Enter Tamora.
Must we pursue, and I have found the path.
My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;

Tam. My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thog There will the lovely Roman ladies troop:

sad, The forest walks are wide and spacious ; When every thing doth make a gleeful boast? And many unfrequented plots there are, The birds chant melody on every bush ; Fitted by kind for rape and villany :

The snake lies rolled in the cheerful sun; Single you thither then this dainty doe,

The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind, And strike her home by force, if not by words: And make a chequer'd shadow on the ground: This way, or not at all, stand you in hope. Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let 18 sit, Come, come, our empress, with her sacred wit, And-whilst the babbling echo mocks the bounds, To villany and vengeance consecrate,

Replying shrilly to the well tun'd horns, Will we acquaint with all that we intend; As if a double hunt were heard at once, And she shall file our engines with advice, Let us sit down, and mark their yelling noise : That will not suffer you to square yourselves, And-after conflict, such as was suppos'd But to your wishes' height advance you both The wandering prince and Dido once enjoy'd, The emperor's court is like the house of fame,

When with a happy storm they were surpris'd, The palace full of tongues, of eyes, of ears : And curtain'd with a counsel-keeping cave,The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf, and dull ; We may, each wreathed in the other's arms, There speak, and strike, brave boys, and take our pastimes done, possess a golden slumber; your turns :

(eye, While hounds, and horns, and sweet melodious There serve your last, shadow'd from heaven's

birds, And revel in Lavinia's treasury.

Be unto us, as is a nurse's song
Chi. Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice. Or lullably, to bring her babe å sleep.
Dem. Sit fas aut nefas, till I find the steam

Aar. Madamn, though Venus govern your de To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits,

sires, Per Styga, per manes vehor. (Exeunt. Saturn is dominator over mine; SCENE II.

What signifies my deadly standing eye,

My silence, and my cloudy melancholy? A Forest near Rome. A lodge seen at a dis

My fleece of woolly hair that now uncurls, tance. Horns, and cry of Hounds heard.

Even as an adder, when she doth unroll Enter Titus Andronicus, with Hunters, &c. Mar- To do some fatal execution ? cus, Lucius, Quintus, and Martius.

No, madam, these are no venereal signs; Tit. The hunt is up, the morn is bright and gray,

Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand, The fields are fragrant, and the woods are green? Blood and revenge are hammering in my head.

Hark, Tamora, -the empress of my soul,
U couple her, and let us make a bay,
And wake the emperor and his lovely bride,

Which never hopes more heaven than rest in
And rouse the prince ; and ring a hunter's peal, This ie the day of doom for Bassianus ;
That all the court may echo with the noise.
Sons, let it be your charge, as it is ours,

His Philomel must lose her tongue in-day:
To tend the emperor's person carefully : Thy sons make pillage of her chastity,
I have been troubled in my sleep this night,

And wash their hands in Bassianus' blood.

Seest thou this letter ? take it up, I pray thee, Bat dawning day new comfort bath inspir'd. Horns wind a Peal. Enter Saturninus, Tamora, Now question me no more, we are espied;

And give the king this fatal-plotted scroll Bassianus, Lavinia, Chiron, Demetrius, and Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty Attendants.

Which dreads not yet their lives' destruction. Tit. Many good morrows to your majesty ; Tam. Ah, my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than Madam, to you as many and as good!

life! I proinised your grace a hunter's peal.

Aar. No more, great empress, Bassianus cornes; Sat. And you have rung it lustily, my lords, Be cross with him; and I'll go fetch thy sons Somewhat too early for new married ladies. To back thy quarrels, whatsoe'er they be. Bas. Lavinia, how say you ?

[Exit. Lav.

I say, no;

Enter Bassianus and Lavinia. I have been broad awake two hours and more. Set. Come on then, horse and chariots let us Bas. Who have we bere ? Rome's royal em have,

peresa, And to our sport :-Madam, now shall ye see Unfurnish'd' of her well beseeming troop? Our Roman hunting,

[To Tamora. Or is it Dian, habited like her; Mar. I have dogs, my lord,

Who hath abandoned her holy groves, Will rouse the proudest panther in the chase, To see the general hunting in this forest ? And climb the highest promontory top.

