortunes Rome's best citizens applaud ! 
 
 Tit. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserved 
 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, belo7u, Marcus Andronicns and Tribunes ; 
 re-enter Saturninus and Bassianus attended. 
 
 Marc. Long live Lord Titus, my beloved brother, 
 
 Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome! 170 
 
 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 aspired to Solon's happiness, 
 And triumphs over chance in honour's bed. 
 Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome, 
 Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been, 180 
 
 Send thee by me, their tribune and their trust, 
 
 23
 
 Act I. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 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 to-day, 190 
 
 To-morrow yield up rule, resign my life, 
 
 And set abroad 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. 200 
 
 Marc. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery. 
 
 Sat. Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou tell? 
 
 Tit. Patience, Prince Saturninus. 
 
 Sat. Romans, do me right ; 
 
 Patricians, draw your swords, and sheathe 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 210 
 
 The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves. 
 
 Bas. Andronicus. I do not flatter thee, 
 
 24
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act L Sc. i. 
 
 But honour thee, and will do till I die : 
 My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends, 
 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, 220 
 
 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 nirtues 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, 230 
 
 Patricians and plebeians, we create 
 Lord Saturninus Rome's great emperor, 
 And say ' Long live our Emperor Saturnine ! ' 
 
 [A long flourish till they come down. 
 
 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, 240 
 
 Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart. 
 And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse : 
 Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee? 
 
 25
 
 Act I. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 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 : 250 
 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 ; 
 ., To him that, for your honour and your state, 
 Will use you nobly and your followers. 260 
 
 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 comest not to be made a scorn in Rome : 
 ■ Princely shall be thy usage every way. 
 Rest on my w^ord, and let not discontent 
 Daunt all your hopes : madam, he comforts you 
 Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths. 
 Lavinia, 3^ou are not displeased with this ? 270 
 
 Laz'. Not I, my lord ; sith true nobility 
 
 Warrants these words in princely courtesy. 
 
 Sat. Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go : 
 
 26
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 Ransomless here we set our prisoners free : 
 Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. 
 [Flourish. Saturniniis courts Tauiora in dnuih shozc. 
 Bas. [Sei:::i}ig Laz'ijiia] Lord Titus, by your leave, this 
 
 maid is mine. 
 Tit. How, sir ! are you in earnest then, my lord ? 
 Bas. Ay, noble Titus, and resolved withal 
 
 To do myself this reason and this right. 
 Marc. ' Suum cuique ' is our Roman justice: 280 
 
 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 surprised! 
 Sat. Surprised ! by whom ? 
 
 Bas. By him that justly may 
 
 Bear his betroth'd from all the world away. 
 
 [EA'cuut BassiaJius and Marcus z^'itli Lavinia. 
 Milt. Brothers, help to convey her hence away. 
 And with my sword I '11 keep this door safe. 
 
 [Exeunt Lucius, Quintus, and Martins. 
 Tit. Follow, my lord, and I '11 soon bring her back. 
 Mut. My lord, you pass not here. 
 
 Tit. What, villain boy! 290 
 
 Barr'st me my way in Rome? [Stabbing Mutius. 
 
 Mut. Help, Lucius, help ! [Dies. 
 
 [During the fray Saturninus, Tamora, Demetrius, 
 
 Chiron and Aaron go out, and re-enter above. 
 
 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 ; 
 
 27
 
 Act I. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 My sons would never so dishonour me : 
 Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor. 
 
 Luc. Dead, if you will ; but not to be his wife, 
 
 That is another's lawful promised love. [Exit. 
 
 Sat. No, Titus, no ; the emperor needs her not, 
 
 Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock : 300 
 
 I '11 trust by leisure him that mocks me once ; 
 Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons, 
 Confederates all thus to dishonour me. 
 Was none in Rome to make a stale 
 But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus, 
 Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine. 
 That saidst, I begg'd the empire at thy hands. 
 
 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 : 310 
 A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy; 
 One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons. 
 To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome. 
 
 Tit. These words are razors to my wounded heart. 
 
 Sat. And therefore, lovely Tamora, Queen of Goths, 
 That, like the stately Phoebe 'mongst her nymphs. 
 Doth overshine the gallant'st dames of Rome, 
 If thou be pleased with this my sudden choice. 
 Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride, 
 And will create thee empress of Rome. 320 
 
 Speak, Queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my choice ? 
 And here I swear by all the Roman gods, 
 Sith priest and holy water are so near, 
 And tapers burn so bright, and every thing 
 In readiness for Hym.en^eus stand, 
 I will not re-salute the streets of Rome, 
 28
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 " Or climb my palace, till from forth this place 
 I lead espoused my bride along with me. 
 
 Tarn. And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I swear, 
 
 If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths, 330 
 
 She will a handmaid be to his desires, 
 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 conquered : 
 There shall we consummate our spousal rites. 
 
 [Exeunt all hut Titus. 
 
 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 ? 340 
 
 Re-enter Marcus, Lucius, Ouintus, and Martins. 
 
 Marc. 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 ! 
 Lite. 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, 350 
 
 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. 
 Marc. My lord, this is impiety in you : 
 
 29
 
 Act I. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 My nephew IMutius' deeds do plead for him ; 
 He must be buried with his brethren. 
 
 , ^ * V And shall, or him we will accompany. 
 
 Tit. And shall ! what villain was it spake that word ? 
 Qiiin. He that would vouch it in any place but here. 360 
 Tit. What, would you bury him in my despite? 
 Marc. No, noble Titus ; but entreat of thee 
 
 To pardon IMutius and to bury him. 
 Tit. ]\Iarcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest, 
 
 And with these boys mine honour thou hast wounded : 
 
 i\Iy foes I do repute you every one ; 
 
 So trouble me no more, but get you gone. 
 Mart. He is not with himself ; let us withdraw. 
 Oiiin. Xot I, till i\Iutius' bones be buried. 
 
 [Marcus and the sons of Titus kneel. 
 Marc. Brother, for in that name doth nature plead, — 370 
 Quin. Father, and in that name doth nature speak, — 
 Tit. Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed. 
 Marc. Renowned Titus, more than half my soul, — 
 Luc. Dear father, soul and substance of us all, — 
 Marc. Suffer thy brother ^Marcus to mter 
 
 His noble nephew here in virtue's nest, 
 
 That died in honour and Lavinia's cause. 
 
 Thou art a Roman ; be not barbarous : 
 
 The Greeks upon advice did bury Ajax 
 
 That slew himself ; and wise Laertes' son 380 
 
 Did graciously plead for his funerals : 
 
 Let not young Mutius then, that was thy joy. 
 
 Be barr'd his entrance here. 
 Tit. Rise, ^larcus, rise : 
 
 The dismall'st day is this that ere I saw, 
 
 30
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 To be dishonour'd by my sons in Rome !. 
 
 Well, bury him, and bury me the next, 
 
 [M lit ins is put into the tomb. 
 Luc. Tliere He thy bones, sweet ^lutius, with thy friends, 
 
 Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb. 
 All. [Kneeling] Xo man shed tears for noble Mutius ; 
 
 He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause. 390 
 
 Maix. My lord, to step out of these dreary dumps, 
 
 How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths 
 
 Is of a sudden thus advanced in Rome ? 
 Tit. I knovv- not, ^larcus ; but I know it is, 
 
 AMiether by device or no, the heavens can tell : 
 
 Is she not then beholding to the man 
 
 That brought her for this high good turn so far ? 
 
 Yes, and will nobly him remunerate. 
 
 Flourish. Re-enter, from one side, Saturninus attended, 
 Tamora, Demetrius. Chiron, and Aaron; from the 
 other, Bassianus, Lavinia, i^'ith others. 
 
 Sat, So Bassianus, you have playVl your prize : 
 
 God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride! 400 
 
 Bas. And you of yours, my lord ! I say no more, 
 
 Xor wish no less ; and so I take my leave. 
 Sat. 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 ; 
 
 Meanwhile I am possess'd of that is mine. 
 Sat. 'Tis good, sir : you are very short with us ; 
 
 But if we live, we '11 be as sharp with you. 410 
 
 Bas. My lord, what I have done, as best I may, 
 
 31
 
 Act I. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Answer I must, and shall do with my life. 
 
 Only thus much I give your grace to know : 
 
 By all the duties that I owe to Rome, 
 
 This noble gentleman, Lord Titus here, 
 
 Is in opinion and in honour wrong'd ; 
 
 That, in the rescue of Lavinia, 
 
 With his own hand did slay his youngest son. 
 
 In zeal to you and highly moved to wrath 
 
 To be controird in that he frankly gave: 420 
 
 Receive him then to favour, Sattirnine, 
 
 That hath express'd himself in all his deeds 
 
 A father and a friend to thee and Rome. 
 
 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 loved and honoured Saturnine ! 
 
 Tarn. My worthy lord, if ever Tamora 
 
 Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine. 
 
 Then hear me speak indififerently for all ; 430 
 
 And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past. 
 
 Sat. What, madam ! be dishonour'd openly, 
 And basely put it up without revenge ? 
 
 Tarn. Not so, my lord ; the gods of Rome forfend 
 I should be author to dishonour you ! 
 But on mine honour dare I undertake 
 For good Lord Titus' innocence in all ; 
 Whose fury not dissembled speaks his griefs : 
 Then, at my suit, look graciously on him ; 
 Lose not so noble a friend on vain suppose, . 440 
 
 Nor with sour looks aftlict his gentle heart. 
 [Aside to Sat.] My lord, be ruled by me, be won at last ; 
 Dissemble all your griefs and discontents : 
 
 32
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act I. Sc. i. 
 
 You are but newly planted in your throne ; 
 
 Lest then the people, and patricians too, 
 
 Upon a just survey, take Titus' part. 
 
 And so supplant you for ingratitude, 
 
 Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin, 
 
 Yield at entreats, and then let me alone : 
 
 I '11 find a day to massacre them all, 450 
 
 And raze their faction and their family. 
 
 The cruel father and his traitorous sons, 
 
 To whom I sued for my dear son's life ; 
 
 And make them know what 'tis to let a queen 
 
 Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain. — 
 
 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: 460 
 
 ^ These words, these looks, infuse new life in me. 
 
 TafJi. 'iitus, 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 reconciled 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. 470 
 
 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, 
 
 33
 
 Act II. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Tendering our sister's honour and our own. 
 
 Marc. That, on mine honour, here 1 do protest. 
 
 Sat. Away, and talk not; trouble us no more. 
 
 Tain. Nay, nay, sweet emperor, we must all be friends : 
 The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace ; 480 
 I will not be denied : sweet heart, look back. 
 
 Sat. Marcus, for thy sake and thy brother's here, 
 And at my lovely Tamora's entreats, 
 I do remit these young men's heinous faults : 
 Stand up. 
 
 Lavinia, though you left me like a churl, 
 I found a friend ; and sure as death I swore 
 I would not part a bachelor from the priest. 
 Come, if the emperor's court can feast two brides, 
 You are my guest, Lavinia, and your friends. 490 
 This day shall be a love-day, Tamora. 
 
 Tit. To-morrow, an it please your majesty 
 
 To hunt the panther and the hart with me. 
 
 With horn and hound we '11 give your grace bonjour. 
 
 Sat. Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too. 
 
 [Flourish. Exeunt. 
 
 ACT SECOND. 
 ' Scene I. 
 
 Rome. Before the palace. 
 
 Enter Aaron. 
 
 Aar. Now climbeth Tamora Olympus' top, 
 Safe out of fortune's shot, and sits aloft, 
 Secure of thunder's crack or lightninsr flash. 
 Advanced above pale envy's threatening reach. 
 As when the golden sun salutes the morn, 
 
 34
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act II. Sc. i. 
 
 -\nd, having gilt the ocean with his beams, 
 
 Gallops the zodiac in his glistering coach, 
 
 And overlooks the highest-peering hills; 
 
 So Tamora : 
 
 Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait, lo 
 
 And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown. 
 
 Then, Aaron, arm thy heart, and fit thy thoughts. 
 
 To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress, 
 
 And mount her pitch, whom thou in triumph long 
 
 Hast prisoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains. 
 
 And faster bound to Aaron's charming eyes 
 
 Than is Prometheus tied to Caucasus. 
 
 Away w^th slavish weeds and servile thoughts ! 
 
 I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold, 
 
 To wait upon this new-made empress. 20 
 
 To wait, said I ? to wanton with this queen, 
 
 This goddess, this Semiramis, this nymph. 
 
 This siren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine, 
 
 And see his shipwreck and his commonweal's. 
 
 Holloa! what storm is this? 
 
 Enter Demetrius and Chiron, braving. 
 
 Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit w^ants edge, 
 And manners, to intrude where I am graced. 
 And may, for aught thou know'st, affected be. 
 
 Chi. Demetrius, thou dost over-ween in all, 
 
 And so in this, to bear me down with braves. 30 
 
 'Tis not the difference of a year or two 
 
 Makes me less gracious, or thee more fortunate : 
 
 I am as able and as fit as thou 
 
 To serve, and to deserve my mistress' grace ; 
 
 And that my sword upon thee shall approve, 
 
 35
 
 Act II. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 And plead my passions for Lavinia's love. 
 Aar. [Aside] Clubs, clubs ! these lovers will not keep the 
 
 peace. 
 Don. Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised, 
 
 Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side, 
 
 Are you so desperate grown, to threat your friends? 
 
 Go to ; have your lath glued within your sheath 41 
 
 Till you know better how to handle it. 
 Chi. Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have. 
 
 Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare. 
 Dcin. Ay, boy, grow ye so brave ? [They draii\ 
 
 Aar. [Coming forzuard] Why, how now, lords! 
 
 So near the emperor's palace dare you draw. 
 
 And maintain such a quarrel openly ? 
 
 Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge : 
 
 I would not for a million of gold 
 
 The cause were known to them it most concerns ; 
 
 Nor would your noble mother for much more 51 
 
 Be so dishonour'd in the court of Rome. 
 
 For shame, put up. 
 Dein. Not I, till I have sheathed 
 
 My rapier in his bosom, and withal 
 
 Thrust those reproachful speeches down his throat. 
 
 That he hath breathed in my dishonour here. 
 CJii. For that I am prepared and full resolved. 
 
 Foul-spoken coward ! that thunder'st with thy tongue, 
 - And with thy weapon nothing darest perform. 
 Aar. Away, I say ! 60 
 
 Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore. 
 
 This petty brabble will undo us all. 
 
 Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous 
 
 It is to jet upon a prince's right? 
 
 What, is Lavinia then become so loose, 
 
 36
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act II. Sc. i. 
 
 Or Bassianus so degenerate, 
 
 That for her love such quarrels may be broacliM 
 
 Without controlment, justice, or revenge? 
 
 Young lords, beware ! an should the empress know 
 
 This discord's ground, the music w^ould not please. 
 
 Chi. I care not, I, knew she and all the world : 71 
 
 I love Lavinia more than all the world. 
 
 DciJi. Youngling, learn thou to make some meaner choice : 
 Lavinia is thine elder brother's hope. 
 
 Aar. Why, are ye mad ? or know ye not, in Rome 
 How furious and impatient they be. 
 And cannot brook competitors in love? 
 I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths 
 By this device. 
 
 Chi. Aaron, a thousand deaths 
 
 Would I propose to achieve her whom I love. 80 
 
 Aar. To achieve her ! how ? 
 
 Dcjn. Why makest thou it 'so strange? 
 
 She is a woman, therefore may be woo'd ; 
 She is a woman, therefore may be w^on ; 
 She is Lavinia, therefore must be loved. 
 What, man ! more water glideth by the mill 
 Than wots the miller of ; and easy it is 
 Of a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know : 
 Though Bassianus be the emperor's brother, 
 Better than he have worn \^ilcan's badge. 
 
 Aar. [Aside] Ay, and as good as Saturninus may. 90 
 
 Deni. Then why should he despair that knows to court it 
 With words, fair looks, and liberality? 
 What, hast not thou full often struck a doe, 
 And borne her cleanly by the keeper's nose? 
 
 Aar. Why, then, it seems, some certain snatch or so 
 
 27
 
 Act II. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Vrould serve your turns. 
 
 Clii. Ay, so the turn were served. 
 
 Dcni. Aaron, thou hast hit it. 
 
 Would you had hit it too ! 
 Then should not we be tired with this ado. 
 Why, hark ye, hark ye ! and are you such fools 
 To square for this ? would it offend you, then, loo 
 That both should speed? 
 
 Clii. Faith, not me. 
 
 Dcin. Nor me, so I were one. 
 
 Aar. For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar : 
 'Tis policy and strata^^em must do 
 That you affect ; and so must you resolve. 
 That what you cannot as you would achieve, 
 You must perforce accomplish as you may. 
 Take this of me : Liicrece was not more chaste 
 Than this Lavinia, Bassianus' love. 
 A speedier course than lingering languishment no 
 Must wx pursue, and I have found the path. 
 Aly lords, a solemn hunting is in hand ; 
 There will the lovely Roman ladies troop : 
 The forest walks are wide and spacious ; 
 And many unfrequented plots there are 
 Fitted by kind for rape and villany : 
 Single you thither then this dainty doe, 
 And strike her home by force, if not by words: 
 This way, or not at all, stand you in hope. 
 Come, come, our empress, with her sacred wit 120 
 To villany and vengeance consecrate. 
 Will we acquaint with all that we intend ; 
 And she shall file our engines with advice. 
 That will not suffer you to square yourselves, 
 
 38
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act II. Sc. ii. 
 
 But to your wishes' height advance you both. 
 The emperor's court is Hke the house of Fame, 
 The palace full of tongues, of eyes and ears : 
 The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf and dull ; 
 There speak, andstrike, brave boys, andtakeyour turns ; 
 There serve your lust, shadow'd from heaven's eye, 
 And revel in Lavinia's treasury. 131 
 
 Chi. Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice. 
 
 Dem. Sit fas aut nefas, till I find the stream 
 
 To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits. 
 
 Per Styga, per manes vchor. [Exeunt. 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 A forest near Rome. Horns and cry of hounds heard. 
 
 Enter Titus Andronicus, with Hunters, &c., Mareus, 
 Lucius, Quintiis, and Martins. 
 
 Tit. Tlie hunt is up, the morn is bright and grey. 
 
 The fields are fragrant, and the woods are green : 
 
 Uncouple here, and let us make a bay. 
 
 And wake the emperor and his lovely bride. 
 
 And rouse the prince, and ring a hunter's peal. 
 
 That all the court may echo w^ith the noise. 
 
 Sons, let it be your charge, as it is ours, 
 
 To attend the emperor's person carefully : 
 
 I have been troubled in my sleep this night, 
 
 But dawning day new comfort hath inspired. 10 
 
 A cry of hounds, and horns ivinded in a peal. Enter 
 Saturninus, Tamora, Bassiamis, Lavinia, Demetrius, 
 Chiron, and their Attendants. 
 
 Many good morrows to your majesty ; 
 
 39
 
 Act II. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Madam, to you as many and as good: 
 
 I promised your grace a hunter's peal. 
 Sat, And you have wrung it lustily, my lords ; 
 
 Somewhat too early for new-married ladies. 
 Bas. Lavinia, how say you? 
 Lav. I say, no ; 
 
 I have been broad awake two hours and more. 
 Sat. Come on then ; horse and chariots let us have, 
 
 And toour sport. [ToTamora] Madam, now shall ye see 
 
 Our Roman hunting. 
 Ularc. I have dogs, my lord, 20 
 
 Will rouse the proudest panther in the chase, 
 
 And climb the highest promontory top. 
 Tit. And I have horse will follow where the game 
 
 Makes way, and run like swallows o'er the plain. 
 Dem. Chiron, we hunt not, we, with horse nor hound, 
 
 But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground. [Exeunt. 
 
 Scene III. 
 
 A lonely part of the forest. 
 
 Enter Aaron, zvith a bag of gold. 
 
 Aar. He that had wit would think that I had none, 
 To bury so much gold under a tree, 
 And never after to inherit it. 
 Let him that thinks of me so abjectly 
 Know that this gold must coin a stratagem, 
 Which, cunningly effected, will beget 
 A very excellent piece of villany : 
 And so repose, sweet gold, for their unrest 
 
 [Hides the gold. 
 That have their alms out of the empress' chest.
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 Enter Tamora. 
 
 Tarn. My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thou sad, lo 
 When every thing doth make a gleeful boast ? 
 The birds chant melody on every bush ; 
 The snake lies rolled in the cheerful sun ; 
 The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind, 
 And make a chequer'd shadow on the ground : 
 Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let us sit, 
 And, whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds. 
 Replying shrilly to the well-tuned horns. 
 As if a double hunt were heard at once, 
 Let us sit down and mark their yellowing noise ; 20 
 And, after conflict such as was supposed 
 The wandering prince and Dido once enjoy'd. 
 When with a happy storm they were surprised. 
 And curtain'd with a counsel-keeping cave, 
 We may, each wreathed in the other's arms, 
 Our pastimes done, possess a golden slumber ; 
 While hounds and horns and sweet melodious birds 
 Be unto us as is a nurse's song 
 Of lullaby to bring her babe asleep. 
 
 Aar. Madam, though Venus govern your desires, 30 
 
 Saturn is dominator over mine : 
 What signifies my deadly-standing eye, 
 My silence and my cloudy melancholy, 
 My fleece of woolly hair that now uncurls 
 Even as an adder when she doth unroll 
 To do some fatal execution ? 
 No, madam, these are no venereal signs : 
 Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand. 
 Blood and revenge are hammering in my head. 
 
