SATURNINUS What, madam, be dishonoured openly,
And basely put it up without revenge?
TAMORA Not so, my lord. The gods of Rome forfend
I should be author to dishonour you.
440
But on mine honour dare I undertake
For good Lord Titus’ innocence in all,
Whose fury not dissembled speaks his griefs.
Then at my suit look graciously on him;
Lose not so noble a friend on vain suppose,
445
Nor with sour looks afflict his gentle heart.
[aside to Saturninus]
My lord, be ruled by me, be won at last,
Dissemble all your griefs and discontents.
You are but newly planted in your throne;
Lest then the people, and patricians too,
450
Upon a just survey take Titus’ part,
And so supplant you for ingratitude,
Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin,
Yield at entreats – and then let me alone:
I’ll find a day to massacre them all,
455
And raze their faction and their family,
The cruel father and his traitorous sons
To whom I sued for my dear son’s life,
And make them know what ’tis to let a queen
Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain.
460
[aloud] Come, come, sweet emperor – come,
Andronicus –
Take up this good old man, and cheer the heart
That dies in tempest of thy angry frown.
SATURNINUS
Rise, Titus, rise: my empress hath prevailed.
TITUS [rising] I thank your majesty and her, my lord;
465
These words, these looks, infuse new life in me.
TAMORA 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;
470
And let it be mine honour, good my lord,
That I have reconciled your friends and you.
For you, Prince Bassianus, I have passed
My word and promise to the emperor
That you will be more mild and tractable.
475
And fear not, lords, and you, Lavinia:
By my advice, all humbled on your knees,
You shall ask pardon of his majesty.
[Titus’ sons kneel.]
LUCIUS We do, and vow to heaven and to his highness
That what we did was mildly as we might,
480
Tendering our sister’s honour and our own.
MARCUS [kneeling]
That on mine honour here do I protest.
SATURNINUS Away, and talk not; trouble us no more.
TAMORA
Nay, nay, sweet emperor, we must all be friends;
The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace;
485
I will not be denied: sweet heart, look back.
SATURNINUS
Marcus, for thy sake, and thy brother’s here,
And at my lovely Tamora’s entreats,
I do remit these young men’s heinous faults.
[Marcus and Titus’ sons stand up.]
Lavinia, though you left me like a churl,
490
I found a friend, and sure as death I swore
I would not part a bachelor from the priest.
Come, if the emperor’s court can feast two brides,
You are my guest, Lavinia, and your friends.
This day shall be a love-day, Tamora.
495
TITUS Tomorrow, and it please your majesty
To hunt the panther and the hart with me,
With horn and hound we’ll give your grace bonjour.
SATURNINUS Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too.
Sound trumpets. Exeunt all except the Moor.
[2.1]
AARON Now climbeth Tamora Olympus’ top,
500
Safe out of fortune’s shot, and sits aloft,
Secure of thunder’s crack or lightning flash,
Advanced above pale envy’s threatening reach.
As when the golden sun salutes the morn
[5]
And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
505
Gallops the zodiac in his glistering coach
And overlooks the highest-peering hills,
So Tamora.
Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait,
[10]
And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown.
510
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
Hast prisoner held, fettered in amorous chains
[15]
And faster bound to Aaron’s charming eyes
515
Than is Prometheus tied to Caucasus.
Away with slavish weeds and servile thoughts!
I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold
To wait upon this new-made empress.
[20]
To wait, said I? – to wanton with this queen,
520
This goddess, this Semiramis, this nymph,
This siren that will charm Rome’s Saturnine
And see his shipwreck and his commonweal’s.
Hallo, what storm is this?
[25]
Enter CHIRON and DEMETRIUS, braving.
DEMETRIUS
Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wits want edge
525
And manners to intrude where I am graced
And may, for aught thou knowest, affected be.
CHIRON Demetrius, thou dost overween in all,
And so in this, to bear me down with braves.
[30]
’Tis not the difference of a year or two
530
Makes me less gracious, or thee more fortunate:
I am as able and as fit as thou
To serve, and to deserve my mistress’ grace,
And that my sword upon thee shall approve,
[35]
And plead my passions for Lavinia’s love.
535
AARON [aside]
Clubs, clubs! These lovers will not keep the peace.
