That dies in tempeft of thy angry frown.
Sat. Rife, Titus, rife, my Emprefs hath prevail'd.
Tit. I thank your Majefty, and her; my Lord,
These words, these looks, infuse new life in me.
Tam. Titus, 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 my honour, good my Lord,
That I have reconcil'd your friends and you.
For you, prince Baffianus, I have past
My word and promife to the Emperor,
That you will be more mild and tractable.
And fear not, Lords; and you, Lavinia,
By my advice all humbled on your knees,
You fhall afk pardon of his Majesty.
Luc. We do, and vow to heaven, and to his Highness,
That what we did was mildly, as we might,
Tend'ring our fifter's honour and our own.
Mar. That on mine honour here I do proteft.
Sat. Away, and talk not, trouble us no more.
Tam. Nay, nay, fweet Emperor, we must all be friends, The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace,
I will not be denied, fweet-heart, look back.
Sat. Marcus, for thy fake and thy brother's here,
And at my lovely Tamora's intreats,
I do remit these young men's hainous faults.
Lavinia, though you left me like a churl,
I found a friend, and fure as death I fwore,
I would not part a batchelor from the priest.
Come, if the Emperor's Court can feast two brides,
You are my gueft, Lavinia, and your friends;
This day fhall be a love-day, Tamora.
Tit. To-morrow, an it please your Majefty
To hunt the panther and the hart with me,
With horn and hound we'll give your Grace Bon-jour.
Sat. Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too!
SCENE I.
ROME. Enter Aaron alone.
WOW climbeth Tamora Olympus' top,
Safe out of fortune's fhot, and fits aloft,
Secure of thunder's crack, or lightning-flash,
Advanc'd above pale envy's threatning reach ;
As when the golden fun falutes the morn,
And having gilt the ocean with his beams,
Gallops the Zodiack in his glift'ring coach,
And overlooks the highest peering hills:
So Tamora.
Upon her will doth earthly honour wait,
And virtue ftoops 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
Haft prifoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains;
And fafter bound to Aaron's charming eyes,
Than is Prometheus ty'd to Caucafus.
Away with flavish weeds, and idle thoughts,
I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold,
To wait upon this new-made Emperefs.
To wait upon, faid I? to wanton with
This Queen, this Goddefs, this Semiramis;
This Siren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine,
And fee his fhipwreck, and his common-weal's.
Holla, what ftorm is this?
SCENE II. Enter Chiron and Demetrius.
Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit wants edge
And manners, to intrude where I am grac'd,
And may, for ought thou know'ft, affected be.
Chi. Demetrius, thou doft overween in all,
And fo in this, to bear me down with braves:
'Tis not the difference of a year or two
Makes me lefs gracious, thee more fortunate;
I am as able, and as fit as thou,
To ferve, and to deserve my mistress' grace ;'
And that my fword upon thee fhall approve,
And plead my passion for Lavinia's love,
Aar, Clubs, clubs! these lovers will not keep the peace. Dem. Why, boy, although our mother (unadvis'd) Gave you a dancing rapier by your fide,
Are you fo defperate grown to threat your friends?
Go to; have your lath glued within your sheath,
'Till you know better how to handle it.
Chi. Mean while, Sir, with the little skill I have,
Full well fhalt thou perceive how much I dare.
Dem. Ay, boy, grow ye fo brave?
Aar. Why, how now, Lords?
So near the Emperor's palace dare you draw?
And maintain fuch 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,
Be fo difhonour'd in the Court of Rome,
For fhame put up.
Chi. Not I, 'till I have fheath'd
My rapier in his bofom, and withal
Thrust these reproachful speeches down his throat,
That he hath breath'd in my dishonour here.
Dem. For that I am prepar'd and full resolv'd,
Foul-fpoken coward! thou thund'reft with thy tongue,
And with thy weapon nothing dar'st perform.
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,
Or Baffianus fo degenerate,
That for her love fuch quarrels may be broacht,
Without controlment, juftice, or revenge?
Young Lords, beware-and fhould the Empress know
This difcord's ground, the mufick would not please.
Chi. I care not, I, knew the and all the world;
I love Lavinia more than all the world.
Dem. Youngling, learn thou to make some better 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.
Dem. Aaron, a thoufand deaths
Would I propose, to atchieve her whom I love.
Aar. To atchieve her-how!
Dem. Why mak'ft thou it so ftrange?
She is a woman, therefore may be woo'd ;
She is a woman, therefore may be won;
She is Lavinia, therefore must be lov'd.
What, man! more water glideth by the mill
Than wots the miller of, and eafie it is
Of a cut loaf to steal a fhive, we know:
Tho' Baffianus be the Emperor's brother,
Better than he have yet worn Vulcan's badge, '
Aar. Ay, and as good as Saturninus may.
Dem. Then why should he defpair, that knows to court it With words, fair looks, and liberality?
What, haft thou not full often ftruck a doe,
And born her cleanly by the keeper's nofe?
Aar. Why then it seems fome certain snatch or fo
Would ferve your turns.
Chi. Ay, fo the turn were ferved.
Dem. Aaron, thou haft hit it.
Aar. Would you had hit it too,
Then fhould not we be tir'd with this ado:
Why, hark ye, hark ye and are you fuch fools
To fquare for this? would it offend you then
That both fhould speed?
Chi. "Faith, not me.
Dem. No, nor me.
Aar. For fhame be friends, and join for that you jar.
'Tis policy and ftratagem muft do
That you affect, and fo muft you refolve,
That what you cannot as you would atchieve,
You must perforce accomplish as you may.
Take this of me, Lucrece was not more chafte
Than this Lavinia, Bassianus' love;
A fpeedier courfe than ling'ring languishment
Muft ye purfue, and I have found the path.
My Lords, a folemn hunting is in hand,
There will the lovely Roman ladies troop:
The foreft walks are wide and fpacious,
And many unfrequented plots there are,
Fitted by kind for rape and villainy :
Single you thither then this dainty doe,
And ftrike her home by force, if not by words:
This way, or not at all, ftand you in hope.
Come, come, our Emprefs with her facred wit
To villainy and vengeance confecrate,
We will acquaint with all that we intend,
And the shall file our engines with advice,
That will not fuffer you to fquare yourselves,
But to your wishes height advance you both.
The Emperor's Court is like the house of Fame,
The palace full of tongues, of eyes, of ears:
The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf and dull:
There fpeak, and ftrike, brave boys, and take your turns.
There ferve your lufts, shadow'd from heav'ns eye,
And revel in Lavinia's treasury.
Chi. Thy counfel, lad, fmells of no cowardise.
Dem. Sit fas aut nefas, 'till I find the stream
To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits,
Per Styga, per Manes vebor.
SCENE III. A Foreft.
Enter Titus Andronicus and bis three Sons, with bounds and borns, and Marcus.
Tit. The hunt is up, the morn is bright and gay,
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 rouze the Prince, and ring a hunter's peal
That all the Court may echo with the noise,
Sons, let it be your charge, as it is ours,
To tend the Emperor's perfon carefully:
I have been troubled in my fleep this night,
But dawning day new comfort hath infpir'd.
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