 41
 
 Act II. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Hark, Tamora, the empress of my soul, 40 
 
 Which never hopes more heaven than rests in 
 
 thee. 
 This is the day of doom for Bassianus : 
 His Philomel must lose her tongue to-day. 
 Thy sons make pillage of her chastity. 
 And wash their hands in Bassianus' blood. 
 Seest thou this letter ? take it up, I pray thee, 
 And give the king this fatal-plotted scroll. 
 Now question me no more ; we are espied ; 
 Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty. 
 Which dreads not yet their lives' destruction. 50 
 
 Tani. Ah, my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than life ! 
 
 Aar. No more, great empress ; Bassianus comes : 
 Be cross with him, and I '11 go fetch thy sons 
 To back thy quarrels, whatsoe'er they be. [Exit. 
 
 Enter Bassianus and Lavinia. 
 
 Bas. Who have we here ? Rome's royal empress, 
 Unfumish'd of her well-beseeming troop? 
 Or is it Dian, habited like her. 
 Who hath abandoned her holy groves 
 To see the general hunting in this forest ? 
 
 Tani. Saucy controller of my private steps ! 60 
 
 Had I the power that some say Dian had. 
 Thy temples should be planted presently 
 With horns, as was Actaeon's, and the hounds 
 Should drive upon thy new-transformed limbs, 
 Unmannerly intruder as thou art ! 
 
 Laz: Under your patience, gentle empress, 
 
 Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning; 
 And to be doubted that your Moor and you 
 42
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 Are singled forth to try experiments : 
 
 Jove shield your husband from his hounds to-day ! 70 
 
 'Tis pity they should take him for a stag. 
 
 Bas. Believe me, queen, your swarth Cimmerian 
 Doth make your honour of his body's hue. 
 Spotted, detested, and abominable. 
 Why are you sequester'd from all your train, 
 Dismounted from your snow-white goodly steed, 
 And wander'd hither to an obscure plot, 
 Accompanied but with a barbarous Moor, 
 If foul desire had not conducted you? 
 
 Lav. And, being intercepted in your sport, 80 
 
 Great reason that my noble lord be rated 
 For sauciness. I pray you, let us hence. 
 And let her joy her raven-colour'd love; 
 This valley fits the purpose passing well. 
 
 Bas. The king my brother shall have note of this. 
 
 Lav. Ay, for these slips have made him noted long : 
 Good king, to be so mightily abused ! 
 
 Tarn. Why have I patience to endure all this? 
 
 Enter Demetrius and Chiron. 
 
 Dent. How now, dear sovereign, and our gracious mother ! 
 Why doth your highness look so pale and wan ? 90 
 
 Tarn. Have I not reason, think you, to look pale? 
 These two have ticed me hither to this place : 
 A barren detested vale, you see it is ; 
 The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean, 
 O'ercome with moss and baleful mistletoe : 
 Here never shines the sun ; here nothing breeds. 
 Unless the nightly owl or fatal raven : 
 And when they show'd me this abhorred pit, 
 
 43
 
 Act II. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 They told me, here, at dead time of the night, 
 
 A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes, lOO 
 
 Ten thousand swelHng toads, as many urchins, 
 
 Would make such fearful and confused cries, 
 
 As any mortal body hearing it 
 
 Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly. 
 
 No sooner had they told this hellish tale, 
 
 But straight they told me they would bind me here 
 
 Unto the body of a dismal yew. 
 
 And leave me to this miserable death : 
 
 And then they call'd me foul adulteress. 
 
 Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms no 
 
 That ever ear did hear to such effect : 
 
 And, had you not by wondrous fortune come, 
 
 This vengeance on me had they executed. 
 
 Revenge it, as you love your mother's life, 
 
 Or be ye not henceforth call'd my children. 
 
 Dem. This is a witness that I am thy son. 
 
 [Stabs Bassianus, 
 
 Chi. And this for me, struck home to show my strength. 
 
 [Also stabs Bassianus, zvho dies. 
 
 Lav. Ay, come, Semiramis,.nay, barbarous Tamora, 
 
 For no name fits thy nature but thy own ! 1 19 
 
 Tarn. Give me the poniard ; you shall know, my boys, 
 Your mother's hand shall right your mother's wrong. 
 
 Dem. Stay, madam ; here is more belongs to her ; 
 First thrash the com, then after burn the straw ; 
 This minion stood upon her chastity. 
 Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty, 
 And with that painted hope braves your mightiness : 
 And shall she carry this unto her grave ? 
 
 Chi. An if she do, I would I were an eunuch. 
 
 44
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 Drag hence her husband to some secret hole, 
 
 And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust. 130 
 
 Tarn. But when ye have the honey ye desire, 
 Let not this wasp outlive, us both to sting. 
 
 Chi. I warrant you, madam, we will make that sure. 
 Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy 
 That nice-preserved honesty of yours. 
 
 Lav. O Tamora ! thou bear'st a woman's face — 
 
 Tarn. I will not hear her speak ; away with her ! 
 
 Lav. Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word. 
 
 Dem. Listen, fair madam : let it be your glory 
 
 To see her tears, but be your heart to them 140 
 
 As unrelenting flint to drops of rain. 
 
 Lav. When did the tiger's young ones teach the dam ? 
 O, do not learn her wrath ; she taught it thee ; 
 The milk thou suck'dst from her did turn to marble ; 
 Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny. 
 Yet every mother breeds not sons alike : 
 [To Chiron^ Do thou entreat her show a woman pity. 
 
 ChL What, wouldst thou have me prove myself a bastard ? 
 
 Lav. 'Tis true ; the raven doth not hatch a lark : 
 
 Yet have I heard, — O, could I find it now ! — 150 
 The lion, moved with pity, did endure 
 To have his princely paws pared all away : 
 Some say that ravens foster forlorn children, 
 The whilst their own birds famish in their nests : 
 O, be to me, though thy hard heart say no, 
 Nothing so kind, but something pitiful ! 
 
 Tam. I know not what it means : away with her ! 
 
 Lav. O, let me teach thee ! for my father's sake, 
 
 That gave thee life, when well he might have slain 
 thee, 
 
 45
 
 Act II. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears. 
 Tain. Hadst thou in person ne'er offended me, 
 
 Even for his sake am I pitiless. 
 
 Remember, boys, I pour'd forth tears in vain, 
 
 To save your brother from the sacrifice ; 
 
 But fierce Andronicus would not relent : 
 
 Therefore, away with her, and use her as you will ; 
 
 The worse to her, the better loved of me. 
 Laz: O Tamora, be call'd a gentle queen, 
 
 And with thine own hands kill me in this place ! 
 
 For 'tis not life that I have begg'd so long ; 170 
 
 Poor I was slain when Bassianus died. 
 Tain. What begg'st thou then ? fond woman, let me go. 
 Lav. 'Tis present death I beg ; and one thing more 
 
 That womanhood denies my tongue to tell : 
 
 O, keep me from their worse than killing lust, 
 
 And tumble me into some loathsome pit, 
 
 AMiere never man's eye may behold my body : 
 
 Do this, and be a charitable murderer. 
 Tain. So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee : 
 
 No, let them satisfy their lust on thee. 180 
 
 Dcni. Away ! for thou hast stay'd us here too long. 
 Lav. No grace ? no womanhood ? Ah, beastly creature ! 
 
 The blot and enemy to our general name ! 
 
 Confusion fall — 
 CJii. Nay, then I '11 stop your mouth. Bring thou her 
 husband : 
 
 This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him. 
 
 [Demetrius throzvs the body of Bassianus 
 into the pit; then exeunt Demetrius 
 and Chiron, dragging off Lavinia. 
 Tain. Farewell, my sons ; see that you make her sure. 
 
 46
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed, 
 Till all the Andronici be made away. 
 Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor, 190 
 
 And let my spleenful sons this trull deflower. [Exit. 
 
 Re-enter Aaron, zvith Quiiitiis and Martins. 
 
 Aar. Come on, my lords, the better foot before : 
 Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit 
 Where I espied the panther fast asleep. 
 
 Quin. My sight is very dull, whate'er it bodes. 
 
 Mart. And mine, I promise you ; were it not for shame, 
 Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile. 
 
 [Falls into the pit. 
 
 Quin. What, art thou fall'n ? What subtle hole is this. 
 Whose mouth is cover'd with rude-growing briers, 
 Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood 200 
 As fresh as morning dew distill'd on flowers ? 
 A very fatal place it seems to me. 
 Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall ? 
 
 Mart. O brother, with the dismal'st object hurt 
 That ever eye with sight made heart lament ! 
 
 Aar. [Aside^ Now will I fetch the king to find them 
 here, 
 That he thereby may have a likely guess 
 How these were they that made away his brother. 
 
 [Exit. 
 
 Mart. Why dost not comfort me, and help me out 
 
 From this unhallow'd and blood-stained hole? 210 
 
 Quin. I am surprised with an uncouth fear ; 
 
 A chilling sweat o'er-runs my trembling joints ; 
 My heart suspects more than mine eye can see. 
 
 Mart. To prove thou hast a true-divining heart, 
 
 47
 
 Act II. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Aaron and thou look down into this den, 
 And see a fearful sight of blood and death. 
 
 Qiiin. Aaron is gone; and my compassionate heart 
 Will not permit mine eyes once to behold 
 The thing whereat it trembles by surmise : 
 O, tell me how it is ; for ne'er till now 220 
 
 Was I a child to fear I know not what. 
 
 Mart. Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here, 
 All on a heap, like to a slaughter'd lamb. 
 In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit. 
 
 Quill. If it be dark, how dost thou know 'tis he? 
 
 Mart. Upon his bloody finger he doth wear 
 A precious ring, that lightens all the hole, 
 Which, like a taper in some monument. 
 Doth shine upon the dead man's earthy cheeks. 
 And shows the ragged entrails of the pit : 230 
 
 So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus 
 When he by night lay bathed in maiden blood. 
 
 brother, help me with thy fainting hand — 
 If fear hath made thee faint, as me it hath — 
 Out of this fell devouring receptacle, 
 
 As hateful as Cocytus' misty mouth. 
 Qnin. Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out ; 
 Or, w^anting strength to do thee so much good, 
 
 1 may be pluck'd into the swallowing womb 
 
 Of this deep pit, poor Bassianus' grave. 240 
 
 I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink. 
 Mart. Nor I no strength to climb without thy help. 
 Quill. Thy hand once more ; I will not loose again, 
 " Till thou art here aloft, or I below : 
 
 Thou canst not come to me : I come to thee. 
 
 [Falls in. 
 
 48
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act II. Sc. iii. 
 
 Enter Saturnimis zvith Aaron. 
 
 Sat. Along with me : I '11 see what hole is here, 
 
 And what he is that now is leap'cl into it. 
 
 Say, who art thou that lately didst descend 
 
 Into this gaping hollow of the earth? 
 Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus ; 250 
 
 Brought hither in a most unlucky hour, 
 
 To find thy brother Bassianus dead. 
 Sat. My brother dead ! I know thou dost but jest : 
 
 He and his lady both are at the lodge 
 
 Upon the north side of this pleasant chase ; 
 
 Tis not an hour since I left them there. 
 Mart. Wq know not where you left them all alive ; 
 
 But, out, alas ! here have we found him dead. 
 
 Re-enter Tamora, zvith Attendants ; Titus Andronicus, 
 and Lucius. 
 
 Tarn. Where is my lord the king? 
 
 Sat. Here, Tamora ; though grieved with killing grief. 
 
 Tarn. Where is thy brother Bassianus ? 261 
 
 Sat. Now to the bottom dost thou search my wound : 
 Poor Bassianus here lies murdered. 
 
 Tarn. [ Giving a letter] Then all too late I bring this fatal writ, 
 The complot of this timeless tragedy ; 
 And wonder greatly that man's face can fold 
 In pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny. 
 
 Sat. [Reads] ' An if we miss to meet him handsomely — 
 Sweet huntsman, Bassianus 'tis we mean — 
 Do thou so much as dig the grave for him : 270 
 
 Thou know'st our meaning. Look for thy reward 
 Among the nettles at the elder-tree. 
 Which overshades the mouth of that same pit 
 
 49
 
 Act II. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Where we decreed to bury Bassianiis. 
 
 Do this and purchase us thy lasting friends.' 
 
 Tamora ! was ever heard the Hke ? 
 This is the pit, and this the elder-tree. 
 Look, sirs, if you can find the huntsman out 
 That should have murder'd Bassianus here. 
 
 Aar. j\ly gracious lord, here is the bag of gold. 280 
 
 Sat. [To Titns] Two of thy whelps, fell curs of bloody 
 kind, 
 Have here bereft my brother of his life. 
 Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison : 
 There let them bide until we have devised 
 Some never-heard-of torturing pain for them. 
 
 Tani. What, are they in this pit? O wondrous thing! 
 How easily murder is discovered ! 
 
 Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee 
 
 1 beg this boon, with tears not lightly shed, 
 
 That this fell fault of my accursed sons, 290 
 
 Accursed, if the fault be proved in them — 
 
 Sat. If it be proved ! you see it is apparent. 
 
 Who found this letter? Tamora, was it you? 
 
 Tarn. Andronicus himself did take it up. 
 
 Tit. I did, my lord : yet let me be their bail ; 
 For, by my fathers' reverend tomb, I vow 
 They shall be ready at your highness' will, 
 To answer their suspicion with their lives. 
 
 Sat. Thou shalt not bail them : see thou follow me. 
 
 Some bring the murder'd body, some the murderers : 
 Let them not speak a word ; the guilt is plain ; 301 
 For, by my soul, were there worse end than death, 
 That end upon them should be executed. 
 
 Tarn. Andronicus, I will entreat the king : 
 
 SO
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act II. Sc. iv. 
 
 Fear not thy sons ; they shall do well enough. 
 Tit. Come, Lucius, come ; stay not to talk with them. 
 
 [Exeunt. 
 
 Scene IV. 
 
 Another part of the forest. 
 
 Enter Demetrius and Chiron, zvith Lavinia, ravished; 
 her hands cut oif, and her tongue cut out. 
 
 Dcni. So, now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak, 
 Who 'twas that cut thy tongue and ravish'd thee. 
 
 Chi. Write down thy mind, bewray thy meaning so, 
 An if thy stumps will let thee play the scribe. 
 
 Dent. See, how with signs and tokens she can scrowl. 
 
 CJii. Go home, call for sweet water, wash thy hands. 
 
 Dcin. She hath no tongue to call, nor hands to wash ; 
 And so let 's leave her to her silent walks. 
 
 Chi. An 'twere my case, I should go hang myself. 
 
 Deui. If thou hadst hands to help thee knit the cord. lo 
 
 [Exeunt Demetrius and Chiron. 
 
 Horns zvinded zvithin. Enter Marcus from hunting. 
 
 Mar. Who is this ? my niece, that flies away so fast ! 
 Cousin, a word ; where is your husband ? 
 If I do dream, would all my wealth would wake me ! 
 If I do wake, some planet strike me down, 
 That I may slumber in eternal sleep ! 
 Speak, gentle niece, what stern ungentle hands 
 ] lave lopp'd and hewM and made thy body bare 
 Of her two branches, those sweet ornaments. 
 Whose circling shadows kings have sought to sleep in, 
 And might not gain so great a happiness 20 
 
 51
 
 Act II. Sc. iv. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 As have thy love ? Why dost not speak to me ? 
 
 Alas, a crimson river of warm blood, 
 
 Like to a bubbling fountain stirr'd with wind, ■ 
 
 Doth rise and fall between thy rosed lips, 
 
 Coming and going wath thy honey breath . 
 
 But, sure, some Tereus hath deflowered thee, 
 
 And, lest thou shouldst detect him, cut thy tongue. 
 
 Ah, now thou turn'st away thy face for shame ! 
 
 And, notwithstanding all this loss of blood, 
 
 As from a conduit with three issuing spouts, 30 
 
 Yet do thy cheeks look red as Titan's face 
 
 Blushing to be encounter'd with a cloud. 
 
 Shall I speak for thee ? shall I say 'tis so ? 
 
 O, that I knew thy heart ; and knew the beast, 
 
 That I might rail at him, to ease my mind ! 
 
 Sorrow concealed, like an oven stopp'd, 
 
 Doth burn the heart to cinders where it is. 
 
 Fair Philomel, why she but lost her tongue. 
 
 And in a tedious sampler sew'd her mind : 
 
 But, lovely niece, that mean is cut from thee ; 40 
 
 A craftier Tereus, cousin, hast thou met. 
 
 And he hath cut those pretty fingers oiT, 
 
 That could have better sew'd than Philomel. 
 
 O, had the monster seen those lily hands 
 
 Tremble, like aspen-leaves, upon a lute. 
 
 And make the silken strings delight to kiss them. 
 
 He would not then have touch'd them for his life ! 
 
 Or, had he heard the heavenly harmony 
 
 Which that sweet tongue hath made, 
 
 He would have dropp'd his knife, and fell asleep 50 
 
 As Cerberus at the Thracian poet's feet. 
 
 Come, let us go and make thy father blind ; 
 
 52
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 For such a sight will blind a father's eye : 
 
 One hour's storm will drown the fragrant meads ; 
 
 What will whole months of tears thy father's eyes? 
 
 Do not draw back, for we will mourn with thee : 
 
 O, could our mourning ease thy misery ! [Exeunt. 
 
 ACT THIRD. 
 Scene I. 
 
 Rome. A street. 
 
 Enter Judges, Senators, and Tribunes, with Martins and 
 Quintiis, hound, passing on to the place of execution; 
 Titus going before, pleading. 
 
 Tit. Hear me, grave fathers ! noble tribunes, stay ! 
 For pity of mine age, whose youth was spent 
 In dangerous wars, whilst you securely slept; 
 For all my blood in Rome's great quarrel shed ; 
 For all the frosty nights that I have watch'd ; 
 And for these bitter tears, which now you see 
 Filling the aged wrinkles in my cheeks ; 
 Be pitiful to my condemned sons. 
 Whose souls are not corrupted as 'tis thought. 
 For two and twenty sons I never wept, lo 
 
 Because they died in honour's lofty bed. 
 [Lieth doiiii; the Judges, &c. pass by him, and Exeunt, 
 For these, tribunes, in the dust I write 
 My heart's deep languor and my soul's sad tears : 
 Let my tears stanch the earth's dry appetite ; 
 My son's sweet blood will make it shame and 
 
 blush. 
 O earth, I will befriend thee more with rain, 
 
 53
 
 Act III. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 That shall distil from these two ancient urns, 
 
 Than youthful April shall with all his showers : 
 
 In summer's drought I '11 drop upon thee still ; 
 
 In winter with warm tears I '11 melt the snow, 20 
 
 And keep eternal spring-time on thy face, 
 
 So thou refuse to drink my dear sons' blood. 
 
 Enter Lucius, ivitJi his zveapon drauii. 
 
 O reverend tribunes ! O gentle, aged men ! 
 
 Unbind my sons, reverse the doom of death ; 
 
 And let me say, that never wept before, 
 
 jMy tears are now prevailing orators. 
 Lxic. O noble father, you lament in vain : 
 
 The tribunes hear you not ; no man is by ; 
 
 And you recount your sorrows to a stone. 
 Tit. Ah, Lucius, for thy brothers let me plead. 30 
 
 Grave tribunes, once more I entreat of you, — 
 Luc. My gracious lord, no tribune hears you speak. 
 Tit. Why, 'tis no matter, man : if they did hear. 
 
 They w^ould not mark me ; or if they did mark, 
 
 They would not pity me ; yet plead I must, 
 
 And bootless unto them 
 
 Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones ; 
 
 Who, though they cannot answer my distress. 
 
 Yet in some sort they are better than the tribunes. 
 
 For that they will not intercept my tale : 40 
 
 When I do weep, they humbly at my feet 
 
 Receive my tears, and seem to weep with me ; 
 
 And, were they but attired in grave weeds, 
 
 Rome could afford no tribune like to these. 
 
 A stone is soft as wax, tribunes more hard than stones : 
 
 A stone is silent and ofifendeth not, 
 
 54
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 And tribunes with their tongues doom men to death. 
 
 [Rises. 
 
 But wherefore stand'st thou with thy weapon drawn ? 
 Luc. To rescue my two brothers from their death: 
 
 For which attempt the judges have pronounced 50 
 
 My everlasting doom of banishment. 
 Tit. O happy man ! they have befriended thee. 
 
 Why, fooHsh Lucius, dost thou not perceive 
 
 That Rome is but a wilderness of tigers? 
 
 Tigers must prey, and Rome affords no prey 
 
 But me and mine : how happy art thou then. 
 
 From these devourers to be banished ! 
 
 But who comes with our brother Marcus here? 
 
 Enter Marcus and Lavinia. 
 
 Marc. Titus, prepare thy aged eyes to weep ; 
 
 Or, if not so, thy noble heart to break : 60 
 
 I bring consuming sorrow to thine age. 
 
 Tit. Will it consume me? let me see it then. 
 
 Marc. This was thy daughter. 
 
 Tit. ^^ hy, Marcus, so she is. 
 
 Luc. Ay me, this object kills me! 
 