Tam. Saucy controller of our private steps! Tit. And I have horse will follow where the Had I the power, that, some say, Dian hai, game

Thy temples should be planted presently Makes way, and run like swallows o'er the plain. With horns, as was Acizon's; and the hounda Dem. Chiron, we hunt not, we, with horse nor Should drive upon thy new transformed limbs, hound,

Unmannerly intruder as thou art ! But hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground. Lav. Under your patience, gentle emperess,

[Ereunt. 'Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horningi SCENE III. A desert part of the Forest.

And to be doubted, that your Moor and you

Are singled forth to try experiments :
Enter Aaron, with a Bag of Gold.

Jove shield your husband from his hounds to Aar. He, that had wit, would think that I had day! none,

'Tis pity they should take him for a stag. To bury so much gold under a tree,

Bas. Believe ine, queen, your swarth Cimme And never after to inherit it.

rian Let him, that thinks of me so abjectly,

Doth make your honour of his body's hue, Know, that this gold

must coin a stratagem; Spotted, detested, and abominable. Which, cunningly effected, will beget

Why are you sequester'd from all your train! A very excellent piece of villany;

Dismounted from your snow-white goodly steed, And so repose, sweet gold, for their unrest, And wander'd hither to an obscure plot,

[Hides the gold. Accompanied with a barbarous Moor, That have their alms out of the empress chest if foul desire had not conducted you ?

Lav. And, being intercepted in your sport, The milk, thou suck'dst from her, did turn to Great reason that my noble lord be rated

marble; For sauciness.- pray you, let us hence,

Even at thy leat thou hadst thy tyranny.And let her 'joy her raven-colour'd love; Yet every mother breeds not sons alike; This valley fits the purpose passing well.

Do thou entreat her show a woman pity. Bas. The king, my brother, shall have note of

To Chiron. this.

Chi. What! would'st thou have me prove my. Lav. Ay, for these slips have made him noted self a basta rd ? long :

Lav. 'Tis true: the raven doth not hatch a lark; Good king; to be so mightily abus'd!

Yet I have heard (0 could I find it now 1)
Tam. Why have 1 patience to endure all this? The lion mov'd with pity, did endure

To have his princely paws par'd all away.
Enter Chiron and Demetrius.

Sorne say that ravens foster forlorn children, Dem. How now, dear sovereign, and our gra. The whilst their own birds famish in their nests; cious mother,

0, be to me, though thy hard heart say no, Why doth your highness look so pale and wan? Nothing so kind, but something pitiful! Tam. Have I not reason, think you, to look Tam. I know not what it means ; away with pale ?

her. These two have tic'd me hither to this place,

Lev. O, let me teach thee: for my father's sake, A barren detested vale, you see, it is:

That gave thee life, when well he might have The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean,

slain thee, O'ercome with moss, and baleful misleide. Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears. Here never shines the sun, here nothing breeds,

Tam. Had thou in person ne'er offended me, Unless the nightly owl, or fatal raven.

Even for his sake am I pitiless :And, when they show'd me this abhorred pit, Remember, boys, ! pour'd forth tears in vain, They told me, here, at dead time of the night, To save your brother from the sacrifice; A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes,

But fierce Andronicus would not relent. Ten thousand swelling toads, as many urchins, Therefore away with her, and use her as you will; Would make such fearful and confused cries, The worse to her, the better lov'd of me. As any mortal body, hearing it,

Lav. 0 Tamora, be call'd a gentle queen, Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly. And with thine own hands kill me in ihis place: No sooner had they told this bellish tale, For 'tis not life, that I have begg'd so long; But straight they told me, they would bind me Poor I was slain, when Bassianus died. here

Tam. What begg'st thou then 7 fond woman, Unto the body of a dismal yew;

let me go And leave me to this miserable death.

Lav. 'Tis present death I beg; and one thing And then they call'd me, foul adulteress,

more, Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms That womanhood denies my tongue to tell : That ever ear did hear to such effect.

