vered with black; then QUINTUS and Lucius. After them, TITUS ANDRONICUS; and then TAMORA, with ALARBUS, CHIRON, DEMETRIUS, AARON, and other Goths, prisoners; Soldiers and People, following. The Bearers set down the Coffin, and TITus speaks. Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds! Lo, as the bark, that hath discharg'd her fraught, From whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage, Here Goths have given me leave to sheath my sword. [The Tomb is opened. 2 Thou great defender of this Capitol,] Jupiter, to whom the Capitol was sacred. To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx?] Here we have one of the numerous classical notions that are scattered with a pedantick profusion through this piece. MALONE. Sweet cell of virtue and nobility, How many sons of mine hast thou in store, Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths, That we may hew his limbs, and, on a pile, Ad manes fratrum sacrifice his flesh, Before this earthly prison of their bones; That so the shadows be not unappeas'd, Nor we disturb'd with prodigies on earth.* Tit. I give him you; the noblest that survivės, The eldest son of this distressed queen. Tam. Stay, Roman brethren;-Gracious conqueror, Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood: 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: ↑ Nor we disturb'd with prodigies on earth.] It was supposed by the ancients, that the ghosts of unburied people appeared to their friends and relations, to solicit the rites of funeral. › Patient yourself, &c.] Patient is here a verb. To this your son is mark'd; and die he must, Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety! Chi. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous ? To tremble under Titus' threatening look. Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent, (When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen,) To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes. Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MUTIus, with their Swords bloody. Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky. Trumpets sounded, and the Coffin laid in the In peace and honour rest you here, my sons; Here grow no damned grudges; here, are no storms, No noise, but silence and eternal sleep: Enter LAVINIA. In peace and honour rest you here, my sons! And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise ! Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, SATURNINUS, BASSIANUS, and Others. -Mar. Long live lord Titus, my beloved brother, Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome! Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus. Mar. And welcome, nephews, from successful Iwars, You that survive, and you that sleep in fame. Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all, That in your country's service drew your swords: But safer triumph is this funeral pomp, That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness," And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise!] 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. JOHNSON. 7 That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness,] The maxim of Solon here alluded to is, that no man can be pronounced to be happy before his death. And triumphs over chance, in honour's bed.— 8 And help to set a head on headless Rome. Mar. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the em pery. Sat. Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou tell? Tit. Patience, prince Saturnine. Sat. Romans, do me right;— Patricians, draw your swords, and sheath them not Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor : Andronicus, 'would thou wert shipp'd to hell, Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good That noble-minded Titus means to thee! 8 don this robe,] i. e. do on this robe, put it on. 9 Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery.] Here is rather too much of the ὕστερον πρότερον. ན་ |