 Tit. Faint-hearted boy, arise, and look upon her. 
 Speak, Lavinia, what accursed hand 
 Hath made thee handless in thy father's sight? 
 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 ; 70 
 And now, like Nilus, it disdaineth bounds. 
 Give me a sword, 1 '11 chop off my hands too ; 
 For they have fought for Rome, and all in vain ; 
 And they have nursed this woe, in feeding life ;
 
 Act III.Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 In bootless prayer have they been held up, 
 
 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. 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 
 Sweet varied notes, enchanting every ear ! 
 
 Luc. O, say thou for her, who hath done this deed ? 
 
 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 
 
 Hath hurt me more than had he kill'd me dead : 
 
 For now I stand as one upon a rock, 
 
 Environed with a wilderness of sea; 
 
 Who marks the waxing tide grow wave by wave, 
 
 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 ? 
 
 Thou hast no hands, to wipe away thy tears ; 
 
 56
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 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! no 
 
 When I did name her brothers, then fresh tears 
 Stood on her cheeks, as doth the honey-dew 
 Upon a gathered lily almost wither'd. 
 
 Marc. Perchance she weeps because they kill'd her 
 husband ; 
 Perchance because she knows them innocent. 
 
 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 : 
 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 
 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. 
 To make us wonder'd at in time to come. 
 
 Luc. Sweet father, cease your tears ; for, at your grief, 
 See how mv wretched sister sobs and weeps. 
 
 57
 
 Act III. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Marc. Patience, dear niece. Good Titus, dry thine eyes. 
 
 Tit. Ah, Marcus, INIarcus ! 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 : 
 His napkin, with his true tears all bewet, 
 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. 
 
 Aar. Titus Andronicus, my lord the emperor 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 '11 send the emperor 160 
 
 ]\Iy hand : 
 Good Aaron, wilt thou help to chop it ofif? 
 
 L\ic. 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 : 
 My youth can better spare my blood than you ; 
 And therefore mine shall save my brothers' lives. 
 
 58
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 Marc. Which of your hands hath not defended Rome, 
 And rear'd aloft the bloody battle-axe, 
 Writing destruction on the enemy's castle? 170 
 
 O, none of both but are of high desert : 
 j\Iy 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, 
 For fear they die before their pardon come. 
 
 Marc. ]\Iy hand shall go. 
 
 Luc. By heaven, it shall not go ! 
 
 Tit. Sirs, strive no more : such wither'd herbs as these 
 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. 
 
 Lite. Then I '11 go fetch an axe. 
 
 Marc. But I will use the axe. 
 
 [Exeunt Lucius and Marcus. 
 
 Tit. Come hither, Aaron ; I 'II 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. 
 
 And never, whilst I live, deceive men so : 190 
 
 But I '11 deceive you in another sort. 
 
 And that you '11 say, ere half an hour pass. 
 
 [Cuts off Titus's hand. 
 
 Re-enter Lucius and Marcus. 
 
 Tit. Now stay your strife : what shall be is dispatch'd. 
 Good x\aron, give his majesty my hand: 
 
 .59
 
 Act III. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Tell him it was a hand that warded him 
 
 From thousand dangers ; bid him bury it ; 
 
 More hath it merited ; that let it have. 
 
 As for my sons, say I account of them 
 
 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 
 
 Doth fat me with the very thoughts of it ! 
 
 Let fools do good, and fair men call for grace, 
 
 Aaron will have his soul black like his face. [Exit. 
 Tit. O, here I lift this one hand up to heaven, 
 
 And bow this feeble ruin to the earth : 
 
 If any power pities wretched tears. 
 
 To that I call! [To Lav.] What, would thou kneel 
 with me? 210 
 
 Do, then, dear heart ; for heaven shall hear our 
 prayers ; 
 
 Or with our sighs w^e '11 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, 
 
 And do not break into these deep extremes. 
 Tit, Is not my sorrow deep, having no bottom ? 
 
 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? 
 60
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act III. Sc. i. 
 
 And wilt thou have a reason for this coil? 
 I am the sea ; hark, how her sighs do blow ! 
 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, overflowed and drown'd : 230 
 
 For why my bowels cannot hide her woes, 
 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 zvith tzi'o heads and a hand. 
 
 Mess, Worthy Andronicus, ill art thou repaid 
 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 : 
 That woe is me to think upon thy -woes, 240 
 
 More than remembrance of my father's death. 
 
 [Exit. 
 
 Marc. Now let hot .F^tna cool in Sicily, 
 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, 
 But sorrow flouted at is double death. 
 
 Liic. 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 ! 
 
 [Laz'inia kisses Titus. 
 
 Marc. Alas, poor heart! that kiss is comfortless 251 
 
 As frozen water to a starved snake. 
 61
 
 Act III. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Tit. When will this fearful slumber have an end? 
 
 Marc. Now, farewell, flattery: die, Andronicus; 
 
 Thou dost not slumber : see, thy two sons' heads, 
 Thy warlike hand, thy mangled daughter here, 
 Thy other banish'd son with this dear sight 
 Struck pale and bloodless, and thy brother, I, 
 Even like a stony image, cold and numb. 
 Ah, now no more will I control thy griefs : 260 
 
 Rend off thy silver hair, thy other hand 
 Gnawing with thy teeth ; and be this dismal sight 
 The closing up of our most wretched eyes : 
 Now is a time to storm ; why art thou still ? 
 
 TiL Ha, ha, ha ! 
 
 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 ? 
 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, 
 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 ; 
 And in this hand the other will I bear. 281 
 
 Lavinia, thou shalt be employ'd in these things : 
 Bear thou my hand, sweet wench, between thy teeth. 
 As for thee, boy, go get thee from my sight; 
 62
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act III. Sc. ii. 
 
 Thou art an exile, and thou must not stay : 
 Hie to the Goths, and raise an army there : 
 And, if you love me, as I think you do, 
 Let 's kiss and part, for we have much to do. 
 
 [Exeunt all but Lucius. 
 Luc. Farewell, Andronicus, my noble father, 
 
 The wofull'st man that ever lived in Rome : 290 
 
 Farewell, proud Rome ; till Lucius come again, 
 
 He leaves his pledges dearer than his life : 
 
 Farewell, Lavinia, my noble sister ; 
 
 O, would thou wert as thou tofore hast been 
 
 But now nor Lucius nor Lavinia lives 
 
 But in oblivion and hateful griefs. 
 
 If Lucius live, he will requite your wrongs ; 
 
 And make proud Saturnine and his empress 
 
 Beg at the gates, like Tarquin and his queen. 
 
 Now will I to the Goths and raise a power, 300 
 
 To be revenged on Rome and Saturnine. [Exit. 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 A room in Titus s house. A banquet set out. 
 
 Enter Titus, Marcus, Lavinia, and young Lucius, a Boy. 
 
 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. 
 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, 
 
 63
 
 Act III. Sc. ii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Beats in this hollow prison of my flesh, lo 
 
 Then thus I thump it down. 
 
 [To Laz'inia] Thou map of woe, that thus dost talk 
 
 in signs ! 
 When thy poor heart beats with outrageous beating, 
 Thou canst not strike it thus to make it still. 
 Wound it with sighing, girl, kill it with groans ; . 
 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 
 A'lay run into that sink, and soaking in 
 Drown the lamenting fool in sea-salt tears. 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? 
 Ah, wherefore dost thou urge the name of hands ; 
 To bid ^neas tell the tale twice o'er. 
 How Troy was burnt and he made miserable ? 
 O, handle not the theme, to talk of hands. 
 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 ! 
 Come, let 's fall to ; and, gentle girl, eat this : 
 Here is no drink. Hark, Marcus, what she says ; 
 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: 
 Speechless complainer, I will learn thy thought ; 
 In thy dumb action will I be as perfect 40 
 
 64
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act III. Sc. ii. 
 
 As begging hermits in their holy prayers : 
 
 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 w^est an alphabet, 
 
 And by still practice learn to know thy meaning. 
 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 zuith a knife. 
 
 What dost thou strike at, Marcus, with thy knife ? 
 Marc. At that that I have kill'd, my lord, — a fly. 
 Tit. Out on thee, murderer! thou kill'st my heart; 
 
 Mine eyes are cloy'd with view of tyranny: 
 
 A deed of death done on the innocent 
 
 Becomes not Titus' brother : get thee gone ; 
 
 I see thou art not for my company. 
 Marc. Alas, my lord, I have but kill'd a fly. 
 Tit. ' But ! ' How, if that fly had a father and mother? 
 
 How would he hang his slender gilded wings, 61 
 
 And buzz lamenting doings in the air ! 
 
 Poor harmless fly. 
 
 That, with his pretty buzzing melody, 
 
 Came here to make us merry! and thou hast kill'd 
 him. 
 Marc. Pardon me, sir ; It was a black ill-favour'd fly. 
 
 Like to the empress' ]\Ioor; therefore I kill'd him. 
 Tit. O, O, O, 
 
 Then pardon me for reprehending thee, 
 
 For thou hast done a charitable deed. 70 
 
 65
 
 Act IV. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Give me thy knife, I will insult on him; 
 
 Flatterincr myself, as if it were the j\Ioor 
 
 Come hither purposely to poison me. 
 
 There 's for thyself, and that 's for Tamora. 
 
 Ah, sirrah ! 
 
 Yet, I think, we are not brought so low. 
 
 But that between us we can kill a fly 
 
 That comes in likeness of a coal-black Moor. 
 Marc. Alas, poor man ! grief has so wrought on him, 
 
 He tak£s false shadows for true substances. 80 
 
 Tit. Come, take away. Lavinia, go with me : 
 
 I '11 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. 
 
 ACT FOURTH. 
 Scene I. 
 
 Rome. Titus's garden. 
 
 Enter young Lucius and Lavinia running after him, and 
 the boy flies from her, zvith his books under his arm. 
 Then enter Titus and Marcus. 
 
 Boy. Help, grandsire, help ! my aunt Lavinia 
 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. 
 
 Tit. She loves thee, boy, too well to do thee harm. 
 
 66
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act IV. Sc. i. 
 
 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 : 
 See, Lucius, see how much she makes of thee: to 
 Somewhither would she have thee go with her. 
 Ah, boy, Comeha never with more care 
 Read to her sons than she hiath read to thee 
 Sweet poetry and TuUy's Orator. 
 
 Marc. Canst thou not guess wherefore she pHes thee thus ? 
 
 Boy. My lord, I know not, I, nor can I guess, 
 Unless some fit or frenzy do possess her : 
 For I have heard my grandsire say full oft. 
 Extremity of griefs would make men mad ; 
 And I have read that Hecuba of Troy 20 
 
 Ran mad for sorrow : that made me to fear ; 
 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, 
 Causeless perhaps. But, pardon me, sweet aunt : 
 And, madam, if my uncle Marcus go, 
 I will most willingly attend your ladyship. 
 
 Marc. Lucius, I will. [Lavinia turns oz'cr zvith 
 
 her stumps the books zvhich Lucius Jias let fall. 
 
 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. 
 And so beguile thy sorrow, till the heavens 
 Reveal the damn'd contriver of this deed. 
 Why lifts she up her arms in sequence thus? 
 
 67
 
 Act IV. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Marc. I think she means that there were more than one 
 Confederate in the fact ; ay, more there was ; 
 Or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge. 40 
 
 Tit. Lucius, what book is that she tosseth so? 
 
 Boy. Grandsire, 'tis Ovid's Metamorphoses : 
 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 ! 
 Help her : 
 
 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 ! 
 
 Ay, such a place there is, where we did hunt, — 
 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 ? 
 
 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. 
 That left the camp to sin in Lucrece' bed ? 
 
 Marc. Sit down, sweet niece : brother, sit down by me. 
 Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury, 
 Inspire me, that I may this treason find! 
 68
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act IV. Sc. i. 
 
 My lord, look here : look here, Lavinia : 
 This sandy plot is plain ; guide, if thou canst, 70 
 This after me. [He writes his name zvith his staff, 
 and guides it with feet and month.] I have writ 
 my name 
 Without the help of any hand at all. 
 Cursed be that heart that forced us to this shift ! 
 Write thou, good niece ; and here display at last 
 What God will have discovered for revenge : 
 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 ? 
 ' Stuprum. Chiron. Demetrius.' 
 
 Marc. What, what! the lustful sons of Tamora 80 
 
 Performers of this heinous, bloody deed ? 
 
 Tit. Magni Dominator poli, 
 
 Tam lentus audis scelera ? tam lentus vides ? 
 
 Marc. O, calm thee, gentle lord ; although I know 
 There is enough written upon this earth 
 To stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughts. 
 And arm the minds of infants to exclaims. 
 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 90 
 
 And father of that chaste dishonour'd dame, 
 Lord Junius Brutus sware for Lucrece' rape, 
 That we will prosecute by good advice 
 Mortal revenge upon these traitorous Goths, 
 And see their blood, or die with this reproach. 
 
 Tit. 'Tis sure' enough, an you knew how. 
 
 69
 
 Act IV. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 But if you hunt these bear-whelps, then beware 
 
 The dam will wake ; and if she wind you once, 
 
 She 's with the lion deeply still in league, 
 
 And lulls him whilst she playeth on her back, lOO 
 
 And when he sleeps will she do what she list. 
 
 You are a young huntsman, Marcus ; let alone ; 
 
 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 
 
 \M11 blow these sands, like Sibyl's leaves, abroad. 
 
 And where 's your lesson then ? Boy, what say you ? 
 
 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. no 
 
 Marc. Ay, that 's my boy ! thy father hath full oft 
 For his ungrateful country done the like. 
 
 Boy. And, uncle, so will I, an if I live. 
 
 Tit. Come, go with me into mine armoury ; 
 Lucius, I '11 fit thee, and withal, my boy 
 Shall carry from me to the empress' sons 
 Presents that I intend to send them both : 
 Come, come ; thou 'It do thy message, wilt thou not ? 
 
 Boy. Ay, with my dagger in their bosoms, grandsire. 
 
 Tit. No, boy, not so; I '11 teach thee another course. 120 
 Lavinia, come. Marcus, look to my house : 
 Lucius and I '11 go brave it at the court ; 
 Ay, marry, will we, sir ; and we '11 be waited on. 
 
 [Exeunt Titus, Laviuia, and young Lucius. 
 
 Marc. O heavens, can you hear a good man groan, 
 And not relent, or not compassion him ? 
 Marcus, attend him in his ecstasy. 
 That hath more scars of sorrow in his heart 
 70
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 Than foemen's marks upon his batter'd shield, 
 
 But yet so just that he will not revenge. 129 
 
 Revenge, ye heavens, for old Andronicus ! [Exit. 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 The same. A room in the palace. 
 
 Enter Aaron, Chiron, and Demetrius at one door; and at 
 another door, yonng Lucius, and an Attendant, with a 
 bundle of zveapons, and verses zurit upon them. 
 
 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. 
 [Aside] And prav the Roman gods confound you 
 both ! 
 
 Dem. Gramercy. lovely Lucius : what 's the news ? 
 
 Boy. [Aside] That you are both decipher'd, that's the news, 
 For villains mark'd with rape. — ]\Iay it please you, 
 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 ; 
 And so 1 do, and with his gifts present 
 Your lordships, that, whenever you have need. 
 You may be armed and appointed well : 
 And so I leave you both, [Aside] like bloody villains. 
 [Exeunt Boy and Attendant. 
 
 Dem. What 's here ? A scroll, and written round about ! 
 Let 's see :
 
 Act IV. Sc. ii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 [Reads] ' Integer vitse, scelerisque piirus, 20 
 
 Non eget Mauri jaculis, nee arcu.' 
 
 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! 
 Here 's no sound jest: the old man hath found their 
 
 guilt, 
 And sends them weapons wrapp'd about with lines. 
 That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick. 
 But were our witty empress well afoot. 
 She would applaud Andronicus' conceit : 30 
 
 But let her rest in her unrest awhile. — 
 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 
 To brave the tribune in his brother's hearing. 
 
 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. 
 
 Chi. A charitable wish and full of love. 
 
 AaJ'. Here lacks but your mother for to say amen. 
 
 Chi. And that would she for twenty thousand more. 
 
 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 soujid zcithin. 
 
 Dem. Why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus ? 
 
 72
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 Chi. Belike, for joy the emperor hath a son. 50 
 
 Dem. Soft ! who comes here ? 
 
 Enter Nurse, zvifJi a blackamoor Child. 
 
 JSfur. Good morrow, lords : 
 
 O, tell me, did you see Aaron the Moor? 
 
 Aar. Well, more or less, or ne'er a whit at all, 
 Here Aaron is ; and what with Aaron now ? 
 
 Ntir. O gentle Aaron, we are all undone ! 
 Now help, or woe betide thee evermore ! 
 
 Aar. Why, what a caterwauling dost thou keep ! 
 
 Wliat 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 ! 
 She is deliver'd, lords, she is deliver'd. 61 
 
 Aar. To whom ? 
 
 Nur. I mean, she is brought a-bed. 
 
 Aar. Wd\, God give her good rest ! What hath he sent 
 her? 
 
 Nur. A devil. 
 
 Aar. Why, then she is the devil's dam ; 
 
 A joyful issue. 
 
 Nur. A joyless, dismal, black and sorrowful issue: 
 Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad 
 Amongst the fairest breeders of our clime : 
 The empress sends it thee, thy stamp, thy seal. 
 And bids thee christen it with thy dagger's point. 
 
 Aar. 'Zounds, ye whore! is black so base a hue? 71 
 Sweet blowse, you are a beauteous blossom, sure. 
 
 Dem. Villain, what hast thou done ? 
 
 Aar. That which thou canst not undo. 
 
 Chi. Thou hast undone our mother. 
 
 73
 
 Act IV. Sc. ii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Aar. Villain, I have done thy mother. 
 
 Dem. And therein, hellish doo-, thou hast undone her. 
 
 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. 
 
 AUir. 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. 
 Dcni. I '11 broach the tadpole on my rapier's point: 
 
 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 drazvs. 
 
 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 
 
 That touches this my first-bom son and heir ! 
 
 I tell you, 3-ounglings, not Enceladus, 
 
 With all his threatening band of Typhon's brood, 
 
 Nor great Alcides, nor the god of war, 
 
 Shall seize this prey out of his father's hands. 
 
 What, what, ye sanguine, shallow-hearted boys ! 
 
 Ye white-limed walls ! ye alehouse painted signs ! 
 
 Coal-black is better than another hue. 
 
 In that it scorns to bear another hue ; 100 
 
 For all the water in the ocean 
 
 Can never turn the swan's black legs to white. 
 
 Although she lave them hourly in the flood. 
 
 Tell the empress from me, I am of age 
 
 To keep mine own, excuse it how she can. 
 Dem. Wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus ? 
 
 74
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act IV. Sc. ii. 
 
 Aar. ]\Iy mistress is my mistress, this myself. 
 The vigour and the picture of my youth : 
 This before all the world do I prefer; 
 This maug-re all the world will I keep safe, no 
 
 Or some of you sliall smoke for it in Rome. 
 
 Dem. By this our mother is for ever shamed. 
 
 Chi. Rome wdll despise her for this foul escape. 
 
 Niir. The emperor in his rage will doom her death. 
 
 Chi. I blush to think upon this ignomy. 
 
 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! 
 
 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 
 
 ♦ He is enfranchised and come to light : 
 
 Nay, he is your brother by the surer side. 
 Although my seal be stamped in his face. 
 
 Ntir. Aaron, what shall I say unto the empress ? 
 
 Dem. Advise thee, Aaron, what is to be done. 
 
 And we will all subscribe to thy advice : 130 
 
 Save thou the child, so we may all be safe. 
 
 Aar. Then sit we down, and let us all consult. 
 My son and I will have the wand of you : 
 Keep there : now talk at pleasure of your safety. 
 
 [They sit. 
 
 Dem. How many women saw this child of his? 
 
 Aar. Why, so, brave lords! when we join in league, 
 I am a lamb : but if you brave the Moor, 
 
 75
 
 Act IV. Sc. ii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 The chafed boar, the mountain Honess, 
 
 The ocean swells not so as Aaron storms. 
 
 But say, again, how many saw the child ? 140 
 
 A'nr. Cornelia the midwife and myself; 
 
 And no one else but the deliver'd empress. 
 
 Aar. The empress, the midwife, and yourself : 
 
 Two may keep counsel when the third 's aw-ay : 
 Go to the empress, tell her this I said. 
 
 [He kills the nurse. 
 Weke, weke! 
 So cries a pig prepared to the spit. 
 
 Dem. What mean'st thou, Aaron? wherefore didst thou 
 this? 
 
 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. 
 
 His wife but yesternight was brought to bed ; 
 
 His child is like to her, fair as you are : 
 
 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. 
 
 And be received for the emperor's heir. 
 
 And substituted in the place of mine, 160 
 
 To calmi this tempest wdiirling in the court ; 
 
 And let the emperor dandle him for his own. 
 
 Hark ye, lords ; you see I have given her physic, 
 
 [Pointing to the Nurse. 
 And you must needs bestow her funeral ; 
 The fields are near, and you are gallant grooms : 
 I'his done, see that you take no longer days, 
 
 76
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act IV. Sc. iii. 
 
 And send the midwife presently to me. 
 The midwife and the nurse well made away, 
 Then let the ladies tattle what they please. 
 
 Chi. Aaron, I see thou wilt not trust the air 170 
 
 With secrets. 
 
 Dcni. For this care of Tamora, 
 
 Herself and hers are highly bound to thee. 
 
 [Exeunt Dem. and Chi. hearing off the Nnrse's body. 
 