O, keep me from their worse than killing lust, And, had you not by wondrous fortune come,

And tumble me into some loathsome pit; This vengeance on me had they executed: Where never man's eye may behold my body : Revenge it, as you love your mother's life, ? Do this, and be a charitable murderer. Or be ye not henceforth call'd my children. Tam So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee; Dem. This is a witness that I ain thy son. No, let them satisfy their lust on thee.

[Stabs Bassianus. Dem, Away, for thou hast staid us here too Chi. And this for me, struck home to show my long.

strength. (Stabbing him likewise. Lav. No grace? no womanhood ? Ah, beastly Lav. Ay, come, Semiramis,-nay, barbarous creature ! Tamora!

The blot and enemy to our general name! For no name fits thy nature but thy own! Confusion fall Tam. Give me thy poniard; you shall know, Chi. Nay, then I'll stop your mouth :-Bring my boys,

thou her husband : | Dragging off Lavinia. Your mother's hand shall right your mother's This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him. wrong

[Ereunt. Dem. Stay, madam, here is more belongs to Tam. Farewell, my sons ; see that you make her ;

her sure ; First, thrash the corn, then after burn the straw: Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed, This minion stood upon her chastity,

Till all the Andronici be made away, Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty,

Now will I hence, to seek my lovely Moor, And with that painted hope braves your mighti- And let my spleenful sons this trull deflower. ness:

(Exit. And shall she carry this unto her grave ?

SCENE IV. The same.
Chi. An if she do, I would I were a eunuch.
Drag hence her husband to some secret hule,

Enter Aaron, with Quintus and Martius. And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust. Aar. Come on, my lords ; the better foot before:

Tam. But when you have the honey you desire, Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit, Let not this wasp outlive, us both to sting. Where I espy'd the panther fast asleep. Chi. I warrant you, madam; we will make Quin. My sight is very dull, whate'er it bodes. that sure.

Mart. And mine, I promise you ; wer't not for Come, mistress, now, perforce, we will enjoy shame, That nice-preserved honesty of yours.

Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile. Lav. 0 Tamora ! thou bear'st a woman's

(Martius falls into the pit. face,

Quin. What, art thou fallen 1 What subtle hole Tam. I will not hear her speak; away with her. is this, Lao. Sweet Lords, entreat her hear me but a Whose mouth is cover'd with rude-growing word.

briars ; Dem. Listen, fair madam: Let it be your glory Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood, To see her tears : but be your heart to them, As fresh as morning's dew distill'd on flowers ? As unrelenting flint to drops of rain.

A very fatal place it seems to me :Lav. When did the tiger's young ones teach Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall 3 the dam ?

Mart. 0, brother, with the dismall'st object , do not learn her wrath; she taught it thoe That ever eye, with sight, made heart lament

Aar. [Aside.) Now will I fetch the king to find Sweet huntsman, Bassianus 'tis we mean,them here:

Do thou so much as dig the grave for him; That he thereby may give a likely guess, Thou know'st our meaning: Look for thy How these were they that made away his bro reward ther.

[Erit Aaron. Among the nettles at the elder tree, Mart. Why dost not comfort me, and help me which overshades the mouth of that same pit, out

Where we decreed to bury Bassianus. From this unhallow'd, and blood-stain'd hole? Do this, and purchase us thy lasting friends Quin. I am surprised with an uncouth fear: 0, Tanora; was ever heard the like? A chilling sweat o'erruns my trembling joints; This is the pit, and this the elder tree: My heart suspects more than mine eye can see. Look, sirs, if you can find the huntsman out, Mart. To prove thou hast a true divining

heart, That should have murdler'd Bassianus here. Aaron and thou look down into this den, Aar. My gracious lord, here is the bag of gold. And see a fearful sight of blood and death.

[Showing it Quin. Aaron is gone ; and my compassionate Sat. Two of thy whelps, [To Tit.) fell cars of heart

bloody kind, Will not permit mine eyes once to behold Have here bereft my brother of his life The thing, whereat it trembles by surmise: Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison; 0, tell me how it is; for ne'er till now

There let them bide, until we have devis'd Was I a child, to fear I know not what. Some never-heard of torturing pain for them.

