.6

All Consp.

Let him die for't.

120 All the people. “Tear him to pieces." • Do it presently. He killed my son.”, My daughter.”, “He killed my cousin Marcus. He killed my father.”

Sec. Lord. Peace, ho! no outrage: peace!
The man is noble and his fame folds-in
This orb o' the earth. His last offences to us
Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius,
And trouble not the peace.
Cor.

O that I had him,
With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe,

130 To use iny lawful sword! Auf

Insolent villain! Aů Consp. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him! (The Conspirators draw, and kill Coriolanus: Aufidius

stands on his body. Lords.

Hold, hold, hold, hold!
Auf. My noble masters, hear me speak.
First Lord.

O Tullus,
Sec. Lord. Thou hast done a deed whereat valour will

weep. Third Lord. Tread not upon him. Masters all, be quiet; Put up your swords.

Auf My lords, when you shall know-as in this rage,
Provoked by him, you cannot-the great danger
Which this inan's life did owe you, you'll rejoice
That he is thus cut off. Please it your honours 140
To call me to your senate, I'll deliver
Myself your loyal servant, or endure
Your heaviest censure.

First Lord. Bear from hence his body;
And mourn you for him: let him be regarded
As the most noble corse that ever herald
Did follow to his urn.
Sec. Lord.

His own impatience
Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.
Let's make the best of it.
Auf

My rage is gone;
And I am struck with sorrow.

Take him up. Help, three o' the chiefest soldiers; I'll be one. Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully: Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he Hath widow'd and unchilded many a one, Which to this lour bewail the injury, Yet he shall have a noble memory, Assist. [Evennt, bearing the body of Coriolanus. A

deud march sounded,

150

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

SATURNINUS, son to the late Em SEMPRONIUS,

peror of Rome, and afterwards Caius, kinsmen to Titus.
declared Emperor.

VALENTINE,
Bassiaxus, brother to Saturni. Æmilius, a noble Roman.

nus; in love with Lavinia. ALARBUS. Titus ANDRONICUS, a noble Ro-. DEMETRIUS, -sons to Tamora.

man, general against the Goths, CHIRON, MARCUS ANDRONICUS, tribune of AARON, a Moor, beloved by Ta

the people, and brother to mora.
Titus.

A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, Lucius,

and Clown; Romans.
QUINTUS, sons to Titus Andro. Goths and Romans.
MARTIUS, nicus.
Mutius,

Tamoka, Queen of the Goths. Young Lucius, a boy, son to LAVINIA, daughter to Titus Andro

nicus. Lucius.

A Nurse. Publius, son to Marcus the Tri. Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Solbune.

diers, and Attendants. SCENE: Rome and the country near it.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Rome. Before the Capitol. The Tomb of the ANDRONICI appearing; the Tribunes and

Senators aloft. Enter, below, from one side, SATURNINUS and his Followers; and, from the other side, BASSIANUS and his Followers; with 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 wore the imperial diadem of Rome;
Then let my father's bonours live in me,
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.

Bas. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of my right, If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son,

10 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 mobility; But let desert in pure election shinc, And, Romans, tight for freedom in your choice.

Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the croun. Marc. Princes, that strive by factions and by friends Ambitiously for rule and empery, Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand 20 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: He by the senate is accited home From weary wars against the barbarous Goths; That, with bis sons, a terror to our foes. Hath yoked a nation strong, train'd up in arms.

30
Ten years are spent since tirst 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 thic 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 would have now succ

cceed,
And in the Capitol and senate's right,
Whom you pretend to lovour and adore,
That you withdraw 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!

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,
Aud her to whom my thoughts are humblcd all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament,
That I will herc dismiss my loving friends,

40

50

And to my fortunes and the people's favour
Commit my cause in balance to be weigli'd.

[Ereunt the Followers of Bassianus.
Sırt. 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.

[Ercunt the Followers of Suturninus. Rome, be as just and gracious unto me

00 As I am confident and kind to tlice. Open the gates, and let me in. Bus. Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor. (Flourish. Saturninus und Bussianus yo up into the

Capitol.
Enter a Captain
Cap. Romaus, makc way: the good Andronicus,
Pitron of virtue', Rome's best chimpion,
Successful in the battles that lie tights,
With honour and with fortune is return'd
From where lic circumscribed with his sword,
Aud brought to yokc, the enemies of Rome.
Drums and trumpets sounded. Enter MARTICS and MutIus;

after them, two Men bearing a coffin corered with black;
then Lucius and Quintus. After them, Titus ANDRON-
Icus; and then TAMORA, with ALARBUS, DEMETRICS,
Chiron. Aaron, and other Goths, prisoners; Soldiers
and People following. The Bearers sct down the coffin,
und Titus speaks.
Tit. Hail

, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds! 70
Lo, is the bark, that hatlı discharged her fraught,
Returns with precious lading to the bay
From whence at tirst she weigh'd her anchorage,
Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel bouglas,
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 tive 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 bave given me leave to sheathe my sword.
Titus, unkind and careless of thinc own,

Why suffer'st thou thy sons, unburied yet,
To lover on the dreadful shore of Styx?
Make way to lay them by their brethren.

[The tomb is opened. 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 of mine hast thou in store,
That thou wilt never render to me more!

Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths,
That we may hew liis limbs, and on a pile
Ad manes fratrum sacrifice his flesh,
Before this earthy prison of their bones;
That so the shadows be not unappeased,

100 Nor we disturb'l with prodigies on eartlı.

Tit. I give him you, ihe noblest that survives,
The eldest son of this distressed qucen.

Tam. 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,

110
Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke,
But must my sons be slaughter'al in the streets,
For valiant iloings in their country's cause?
0, if to fight for king and commonweal
Were piery 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 Iit. 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.

Lue. Away with him! and make a fire straight; And with our swords, upon a pile of wood, Let's hew his limbs till they be clean consumed. [Exeunt Lucius, Quintus, Martius, and Mutiur, with

Alaróus Tam. () cruel, irreligious piety!

130