The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 642
crown him and say, ‘Long live our Emperor!’
MARCUS.
With voices and applause of every sort,
Patricians and plebeians, we create
Lord Saturninus Rome's great Emperor;
And say 'Long live our Emperor Saturnine!'
[A long flourish till they come down]
With your voices and every sort of applause,
patricians and people, we create
Lord Saturninus the great emperor of Rome;
and say ‘Long live our Emperor Saturnine!’
SATURNINUS.
Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done
To us in our election this day
I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts,
And will with deeds requite thy gentleness;
And for an onset, Titus, to advance
Thy name and honourable family,
Lavinia will I make my emperess,
Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart,
And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse.
Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?
Titus Andronicus, for the favours you have done
for me in helping my election today
I give you my thanks as part payment of your reward,
and will repay the rest of your kindness with deeds;
and for a beginning, Titus, to promote
your name and that of your honourable family,
I will make Lavinia my Empress,
the Royal mistress of Rome, mistress of my heart,
and I will marry her in the holy Pantheon.
Tell me, Andronicus, does this idea please you?
TITUS.
It doth, my worthy lord, and in this match
I hold me highly honoured of your Grace,
And here in sight of Rome, to Saturnine,
King and commander of our commonweal,
The wide world's Emperor, do I consecrate
My sword, my chariot, and my prisoners,
Presents well worthy Rome's imperious lord;
Receive them then, the tribute that I owe,
Mine honour's ensigns humbled at thy feet.
It does, my noble Lord, and I take this marriage
as a great honour from your Grace,
and here with all Rome as witnesses, I give Saturnine,
king and commander of our nation,
the Emperor of the wide world,
my sword, my chariot and my prisoners,
presents whichRome's Imperial Lord well deserves;
so take them, the tribute that I owe you,
the symbols of my honour laid down at your feet.
SATURNINUS.
Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life.
How proud I am of thee and of thy gifts
Rome shall record; and when I do forget
The least of these unspeakable deserts,
Romans, forget your fealty to me.
Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life.
Rome shall take note of how pleased I am with you
and your gifts; and when I forget
the smallest of these indescribable rewards,
Romans, you can renounce your loyalty to me.
TITUS. [To TAMORA]
Now, madam, are you prisoner to an
emperor;
To him that for your honour and your state
Will use you nobly and your followers.
Now, madam, you are an emperor's prisoner;
because of your honour and your high rank
he will treat you and your followers with respect.
SATURNINUS.
[Aside] A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue
That I would choose, were I to choose anew.-
Clear up, fair Queen, that cloudy countenance;
Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer,
Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome-
Princely shall be thy usage every way.
Rest on my word, and let not discontent
Daunt all your hopes. Madam, he comforts you
Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths.
Lavinia, you are not displeas'd with this?
A fine lady, my goodness; of the colour
that I would choose, if I were to choose another–
fair Queen, take off that frown;
although the fortunes of war have made you miserable,
you will not be badly treated in Rome–
you shall be treated as royalty in every way.
Take my word for it, and don't let unhappiness
take over your whole life. Madam, the one who is comforting you
can give you a greater position than Queen of the Goths.
Lavinia, this doesn't upset you?
LAVINIA.
Not I, my lord, sith true nobility
Warrants these words in princely courtesy.
Not me, my lord, since yourtrue nobility
guarantees that these words are just the courtesy a prince should show.
SATURNINUS.
Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go.
Ransomless here we set our prisoners free.
Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.
[Flourish]
Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go.
We set these prisoners free without a ransom.
Announce my new position, lords, with trumpets and drums.
BASSIANUS.
Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.
[Seizing LAVINIA]
Lord Titus, if you'll excuse me, this girl is mine.
TITUS.
How, sir! Are you in earnest then, my lord?
What, sir! Are you serious then, my lord?
BASSIANUS.
Ay, noble Titus, and resolv'd withal
To do myself this reason and this right.
Yes, noble Titus, and I am determined
to claim my reasonable rights.
MARCUS.
Suum cuique is our Roman justice:
This prince in justice seizeth but his own.