Mart. Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here, Tam. What are they in this pit ? O wondrous All on a heap like to a slaughter'd lamb,

thing! In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit. How easily murder is discovered! Quin. If it be dark, how dost thou know 'tis he? Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee Mart. Upon his bloody finger he doth wear I beg this boon, with tears noi lightly shed, A precious ring, that lightens all the hole, That this fell fault of my accursed sons, Which, like a taper in some monument, Accursed, if the fault be prov'd in them,Doth shine upon the dead man's earthy cheeks,

Sat. If it be prov'd! you see, it is apparent And shows the ragged entrails of this pit:

Who found this letter ? Tamora, was it you? So pale did shine the moon on Pyrams,

Tam. Andronicus himself did take it up. When he by night lay bath'd in maiden blood. Tit. I did, my lord: yet let me be their bail : O brother, help me with thy fainting hand,

For by my father's reverend tomb, I vow, If fear hath made thee faint, as me it hath, They shall be ready at your highness' will, Out of this fell devouring receptacle,

To answer their suspicion with their lives As hateful as Cocytus' misty mouth.

Sat. Thou shalt not bail them : see, thou fal Quin. Reach me thy hand, that I may help low me. thee out;

Some bring the murder'd body, some the mear Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good, derers: I may be pluck'd into the swallowing womb Let them not speak a word, the guilt is plain; of this deep pit, poor Bassianus' grave. For, by my soul, were there worse end than I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink.

death, Mart. Nor I no strength to climb without thy That end upon them should be executed.

Tam. Andronicus, I will entreat the king : Quin. Thy hand once more; I will not loose Fear not thy sons, they shall do well enough. again,

T'it. Come, Lucius, come: stay not to talk Till thou art here aloft, or I below:

with them.

[Ereunt sederally. Thou canst not come to me, I come to thee.

SCENE V. The same.

[Falls in Enter Saturninns and Aaron.

Enter Demetrius and Chiron, with Lavinia,

ravished; her Hands cut of, and her Tongue Sat. Along with me :-I'll see what hole is here,

cut out. And what he is, that now is leap'd into it. Say, who art thou, that lately didst descend Dern. So now go tell, an if thy tongue can Into this gaping hollow of the earth?

speak, Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus; Who't was that cut thy tongue,and ravish'd thee. Brought hither in a most unlucky hour,

Cht. Write down thy mind, bewray thy meanTo find thy brother Bassianus dead.

ing so; Sat. My brother dead? I know, thou dost but And, if thy stumps will let thee, play the scribe jest :

Dem. See, how with signs and tokens she can He and his lady both are at the lodge,

scowl. Upon the north side of this pleasant chase ; Chi. Go home, call for sweet water, wash thy 'Tis not an hour since I left him there.

hands. Mart. We know not where you left him all Dem. She hath no tongue to call, nor hands 10 alive,

wash : But, out alas ! here have we found him dead. And so let's leave her to her silent walks.

Chi. An 'twere my case, I should go hang my Enter Tamora, with Attendants; Titus Andro self. nicus, and Lucius.

Dem. If thou hadst hands to belp thee knit the Tam. Where is my lord, the king ?

(Eseunt Dem. and Ch Sat. Here, Tamora ; though griev'd with killing grief.

Enter Marcus. Tam. Where is thy brother Bassianus ? Mar. Who's this,-my niece, that flies aways Sat. Now to the bottom dost thou search my

fast ? wound;

Cousin, a word ; Where is your husband ? Poor Bassianus here lies murdered.

If I do dream, would all my wealth would wake Tam. Then all too late I bring this fatal writ. me!

Giving a Letter. If I do wake, some planet strike me down, The complot of this timeless tragedy :

That I may slumber in eternal sleep! Aud wonder greatly, that man's face can fold Speak, gentle niece, what stern ungentle hands In pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny,

Have lopp'd, and 'hew'd, and made thy body Sal (Reads.). An if we miss to meet him

bare handsomely,

Of ber two branches? those sweet ornaments,

help.

cord.