 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. 
 Come on, you thick-lipp'd slave, I '11 bear you hence ; 
 For it is you that puts us to our shifts : 
 I '11 make you feed on berries and on roots, 
 And feed on curds and whey, and suck the goat, 
 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, hearing arrozvs zvith letters at the ends of 
 them; with him, Marcus, young Lucius, and other 
 Gentlemen (Puhlius, Sempronius, and Caius), with 
 bows. 
 
 Tit. Come, Marcus, come ; kinsmen, this is the way. 
 Sir boy, let me see your archery ; 
 Look ye draw home enough, and 'tis there straight. 
 Terras Astraea reliquit : 
 
 Be you remember'd, Marcus, she 's gone, she 's fled. 
 Sirs, take you to your tools. You, cousins, shall 
 Go sound the ocean, and cast your nets ; 
 Happily you may catch her in the sea ; 
 
 77
 
 Act IV. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Yet there's as little justice as at land: 
 
 Xo ; Publius and Sempronius, you must do it ; lo 
 
 Tis you must dig \vith 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 ; 
 
 Tell him, it is for justice and for aid, 
 
 And then 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, 
 To see thy noble uncle thus distract? 
 
 Pub. Therefore, my lord, it highly us concerns 
 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. 
 
 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 ! 
 What, have you met with her? 
 
 Pub. No, my good lord; but Pluto sends you word, 
 If you will have Revenge from hell, you shall : 
 Marry, for Justice, she is so employ'd, 
 He thinks, with.Jove in heaven, or somewhere else, 
 
 78
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act IV. Sc. iii. 
 
 So that perforce you must needs stay a time. 41 
 
 Tit. He doth me wrong to feed m^ with delays. 
 I '11 dive into the burning lake below, 
 And pull her out of Acheron by the heels. 
 Marcus, we are but shrubs, no cedars we. 
 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 : 
 And sith there 's no justice in earth nor hell. 
 We will solicit heaven, and move the gods 50 
 
 To send down Justice for to wreak cur wrongs. 
 Come, to this gear. You are a good archer, Marcus ; 
 [He gives them the arrows. 
 ' Ad Jovem,' that 's for you : here, ' Ad Apollinem ' : 
 ' Ad Martem,' that 's for myself: 
 Here, boy, to Pallas : here, to ^lercury : 
 To Saturn, Caius, not to Saturnine ; 
 You were as good to shoot against the wind. 
 To it, boy! Marcus, loose when I bid. 
 Of my word, I have written to effect ; 
 There 's not a god left unsolicited. 60 
 
 Marc. Kinsmen, shoot all your shafts into the court : 
 \A'e will afflict the emperor in his pride. 
 
 Tit. Now, masters, draw. [They shoot.] O, well said, 
 Lucius ! 
 Good boy, in \'irgo's lap ; give it Pallas. 
 
 Marc. i\Iy lord, I aim a mile beyond the moon ; 
 Your letter is with Jupiter by this. 
 
 Tit. Ha, ha ! 
 
 Publius, Publius, what hast thou done? 
 
 See, see, thou hast shot off one of Taurus' horns. 
 
 Marc. This was the sport, my lord : when Publius shot, 
 
 79
 
 Act IV. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 The Bull, being gall'd, gave Aries such a knock 71 
 That down fell both the Ram's horns in the court ; 
 And who should Iind them but the empress' villain ? 
 She laugh'd, and told the Moor he should not choose 
 But give them to his master for a present. 
 Tit. Why, there it goes: God give his lordship joy! 
 
 Enter a Clozvn, with a basket, and tzvo pigeons in it. 
 
 News, news from heaven ! IMarcus, the post is come. 
 
 Sirrah, w^hat tidings? have you any letters? 
 
 Shall I have justice? w^hat says Jupiter? 
 do. O, the gibbet-maker ! he says that he hath taken 80 
 
 them down again, for the man must not be 
 
 hanged till the next week. 
 Tit. But what says Jupiter, I ask thee ? 
 Clo. Alas, sir, I know not Jupiter; I never drank 
 
 with him in all my life. 
 Tit. Why, villain, art not thou the carrier ? 
 Clo. Ay, of my pigeons, sir; nothing else. 
 7'//. Why, didst thou not come from heaven? 
 Clo. From heaven ! alas, sir, I never came there : 
 
 God forbid I should be so bold to press to heaven 90 
 
 in my young 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. \A'hy, sir, that is as fit as can be to serve for 
 
 your oration ; and let him deliver the pigeons to 
 
 the 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. 100 
 
 80
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act IV. Sc. iv. 
 
 Tit. Sirrah, come hither : make no more ado, 
 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. 
 Give me pen and ink. 
 Sirrah, can you with a grace deliver a supplication ? 
 
 do. 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 no 
 pigeons ; and then look for your reward. I '11 
 ■ be at hand, sir : see you do it bravely. 
 
 Clo. I warrant you, sir, let me alone. 
 
 Tit. Sirrah, hast thou a knife? come, let me see it. 
 Here, ^^larcus, fold it in the oration ; 
 For thou hast made it like an humble suppliant : 
 And when thou hast given it to the emperor, 
 Knock at my door, and tell me what he says. 
 
 Clo. God be with you, sir; I will. [Exit. 
 
 Tit. Come, Marcus, let us go. Publius, follow me. 120 
 
 [Exeunt. 
 
 Scene IV. 
 
 The same. Before the palace. 
 
 Enter Saturninus, Tamora, Chiron, Demetrius, Lords, and 
 others; Saturninus -a'ith the Arroz^'s in his hand that 
 Titus shot. 
 
 Sat. Why, lords, what wrongs are these ! was ever seen 
 An emperor in Rome thus overborne, 
 Troubled, confronted thus, and for the extent 
 Of egal justice used in such contempt? 
 81
 
 Act IV. Sc. iv. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Aly lords, you know, as know the mightfiil gods, 
 However these disturbers of our peace 
 Buzz in the people's ears, there nought hath pass'd 
 But even with law against the wilful sons 
 Of old Andronicus. And what an if 
 His sorrows have so overwhelm'd his wits, lo 
 
 Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks. 
 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 : 
 Sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of Rome ! 
 What 's this but libelling against the senate, 
 And blazoning our injustice every where? 
 A goodly humour, is it not, my lords ? 
 As who w^ould say, in Rome no justice were. 20 
 
 But if I live, his feigned ecstasies 
 Shall be no shelter to these outrages : 
 But he and his shall know that justice lives 
 In Saturninus' health ; whom, if he sleep. 
 He '11 so awake, as he in fury shall 
 Cut off the proud'st conspirator that lives. 
 Tarn. My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine, 
 Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts, 
 Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus' age. 
 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 
 Than prosecute the meanest or the best 
 For these contempts. [Aside] Why, thus it shall 
 
 become 
 
 82
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act IV. Sc. iv. 
 
 High-witted Tamora to gloze with all : 
 But, Titus, I have touch 'd thee to the quick, 
 Thy life-blood out : if Aaron now be wise, 
 Then is all safe, the anchor in the port. 
 
 Enter Clozvn. 
 
 How now, good fellow ! wouldst thou speak with us ? 
 
 Clo. Yea, forsooth, an your mistership be emperial. 40 
 
 Tani. Empress I am, but yonder sits the emperor. 
 
 Clo. 'Tis he. God and Saint Stephen give you 
 godden : I have brought you a letter and a 
 couple of pigeons here. [Satiirniniis reads the letter. 
 
 Sat. Go, take him away, and hang him presently. 
 
 Clo. How much money must I have? 
 
 Tain. Come, sirrah, you must be hanged. 
 
 Clo. Hanged ! by 'r lady, then I have brought up a 
 
 neck to a fair end. [Exit, guarded. 
 
 Sat, Despiteful and intolerable wrongs ! S^ 
 
 Shall I endure this monstrous villany ? 
 I know from whence this same device proceeds ; 
 May this be borne ? As if his traitorous sons. 
 That died by law for murder of our brother. 
 Have by my means been butcher'd wrongfully ! 
 Go, drag the villain hither by the hair ; 
 Nor age nor honour shall shape privilege : 
 For this proud mock I '11 be thy slaughter-man ; 
 Sly frantic wretch, that holp'st to make me great, 
 In hope thyself should govern Rome and me. 60 
 
 Enter ^milius. 
 
 What news with thee, yEmilius ? 
 jEmil Arm, my lords ; Rome never had more cause. 
 
 83
 
 Act IV. Sc. iv. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 The Goths have gather'd head, and with a power 
 
 Of high-resolved men, bent to the spoil, 
 
 They hither march amain, under conduct 
 
 Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus ; 
 
 Who threats, in course of this revenge, to do 
 
 As much as ever Coriolanus did. 
 
 Sat. Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths? 
 
 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 : 
 
 Tis he the common people love so much ; 
 
 Myself hath often heard them say. 
 
 When I have walked like a private man, 
 
 That Lucius' banishment w^as wrongfully. 
 
 And they have wish'd that Lucius were their emperor. 
 
 Tain. Why should you fear? is not your city strong? 
 
 Sat. Ay, but the citizens favour Lucius, 
 
 And will revolt from me to succour him. 80 
 
 Tain. King, be thy thoughts imperious, like thy name. 
 Is the sun dimm'd, that gnats do fly in it ? 
 The eagle suffers little birds to sing. 
 And is not careful what they mean thereby, 
 Knowing that with the shadow of his wings 
 He can at pleasure stint their melody : 
 Even so mayst thou the giddy men of Rome. 
 Then cheer thy spirit : for' know, thou emperor, 
 I will enchant the old Andronicus 
 With words more sweet, and yet more dangerous, 
 Than baits to fish, or honey-stalks to sheep ; 91 
 
 Whenas the one is w^ounded with the bait, 
 The other rotted with delicious feed. 
 
 Sat. But he will not entreat his son for us. 
 
 84
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. i. 
 
 Tarn. If Tamora entreat him, then he will : 
 For I can smooth, and fill his aged ears 
 With golden promises ; that, were his heart 
 Almost impregnable, his old ears deaf, 
 Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue. 
 [To ^ijiilius] Go thou before, be our ambassador : 
 Say that the emperor requests a parley . loi 
 
 Of warlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting 
 Even at his father's house, the old Andronicus. 
 
 Sat. TEmilius, do this message honourably : 
 And if he stand on hostage for his safety. 
 Bid him demand what pledge will please him best. 
 
 JEmil. Your bidding shall I do effectually. [Exit. 
 
 Tarn. Now will I to that old Andronicus, 
 And temper him with all the art I have, 
 To pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths, no 
 And now, sweet emperor, be blithe again. 
 And bury all thy fear in my devices. 
 
 Sat. Then go successantly, and plead to him. [Exeunt. 
 
 ACT FIFTH. 
 Scene I. 
 
 Plains near Rome. 
 
 Flourish. Enter Lucius and Goths, zvith drum and colours. 
 
 Luc. Approved warriors, and my faithful friends, 
 I have received letters from great Rome, 
 Which signify what hate they bear their emperor. 
 And how desirous of our sight they are. 
 Therefore, great lords, be, as your titles witness, 
 Imperious, and impatient of your wrongs ; 
 
 85
 
 Act V. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 And wherein Rome hath done you any scath, 
 Let him make treble satisfaction. 
 
 First Goth. Brave sHp, sprung- from the great Andronicus, 
 Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort ; 
 Whose high exploits and honourable deeds 1 1 
 
 Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt, 
 Be bold in us : we '11 follow where thou lead'st, 
 Like stinging bees in hottest summer's day, 
 Led by their master to the flowered fields, 
 And be avenged on cursed Tamora. 
 
 All the Goths, And as he saith, so say we all with him. 
 
 Luc. I humbly thank him, and I thank you all. 
 But who comes here, led by a lusty Goth ? 
 
 Enter a Goth, leading Aaron zvith his Child in his arms. 
 
 Sec. Goth. Renowned Lucius, from our troops I stray'd 20 
 To gaze upon a ruinous monastery ; 
 And, as I earnestly did fix mine eye 
 Upon the wasted building, suddenly 
 I heard a child cry underneath a wall. 
 I made unto the noise ; when soon I heard 
 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 : 
 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, 
 Will hold thee dearly for thy mother's sake.' 
 86
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. i. 
 
 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. 
 
 Say, wall-eyed slave, whither wouldst thou convey 
 
 This growing image of thy fiend-like face? 
 
 Why dost not speak ? what, deaf ? not a word ? 
 
 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, icJiich Aaron is made to ascend. 
 Aar. Lucius, save the child. 
 
 And bear it from me to the empress. 
 
 If thou do this, I '11 show thee wondrous things. 
 
 That highly may advantage thee to hear : 
 
 If thou wilt not, befall what may befall. 
 
 I '11 speak no more but ' \'engeance rot you all ! ' 
 Luc. Say on : an if it please me wdiich thou speak'st. 
 
 Thy child shall live, and I will see it nourish'd. 60 
 Aar. An if it please thee ! why, assure thee, Lucius, 
 
 '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, 
 
 Complots of mischief, treason, villanies 
 
 Ruthful to hear, yet piteously perform'd : 
 
 87
 
 Act V. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 And this shall all be buried in my death, 
 Unless thou swear to me my child shall live. 
 
 Luc. Tell on thy mind ; I say thy child shall live. 
 
 Aar. Swear that he shall, and then I will begin. 70 
 
 Luc. Who should I swear by? thou believest no god : 
 That granted, how canst thou believe an oath ? 
 
 Aar. What if I do not ? as, indeed, I do not ; 
 Yet, for I know thou art religious, 
 And hast a thing within thee called conscience. 
 With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies, 
 AVhich 1 have seen thee careful to observe. 
 Therefore I urge thy oath ; for that I know 
 An idiot holds his bauble for a god. 
 And keeps the oath which by that god he swears, 80 
 To that I '11 urge him : therefore thou shalt vow 
 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 ; 
 Or else I will discover nought to thee. 
 
 Luc. Even by my god I sware to thee I will. 
 
 Aar. First know thou, I begot him on the empress. 
 
 Luc. O most insatiate, and luxurious woman ! 
 
 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 ; 
 They cut thy sister's tongue, and ravish'd her. 
 And cut her hands, and trimm'd her as thou saw'st. 
 
 Luc. O detestable villain! call'st thou that trimming? 
 
 Aar. \A hy, she was wash'd and cut and trimm'd, and 'twas 
 Trim sport for them that had the doing of it. 
 
 Luc. O barbarous, beastly villains, like thyself ! 
 
 Aar. Indeed, I was their tutor to instruct them : 
 
 88
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. i. 
 
 That codding spirit had they from their mother, 
 
 As sure a card as ever won the set ; lOO 
 
 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 : 
 
 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? no 
 
 I play'd the cheater for thy father's hand ; 
 
 And, when I had it, drew myself apart. 
 
 And alm.ost broke my heart with extreme laughter : 
 
 I pried me through the crevice of a wall 
 
 When for his hand he had his two sons' heads ; 
 
 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, 
 
 And for my tidings gave me twenty kisses. 120 
 
 First Goth. What, canst thou say all this, and never blush ? 
 
 Aar. Ay, like a black dog, as the saying is. 
 
 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, 
 Few come within the compass of m^/ curse — 
 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; 130 
 
 89
 
 Act V. Sc. i. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Set deadly enmity between two friends ; 
 
 Make poor men's cattle break their necks ; 
 
 Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night, 
 
 And bid the owners quench them with their tears. 
 
 Oft have I digg'd up dead men from their graves, 
 
 And set them upright at their dear friends' doors, 
 
 Even when their sorrows almost were forgot ; 
 
 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 
 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 wnth my bitter tongue ! 1 50 
 
 Luc. Sirs, stop his mouth, and let him speak no more. 
 
 Enter a Goth. 
 
 Third Goth. ]My lord, there is a messenger from Rome 
 
 Desires to be admitted to your presence. 
 Luc. Let him come near. 
 
 Enter JEniilius. 
 
 Welcome, ^milius : what 's the news from Rome? 
 ^mil. Lord Lucius, and you princes of the Goths, 
 The Roman emperor greets you all by me ; 
 And, for he understands you are in arms, 
 90
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 He craves a parley at your father's house, 
 
 WilHng you to demand your hostages, ^ i6o 
 
 And they shall be immediately deliver'd. 
 
 First Goth. What says our general? 
 
 Luc. ^milius, let the emperor give his pledges 
 Unto my father and my uncle Marcus, 
 And we will come. March away. 
 
 [Flourish. Exeunt. 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 Rome. Before Titus's house. 
 
 Enter Tamora, Demetrius, and Chiron, disguised. 
 
 Tarn. Thus, in this strange and sad habiliment, 
 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. 
 To ruminate strange plots of dire revenge ; 
 Tell him Revenge is come to join with him, 
 And work confusion on his enemies. [They knock. 
 
 Enter Titus, above. 
 
 Tit. Who doth molest my contemplation ? 
 
 Is it your trick to make me ope the door, lo 
 
 That so my sad decrees may fly away, 
 
 And all my study be to no effect ? 
 
 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. 
 Tam. Titus, I am come to talk with thee. 
 Tit. Xo, not a word : how can I grace my talk, 
 
 91
 
 Act V. Sc. ii. THE TRAGEDY OF, 
 
 Wanting a hand to give it action ? 
 
 Thou hast the odds of me ; therefore no more. 
 Tarn. If thou didst know me, thou wouldst talk with me. 
 Tit. I am not mad ; I know thee well enough: 21 
 
 Witness this wretched stump, witness these crimson 
 lines ; 
 
 Witness these trenches made by grief and care ; 
 
 Witness the tiring day and heavy night ; 
 
 Witness all sorrow, that I know thee w^ell 
 
 For our proud empress, mighty Tamora : 
 
 Is not thy coming for my other hand ? 
 Tarn. Know, thou sad man, I am not Tamora ; 
 
 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, 
 
 By working wreak ful vengeance on thy foes. 
 
 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, 
 
 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. 40 
 Tit. Art thou Revenge ? and art thou sent to me, 
 
 To be a torment to mine enemies ? 
 Tarn. I am ; therefore come down and welcome me. 
 Tit. Do me some service ere I come to thee. 
 
 Lo, by thy side where Rape and Murder stands ; 
 
 Now give some surance that thou art Revenge, 
 
 Stab them, or tear them on thy chariot- wheels ; 
 
 And then I '11 come and be thy waggoner, 
 92
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 And whirl along with thee about the globes. • 
 
 Provide thee two proper palfreys, black as jet, 50 
 
 To hale thy vengeful waggon swift away, 
 
 And find out murderers in their guilty caves : 
 
 And when thy car is loaden with their heads, 
 
 I will dismount, and by the waggon-wheel 
 
 Trot like a servile footman all day long. 
 
 Even from Hyperion's rising in the east 
 
 Until his very downfall in the sea : 
 
 And day by day I '11 do this heavy task, 
 
 So thou destroy Rapine and Murder there. 
 
 Tajn. These are my ministers and come with me. 60 
 
 Tit. Are these thy ministers ? what are they call'd ? 
 
 Tam. Rapine and Murder ; therefore called so, 
 
 'Cause they take vengeance of such kind of men. 
 
 Tit. Good Lord, how like the empress' sons they are, 
 And you the empress ! but we worldly men 
 Have miserable, mad, mistaking eyes. 
 
 sweet Revenge, now do I come to thee ; 
 
 And, if one arm's embracement will content thee, 
 
 1 will embrace thee in it by and by. [Exit above. 
 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. 
 
 For now he firmly takes me for Revenge ; 
 
 And, being credulous in this mad thought, 
 
 I '11 make him send for Lucius his son ; 
 
 And, whilst I at a banquet hold him sure, 
 
 I '11 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 
 
 93
 
 Act V. Sc. ii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Enter Titus, belozv. 
 
 Tit. Long have I been forlorn, and all for thee : 
 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 : 
 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? 
 
 Tain. What wouldst thou have us do, Andronicus ? 
 
 Dem. Show me a murderer, 1 '11 deal with him. 
 
 Chi. Show me a villain that hath done a rape. 
 And I am sent to be revenged on him. 
 
 Tarn. Show me a thousand that have done thee wrong. 
 And I will be revenged on them all. 
 
 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. 
 Go thou with them ; and in the emperor's court 
 There is a queen, attended by a Moor ; 
 Well mayst thou know her by thine own proportion, 
 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. 
 
 Tarn. Well hast thou lesson'd us ; this shall we do. 1 10 
 
 94
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 But would it please thee, good Andronicus, 
 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, 
 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 ? 120 
 
 TiL Marcus, my brother ! 'tis sad Titus calls. 
 
 Enter Marcus. 
 
 Go, gentle Alarcus, to thy nephew Lucius ; 
 
 Thou shalt inquire him out among the Goths : 
 
 Bid him repair to me and bring wuth him 
 
 Some of the chiefest princes of the Goths : 
 
 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. 
 
 This do thou for my love, and so let him, 
 
 As he regards his aged father's life. 13c 
 
 Marc. This will I do, and soon return again. [Exit. 
 
 Tain. Now \\\\\ 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 '11 call my brother back again. 
 And cleave to no revenge but Lucius. 
 
 Tani. [Aside to her sons] What say you, boys? will you 
 bide v^ith him, 
 Whiles I go tell my lord the emperor 
 How I have govern'd our determined jest? 
 