Each is entitled to his own is our Roman law:
the Prince is only taking what is his own by law.
LUCIUS.
And that he will and shall, if Lucius live.
And he will have it, as long as Lucius is alive.
TITUS.
Traitors, avaunt! Where is the Emperor's guard?
Treason, my lord- Lavinia is surpris'd!
Traitors, be gone! Where are the emperor's guards?
There is treason, my lord–Lavinia has been ambushed!
SATURNINUS.
Surpris'd! By whom?
Ambushed! By whom?
BASSIANUS.
By him that justly may
Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.
Exeunt BASSIANUS and MARCUS with LAVINIA
By the one who has every right
to carry his fiancée away from all others.
MUTIUS.
Brothers, help to convey her hence away,
And with my sword I'll keep this door safe.
Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS
Brothers, help to get her away from here,
and I'll block this door with my sword.
TITUS.
Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back.
Let's follow her, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back.
MUTIUS.
My lord, you pass not here.
My lord, you cannot go through here.
TITUS.
What, villain boy!
Bar'st me my way in Rome?
What, you villainous boy!
Do you block my way in Rome?
MUTIUS.
Help, Lucius, help!
TITUS kills him. During the fray, exeunt SATURNINUS,
TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, and AARON
Re-enter Lucius
Help, Lucius, help!
LUCIUS.
My lord, you are unjust, and more than so:
In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son.
My Lord, you are unjust, and more than unjust:
in an unjust quarrel you have killed your son.
TITUS.
Nor thou nor he are any sons of mine;
My sons would never so dishonour me.
Re-enter aloft the EMPEROR
with TAMORA and her two Sons, and AARON the Moor
Traitor, restore Lavinia to the Emperor.
Neither you nor he are any sons of mine;
my real sons would never shame me like this.
Traitor, give Lavinia back to the Emperor.
LUCIUS.
Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife,
That is another's lawful promis'd love. Exit
Dead, if you like; but not as his wife,
when she is lawfully engaged to someone else.
SATURNINUS.
No, Titus, no; the Emperor needs her not,
Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock.
I'll trust by leisure him that mocks me once;
Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons,
Confederates all thus to dishonour me.
Was there none else in Rome to make a stale
But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,
Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine
That saidst I begg'd the empire at thy hands.
No, Titus, no; the Emperor doesn't need her,
not her, nor you, nor any of your family.
I can hardly trust someone who makes a fool of me;
I shall never trust you, or your traitorous arrogant sons,
who have all joined together to dishonour me.
Was there nobody else in Rome to use as the butt of your jokes
but Saturnine? This sort of behaviour, Andronicus,
completely matches that proud boast of yours
that claims that I begged for the Empire from you.
TITUS.
O monstrous! What reproachful words are these?
This is monstrous! What is this criticism?
SATURNINUS.
But go thy ways; go, give that changing piece
To him that flourish'd for her with his sword.
A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy;
One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons,
To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.
Just go about your business; go on, give that fickle woman
to the one who waved his sword about for her.
You shall have a brave son-in-law;
one suited to brawling with your lawless sons,
to stir up the peace of the Kingdom of Rome.
TITUS.
These words are razors to my wounded heart.
These words cutmy wounded heart like razors.
SATURNINUS.
And therefore, lovely Tamora, Queen of Goths,
That, like the stately Phoebe 'mongst her nymphs,
Dost overshine the gallant'st dames of Rome,
If thou be pleas'd with this my sudden choice,
Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride
And will create thee Emperess of Rome.
Speak, Queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my choice?
And here I swear by all the Roman gods-
Sith priest and holy water are so near,
And tapers burn so bright, and everything
In readiness for Hymenaeus stand-
I will not re-salute the streets of Rome,
Or climb my palace, till from forth this place
I lead espous'd my bride along with me.
And so, lovely Tamora, Queen of Goths,
who, like the glorious Diana amongst her nymphs,
outshines the finest looking women in Rome,
if you will agree to my sudden choice,
I tell you I choose you, Tamora, as my bride
and will make you Empress of Rome.