Whose circling shadows kings have sought to And let me say, that never wept before,
sleep in ;

My tears are now prevailing orators.
And might not gain so great a happiness, Luc. 0, noble father, you lament in vain ;
As half ihy love? Why dost not speak to me — The tribunes hear you not, no man is by,
Alas, a crimson river of warm blood,

And you recount your sorrows to a stone.
Like to a bubbling fountain stirr'd with wind, Tit. Ah, Lucius, for thy brothers let me plead;
Doth rise and fall between thy rosed lips, Grave tribunes, once more I entreat of you.
Coming and going with thy honey breath. Luc. My gracious lord, no tribune hears you
But, sure, some Tercus hath deflower'd thee;

speak.
And, lest thou should'st detect him, cut thy Tit. Why, 'tis no matter, man: if they did hear,
tongue.

They would not mark me; or if they did inark,
Ah, now thou turn'st away thy face for shame! They would not pity me; yet plead I must,
And notwithstanding all this loss of blood, - All bootless unto them.
As from a conduit with three issuing spouts, Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones;
Yet do thy cheeks look red as Titan's face, Who, though they cannot answer my distress,
Blushing to be encounter'd with a cloud. Yet in some sort they're better than the tribunes,
Shall I speak for thee ? shall I say, 'tis so? For that they will not intercept my tale ;
0, that I knew thy heart; and knew the beast When I do weep, they humbly at my teet
That I might rail at him to ease my mind! Receive my tears, and seem to weep with me;
Sorrow concealed, like an oven stopp'd, And, were they but attired in grave weeds,
Doth burn the heart to cinders where it is. Rome could afford no tribune like to these.
Fair Philomela, she but lost her tongue, A stone is soft as wax, tribunes more hard than

stones:
But, lovely niece, that mean is cut from thee ;

A stone is silent, and offendeth not;
A craftier Tereus, cousin, hast thou met, And tribunes with their tongues doom men to
And he hath cut those pretty fingers off,

death.
That could have better sew'd than Philomel. But wherefore stand'st thou with thy weapon
0, had the monster seen those lily hands

drawn?
Tremble, like aspen leaves, trpon a lute,

Luc. To rescue my two brothers from their
And make the silken strings delight to kiss them; death:
He would not then have touch'd them for his life: For which attempt, the judges have pronounc'd
Or, had he heard the heavenly harmony, My everlasting doom or 'banishment.
Which that sweet tongue hath made,

Tit. O happy man! they have befriended thee.)
He would have dropp'd his knise, and fell asleep, Why, foolish Lucius, dost thon not perceive,
As Cerberus at the Thracian poet's feet.

That Rome is but a wilderness of tigers?
Come, let us go, and make thy father blind: Tigers must prey; and Roine affords no prey,
For such a sight will blind a father's eye: But me and mine: How happy art thou then,
One hour's storm will drown the fragrant meads; From these devourers 10 be banished ?
What will whole months of tears thy father's But who comes with our brother Marcus here?

eyes?
Do not draw back, for we will mourn with thee;

Enter M& and Lavinia.
O, could our mourning ease thy misery? Mar. Titus, prepare thy aged eyes to weep;

[Ereunt. Or, if not so, thy noble heart io break;

I bring consuining sorrow to thine age.
ACT III.

Tit. Will it consume me? let me see it then.

Mar. This was thy danghter.
SCENE I. Rome. A Street.

Tit. Why, Marcus, so she is.
Enter Senators, Tribunes, and Officers of Jus.

Luc. Ah me! this object kills me !
tice, with Martius and Quintus, bound, pass-

Tit. Faint-hearted boy, arise, and look upon

her :-
ing on to the Place nf Execution: Titus going Speak, my Lavinia, what accursed hand
before, pleading.

Hath made the handless in thy father's sight?
Tit. Hear me, grave fathers ! noble tribunes, What fool hath added water to the sea ?
stay !