 95
 
 Act V. Sc. ii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Yield to his humour, smooth and speak him fair, 140 
 
 And tarry with him till I turn again. 
 Tit. [Aside^ I know them all, though they suppose me 
 mad; 
 
 And will o'er-reach them in their own devices : 
 
 A pair of cursed hell-hounds and their dam. 
 Dem. Aladam, depart at pleasure ; leave us here. 
 Tarn. Farewell, Andronicus : Revenge now goes 
 
 To lay a complot to betray thy foes. 
 Tit. I know thou dost ; and, sweet Revenge, farewell. 
 
 [Exit T am or a. 
 Chi. Tell us, old man, how shall we be employ 'd? 
 Tit. Tut, I have work enough for you to do. 150 
 
 Publius, come hither, Caius, and Valentine ! 
 
 Enter Publius and others. 
 
 Pub. What is your will ? 
 
 Tit. Know you these two ? 
 
 Pub. The empress' sons, I take them, Chiron and 
 Demetrius. 
 
 Tit. Fie, Publius, fie ! thou art too much deceived ; 
 The one is Murder, Rape is the other's name ; 
 And therefore bind them, gentle Publius : 
 Caius and Valentine, lay hands on them : 
 Oft have you heard me wish for such an hour, 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 Dcnietrius. 
 
 Chi. Villains, forbear ! we are the empress' sons. 
 
 Pub. And therefore do we what we are commanded. 
 Stop close their mouths, let them not speak a word. 
 Is he sure bound ? look that you bind them fast. 
 
 96
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. ii. 
 
 Re-enter Titus, zvith Lavinia; he hearing a knife, 
 and she a basin. 
 
 Tit. Come, come, Lavinia ; look, thy foes are bound. 
 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 
 Two of her brothers were condemn'd to death. 
 My hand cut off and made a merry jest ; 
 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 ? 
 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, 
 Whilst that Lavinia 'tween her stumps doth hold 
 The basin that receives your guilty blood. 
 You know your mother means to feast with me, 
 And calls herself Revenge, and thinks me mad : 
 Hark, villains ! I will grind your bones to dust. 
 And with your blood and it I '11 make a paste ; 
 And of the paste a coffin I will rear. 
 And make two pasties of your shameful heads ; 190 
 And bid that strumpet, your unhallow'd dam, 
 Like to the earth, swallow her own increase. 
 This is the feast that I have bid her to. 
 And this the banquet she shall surfeit on ; 
 
 97
 
 Act V. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 For worse than Philomel yon nsed my danghter, 
 And worse than Progne I will be revenged : 
 And now prepare your throats. Lavinia, come, 
 
 [He cuts their throats. 
 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. 
 Come, come, be every one officious 
 To make this banquet ; which I wish may prove 
 More stern and bloody than the Centaurs' feast. 
 So, now bring them in, for I '11 play the cook. 
 And see them ready against their mother comes. 
 
 [Exeunt, hearing the dead bodies. 
 
 Scene III. 
 
 Court of Titus's house. A banquet set out. 
 Enter Lucius, Marcus, and Goths, ivith Aaron, prisoner. 
 
 Luc. Uncle Marcus, since it is my father's mind 
 That I repair to Rome, I am content. 
 
 Eirst Goth. And ours with thine, befall what fortune will. 
 
 Luc. Good uncle, take you in this barbarous Moor, 
 This ravenous tiger, this accursed devil ; 
 Let him receive no sustenance, fetter him, 
 Till he be brought unto the empress' face, 
 For testimony of her foul proceedings : 
 And see the ambush of our friends be strong; 
 I fear the emperor means no good to us. lO 
 
 Aar. Some devil whisper curses In mine ear. 
 
 And prompt me, that my tongue may utter forth 
 The venomous malice of my swelling heart ! 
 98
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 Luc. Away, inhuman dog! imhallow'd slave! 
 Sirs, help our uncle to convey him in, 
 
 [Exeunt Goths, zvith Aaron. Flourish zvithin. 
 The trumpets show the emperor is at hand. 
 
 Enter Satnrninus and Taniora, ivith ^milius, Tribunes, 
 Senators, and others. 
 
 Sat. What, hath the firmament moe suns than one ? 
 
 Luc. What boots it thee to call thyself a sun ? 
 
 Marc. Rome's emperor, and nephew, break the parle ; 
 
 These quarrels must be quietly debated. 20 
 
 The feast is ready, which the careful Titus 
 
 Hath ordain'd to an honourable end, 
 
 For peace, for love, for league and good to Rome : 
 
 Please you, therefore, draw nigh, and take your places. 
 
 Sat. Marcus, we will. 
 
 [Hautboys sound. The Company sit dozen at fable. 
 
 Enter Titus, like a Cook, placing the meat on the tabic, 
 and Laz'inia zi'ith a veil over her face, young Lucius, 
 and others. 
 
 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 stomachs ; please you eat of it. 
 Sat. Why art thou thus attired, Andronicus ? 30 
 
 Tit. Because I would be sure to have all well, 
 
 To entertain your highness and your empress. 
 Tarn. We are beholding to you, good Andronicus. 
 Tit. An if your highness knew my heart, you were. 
 
 My lord the emperor, resolve me this : 
 
 Was it well done of rash X'irginius 
 
 99
 
 Act V. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 To slay his daughter with his own right hand, 
 Because she was enforced, stain'd, and deflower'd? 
 
 Sat. It was, Andronicus. 
 
 Tit. Your reason, mighty lord ? 40 
 
 Sat. Because the girl should not survive her shame, 
 And by her presence still renew his sorrows. 
 
 Tit. A reason mighty, strong and effectual, 
 A pattern, precedent, and lively warrant, 
 For me, most wretched, to perform the like. 
 Die, die, Lavinia, and thy shame with thee. 
 And with thy shame thy father's sorrow die ! 
 
 [Kills Lavinia, 
 
 Sat. What hast thou done, unnatural and unkind ? 
 
 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. 
 
 Sat. What, was she ravish'd ? tell who did the deed. 
 
 Tit. Wiirt please you eat ? will't please your highness feed ? 
 
 Tarn. Why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus ? 
 
 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. 
 
 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 T a mora. 
 
 Sat. Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed ! 
 
 [Kills Titus, 
 
 Luc. Can the son's eye behold his father bleed ? 
 
 100
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 There 's meed for nieed, death for a deadly deed ! ^ 
 
 [Kills Satuniinus. A great tumult. Lucius, 
 Marcus, and others go up into the balcony. 
 Marc. You sad-faced men, people and sons of Rome, 
 By uproars sever'd, as a flight of fowl 
 Scatter'd by winds and high tempestuous gusts, 
 O, let me teach you how to knit again 70 
 
 This scatter'd corn into one mutual sheaf, 
 These broken limbs again into one body ; 
 Lest Rome herself be bane unto herself, 
 And she vrhom mighty kingdoms court'sy to, 
 Like a forlorn and desperate castaway, 
 Do shameful execution on herself. 
 But if my frosty signs and chaps of age. 
 Grave witnesses of true experience, 
 Cannot induce you to attend my words,— 
 [To Lucius] Speak, Rome's dear friend : as erst our 
 ancestor, °^ 
 
 When with his solemn tongue he did discourse 
 To love-sick Dido's sad attending ear 
 The story of that baleful burning night, 
 When subtle Greeks surprised King Priam's Troy ; 
 Tell us what Sinon hath bewitch'd our ears, 
 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 
 When it should move you to attend me most. 
 Lending your kind commiseration. 
 Here is a captain, let him tell the tale ; 
 
 lOI
 
 Act V. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak. 
 
 Luc. Then, noble auditory, be it known to you. 
 That cursed Chiron and Demetrius 
 Were they that murdered our emperor's brother ; 
 And they it were that ravished our sister : 
 For their fell faults our brothers were beheaded, loo 
 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. 
 Lastly, myself unkindly banished. 
 The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out, 
 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 kiiown to you. 
 That have preserved her welfare in my blood, I lo 
 And from her bosom took the enemy's point. 
 Sheathing the steel in my adventurous body. 
 Alas, you know I am no vaunter, I ; 
 j\Iy scars can witness, dumb although they are, 
 That my report is just and full of truth. 
 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. 
 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. 
 Now judge what cause had Titus to revenge
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 These wrongs, unspeakable, past patience, 
 
 Or more than any hving man could bear. 
 
 Now you have heard the truth, what say you, 
 
 Romans ? 
 Have we done aught amiss, shovv us wherein. 
 And, from the place where you behold us now, 130 
 The poor remainder of Andronici 
 Will, hand in hand, all headlong cast us down, 
 And on the ragged stones beat forth our brains. 
 And make a mutual closure of our house. 
 Speak, Romans, speak, and if you say we shall, 
 Lo, hand in hand, Lucius and I will fall. 
 
 ^mil. Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome, 
 And bring our emperor gently in thy hand, 
 Lucius our emperor ; for well I know 
 The common voice do cry it shall be so. 140 
 
 All. Lucius, all hail, Rome's royal emperor! 
 
 Marc. Go, go into old Titus' sorrowful house, 
 
 [To Attendants. 
 And hither hale that misbelieving Moor, 
 To be adjudged some direful slaughtering death, 
 As punishment for his most wicked life. 
 
 [Exeunt Attendants. 
 
 Lucius, Marcus, and the others descend. 
 
 All. Lucius, all hail, Rome's gracious governor! 
 
 Luc. Thanks, gentle Romans : may I govern so. 
 To heal Rome's harms and wipe away her woe ! 
 But, gentle people, give me aim awhile, 
 For nature puts me to a heavy task ; 150 
 
 Stand all aloof ; but, uncle, draw you near. 
 To shed obsequious tears upon this trunk. 
 103
 
 Act V. Sc. iii. THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 O, take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips, 
 
 [Kissing Titus. 
 These sorrowful drops upon thy blood-stain'd face, 
 The last true duties of thy noble son ! 
 
 Marc. Tear for tear and loving kiss for kiss 
 Thy brother Marcus tenders on thy lips : 
 O, were the sum of these that I should pay 
 Countless and infinite, yet w^ould I pay them ! 
 
 Luc. Come hither, boy ; come, come, and learn of us i6o 
 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 ; 
 In that respect then, like a lo\ting 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. 
 
 Boy. O grandsire, grandsire! even with all my heart 
 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. 
 
 Re-enter Attendants zvith Aaron. 
 
 A Rojnan. You sad Andronici, have done with woes : 
 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, 
 104
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Act V. Sc. iii. 
 
 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 dumlj ? 
 I am no baby, I, that with base prayers 
 I should repent the evils I have done : 
 Ten thousand w^orse than ever yet I did 
 Would I perform, if 1 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, 
 And give him burial in his father's grave : 
 My father and Lavinia shall forthwith 
 Be closed in our household's monument. 
 As for that heinous tiger, Tamora, 
 No funeral rite, nor man in mourning weeds, 
 No mournful bell shall ring her burial ; 
 But throw her forth to beasts and birds of prey : 
 Her life was beastly and devoid of pity. 
 And, being so, shall have like want of pity. 200 
 
 See justice done on Aaron, that damn'd ^loor, 
 By whom our heavy haps had their beginning : 
 Then, afterwards, to order well the state, 
 That like events may ne'er it ruinate. [Exeunt. 
 
 lOS
 
 THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Glossary. 
 
 Abused, deceived; II. iii. 87. 
 
 Ac cited, cited, summoned; I. i. 
 27. 
 
 Acheron, the river of the in- 
 fernal regions (Quartos, Fo- 
 lio I, "Acaron") ; IV. iii. 44. 
 
 Achieve, obtain; II. i. 80. 
 
 ActcBon, the Theban prince 
 transformed by Diana into a 
 stag; II. iii. 63. 
 
 Advice ; " upon a.," on reflec- 
 tion, on consideration ; I. i. 
 
 379- 
 ; "good a.," deliberate 
 
 consideration (Collier conj. 
 
 "device") ; IV. i. 92. 
 Advised; " well a.." not mad, 
 
 in his right senses; IV. ii. 
 
 10. 
 Advise thee, consider, delibe- 
 rate; IV. ii. 129. 
 Affect, desire; II. i. 105. 
 Affected, loved; II. i. 28. 
 Affy, confide ; I. i. 47. 
 Afoot; " well a.," in good 
 
 health; IV. ii. 29. 
 After, afterwards; II. iii. 123. 
 Age, seniority; I. i. 8. 
 Aim; "give me a.," "give 
 
 room and scope to my 
 
 thoughts " : V. iii. 149. 
 Alcides, Hercules; IV. ii. 95. 
 Anchorage, anchor; I. i. 72- 
 Annoy, grief, suffering; IV. i. 
 
 49. 
 
 Appointed, furnished, 
 
 equipped; IV. ii. 16. 
 Approve, prove ; II. i. 35. 
 Approved, tried; V. i. i. 
 As, so that ; II. iii. 103. 
 Associate, join; V. iii. 169. 
 At, on; IV. iii. 9. 
 Author, cause; I. i. 435. 
 
 Baleful; " b. mistletoe," with 
 reference to the supposed 
 poisonous berries of the 
 plant ; II. iii. 95. 
 
 Bane, mischief; V. iii. 72>- 
 
 Bauble; V. i. 79. (C/>. illustra- 
 tion.) 
 
 Bay ; " at a b.," in my power (a 
 term taken from hunting) ; 
 IV. ii. 42. 
 
 , barking; II. ii. 3. 
 
 Beholding, beholden; I. i. 396. 
 
 Belike, I suppose ; IV. ii. 50. 
 
 Bewray, betray, reveal ; II. iv. 
 
 3. 
 Blowse, " a ruddy fat-faced 
 
 wench " ; IV. ii. 72. 
 Bon jour, good morning ; I. i. 
 
 494. 
 Boots, avails ; V. iii. 18. 
 Brabble, quarrel ; II. i. 62. 
 Bravely, finely, properly; IV. 
 
 iii. 112. 
 Braves, defiance, threatenings ; 
 
 II. i. 30. 
 , defies; II. iii. 126, 
 
 106
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS 
 
 Glossary 
 
 la) From MS. 6829, National Library, Paris. 
 
 (b) and {c) From ivory carvings in the Masxell collection and in the Louvre. 
 
 Break the parle, open the par- 
 ley; V. iii. 19. 
 
 Brethren (trisyllabic) ; i. i. 
 348. 
 
 Broach, spit ; IV. ii. 85. 
 
 Bus::;, whisper ; IV. iv. 7. 
 
 Candidatus, candidate; I. i. 
 
 185. 
 Careful, full of care ; IV. iii. 30. 
 Castle, (?) a close helmet 
 
 (Theobald '' casque " ; 
 
 Walker, "crest"); III. i. 
 
 170. 
 Challenged, accused ; I. i. 340. 
 Chaps, wrinkles ; V. iii. 77. 
 Charm, affect by magic power ; 
 
 II. i. 23. 
 Charming, having the power of 
 
 fascination ; II. i. 16. 
 Chase, hunting-ground; II. iii. 
 
 255- 
 Cheer, countenance ; I. i. 264. 
 Chequer'd, variegated; II. iii. 
 
 15. 
 
 Children (trisyllabic) ; II. iii. 
 
 115- 
 Clean, entirely ; I. i. 129. 
 Close, secret; IV. ii. 118. 
 Closing with, humouring ; V. ii. 
 
 70. 
 Closure, end ; V. iii. 134. 
 Clubs, Clubs; " in any public 
 
 affray the cry was ' Clubs ! 
 
 Clubs ! ' by way of calling for 
 
 persons with clubs to part 
 
 the combatants " (Nares) ; 
 
 II. i. 37. 
 Cocytus, the infernal river ; II. 
 
 iii, 236. 
 Codding, lustful ; V. i. 99. 
 CoiHn, the crust of a pie ; V. ii. 
 
 189. 
 Coil, confusion, ado; III. i. 
 
 225. 
 Common, general ; I. i. 21. 
 Compact, made of, composed; 
 
 V. iii. 88. 
 Compassion, compassionate, 
 
 pity; IV. i. 124. 
 
 107
 
 Glossary 
 
 THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Complot, plot ; II. iii. 265. 
 Complots, plots ; V. i. 65. 
 Conceit, device, invention ; IV. 
 
 ii. 30. 
 Conduct, guidance ; IV. iv. 65. 
 Confederate, in league, allied ; 
 
 V. i. 108. 
 Consecrate, consecrated ; I. i. 
 
 14; II. i. 121. 
 Continence, moderation (Col- 
 lier MS., "conscience") ; I. 
 
 i. 15- 
 ControU'd, hindered ; I. i. 420. 
 Convenient, proper, becoming; 
 
 V. ii. 90. 
 Cornelia, the mother of the 
 
 Gracchi ; IV. i. 12. 
 Couch, lie hidden; V. ii. 38. 
 Cousin, niece (used for any 
 
 kinsman or kinswoman) ; II. 
 
 iv. 12. 
 Cos:en'd, cheated; V. iii. loi. 
 Cut, cut off; V. i. 93. 
 Cyclops, the giant servants of 
 
 Vulcan ; IV. iii. 46. 
 
 Dancing-rapier, a sword worn 
 only for ornament at danc- 
 ing; II. i. 39. {Cp. illustra- 
 tion.) 
 
 Days; " no longer d.," no more 
 time ; IV. ii. 165. 
 
 Deadly-standing, menacing 
 death ; II. iii. s^. 
 
 Dear, grievous (Hanmer, 
 "dire") ; III. i. 257. 
 
 , dearly; IV. i. 23. 
 
 Deciphered, detected; IV. ii. 8. 
 
 Decreed, decided, determined ; 
 II. iii. 274. 
 
 Decrees, resolutions ; V. ii. 
 II. 
 
 Despite ; " in my d.," in de- 
 fiance of me ; I. i. 361. 
 
 Detect, expose ; II. iv. 27. 
 
 Dian, Diana; II. iii. 61. 
 
 Discover, reveal ; V. i. 85. 
 
 Dispose, dispose of; IV. ii. 17;. 
 
 Distract, distracted ; IV. iii. 26. 
 
 Dominator, ruler; TI. iii. 31. 
 
 Doubted, suspected ; II. iii. 60. 
 
 Dreadful, full of dread ; II. i. 
 128. 
 
 Drive upon, rush upon, attack ; 
 II. iii. 64. 
 
 Dumps, melancholy; I. i. 391. 
 
 From an ornament on a pistol of Shake- 
 speare's time, in the Meyrick collection. 
 
 Ecstasies, madness; IV. iv. 21. 
 
 Ecstasy, excitement ; IV. i. 125. 
 
 Egal, equal ; IV. iv. 4. 
 
 Embracement, embrace ; V. ii. 
 68. 
 
 Enibrewed, bathed in blood; 
 II. iii. 222. 
 
 Emperial's, a blunder for em- 
 peror's; IV. iii. 94. 
 
 Empery, empire, dominion; I. 
 i. 19. 
 
 108
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS 
 
 Glossary 
 
 Empress (trisyllabic; Quarto i 
 Folios I. 2, " Empresse " 
 Quarto 2, " Emperesse " ; 
 Folios 3, 4. '^ Empcress") : 
 I. i. 320. 
 
 Enacts, working; I\'. ii. 118. 
 
 Enceladus, a giant of ancient 
 fable; IV. ii. 93. 
 
 Enforced, forced ; V. iii. 38. 
 
 Engine, instrument; III. i. 82. 
 
 Entreats, entreaties; I. i. 449. 
 
 Escape, escapade, transgres- 
 sion; IV. ii. 113. 
 
 Exclaims, outcries, lamenta- 
 tions ( K e i g h 1 1 e y, " ex- 
 claim"; Anon, conj., "ex- 
 tremes") ; IV. i. 86. 
 
 Extent, maintenance, applica- 
 tion ; IV. iv. 3. 
 
 Fact, evil deed : IV. i. 39. 
 Fat, fatten ; III. i. 204. 
 Fear, fear for ; II. iii. 305. 
 Feed, food ; IV. iv. 93. 
 Fell, fallen; II. iv. 50. 
 Fere, spouse ; IV. i. 89. 
 Fire (dissyllabic) ; I. i. 127. 
 Flood, sea ; IV. ii. 103. 
 Fond, foolish ; II. iii. 172. 
 For, as for ; IV. iii. 39. 
 
 , through ; IV. i. 21. 
 
 Forfend, forbid; I. i. 434. 
 Forth, out of; III. i. 84. 
 Found, found out, discovered ; 
 
 IV. ii. 26. 
 Framed, formed, fashioned ; 
 
 IV. iii. 46. 
 Fraught, freight; I. i. 71. 
 Funeral, burial ; IV. ii. 163. 
 Funerals, obsequies; I. i. 381. 
 
 Gad, sharp point; IV. i. 103. 
 
 Gear, business ; IV. iii. 52. 
 Gentleness, kindness; I. i. 237. 
 Glad, gladden ; I. i. 166. 
 Glistering, glittering; II. i. 7. 
 Glose, make mere words; IV. 
 
 iv. 35. 
 God-den, good evening; IV. iv. 
 
 43. 
 Good; " were as g.," might just 
 
 as well ; IV. iii. 57. 
 Gramercy, many thanks ; I. i. 
 
 495- 
 Gratulate, make glad, gratify; 
 
 I. i. 221. 
 Grey; "morn grey "= blue 
 
 (Hanmer, "gay"); II. ii. i. 
 Griefs, grievances ; I. i. 443. 
 
 Hale, drag; V. ii. 51. 
 
 Hap, chance; V, ii. loi. 
 