Speak, Queen of Goths, do you applaud my choice?
And I swear by all the Roman gods–
since priests and holy water are so near,
and the candles burn so bright, and everything
is ready for a wedding–
I will not go back out into the streets of Rome,
or go up to my palace, until I leave this place
leading my bride along with me.
TAMORA.
And here in sight of heaven to Rome I swear,
If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths,
She will a handmaid be to his desires,
A loving nurse, a mother to his youth.
And here in the sightof heaven I swear to Rome,
that if Saturnine advances the Queen of the Goths,
she will assist him in everything he desires,
be a loving nurse and a mother to his youth.
SATURNINUS.
Ascend, fair Queen, Pantheon. Lords, accompany
Your noble Emperor and his lovely bride,
Sent by the heavens for Prince Saturnine,
Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered;
There shall we consummate our spousal rites.
Exeunt all but TITUS
Come up, my fair Queen, to the Pantheon. Lords, accompany
your noble emperor and his lovely bride,
sent from heaven for Prince Saturnine,
who has wisely overcome her misfortune;
in the Pantheon we shall settle our marriage.
TITUS.
I am not bid to wait upon this bride.
Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone,
Dishonoured thus, and challenged of wrongs?
Re-enter MARCUS,
and TITUS' SONS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS
I'm not invited to this wedding.
Titus, since when have you had to walk alone,
disgraced like this, and accused of crimes?
MARCUS.
O Titus, see, O, see what thou hast done!
In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son.
Oh Titus, see, oh see what you have done!
In an unjustified quarrel you have killed a good son.
TITUS.
No, foolish Tribune, no; no son of mine-
Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed
That hath dishonoured all our family;
Unworthy brother and unworthy sons!
No, foolish Tribune, no; no son of mine–
nor are you, nor are these, partners in the deed
that has brought dishonour on all our family;
unworthy brother and unworthy sons!
LUCIUS.
But let us give him burial, as becomes;
Give Mutius burial with our bretheren.
But let us give him a fitting burial;
bury Mutius with our brothers.
TITUS.
Traitors, away! He rests not in this tomb.
This monument five hundred years hath stood,
Which I have sumptuously re-edified;
Here none but soldiers and Rome's servitors
Repose in fame; none basely slain in brawls.
Bury him where you can, he comes not here.
Go away, traitors!He shall not rest in this tomb.
This monument has stood for five hundred years,
and I have rebuilt it richly;
nobody but soldiers and servants of Rome
rest here in honour; not people killed in low brawls.
Bury him where you like, he's not coming in here.
MARCUS.
My lord, this is impiety in you.
My nephew Mutius' deeds do plead for him;
He must be buried with his bretheren.
My lord, this is not pious.
My nephew Mutius' accomplishments speak for him;
he must be buried with his brothers.
QUINTUS & MARTIUS.
And shall, or him we will accom
pany.
And he shall, or we will follow him.
TITUS.
'And shall!' What villain was it spake that word?
'And shall!'What villain was it who said that?
QUINTUS.
He that would vouch it in any place but here.
One who would fight for it anywhere but here.
TITUS.
What, would you bury him in my despite?
What, you would bury him against my wishes?
MARCUS.
No, noble Titus, but entreat of thee
To pardon Mutius and to bury him.
No, noble Titus, but we beg you
to pardon Mutius and to bury him.
TITUS.
Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest,
And with these boys mine honour thou hast wounded.
My foes I do repute you every one;
So trouble me no more, but get you gone.
Marcus, you have struck me on the helmet,
and with these boys you have assaulted my honour.
I count you all as my enemies,
so stop bothering me and go away.
MARTIUS.
He is not with himself; let us withdraw.
He's not himself; let's go away.
QUINTUS.
Not I, till Mutius' bones be buried.
[The BROTHER and the SONS kneel]
I will not, until Mutius has been buried.
MARCUS.
Brother, for in that name doth nature plead-
Brother, for that is the name which should make you-
QUINTUS.
Father, and in that name doth nature speak-