Or brought a faggot to bright burning Troy?!
For pity of mine age, whose youth was spent My griet' was at the height before thou camist,
In dangerous wars, whilst you securely slept; And now, like Nilus, it disdaineth bounds.
For all my blood in Rome's great quarrel shed; Give me a sword, l'll chop off my hands too;
For all the frosty nights that I have watch'd; For they have fought for Rome, and all in vain;
And for these bitter tears, which now you see And they have nurs'd this wo, in feeding life;
Filling the aged wrinkles in my cheeks; In bootless prayer have they been held up,
Be pitiful to my condemned sons,

And they have serv'd me to effectless use;
Whose souls are not corrupted as 'tis thought! Now, all the service I require of them
For two and twenty sons I never wept,

Is, that the one will help to cut the other.-
Because they died in honour's lofty bed.

'Tis well, Lavinia, that thou hast no hands;! For these, good tribunes, in the dust I write For hands, to do Rome service, are but vain.

(Throwing himself on the Ground. Luc. Speak, gentle sister, who hath martyr'd
My heart's deep languor, and my soul's sad tears. thee?
Let my tears sianch the earth's dry appetite; Mar. O, that delightful engine of her thoughts,
My sons' sweet blood will make it shame and That blabb'd them with such pleasing eloquence,
blush. (Exeunt Senators, Tribunes, &c. Is torn from forth that pretty hollow cage ;
with the Prisoners.

Where like a sweet melodious bird, it sung
O earth, I will befriend thee more with rain, Sweet varied notes, enchanting every ear!
That shall distil from these two ancient urns, Luc. 0, say thou for her, who hath done this
Than youthful April shall with all his showers : deed ?
In summer's drought, I'll drop upon thee still; Mar. 0, thus I found her, straying in the park,
In winter, with warm tears I'll melt the snow, Seeking to hide herself, as doth the deer,
And keep eternal spring-time on thy face, That hath receiv'd some unrecuring wound.
So thou refuse to drink

my dear sons' blond. Tit. It was my deer : and he, that wounded her, Enter Lucius, with his sword drawn.

Hath hurt me more, than had he kill'd me dead:

For now I stand as one upon a rock,
O, reverend tribunes ! gentle aged men:

Environ'd with a wilderness of sea ;
Unbind my sons, reverse the doom of death ; Wbo marks the waxing tide grow wave by wave,

Expecting ever when some envious surge Writing destruction on the enemy's castle ? Will in his brinish bowels swallow hiin.

0, none of both but are of high desert: This way to death my wretched sons are gone; My hund hath been but idle ; let it serve Here stands my other son, a banish'd man; To ransome my two nephews from their death ; And here, my brother, weeping at my woes; Then have I kept it to a worthy end. But that, which gives my soul the greatest spurn, Aar. Nay, coine agree, whose hand shall go Is dear Lavinia, dearer than my soul.

along, Had I but seen thy picture in this plight, For fear they die before their pardon come. It would have madded me: What shall I do Mar. My hand shall go. Now I behold thy lively body so ?

Luc.

By heaven, it shall not go. Thou hast no hands, to wipe away thy tears ; Til. Sirs, strive no more ; such wither'd herbs Nor longne, to tell me who hath martyr'd thee: as these Thy husband he is dead; and, for his death, Are meet for plucking up, and therefore mine. Thy brothers are condemn'd, and dead by this : Luc. Sweet father, if I shall be thought thy son, Look, Marcus! ah, son Lucius, look on her : Let me redeem my brothers both from death. When I did name her brothers, then fresh tear's Mar. And, for our father's sake, and mother's Stood on her cheeks; as doth the honey dew

care, Upon a gather'd lily almost wither'd.

Now let me show a brother's love to thee. Mar. Perchance, she weeps because they killa Tit. Agree between you; I will spare my hand her husband :

Luc. Then I'll go fetch an axe. Perchance, because she knows them innocent. Mar.