DEMETRIUS
Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised,
Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side,
Are you so desperate grown to threat your friends?
[40]
Go to, have your lath glued within your sheath
540
Till you know better how to handle it.
CHIRON Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have,
Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare.
DEMETRIUS Ay boy, grow ye so brave? [They draw.]
AARON Why, how now, lords?
[45]
So near the emperor’s palace dare ye draw
545
And maintain such 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,
[50]
Nor would your noble mother for much more
550
Be so dishonoured in the court of Rome.
For shame, put up.
DEMETRIUS Not I, till I have sheathed
My rapier in his bosom, and withal
Thrust those reproachful speeches down his throat
[55]
That he hath breathed in my dishonour here.
555
CHIRON For that I am prepared and full resolved,
Foul-spoken coward, that thunderest with thy
tongue,
And with th
y weapon nothing dar’st perform.
AARON Away, I say.
[60]
Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore,
560
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,
[65]
Or Bassianus so degenerate,
565
That for her love such quarrels may be broached
Without controlment, justice, or revenge?
Young lords, beware – and should the empress know
This discord’s ground, the music would not please.
[70]
CHIRON I care not, I, knew she and all the world:
570
I love Lavinia more than all the world.
DEMETRIUS
Youngling, learn thou to make some meaner choice;
Lavinia is thine elder brother’s hope.
AARON Why, are ye mad? Or know ye not in Rome
[75]
How furious and impatient they be,
575
And cannot brook competitors in love?
I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths
By this device.
CHIRON Aaron, a thousand deaths would I propose
[80]
T’achieve her whom I love.
AARON T’achieve her how?
580
DEMETRIUS Why makes thou it so strange?
She is a woman, therefore may be wooed;
She is a woman, therefore may be won;
She is Lavinia, therefore must be loved.
[85]
What, man, more water glideth by the mill
585
Than wots the miller of, and easy it is
Of a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know.
Though Bassianus be the emperor’s brother,
Better than he have worn Vulcan’s badge.
[90]
AARON [aside] Ay, and as good as Saturninus may.
590
DEMETRIUS
Then why should he despair that knows to court it
With words, fair looks and liberality?
What, hast not thou full often struck a doe
And borne her cleanly by the keeper’s nose?
[95]
AARON Why then, it seems some certain snatch or so
595
Would serve your turns.
CHIRON Ay, so the turn were served.
DEMETRIUS Aaron, thou hast hit it.
AARON Would you had hit it too,
Then should not we be tired with this ado.
Why, hark ye, hark ye, and are you such fools
[100]
To square for this? Would it offend you then
600
That both should speed?
CHIRON Faith, not me.
DEMETRIUS Nor me, so I were one.
AARON For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar.
’Tis policy and stratagem must do
[105]
That you affect, and so must you resolve
605
That what you cannot as you would achieve,
You must perforce accomplish as you may.
Take this of me: Lucrece was not more chaste
Than this Lavinia, Bassianus’ love.
[110]
A speedier course than lingering languishment
610
Must we pursue, and I have found the path.
My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;
There will the lovely Roman ladies troop.
The forest walks are wide and spacious,
[115]
And many unfrequented plots there are,
615
Fitted by kind for rape and villainy.
Single you thither then this dainty doe,
And strike her home by force, if not by words:
This way or not at all stand you in hope.
[120]
Come, come, our empress, with her sacred wit
620
To villainy and vengeance consecrate,
Will we acquaint withal what we intend,
And she shall file our engines with advice
That will not suffer you to square yourselves,
[125]
But to your wishes’ height advance you both.
625
The emperor’s court is like the house of Fame,
The palace full of tongues, of eyes and ears;
The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf and dull:
There speak and strike, brave boys, and take your
turns;
[130]
There serve your lust, shadowed from heaven’s eye,
630
And revel in Lavinia’s treasury.
CHIRON Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice.
DEMETRIUS Sit fas aut nefas, till I find the stream
To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits,
[135]
Per Stygia, per manes vehor. Exeunt.
635
2.1 [2.2] Enter TITUS ANDRONICUS and his three sons, and MARCUS, making a noise with hounds and horns.
TITUS The hunt is up, the morn is bright and grey,
The fields are fragrant and the woods are green.
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 495