 Happily, perchance, perhaps; 
 IV. iii. 8. 
 
 Happy, opportune; II. iii. 23. 
 
 Head ; " fought at head " ; " an 
 allusion to bulldogs, whose 
 generosity and courage are 
 always shown by meeting the 
 bull in front and seizing his 
 nose " (Johnson) ; V. i. 102. 
 
 Heaviness, sadness, sorrow; 
 III. ii. 49. 
 
 Heavy, sad; III. i. 277. 
 
 , sad ; IV. iii. 25. 
 
 Hecuba, the wife of Priam, 
 King of Troy ; IV. i. 20. 
 
 High-witted, sly, cunning ; IV. 
 iv. 35. 
 
 Himself; " not with h.," i.e. be- 
 side himself; I. i. 368. 
 
 His, its; III. i. 97. 
 
 Holp'st, didst help; IV. iv. 59. 
 
 Home, to the quick; II. i. 118. 
 
 109
 
 Glossary 
 
 THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Honesty, chastity ; III. iii. 135. 
 
 Honey-stalks, i.e. "Clover 
 flowers, which contain a 
 sweet juice. It is common 
 for cattle to overcharge 
 themselves with clover, and 
 die" (Johnson); IV. iv. 91. 
 
 Horse, horses; II. ii. 18. 
 
 Hyperion, the Sun god; V. ii. 
 56. 
 
 Ignomy, ignominy, shame ; IV. 
 
 ii. 115. 
 Imperious, imperial (Quarto 2, 
 
 Folios, " imperiall") ; I. i. 
 
 250; IV. iv. 81. 
 Incorporate, incorporated ; I. i. 
 
 462. 
 Increase, produce ; V. ii. 192. 
 Indifferently, impartially ; I. i. 
 
 430. 
 Ingrateful, ungrateful ; V. i. 12. 
 Inherit, possess ; II. iii. 3. 
 Insult on, exult, triumph ; III. 
 
 ii. 71. 
 Intercepted, restrained ; II. iii. 
 
 80. 
 
 Jet upon, i.e. "treat with in- 
 solence " (Quartos, " iet " ; 
 Folios. " set " ; Malone, 
 "jut"); II. i. 64. 
 
 Joy, enjoy; II. iii. 83. 
 
 Just, just so, exactly; IV. ii. 24. 
 
 Kind, nature; II. i. 116. 
 
 Laertes' son, Ulysses ; I. i. 380. 
 
 Lamenting doings, lamenta- 
 tions [Anon. MS. conj. apud 
 Theobald, " dronings " for 
 " doings"\\ III. ii. 62. 
 
 Lasting, everlasting; II. iii. 275. 
 
 Lave, wash, bathe ; IV. ii. 103. 
 
 Learn, teach ; II. iii. 143. 
 
 Leave, cease ; I. i. 424. 
 
 Leer, complexion; IV. ii. 119. 
 
 Leisure; "by 1.," in no hurry; 
 I. i. 301. 
 
 Like, equal ; V. iii. 200. 
 
 Limbo, the borders of hell, or 
 hell itself ; the Limbus pa- 
 trum, as it was called, is a 
 place that the schoolmen sup- 
 posed to be in the neighbour- 
 hood of hell, where the souls 
 of the patriarchs were de- 
 tained, and those good men 
 who died before our Sa- 
 viour's resurrection. Milton 
 gives the name of Limbo to 
 his " Paradise of Fools " ; 
 
 III. i. 149. 
 
 List, pleases; IV. i. 100. 
 Lively, living; III. i. 105. 
 Loaden, laden ; V. ii. 53. 
 Loose, loosen my hold; II. iii. 
 
 243. 
 , loosen your bow, let fly ; 
 
 IV. iii. 58. 
 Luxurious, lustful ; V. i. 88. 
 
 Madded, maddened; III. i. 104. 
 
 Manes ; " ad manes fratrum," 
 i.e. " to the shades of my 
 brothers" (Quartos, Folios 
 I, 2, " manus") ; I. i. 98. 
 
 Mangre, in spite of; IV. ii. no. 
 
 Mean, means ; II. iv. 40. 
 
 Meed, recompense ; V, vii. 66. 
 
 Mesh'd, mashed (a brewer's 
 term) ; III. ii. 38. 
 
 Mightful, full of might; IV. 
 iv. 5. 
 
 no
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS 
 
 Glossary 
 
 Minion, pert, saucy person ; II. 
 iii. 124. 
 
 Mistership, a blunder for " mis- 
 tress-ship " ; IV. iv. 40. 
 
 Mock, derision, scorn ; IV. iv. 
 58. 
 
 Moe, more ; V. iii. 17. 
 
 Napkin, handkerchief; III. i. 
 140. 
 
 Niliis, the Nile; III. i. 71. 
 
 Note, notice (Pope's emenda- 
 tion of Quartos, Folios, "no- 
 tice") ; II. iii. 85. 
 
 O'ercome, covered ; II. iii. 95. 
 Of, by ; II. iii. 167. 
 
 , from ; III. ii. 44. 
 
 , on; IV. iii. 59. 
 
 Ofiicioiis, ready, helpful ; V. ii. 
 
 2C2. 
 
 0)1, in ; II. iii. 223. 
 
 ; "set fire on," i.e. set fire 
 
 to ; V. i. 133. 
 
 Onset, beginning ; I. i. 238. 
 
 Opinion, reputation ; I. i. 416. 
 
 Over-ween ; " dost o.," art pre- 
 sumptuous ; II. i. 29. 
 
 Pack, plot; IV. ii. 155. 
 
 Painted hope (v. Note) ; II. 
 iii. 126. 
 
 Palliament, robe; I. i. 182. 
 
 Parcel, part; II. iii. 49. 
 
 Part, depart; I. i. 488. 
 
 Passing, surpassingly ; II. iii. 84. 
 
 Passion, violent sorrow ; I. i. 
 106. 
 
 Passionate, express sorrowful- 
 ly; III. ii. 6. 
 
 Patient; " p. yourself," i.e. be 
 patient; I. i. 121. 
 
 Perforce, of necessity ; II, i. 
 107. 
 
 Per Sfyga, per manes vehor, i.e. 
 I am borne through the Styx, 
 through the kingdom of the 
 dead ; II. i. 135. 
 
 Philomel, the daughter of Pan- 
 dion, ravished by Tereus, 
 who afterwards cut out her 
 tongue to prevent her expos- 
 ing him; II. iii. 43. 
 
 Phabe, Diana (Quartos, Folio 
 I, " Thehe") ; I. i. 316. 
 
 Piece, used contemptuously of 
 a person ; I. i. 309. 
 
 Pitch, used of the height to 
 which a falcon soars ; II. i. 14. 
 
 Piteously, in a manner exciting 
 pity (Heath conj. "pitiless- 
 ly"; Singer [ed. 2], " pite- 
 ousless"; Collier MS., " des- 
 piteously") ; V. i. 66. 
 
 Plots, spots of ground ; II. i. 
 115. 
 
 Pozver, armed force ; III. i. 
 300 ; IV. iv. 63. 
 
 Present, immediate, instant; II. 
 iii. 173. 
 
 Presently, immediaf^ ; II. iii. 
 62; IV. ii. 166. 
 
 Price; " played your p.," a 
 technical term in the ancient 
 fencing-school ; I. i. 399. 
 
 Progne, wife of Tereus, to 
 whom, in revenge for her 
 sister Philomela, she slaugh- 
 tered and served up his son 
 Itys to eat ; V. ii. 196. 
 
 Propose, be ready to meet ; II. 
 i. 80. 
 
 Put it lip, put up with it; I. i. 
 433. 
 
 Ill
 
 Glossary 
 
 THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Put lip, i.e. sheathe your 
 swords; II. i. 53. 
 
 Quit, requite, revenge ; I. i. 141. 
 Quotes, observes, examines ; 
 IV. i. 50. 
 
 Rapier, small sword ; IV. ii. 85. 
 
 Rapine, rape; V. ii. 59. 
 
 Re-ediHed, restored; I. i. 351. 
 
 Remembered; "be you v.," re- 
 member ; IV. iii. 5. 
 
 Reprehending, reproving, repri- 
 manding; III. ii. 69. 
 
 Requite, revenge ; III. i. 297. 
 
 Reserved, preserved, kept safe ; 
 I. i. 165. 
 
 Resolve, tell ; V. iii. 35. 
 
 Rolled, coiled (Collier MS., 
 "coiled") ; II. iii. 13. 
 
 Rue, pity; I. i. 105. 
 
 RuiHe, be turbulent and disor- 
 derly; I. i. 313. 
 
 Sacred (used ironically, with 
 perhaps a quibble on the 
 Latin use = accursed) ; II. i. 
 120. 
 
 Sanguine, blood-coloured; IV. 
 ii. 97. 
 
 Saturn, the planet of hate and 
 gloom ; II. iii. 31. 
 
 Scath, injury; V. i. 7. 
 
 Secure of, safe from; II. i. 3. 
 
 Self-blood, selfsame blood ; IV. 
 ii. 123. 
 
 Semiramis, the queen of As- 
 syria, proverbial for her vo- 
 luptuousness and cruelty; II. 
 iii. 118. 
 
 Sensibly ; " endowed with the 
 same feelings as you " ; IV. 
 ii. 122. 
 
 Sequence ; "in s.," one after 
 the other; IV. i. 2)7- 
 
 Sequester d, separated (Quar- 
 tos, Folios, " scquestred") ; 
 II. iii. 75. 
 
 Servile, slavish (Quarto 2, Fo- 
 lios, "idle") ; II. i. 18. 
 
 Shall, will ; IV. iv. 107. 
 
 Shape, form ; IV. iv. 57. 
 
 Shive, slice ; II. i. 87. 
 
 Sibyl, one of the Roman 
 prophetesses ; IV. i. 105. 
 
 Single, isolate ; " s. you," bring 
 unattended; II. i. 117. 
 
 Sin on, the Greek who per- 
 suaded the Trojans to carry 
 the wooden horse into Troy; 
 V. iii. 85. 
 
 Sit fas aut nefas, be it right or 
 wrong (a popular Latin 
 phrase) ; II. i. 133. 
 
 Sith, since ; I. i. 271 ; IV. iii. 49. 
 
 Slip, scion ; V. i. 9. 
 
 Smooth, flatter ; IV. iv. 96. 
 
 Solemn, ceremonious ; II. i. 
 112. 
 
 Solon's happiness, alluding to 
 Solon's saying that no man 
 can be pronounced happy be- 
 fore his death ; I. i. 177. 
 
 Some deal, somewhat; III. i. 
 
 245. 
 Somewhat, something; IV. i. 9. 
 Somewhither, somewhere, to 
 
 some place or other ; IV. i. 
 
 II. 
 Speak fair, humour ; V. ii. 140. 
 Speed, succeed (Delius conj. 
 
 "speak") ; I. i. 372. 
 Spleenful, hot, eager ; II. iii. 
 
 191. 
 Spurn, hurt, stroke; III. i. loi. 
 
 112
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS 
 
 Glossary 
 
 Square, quarrel ; II. i. lOO. 
 
 , shape; III. ii. 31. 
 
 Stale, laughing-stock ; I. i. 304. 
 
 Stand on, insist on ; IV. iv. 105. 
 
 Starved, benumbed with cold ; 
 III. i. 252. 
 
 Stay'd, detained; II. iii. i8r. 
 
 Still, always, continually; III. 
 ii. 30. 
 
 , constant; III. ii. 45. 
 
 Stint, stop, silence; IV. iv. 86. 
 
 Stood upon, set a high value 
 upon ; II. iii. 124. 
 
 Straight, straightway, imm»di- 
 ately; I. i. 127. 
 
 Stupriim, violation; IV. i. 78. 
 
 Subscribe, submit ; IV. ii. 130. 
 
 Succeed, succeeded ; I. i. 40. 
 
 Successantly, (?) following af- 
 ter another, or, perhaps, suc- 
 cessfully (Rowe, "success- 
 fully " ; Capell, " incessant- 
 ly"; Collier conj. "thou in- 
 stantly")] Cartwright conj. 
 "you instantly"); IV. iv. 
 
 113- 
 
 Successive ; "my s. title," "my 
 title to the succession " ; I. 
 i. 4. 
 
 Suppose, supposition ; I. i. 440. 
 
 Surance, assurance; V. ii. 46. 
 
 Suum cuique, to every man his 
 due; I. i. 280. 
 
 Swarth, swarthy, black (Quar- 
 to I, "swartie"; Capell, 
 " swart y") ; II. iii. 72. 
 
 Sweet water, perfumed water ; 
 II. Iv. 6. 
 
 Swelling, full to bursting; V. 
 iii. 13. 
 
 Swounded, swooned, fainted ; 
 V. I. 119. 
 
 Take up, make up ; IV. Iii. 92. 
 
 Tedious, laborious ; II. iv. 39. 
 
 Temper, shape, mould ; IV. iv. 
 109. 
 
 , mix ; V. ii. 200. 
 
 Tendering, caring for ; I. I. 476. 
 
 Tent, I. i. 138. (The annexed 
 examples of Roman tents of 
 the time of Julius Caesar are 
 from ancient bas-reliefs at 
 Rome.) 
 
 That, that which ; I. i. 408. 
 
 Threat, threaten ; II. I. 40. 
 
 Threats, threatens; IV. iv. 67. 
 
 Ticed, enticed ; II. Hi. 92. 
 
 Tim'eless, untimely; II. iii. 265. 
 
 Titan, the sun-god ; I. i. 226. 
 
 To, Into ; I. I. 421. 
 
 Tofore, before ; II. I. 294. 
 
 Train'd, enticed ; V. I. 104. 
 
 Tribunal plcbs, a blunder for 
 " tribunus plebis " = the tri- 
 bune of the people ; IV. iii. 
 92. 
 
 Trump, trumpet; I. I. 275. 
 
 Tully's Orator, i.e. Cicero's De 
 Oratore ; IV. i. 14. 
 
 Turn, return; V. ii. 141. 
 
 Typhon, i.e. Typhceus, one of 
 the giants of ancient fables; 
 IV. ii. 94. 
 
 "3
 
 Glossary 
 
 THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Uncouple, loosen the hounds ; 
 II. ii. 3. 
 
 Uncouth, strange, perplexing; 
 II. iii. 211. 
 
 Undertake, answer for. guar- 
 antee ; I. i. 436. 
 
 Unfuniisli'd, deprived; II. iii. 
 
 56- ... . 
 Unjusticc, injustice; IV. iv. 
 
 18, 
 
 Unkind, unnatural ; V. iii. 48. 
 
 Unreciiring, past cure, incur- 
 able ; III. i. 90. 
 
 Unroll, uncoil; III. iii. 35. 
 
 Up and down, exactly, at all 
 points; V. ii. 107. 
 
 Uprise, rising; III. i. 159. 
 
 Urchins, hedgehogs; II. iii. loi. 
 
 Virgo, the constellation of 
 that name (in the old myth 
 it represents Astraea, after 
 she left the Earth) ; IV. iii. 
 
 Voice, vote ; I. i. 21. 
 
 Vouch, make good; I. i. 360. 
 
 Wags, moves ; V. ii. 87. 
 Wall-eyed, fierce-eyed ; V. i. 44. 
 Ware, wore ; I. i. 6. 
 Weeds, garments ; I. i. 70. 
 Welkin, sky; III. i. 212. 
 Well said, well done ; IV. iii. 63. 
 JVhat, why; I. i. 189. 
 Whenas, when ; IV. iv. 92. 
 White - limed, white - washed ; 
 
 IV. ii. q8. 
 Who, whom; II. iii. 55. 
 Wind, scent; IV. i. 97. 
 ; "have the w. of you," 
 
 keep an eye upon you ; IV. 
 
 ii. 133- 
 Wit, mental power (Warbur- 
 
 ton, "will") ; II. i. 10. 
 With, by; II. iii. 78. 
 Witty, possessed of wit ; IV. ii. 
 
 29. 
 Wot, know ; II. i. 48. 
 Wreak, vengeance ; IV. iii. 32. 
 Wreaks, resentments; IV. iv. 
 
 II. 
 Wrongfully, wrongful ; IV. iv. 
 
 76. 
 
 114
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS 
 
 Critical Notes. 
 
 BY ISRAEL GOLLANCZ. 
 
 I. i. 5-6. 'I am his Urst-born son, that was last That ware'', so 
 Quartos ; Folios i, 2, 3 read ' I was the first-horn son, that was the 
 last That wore'; Folio 4, '/ was the Urst-horn Son of him that 
 last Wore ' ; Pope, '/ am the Urst-horn son of him that last Wore ' ; 
 Collier, '/ am his . . . That wore'; Collier MS., 'I am the first 
 borne Sonne, of him the last That wore.' 
 
 I. i. 62, 'gates'; Capell reads 'gates, tribunes'; Collier MS., 
 ' brazen gates.' 
 
 I. i. 138. 'his tent'; Theobald reads 'her tent' (alluding to 
 Hecuba beguiling Polymnestor into the tent where she and the 
 other Trojan captives were). 
 
 I. i. 154. 'drugs'; Quarto i, ' drugges'; Quarto 2, ' grudgges ' ; 
 Folios, ' grudges.' 
 
 I. i. 485. ' stand up ' ; perhaps these words were, as Pope sug- 
 gested, merely a stage-direction. 
 
 II. i. 82, 83; cf. I Henry VI., V. iii. 77^ 78; Richard III., I. ii. 
 228, 229. 
 
 II. ii. 10. 'Horns zvinded in a peal' Cp. the subjoined old 
 French hunting fanfare (here reproduced from Naylor's 'Shake- 
 speare and Music'). 
 
 Fair Bona, 
 
 
 
 
 AtUerttt9 
 
 Fa~~rn 
 
 rrff Jin^'UJ 
 
 
 p J^J^; 
 
 EJi"^ 
 
 \J.> \J.!^ ^ 
 
 =^ 
 
 t n 
 
 r r T 
 
 II. iii. 20. 'yellowing'; so Quartos; F;^os~Tead 'yelping'; 
 Pope, ' yelling.' 
 
 II. iii. 93. ' barren detested ' ; Rowe reads ' barren and detested ' ; 
 Capell, ' bare, detested.' 
 
 II. iii. 126. 'painted hope braves your mightiness' ; so Quartos, 
 
 115
 
 Notes THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Folio i; Folios 2, 3, 4. 'painted hope, she . . .' ; Warburton, 
 'painted cope she . . .' ; Capell, 'paint nozv braves your mighti- 
 ness'', Steevens conj, 'painted, braves your . . /; etc., etc. 
 
 II. iii. 132. ' outlive, us ' ; Theobald's pointing ; Quartos, Folios, 
 'outline us'; Dyce (ed. 2), 'outlive ye.' 
 
 II. iii. 152. 'paws'; Collier MS., 'claws.' 
 
 II. iv. 5. 'scrowl'; Quartos, 'scrowle'; Folios i, 2, 'scowle'; 
 Folios 3, 4, 'scowl' ; Delius, ' scrazvl.' 
 
 II. iv. 9. ' case' ; Pope's emendation of Quartos; Folios, 'cause.' 
 
 II. iv. 49. 'Which that sweet tongue hath made'; so Quartos. 
 Folios; Hanmer, 'Which that sweet tongue of thine hath often 
 made' ; Collier MS., ' Which that sweet tongue hath made ttt min- 
 strelsy ' ; etc. 
 
 III. i. 12. ' For these, tribunes ' ; so Quartos, Folio i ; Folio 4. 
 'For these, these. Tribunes'; Malone, 'For these, good tribunes'; 
 Jackson conj. 'For these tzvo tribunes'; Collier conj. 'For these, 
 O tribunes.' 
 
 III. i. 17. 'urns'; Hanmer's emendation of Quartos; Folios i. 
 2, 3, ' mines ' ; Folio 4, ' ruins.' 
 
 III. i. 34-36. Quarto 2 reads ' or if they did marke, All bootlcsse 
 unto them'; Folios, 'oh if they did heare They would not pitty 
 me'; Capell, 'or, if they did mark. All bootless unto them, they 
 would not pity me,' etc. 
 
 III. i. 67. 'sight'; Theobald, ' spight.' 
 
 III. i. 86. 'Sweet varied notes, enchanting every ear'; Collier 
 MS. reads 'Rich varied notes, enchanting old and young'; Folio 
 4, ' Szveet various . . .' ; etc. 
 
 III. i. 125. 'as'; the reading of Collier, from Collier MS. and 
 Long MS.; Quartos, Folios, 'in'; Rowe, 'like." 
 
 III. i. 210. ' would ' ; so Quartos ; Folios read ' wilt ' ; Capell 
 conj. 'won't.' 
 
 III. i. 226. 'blow'; the reading of Folios 2, 3, 4; Folio i. Quar- 
 tos, ' How.' 
 
 III. i. 282-3. ' employ'd in these things,' etc. ; so Folios ; Quartos, 
 ' imployde in these Amies'; perhaps, as the Cambridge editors 
 suggest, the original MS. had as follows: — 
 
 " And thou, Lavinia, sJiall be iniployed. 
 Bear thou my hand, sweet zvench, between thy teeth," 
 
 the Quarto reading being due to a correction of ' teeth ' to 'amies ' ; 
 the latter being taken by the printer as belonging to the previous 
 line. 
 
