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branches, which, being dead many years, shall after revive, be jointed to the old stock, and freshly grow; then shall Posthumus end his miseries, Britain be fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty.

Thou, Leonatus, art the lion's whelp;
The fit and apt construction of thy name,
Being Leo-natus, doth import so much:

The piece of tender air, thy virtuous daughter, [To CYM.
Which we call mollis aer; and mollis aer
We term it mulier: which mulier I divine

Is this most constant wife; who even now,
Answering the letter of the oracle,

Unknown to you, unsought, were clipp'd about
With this most tender air.

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This hath some seeming.

Sooth. The lofty cedar, royal Cymbeline,
Personates thee: and thy lopp'd branches point
Thy two sons forth, who, by Belarius stol'n,
For many years thought dead, are now reviv'd,
To the majestic cedar join'd; whose issue
Promises Britain peace and plenty.

Cym.
Well,
By peace we will begin :-and, Caius Lucius,
Although the victor, we submit to Cæsar,
And to the Roman empire; promising
To pay our wonted tribute, from the which
We were dissuaded by our wicked queen;
Whom heavens, in justice both on her and hers,
Have laid most heavy hand.

Sooth. The fingers of the powers above do tune
The harmony of this peace. The vision,
Which I made known to Lucius ere the stroke
Of this yet scarce-cold battle, at this instant
Is full accomplish'd; for the Roman eagle,
From south to west on wing soaring aloft,
Lessen'd herself, and in the beams o' the sun
So vanish'd: which foreshow'd our princely eagle,
The imperial Cæsar, should again unite
His favour with the radiant Cymbeline,
Which shines here in the west.

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

VOL. V.

2 D

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, and afterwards declared Emperor.

BASSIANUS, Brother to SATURNINUS, in love with LAVINIA. TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman, General against the Goths.

MARCUS ANDRONICUS, Tribune of the People, and Brother to TITUS.

LUCIUS,

QUINTUS,

Sons to TITUS ANDRONICUS.

MARTIUS,

MUTIUS,

YOUNG LUCIUS, a Boy, Son to LUCIUS.
PUBLIUS, Son to MARCUS the Tribune.

ÆMILIUS, a noble Roman.

ALARBUS,

DEMETRIUS, Sons to TAMORA.
CHIRON,

AARON, a Moor, beloved by TAMORA.

A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown,—Romans.

Goths and Romans.

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.

SCENE I.-ROME. Before the Capitol.

The Tomb of the ANDRONICI appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft. Enter, below, SATURNINUs and his Followers on one side, and BASSIANUS and his Followers on the other, with drums 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 wore the imperial diadem of Rome:
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, Cæsar's son,

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.

Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUs aloft, with 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,
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:

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