But I will use the axe Tit. If they did kill thy husband, then be joyful

[Ereunt Lucius and Marcus Because the law hath ta'en revenge on them. Tit. Come, hither, Aaron ; I'll deceive them both No, no, they would not do so foul a deed; Lend me thy hand, and I will give thee mine. Witness the sorrow that their sister makes. Aar. If that be call'd deceit, I will be honest, Gentle Lavinia, let me kiss thy lips;

And never, whilst I live, deceive men so :Or make some sign how I may do thee ease : But I'll deceive you in another sort, Shall thy good uncle, and thy brother Lucius, And that you'll say, ere half an hour can pass, And thou, and I, sit round about some sountain ;

(Aside. He cuts of Titus's Hand Looking all downwards, to behold our cheeks

Enter Lucius and Marcus. How they are stain'd ? like meadows, yet

not dry With míry slime left on them by a flood ? Tit. Now, stay your strife : what shall be, s And in the fountain shall we gaze so long,

despatch'd. Till the fresh taste be taken from that clearness, Good Aaron, give his majesty my hand : And made a brine pit with our bitter tears? Tell him it was a hand that warded hin Or shall we cut away our hands, like thine ? From thousand dangers; bid him bury it; Or shall we bite our iongues, and in dumb shows More hath it merited, that let it have. Pass the remainder of our hateful days? As for my sons, say, 1 account of them What shall we do ? let us, that have our tongues, As jewels purchas'd' at an easy price ; Plot some device of further misery,

And yet dear too, because I bought mine OWD. To make us wonder'd at in time to come. Aar. I go, Andronicus: and for thy hand, Luc Sweet father, cease your tears; for, at Look by and by to have thy sons with thee:your grief,

Their heads, I mean.-0, how this villany See, how my wretched sister sobs and weeps.

(Asida Mar. Patience, dear niece :-good Tits, dry Doth fat me with the very thoughts of it! thine eyes.

Let foole do good, and fair men call for grace, Tit. Ah, Marcus, Marcus i brother, well I wot, Aaron will have his soul black like bis face. Thy napkin cannot drink a tear of mine,

(Esite For thou, poor man, hast drown'd it with thine Tit. O, here I lift this one hand up to heaven, own.

And bow this feeble ruin to the earth: Luc. Ah, my Lavinia, I will wipe thy cheeks. If any power pities wretched tears, T'il Mark, Marcus, mark ! I understand her To that I call :-What, wilt thou kneel with me? signs :

(To Lavinia Had she a tongue to speak, now would she say Do then, dear heart; for heaven shall hear our That to her brother, which I said to thee;

prayers; His napkin with his true tears all bewet, Or with our sighs we'll breathe the welkin dim, Can do no service on her sorrowful cheeks, And stain the sun with fog, as sometime clouds , what a sympathy of wo is this!

When they do hug him in their melting bosons As far from help as limbo is from bliss !

Mar. 0! brother, speak with possibilities,

And do not break into these deep extremes. Enter Aaron.

7'it. Is not my sorrow deep, having uo bottom 1 Aar. Titus Andronicus, my lord the emperor Then be my passions bottomless with them. Sends thee this word. -That, if thou love thy sons, Mar. But yet let reason govern thy lament Let Marcus, Lucius, or thyself, old Titus, T'it. If there were reason for these miseries, Or any one of you, chop off your hand, Then into limits could I bind my woes : And send it to the king: he, for the same, When heaven doth weep, doth not the earth Will send thee hither both thy sons alive;

o'erfiow? And that shall be the ransome for their fault. If the winds rage, doth not the sea wax mad, Tit. O, gracious emperor ! O, gentle Aaron! Threat'oing the welkin with his big swolo face ! Did ever raven sing so like a lark,

And wilt thou have a reason for this coil ! That gives sweet tidings of the sun's uprise ? I am the sea ; hark, how her sighs do blow: With all my heart, I'll send the emperor She is the weeping welkin, I the earth : My hand:

Then must my sea be moved with her sighs; Gond Aaron, wilt thou help to chop it off! Then must my earth with her continual tears Luc. Stay, father; for that noble hand of thine, Become a delige, overflow'd and drown'd: That hath thrown down so many enemies, For why ? my bowels cannot hide her woes, Shall not be sent: my hand will serve the turn : But like a drunkard must I vomit them. My youth can better spare my blood than you : Then give me leave; for losers will have leave And therefore mine shall save my brothers' lives. To ease their stomachs with their bitter tongues Mar. Which of your hands hath pot defended Rome,

Enter a Messenger, with Treo Heads and a Hard And rear'd aloft the bloody battleaxe,

Mess. Worthy Andronicus, ill art thou repaid