 116
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS ' Notes 
 
 III. i. 292. ' leaves ' ; Rowe's emendation of Quartos ; Folios, 
 ' loues.' 
 
 III. ii. The whole of this scene is omitted in Quartos. 
 
 III. ii. 13. 'with outrageous beating'; Folio i reads '^without 
 ragious heating.' 
 
 IV. i. 9. 'Fear her not'; so Quartos; Folios read ' Feare not'; 
 Rowe, 'Fear thou not.' 
 
 IV. i. 45. 'Soft! so busily'; Quartos; Folios read 'Soft, so 
 busily'; Rowe, 'Soft! see how busily'; Capell, 'Soft, soft; how 
 busily'; Knight, 'Soft! how busily'; Keightley, 'Soft, soft! so 
 busily'; Collier MS., 'Soft! see how busily.' 
 
 IV. i. 81-82. ' Magni Dominator poli, Tarn lentiis audis scelera? 
 tarn lentus videsf"; i.e. Great ruler of the skies, dost thou so 
 tardily hear and see crimes committed? (Seneca's Hippolytus, ii. 
 671); Theobald, ' Magne Dominator' ; Hanmer, ' Magne Reg- 
 nator.' 
 
 IV. i. 129. 'Revenge, ye heavens/ Johnson conj.; Reuenge the 
 heauens,' so Quartos, Folios. , 
 
 IV. ii. 8, 76. Omitted in Folios. 
 
 IV. ii. 20-21. ' He who is pure in life, and free from sin, needs 
 not the darts of the Moor, nor the bow ' (Horace, Odes, I. 22). 
 
 IV. ii. 26. 'sound'; Theobald conjectured 'Fond,' i.e. foolish; 
 but * sound ' is probably to be taken ironically. 
 
 IV. ii. 165. 'take no longer days' ; Collier MS., 'make no longer 
 delays.' 
 
 IV. iii. 16. ' then,' a misprint for '' that.' 
 
 IV. iii. 2. ' let' ; so Quartos, Folio i ; Folios 2, 3, 4, ' now let.' 
 
 IV. iii. 4. ' Terras Astrce rcliquit ' ; i.e. Astrse (the goddess of 
 Justice) left the earth (Ovid Metani. i. 150). 
 
 IV. iii. 56. ' To Saturn, Caius ' ; Capell's emendation ; Quartos, 
 Folios read 'To Saturnine, to Caius'; Rowe (ed. i), 'To Coclus 
 and to Saturn' ; (ed. 2), 'To Saturn and to Coelus.' 
 
 IV. iv. 2>7- ' Fhy life-blood out ' ; Folio 2, ' out ' ; Folio 3, ' on 't ' ; 
 Walker suggested that a previous line had been lost, but the text 
 seems correct = " and drawn thy life-blood out." 
 
 IV. iv, 103. Omitted in Quarto 2 and Folios ; the reading of 
 Quarto i. 
 
 V. i. 17. 'All the Goths' should be 'The other Goths,' as the 
 ' First Goth ' is kept distinct. 
 
 V. i. 42, An allusion to the old proverb, " A black man is a pearl 
 in a fair woman's eye" (Malone). 
 
 in
 
 Notes THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 V. i. 93. 'And cut her hands'; so Quartos; Folios, 'And cut her 
 hands off'; Collier MS., ' Cut her hands off.' 
 
 V. i. 122. A proverb found in Ray's collection. 
 
 V. i. 132. 'break their necks'; Malone conj. 'break their necks 
 and die'; Jackson conj. 'stray and break their necks'; Collier 
 MS., ' ofttimes break tlieir necks' ; etc. 
 
 V. ii. 80. ' ply ' ; so Quartos ; Folios, ' play.' 
 
 V. ii. 162; iii. 52. Omitted in Folios. 
 
 V. iii. y2>- 'Lest Rome'; Capell's reading; Quartos, Folios, ' Let 
 Rome'; Malone, 'Lest Rome.' 
 
 V. iii. 124. 'And as he is'; so Quartos, Folios; Theobald reads 
 'Damn'd as he is.'
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS 
 
 Explanatory Notes. 
 
 The Explanatory Notes in this edition have been specially selected and 
 adapted, with emendations after the latest and best authorities, from the 
 most eminent Shakespearian scholars and commentators, including Johnson, 
 Malone, Steevens, Singer, Dyce, Hudson, White, Furness, Dowden, and 
 others. This method, here introduced for the first time, provides the best 
 annotation of Shakespeare ever embraced in a single edition. 
 
 ACT FIRST. 
 Scene I. 
 
 8. wrong mine age : — Meaning his claims as his father's oldest 
 son. 
 
 17. Romans : — As a matter of orthoepy, it is perhaps worthy of 
 notice that throughout this play, and generally in English books 
 printed before the middle of the seventeenth century, this word 
 is spelled Romanies or Romanes. " Romaine " could hardly have 
 been pronounced roman. 
 
 yy. defender of this Capitol: — Jupiter, to whom the Capitol 
 was sacred. 
 
 loi. It was supposed that the ghosts of the unburied dead ap- 
 peared on earth, to haunt the living and solicit the rites of funeral. 
 
 168. fame's eternal date : — To outlive an eternal date is, though 
 not philosophical, yet poetical sense. He wishes that her life 
 may be longer than his, and her praise longer than fame. 
 
 201. obtain and ask : — Perhaps intended as an instance of the 
 hysteron-proteron — " the cart before the horse " — of classical 
 rhetoric. But Staunton and others think that the line should 
 read, "Ask, Titus, and thou shalt obtain the empery." 
 
 240. empress: — Here and elsewhere in this play this word is a 
 trisyllable. Five lines above, election is a quadrisyllable, accord- 
 ing to a common usage of Shakespeare's day. 
 
 271. "It was pity," remarks Steevens, "to part a couple who 
 seem to have corresponded in disposition so exactly as Satur- 
 ninus and Lavinia. Saturninus, who has just promised to espouse 
 her, already wishes he were to choose anew ; and she who was 
 
 119
 
 Notes THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 engaged to Bassianus (whom she afterwards marries) expresse's 
 no reluctance when her father gives her to Saturninus. Her 
 subsequent raillery to Tamora [II. iii. 66 et scq.] is of so coarse 
 a nature that if her tongue had been all she was condemned to 
 lose, perhaps the author (whoever he was) might have escaped 
 censure on the score of poetic justice." 
 
 280. Cinque is here used as a trisyllable. " Cui and huic," says 
 Walker, " were in the schools of Shakespeare's time pronounced 
 as dissyllables, as they are still perhaps in some of the Scotch 
 ones ; and were supposed to be admissible in Latin verse com- 
 posed after the Augustan models." 
 
 290. Titus, who sacrifices himself for his country, and his 
 country to an unworthy first-born of a prince, completes the ex- 
 hibition of spurious loyalty by supporting the new-elected Satur- 
 ninus in depriving Bassianus of his betrothed Lavinia. There is 
 no hint whatever that Titus is moved by ambition to have his 
 daughter an empress, he is simply following his blind soldierlike 
 maxim of obedience. He has no thought for the feelings she 
 might be supposed to entertain, though in truth she does not be- 
 tray them, and when his sons exclaim at the injustice, Titus dis- 
 avows all right as opposed to sacred prerogative, and buries his 
 sword in the bosom of his own child. 
 
 379. The Greeks upon advice did bury Ajax : — The allusion, 
 as Theobald remarked, is to a part of Sophocles' tragedy Ajax, 
 in which Ulysses ("wise Laertes' son") and Teucer strenu- 
 ously and successfully plead with Agamemnon for permission to 
 bury the body of Ajax. 
 
 ACT SECOND. 
 Scene I. 
 
 79, 80. Chiron appears to mean that, had he a thousand lives, 
 such was his love for Lavinia, he would venture them all to 
 achieve her. 
 
 I Henry VI., V. iii. 78, 79 : — 
 82, 83. These two lines occur, with very little variation, in 
 " She 's beautiful and therefore to be woo'd; 
 She is a woman, therefore to be won." 
 See also Richard III., I. ii. 228, 229: — 
 
 "Was ever woman in this humour woo'd?. 
 
 Was ever woman in this humour won?" 
 
 120
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Notes 
 
 85-87. more zvatcr . . . shivc : — There is a proverb, " Mickle 
 water goes by the miller when he sleeps"; and another, "It is 
 safe taking a shive of a cut loaf." So in Warner's Albion's 
 England : " A sheeve of bread as brown as nut." Both prov- 
 erbs are found in TJie Cobbler of Canterbury, 1590: "Thus 
 the Prior and the Smithes wife contented and enjoying their 
 harts desire, the poore Smith loved her not a whit the worse, 
 neither did he suspect anything, for the blind eates many a flie, 
 and much water runnes by the mill that the miller wots not on. 
 . . . By this the Prior perceived, that the scull had cut a 
 shive on his loafe." 
 
 123. file our engines zvitJi advice: — That is, facilitate the work- 
 ings of our machinations by her advice : with allusion to the use 
 of the file for smoothing machinery to make it run free. 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 I et seq. The internal evidence that has weighed against the 
 authenticity of the play rests on the defects of its versification, 
 which in large portions and in the first Scene especially, is tame, 
 flat, monotonous ; on the absence of dramatic spirit and poetic 
 imagery, a charge which however is not universally applicable ; 
 and lastly, on the savage details of the story. The monotonous 
 and tame versification is quite consistent with an early, perhaps 
 the earliest, essay of Shakespeare, and, as some think, we may 
 trace in the play the gradations by which this embarrassed style 
 grew into the true Shakespearian vigour. In the second and 
 third Scenes of this Act we have several speeches in which we 
 may recognize the struggling attempt to that perfect harmonizing 
 of imagery and verse of which A M idsummer~N islif s Dream is 
 the triumph. Compare these opening lines ; also iii. 10 et seq. 
 
 9, / have been troubled, etc. : — Rolfe finds this " like Shake- 
 speare's fondness for presentiments," and argues that "the pas- 
 sage is probably his." 
 
 Scene III. 
 
 72. Cimmerian : — The Moor is called Cimmerian from the 
 affinity of blackness to darkness. 
 
 86, noted long: — Yet Saturninus and Tamora have been mar- 
 ried but one night. 
 
 121
 
 Notes THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 89. [Enter Demetrius and Chiron.] " The Greek names of 
 Chiron and Demetrius," says Lloyd, "give a certain Byzantine 
 colour to the story, which is helped by the tenour of the court 
 intrigues and violences. Indeed, it is difficult not to think that 
 the plot at large owes much to the suggestiveness of the history or 
 story of Belisarius — the mighty general of an ungrateful country 
 and emperor, in age and blindness begging for his bread. The 
 Empress Theodosia was raised by Justinian, if not from the po- 
 sition of a captive, from one still lower, and had vice enough 
 to furnish motive for the invention of Tamora ; and even the 
 eunuch Narses, the rival of Belisarius, is an appearance in the 
 imperial court un-Roman enough to niche opposite to Aaron." 
 
 104. Should straight fall mad, etc. : — This is said in fabulous 
 physiology of those that hear the groan of the mandrake when 
 torn up. The same thought, and almost the same expression, oc- 
 cur in Romeo and Juliet, IV. iii. 45 et seq. 
 
 126. painted hope: — Johnson explains this as meaning "only 
 specious hope, or ground of confidence more plausible than solid." 
 
 148. a bastard: — White remarks that " Lavinia says nothing 
 about Chiron's father; but his reply would justify the belief that 
 Tamora had played false with a true Milesian." " How," asks 
 White, " was he to prove himself a bastard, by being unlike 
 his mother? " 
 
 227. A precious ring, etc.: — Old naturalists assert that there is 
 a gem called a carbuncle, which emits not reflected but native 
 light. Boyle believed in the reality of its existence. It is often 
 alluded to in ancient fable. Thus in the Gesta Romanorum: 
 " He farther beheld and saw a carbuncle that lighted all the 
 house.'' And Drayton, in The Muses' Elysium : — 
 
 " That admired, mighty stone, 
 The carbuncle that's named; 
 Which from it such a flaming light 
 And radiancy ejecteth. 
 That in the very darkest night 
 The eye to it directeth." 
 
 Scene IV. 
 
 Upon the horrors set down at the beginning of this Scene 
 Wilkes has this indignant observation : " Shakespeare may be 
 acquitted of the barbarity of this device, but he cannot be excused 
 
 122
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Notes 
 
 the error of adopting it ; an author who takes advantage of the 
 trust reposed in him by his audience, to wound their best feel- 
 ings with unnecessary horrors, is nearly as bad as the characters 
 who perpetrate them. A writer should reach his climax by 
 tolerable steps, and he is not justified in exercising his art so as 
 to cause us to love a beautiful ideal, merely that he may torture 
 it in our presence, any more than a boy has a right to expect us 
 to honour him for his dexterity in driving pins through flies." 
 
 5. scrowl: — "An unintelligible reading," says Schmidt. Some 
 editors take scrowl for another form of scroll. Fabyan's Chron- 
 icle has, " the scrowle of resygnacyon " ; and Burnet's Records, 
 " accompts, books, scrolcs, instruments, or other writings." 
 
 26. some Tereus hath dcftozvcrcd thcc : — Tereus, King of Thrace, 
 married Progne, to whose sister Philomela he was much at- 
 tached, and of whom he at last became desperately enamoured. 
 He ravished her, and, to free himself from her reproaches and her 
 accusations, cut out her tongue. She finally made known her 
 situation by means of her needle (sampler fashion) : she was 
 succoured by her sister Progne, who took revolting and un- 
 natural vengeance upon Tereus. Progne was changed into a 
 swallow, and Philomela into a nightingale. So goes the old 
 story. 
 
 51. Cereberus, the three-headed dog fabled to guard the portals 
 of the infernal regions, is alluded to in several of these plays. 
 He is referred to here as being lulled to sleep by the music of 
 Orpheus, the Thracian poet. 
 
 The events of this Scene are thus narrated in the old ballad in 
 Percy's Reliques : — 
 
 But nowe, behold ! what wounded most my mind, 
 The empresse's two sonnes of savage kind 
 My daughter ravished without remorse. 
 And took away her honour, quite perforce. 
 
 When they had tasted of soe sweet a flowre. 
 Fearing this sweete should shortly turn to sowre, 
 They cutt her tongue, whereby she could not tell 
 How that dishonoure unto her befell. 
 
 Then both her hands they basely cut off quite. 
 Whereby their wickednesse she could not write, 
 Nor with her needle on her sampler sowe 
 The bloudye workers of her direfuU woe. 
 
 12,?
 
 Notes THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 My brother Marcus found her in the wood, 
 Staining the grassie ground with purple bloud, 
 That trickled from her stumpes and bloudlesse armes ; 
 Noe tongue at all she had to tell her harmes. 
 
 ACT THIRD. 
 Scene I. 
 
 [Rome.] The political condition represented in the drama has 
 great peculiarities, and while inconsistent throughout with 
 Roman history, is consistent with itself. We appear to be pre- 
 sented with a view of a free commonwealth, with mixed popular 
 and patrician institutions — tribunes and senators, passing through 
 the stage of a virtual but unrecognized monarchy to an Eastern 
 despotism. Roman history furnished a certain parallel to most 
 of the political circumstances, but never to the exact relative 
 distribution of power, to say nothing of special detail. 
 
 10. Hudson, instead of tzvo and twenty, adopts (Harvard ed.) 
 Lettsom's reading, one-and-tzventy. 
 
 72. I'll chop: — Rolfe states that " Steevens conjectured 'or 
 chop,' because Titus, after chopping off one hand, would not be 
 able to chop off the other! " Rolfe refers for comparison to lines 
 77, 78. 
 
 231. For why: — Much used formerly as meaning because, inas- 
 much as, and the like. 
 
 257. with this dear sight: — The word dear has here, as in 
 many other passages in these plays, an intensifying, superlative 
 sense which it is not easy to express or explain, but which, 
 though it may be difificult of comprehension to some, is easy of 
 apprehension by all. Its force is entirely of degree, not at all of 
 kind; and it is applied indiscriminately to that which is good 
 and that which is bad, that which is welcome and that which is 
 unwelcome, that which is loved and that which is hated. We 
 still say, "my dearest friend"; but in Hamlet (I. ii. 182) we find 
 " my dearest foe." 
 
 Scene H. 
 
 9. Who, when my heart, etc. : — The who here certainly makes 
 the passage entirely inconsequential. But Dyce asks, and, in 
 White's opinion, with much reason, if this may not be due to the 
 
 124
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Notes 
 
 author's iingrammatical use of the relative. Rowe and subsequent 
 editors change zi'lw to and, regardless of utter dissimilarity of 
 the words in form and sound. 
 
 12. Map of woe is image or picture of woe. So in Richard 11. , 
 V. i. 12 : " Thou map of honour." 
 
 ACT FOURTH. 
 Scene I. 
 
 77. [She takes the staff, etc.] Thus the old ballad: — 
 
 But when I sawe her in that woefull case, 
 With teares of bloud 1 wet mine aged face : 
 For my Lavinia I lamented more 
 Then for my two and twenty sonnes before. 
 
 When as I sawe she could not write nor speake, 
 With grief mine aged heart began to breake; 
 We spred an heape of sand upon the ground, 
 Whereby those bloudy tyrants out we found. 
 
 For with a staffe, without the helpe of hand, 
 She writt these wordes upon the plat of sand : — 
 " The lustfull sonnes of the proud emperesse 
 Are doers of this hateful wickednesse." 
 
 104. Gad is Anglo-Saxon for any pointed weapon, or the point 
 of any weapon ; and an ox gad or goad was originally a rod 
 tipped with a point. The name has remained, although a lash 
 has taken the place of the point. 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 44. for to say amen : — White says : " It is noteworthy that in 
 this play (Act. IV. Sc. ii.) we find an instance of the idiom ' for 
 to,' which Greene used so freely, and which Shakespeare and 
 Marlowe so carefully avoided ; and one of * when-as ' (Act IV. 
 Sc. iv.) which occurs often in the works of both Greene and 
 Marlowe, but never, I believe, in any undoubted play of Shake- 
 speare's. It is also worthy of observation that the three or four 
 instances of similarity of expression between this play and other 
 
 125
 
 Notes THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 works bearing Shakespeare's name connect it only with Venus 
 and Adonis, his earliest poem, and with the First Part of Henry 
 J^I. and The Taming of the Shrew — two plays in which Shake- 
 speare has but a part interest ; sharing again with Greene and 
 Marlowe, almost without a doubt." 
 
 72. hlozvse : — If hlowsy mean ruddy and fat-faced, the sub- 
 stantive would seem not correctly applied to a new-born black- 
 amoor child. Perhaps it had passed into a familiar term of 
 jocose endearment for a child. Richardson explains a hlowse 
 as " one who has been well blown upon, or exposed to blowing 
 winds." 
 
 156. pack : — For other instances of the use of pack for plot, see 
 The Merry Wives of Windsor, IV. ii. 118: "A pack, a con- 
 spiracy against me"; also TJie Comedy of Errors, V. i. 219, 220: 
 " That goldsmith there, were he not pack'd with her, could wit- 
 ness it." 
 
 173-181. Lloyd here makes the following observation regard- 
 ing the metrical workmanship : " Aaron's address to his child 
 that concludes [this Scene] leaves little to be desired, and gener- 
 ally as the play advances there- does seem to be an improved 
 mastery of the instrument of language. It is remarkable withal 
 that rhymes couplet and alternate are rare throughout the play; 
 this would seem to indicate that with Shakespeare indulgence in 
 rhyme was the result, in the first instance, of very luxuriance 
 of versifying power that was not developed at first, but grew 
 with the general growth of his facility — was allowed the rein in 
 certain compositions which contain blank verse as fine as any he 
 ever wrote, and then was controlled and subjected in the general 
 progress of his powers towards perfect development and unity 
 of balanced activity." 
 
 Scene III. 
 
 5. Be you remember'd : — Compare with this these lines (607, 
 608) in The Rape of Lucrece : — 
 
 " O, be remember'd. no outrageous thing 
 From vassal actors can be wiped away." 
 
 7. Ocean is here, as in other instances in this play, a trisyllable. 
 
 43,44. ' /' // dive,' etc.: — Observe that Acheron, the river of the 
 
 infernal regions, is here represented as a burning lake — one of the 
 
 126
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Notes 
 
 Poet's frequent uses of license. Compare the imagery of the 
 passage with i Henry IV., I. iii. 203-205 : — 
 
 " Or dive into the bottom of the deep, 
 Where fathom-line could never touch the ground, 
 And pluck up drowned honour by the locks." 
 
 Scene IV. 
 
 108 et seq. The following observations of Lloyd afford light 
 alike on what is past and what is to follow : " After Lucius has 
 betaken himself to the Goths, and Titus is giving way to half- 
 crazy laments and insults to the Emperor, there is considerable 
 melodramatic excitements produced by the uncertainty whether 
 Tamora, who proposes to ' temper that old Andronicus with all 
 the art she has, to pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths,' 
 may not succeed in her plan. Even after Titus, whether in sane 
 or madman method, has cat the throats of Chiron and Demetrius, 
 we feel apprehension lest Lucius may be deceived, and even his 
 precautions frustrated. The reader is relieved, and the catas- 
 trophe arrives when [V. iii.] Titus having killed Lavinia first, 
 then stabs Tamora, whom he had caused to eat unwittingly of the 
 flesh of her own sons. It is in harmony with the character of 
 Titus as delineated all through the play, that to the last he does 
 not appear to meditate violence against Saturninus. He falls him- 
 self by the hand of the Emperor, who finds an executioner in 
 Lucius, exasperated at the sight of his father's death." 
 
