The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  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.