 ACT FIFTH. 
 Scene L 
 
 121 et seq. "It has been said," remarks Knight, "that 'there is 
 not a shade of difference between the two Moors, Eleazar and 
 Aaron.' Eleazar is a character in Lust's Dominion, incorrectly 
 attributed to Aiarlowe. Trace the cool, determined, sarcastic, 
 remorseless villain. Aaron, through these blood-spilling scenes, 
 and see if he speaks in ' King Cambyses' vein,' as Eleazar speaks 
 in the following lines : — 
 
 * Now, Tragedy, thou minion of the night, 
 Rhamnusia's pew-fellow, to thee I '11 sing 
 
 127
 
 Notes THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 upon an harp made of dead Spanish bones — 
 The proudest instrument the world affords; 
 When thou in crimson jolHty shall bathe 
 Thy limbs, as black as mine, in springs of blood 
 Still gushing from the conduit-head of Spain. 
 To thee that never blushest, though thy cheeks 
 Are full of blood, O Saint Revenge, to thee 
 I consecrate my murders, all my stabs. 
 My bloody labours, tortures, stratagems. 
 The volume of all wounds that wound from me ; 
 Mine is the Stage, thine the Tragedy.' 
 
 It appears manifest that, although the author of Titus Androni- 
 cus did choose — in common with che best and the most popular 
 of those who wrote for the early stage, but contrary to his after- 
 practice — a subject w'hich should present to his comparatively 
 rude audiences the excitement of a succession of physical hor- 
 rors, he was so far under the control of his higher judgement, 
 that, avoiding their practice, he steadily abstained from making 
 his 'verses jet on the stages in tragical buskins; every word 
 filling the mouth like the faburden of Bow bell, daring God out 
 of heaven with that atheist Tamburlaine, or blaspheming with 
 the mad priest of the sun.' " 
 
 Scene II. 
 
 206. The old ballad thus carries the narrative to the end of this 
 Scene : — 
 
 The Moore, delighting still in villainy 
 
 Did say. to sett my sonnes from prison free, 
 
 I should unto the king my right hand give. 
 
 And then my three imprisoned sonnes should live. 
 
 The Moore I caus'd to strike it ofif with speede. 
 Whereat I grieved not to see it bleed, 
 But for my sonnes would willingly impart. 
 And for their ransome send my bleeding heart. 
 
 But as my life did linger thus in paine. 
 They sent to me my bootless hand againe, 
 And therewithal the heades of my three sonnes, 
 Which filled my dying heart with fresher moanes. 
 
 128
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Notes 
 
 Then past reliefe I tipp and downe did goe, 
 And with my tears writ in the dust my woe : 
 I shot my arrowes towards heaven hie, 
 And for revenge to hell did often crye. 
 
 The empresse then, thinking that I was mad. 
 Like furies she and both her sonnes were clad 
 (She nam'd Revenge, and Rape and Murder they), 
 To undermine and heare what I would say. 
 
 I fed their foolish veines a certaine space, 
 Untill my friendes did find a secret place, 
 Where both her sonnes unto a post were bound, 
 And just revenge in cruell sort w^as found. 
 
 I cut their throates, my daughter held the pan 
 Betwixt her stumpes. wherein the bloud it ran : 
 And then I ground their bones to powder small, 
 And made a paste for pyes straight therewithall. 
 
 Scene III. 
 
 " The Poet," says a critic, " grinds his red colour with stintless 
 liberality, and might seem to sit down to his task fresh from the 
 bloody conflicts of the bear-garden, as he expected an audience 
 whose tastes were trimmed to such a school. But even here it 
 may be we recognize the hand of Shakespeare — the prentice hand. 
 The horrors of the tragedy are scarcely greater than occur in his 
 own masterpieces, or in those of mighty dramatists his prede- 
 cessors, they are matched in Hamlet, in Lear, in (Edipiis Tyran- 
 nus ; but they are not relieved and counterbalanced by the other 
 aids of tragic art in its highest form, that enable us to read the 
 plays enumerated with equable satisfaction and delight. Shake- 
 speare's early plays for the most part exhibit severally some 
 single of his resources in excess, some one of his powers luxu- 
 riant to rankness at the expense of, as if unknown to, the others. 
 In Titus Andronicus this predominance is allowed to the quality 
 that even in tragedy least admits such license, barbarous execu- 
 tion and revolting cruelty." 
 
 60 et seq. The old ballad concludes : — 
 
 Then with their fleshe I made two mighty pyes, 
 And at a banquet, served in stately wise, 
 
 129
 
 Notes THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 Before the empresse set this loathsome meat; 
 So of her sonnes own flesh she well did eat. 
 
 Myselfe bereav'd my daughter then of life, 
 The empresse then I slewe with bloudy knife, 
 And stabb'd the emperotir immediatelie. 
 And then myself : even soe did Titus die. 
 
 Then this revenge against the Moore was found, 
 Alive they sett him halfe into the ground, 
 Whereas he stood untill such time he starv'd. 
 And soe God send all murderers may be serv'd. 
 
 64. [Kills Titus.] Ulrici makes this comment, which sums up 
 the chief tragic features of the play : " That the hero is not un- 
 deservedly overpowered by his tragic fate, is evident if, on the 
 one hand, we consider the cold-blooded indifference with which 
 he causes Tamora's eldest son to be conducted as a victim to the 
 sacrifice — an act of cruelty in which his own sons take part ; on 
 the other hand, the passionate heat in which he strikes down his 
 own child for a pardonable opposition to his will, and finally the 
 fearful inhuman revenge he takes upon the doubtless equally in- 
 human queen. Moreover, poetical justice is also satisfied by the 
 common ruin which in the end overtakes all those that are guilty. 
 Lastly, it must not be overlooked that the foundation of the 
 whole is based upon those later days of the Roman empire, 
 which, as is well known, were so full in horrible deeds of every 
 description, and that the history of the time almost outstrips the 
 boldest imagination. The character of the age forms so deci- 
 dedly the background of the whole picture, that the piece thereby 
 somewhat resembles the historical dramas, and, accordingly, 
 ought to be viewed and examined by no other than the spirit of the 
 age. When this is done it will be found that the tragic element, 
 in this case, could not have been represented otherwise; and it 
 may be asked, if horror does really exist in history, why should 
 not the tragic element sometimes also assume this form ? " 
 
 130
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS 
 
 Questions on Titus Andronicus. 
 
 T. Give some account of early editions; of critical opinion as 
 to date of composition. 
 
 2. What can you say regarding the source of the plot ? Is the 
 original story historical, or wholly fictitious? 
 
 3. Was Rome, at any time during the rule of the emperors 
 seated there, at war with the Goths? 
 
 4. What time is covered by the play as represented on the 
 stage ? 
 
 ACT FIRST. 
 
 5. State the significance of the respective appeals of Saturninus 
 and Bassianus in the opening speeches. What effect has the coun- 
 sel of Marcus Andronicus upon the rival brothers? 
 
 6. What impression is here given of the character, services, and 
 influence of Titus? 
 
 7. Does the mutual submission of the rivals to the people's 
 favour bear the marks of sincerity and magnanimity? 
 
 8. Is the note of heroism strongly sounded in the first speech 
 of Titus, Hail, Rome, etc.? In the closing lines do you feel 
 pathos and tenderness? Are they dramatically effective? The 
 first six lines are thought to be of Shakespearian quality : do you 
 find them so? 
 
 9. Lucius demands tJie proudest prisoner of the Goths as a sac- 
 rifice to the shades of his brothers : does this illustrate Roman 
 custom? Explain lines 100, loi. 
 
 10. Who is yielded by Titus for the sacrifice? Name the 
 qualities shown in Tamora's remonstrance against the killing 
 of her son. What is meant (line 130) by irreligious piety"? 
 
 11. Does the speech of Demetrius, Oppose not Scythia, etc., ex- 
 hibit a spirit much different from that of the proud Romans? 
 
 12. How does Lavinia's first speech commend her? 
 
 13. Does Titus show himself magnanimous in refusing the 
 enipery, or is he determined solely by the desire of a staff of 
 honour for his age, but not a sceptre to control the world? I^ 
 
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 Questions THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 his self-denial — if that it be — mistaken in giving way to such a 
 corrupt man as Saturninus? Might he not without blame have ac- 
 cepted the crown? 
 
 14. What is foreshadowed by the insolent behaviour of Satur- 
 ninus in this scene with the tribunes? 
 
 15. How does Saturninus (238-240) offer to begin his ad- 
 vancement of the name and family of Titus? 
 
 16. Comment on the sort of loyalty which makes Titus com- 
 pletely surrender to Saturninus, even to supporting him in de- 
 priving Bassianus of his betrothed Lavinia. In this last action 
 is Titus moved by ambition to have his daughter an empress, or 
 is he, soldier-like, blindly obedient? Account for his want of 
 moral vision in this matter, and for his ferocity in killing his 
 rightly protesting son Mutius. 
 
 17. Failing to get Lavinia, whom does Saturninus quickly 
 choose for his queen? What is Tamora's oath to him? 
 
 18. At this point how is the change of attitude on the part of 
 Saturninus towards Titus foreshadowed? 
 
 19. How is the implacability of Titus shown at the burial of 
 Mutius? Summarize the rest of the Scene. 
 
 20. Does Tamora yet begin to reveal her purpose of vengeance 
 on the family of Titus? Is her hypocrisy transparent? In this 
 procedure do you regard her or Saturninus as principal? 
 
 21. What political conditions does this Scene represent? Are 
 they consistent with Roman history? Are they consistently pre- 
 sented here? 
 
 22. Do you observe such defects of versification — monotony, 
 tameness, etc. — in the first Act as afford internal evidence against 
 the authenticity of the play? See lines 117-119 and 141, 142, and 
 say whether you attribute them to Shakespeare, and if so, why. 
 
 ACT SECOND. 
 
 23. Describe the self-revelation of Aaron upon his entrance. 
 What is its foreshadowing of the plot? 
 
 24. What signifies the quarrel of Demetrius and Chiron and the 
 intervention of Aaron? 
 
 25. In what other play are there passages similar to Sc. i., 
 lines 82,83? Mention two proverbs in lines closely following. 
 
 26. Is the cruel craftiness, the revolting villainy of Aaron in 
 his suggestions to the brothers portrayed with Shakespeare's skill, 
 
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 TITUS ANDRONICUS Questions 
 
 or must we here suppose another hand? Lines i-6 of Sc. ii. are 
 by some considered worthy of Shakespeare : do you recognize his 
 manner here? 
 2.J. For what is this short Scene a dramatic preparation? 
 
 28. Lines 10-15 of Sc. iii. are much claimed for Shakespeare: 
 what quahty of his do you find in them? 
 
 29. Knight calls Tamora " the presiding genius of the piece " : 
 is her supremacy already felt? How is the plot advanced by this 
 passage between her and Aaron? 
 
 30. What imports the dialogue following between Bassianus, 
 Tamora, and Lavinia? 
 
 31. Do the wrongs of Tamora mitigate our detestation of her 
 in the atrocities which she now assists to perpetrate? 
 
 32. What womanly traits come out most plainly here in La- 
 vinia? Repeat some of her more striking words. 
 
 ZZ' Measure the vindictiveness of Tamora by what she says in 
 lines 187-189, and the diabolical ingenuity of Aaron by what 
 directly follows. Which has the larger resources for compassing 
 evil? 
 
 34. Titus has already shown weakness in his relations with 
 Saturninus : comment on his display of it in kneeling to the 
 emperor, who has wrongly accused his sons. 
 
 35. Is Titus capable of strength when away from his camp and 
 involved in civil embroilments? 
 
 2^6. Is anything indicated as to the development of the plot by 
 the long speech of Marcus in Sc. iv. ? 
 
 ACT THIRD. 
 
 yj. What contrast is presented at the opening of this Act be- 
 tween Titus and Lucius? 
 
 38. Does not Titus reach the extremity of weakness in con- 
 tinuing to plead with the tribunes, although he feels them to be 
 more hard than stonesl 
 
 39. Is the show of force on the part of Lucius any less futile at 
 this point than the maunderings of his father? 
 
 40. Describe the emotional qualities exhibited after the en- 
 trance of Marcus and Lavinia. 
 
 41. Lines 82-86 and 91-97 of Sc. i. are pointed out as probably 
 Shakespeare's: do you perceive anything which distinguishes 
 them in manner or quality from their context? 
 
 42. Consider tne dominant motive in Titus when he submits 
 
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 Questions THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 to the loss of his hand: is it unmixed paternal solicitude? Who 
 offer to make the sacrifice in his stead? Is the firmness of Titus 
 at this moment heroic? 
 
 43. When does Titus first become fully aware of the injuries 
 done to him by Chiron and Demetrius? 
 
 44. Does he show signs of being aroused to the real conditions 
 after the emperor sends him the heads of his two sons along with 
 the hand which he had cut off to ransom them? 
 
 45. What does Titus bid Lucius do in preparation for revenge, 
 and what does Lucius say in response? 
 
 46. Compare this mood of Titus with the description given of 
 him by his brother Marcus in the fourth Act (Sc. i.. line 129) : 
 But yet so just that he will not revenge. 
 
 47. Does what we have seen of him warrant this estimate of 
 Titus? 
 
 48. What is the purpose of Sc. ii. of the third Act? Does it 
 contribute anything to the action? 
 
 49. Interpret the language and action of Titus and Marcus on 
 the killing of a fly. 
 
 50. Why is the Boy introduced? 
 
 ACT FOURTH. 
 
 51. Explain the opening passage between Lavinia and the Boy. 
 
 52. What does Lavinia succeed in conveying by means of the 
 book? By w^hat device does she finally reveal the crime of Chiron 
 and Demetrius against her? 
 
 53. If she was thus to make disclosure, what need for the 
 author to have her hands chopped off and her tongue cut out? 
 Is this a gratuitous heaping up of horror? 
 
 54. Titus appeals to the great ruler of the skies — Magni Domi- 
 nator poli, etc. : from what Roman tragedy is this, with slight al- 
 teration, taken? 
 
 55. What is suggested by the dialogue just below, between 
 Titus and the Boy? 
 
 56. Marcus had tried to calm Titus after his appeal to the 
 ruler of the skies : what do you say of the appeal to the heavens 
 wherewith Marcus himself closes Sc. i.? 
 
 57. What is foreshown of the approaching mental state of 
 Titus by the works of Aaron in Sc. ii., line 3? What by the ironi- 
 cal astuteness of the Boy in his passage with Chiron and Deme- 
 trius? 
 
 134
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Questions 
 
 58. Give the meaning of the celebrated lines (20, 21) from 
 Horace, and the significance of their introduction here. How are 
 they taken by Chiron, Aaron, and Demetrius? How does the 
 brutal cynicism of these three affect us? 
 
 59. In this scene with the Nurse does not Aaron, the fiendish 
 reveller in wickedness and cruelty, show something of human 
 affection in protecting his offspring from the sons of Tamora? 
 Is this a natural touch? 
 
 60. Does Aaron in this scene betray resentment against nature 
 for his blackness, as Richard III. did for his deformity? 
 
 61. Does the metrical quality of Aaron's address to his child, 
 at the end of Sc. ii., show the Shakespearian ear? 
 
 62. In Sc. iii. is the madness of Titus real or feigned? If real, 
 is it partial or complete? What signify his laments and his in- 
 sults to the emperor? 
 
 63. What does Sc. iv. show as to the effect of Titus's affronts? 
 As to Tamora's influence with the emperor? 
 
 64. How could Titus treat the emperor so and not be put to 
 death? Has news of the approach of Lucius with an army any- 
 thing to do with this? 
 
 65. How docs Tamora persuade Saturninus to temporize? 
 What does she promise to undertake with Titus? 
 
 66. For what purpose does the Clown appear in Scs. iii. and iv. ? 
 6j. Lines 81-86 of the fourth Scene — do they seem to you, as 
 
 to some critics they do, to be Shakespeare's? "There is not," 
 says Swinburne, " a single passage in Titus Andronicus more 
 Shakespearian than the magnificent quatrain [83-86] of Tamora 
 upon the eagle and the little birds." Does your studv confirm 
 this? 
 
 ACT FIFTH. 
 
 68. According to Lucius, in the opening speech, how does the 
 emperor stand with his people? 
 
 69. How does Lucius advise the great lords to take advantage 
 of the situation? 
 
 70. How do the Goths acclaim and pledge themselves to Lu- 
 cius? 
 
 71. Describe the taking of Aaron with the child. 
 
 72. What is meant in Sc. i., line 42? 
 
 72,- Does Aaron show subtlety and address in making parley 
 with Lucius, or does he simply present a compelling motive? 
 74. Characterize Aaron's cold-blooded recital of crimes. Do 
 
 135
 
 Questions THE TRAGEDY OF 
 
 you recall any parallel to his gloating over those atrocities, both 
 on his own account and that of the empress? Must we not 
 sympathize in the judgement of Lucius that hanging is too good 
 for such a miscreant? 
 
 75. What is the errand of ^milius? How does Lucius treat it? 
 
 76. Who come at the opening of Sc. ii. to visit Titus, and what 
 is their mission? How does Titus receive them? His speech, 
 lines 21-27, is among those regarded as Shakespearian in manner. 
 Do you so regard it? 
 
 ']'^. Do Tamora and her sons completely impose upon Titus in 
 the parley, or does he see through their disguises? Is he hood- 
 winked into sending for Lucius? What means Tamora (line 
 139) by our determined jest? Is Titus self-poised when he says, 
 / kno7u them all, though they suppose me mad, etc.? Does he 
 neatly trap Chiron and Demetrius at last? 
 
 78. When Titus cuts the throats of these two, is it in keeping 
 with what has been seen of Lavinia that she should have nerve 
 to hold 'tzveen her stumps the basin to receive their blood? 
 
 79. Is the long speech of Titus which ends the Scene dramati- 
 cally regular inasmuch as it recites what is already known to the 
 spectator and announces deeds yet to be performed? 
 
 80. With what motive does Titus kill Lavinia? 
 
 81. Is Saturninus prepared to punish Chiron and Demetrius 
 when (Sc. iii. 59) he asks to have them brought before him? 
 
 82. Docs not Titus, by killing Tamora instantly upon telling 
 her of the contents of the pie, balk his own dearest revenge? 
 Why is Tamora not allowed to survive and suffer for a while 
 from the horrible revelation? 
 
 83. This being the catastrophe, could anything have been fitly 
 done other than to have Saturninus kill Titus, and Lucius in 
 turn kill the emperor? Until this moment could it have been 
 certain that the plot to frustrate Lucius might not succeed? 
 
 84. How do the political conditions at the end of the play accord 
 with those shown at the beginning? Was there anything in the 
 contemporary politics of states which might have influenced the 
 writer or writers of the drama? 
 
 85. Is poetic justice, as well as political exigency, served in 
 making Lucius emperor? 
 
 86. Do lines 160-168 of Sc. iii. appear to you, as to some com- 
 mentators, to be in all probability Shakespeare's? What impres- 
 sion is here made by the reappearance of the Boy, the words 
 spoken to him by Lucius, and the Boy's reply? 
 
 136
 
 TITUS ANDRONICUS Questions 
 
 87. Is the character of Aaron rightly finished by causing him to 
 persist stubbornly to the last in his malignancy? 
 
 88. Is anything gained in dramatic effect by reserving him for 
 such a frightful death? 
 
 89. Lloyd finds that the Greek names of Chiron and Demetrius, 
 as well as other features, give a Byzantine colour to the play, and 
 he thinks that the plot may owe much to the story of Belisarius. 
 Do you see anything suggestive in this? 
 
 90. Does the character of Aaron lead in your thoughts to 
 reminiscences of Othello or Shylock? Is Aaron a character of 
 iinmingled ferocity? Is there in his devilishness an element of 
 glee which makes him more diabolical than lago or any other 
 villain of Shakespeare's? 
 
 91. Swinburne says that Titus Androniciis has a "quality of 
 exceptional monstrosity, a delight in the parade of mutilation as 
 well as of massacre." Is not such a drama too revolting for the 
 stage? If this play is. as Dowden says, " pre-Shakespearian in 
 tone," is it also throughout sub-Shakespearian in quality? Could 
 it have been the product even of Shakespeare's first attempt? 
 
 92. Baynes declares that Titus Andronicus in many features 
 reflects the form of Roman tragedy. But in the old Roman trage- 
 dies horrors were usually related, not represented. Which is the 
 better way ? 
 
 93. Say what you think of critics w^ho hold not only that 
 Shakespeare did not write Titus Andronicus, but also that he 
 would not have written on such a disgusting subject. Are there 
 kindred scenes of horror in any of the undisputed Shakespearian 
 plays ; if so, are there differences of treatment whereby their 
 effects are modified? 
 
 94. Fleay calls this " a stilted, disagreeable play, with a few 
 fair touches." White thought that it might be the joint work of 
 Greene, Marlowe, and Shakespeare. Hudson would gladly be rid 
 of this " extremely distasteful " play altogether. Give your opin- 
 ions on these points. 
 
 95. Hudson speaks of the power of an author "to distinguish 
 rightly between the broad and vulgar ways of the horrible, and 
 the high and subtile courses of tragic terror." Consider this apt 
 saying in connection with the present play and others with which 
 it may be profitably compared. 
 
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