Which is it, girl, of these?- Open them, boy.-
But thou art deeper read and better skill'd;
Come and take choice of all my library,
And so beguile thy sorrow, till the heavens
Reveal the damn'd contriver of this deed.
Why lifts she up her arms in sequence thus?
What's this, Lavinia?Marcus, what does this mean?
She wants to see in one of these books.
Which of these is it, girl? - Open them, boy -
But you are better read and more intelligent;
come and take your pick from my whole library,
and so ease your pain, until the heavens
show us who did this to you.
Why does she wave her arms like this?
MARCUS.
I think she means that there were more than one
Confederate in the fact; ay, more there was,
Or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge.
I think she means there was more than one
person who did this; yes, more than one.
Unless she's waving her arms to heaven for revenge.
TITUS.
Lucius, what book is that she tosseth so?
Lucius, what's that book she's throwing around?
BOY.
Grandsire, 'tis Ovid's Metamorphoses;
My mother gave it me.
Grandfather, it's Ovid's Metamorphoses;
my mother gave it to me.
MARCUS.
For love of her that's gone,
Perhaps she cull'd it from among the rest.
Perhaps she's singled it out from the rest
out of love for the one who's departed.
TITUS.
Soft! So busily she turns the leaves! Help her.
What would she find? Lavinia, shall I read?
This is the tragic tale of Philomel
And treats of Tereus' treason and his rape;
And rape, I fear, was root of thy annoy.
Hush!See how eagerly she's turning the pages!Help her.
What is she looking for?Lavinia, shall I read?
This is the tragic tale of Philomel,
which talks of Tereus' treason and his rape of her;
and rape, I fear, is at the heart of your anguish.
MARCUS.
See, brother, see! Note how she quotes the leaves.
Look brother, look!See how she's pointing out passages.
TITUS.
Lavinia, wert thou thus surpris'd, sweet girl,
Ravish'd and wrong'd as Philomela was,
Forc'd in the ruthless, vast, and gloomy woods?
See, see!
Ay, such a place there is where we did hunt-
O, had we never, never hunted there!-
Pattern'd by that the poet here describes,
By nature made for murders and for rapes.
Lavinia, were you ambushed like this, dear girl,
raped and harmed as Philomela was,
compelled in the pitiless, vast and gloomy woods?
Look, look!
Yes, we hunted in a place like this -
Oh, I wish we'd never ever hunted there! -
a setting like the poet describes here,
created by nature for murder and rape.
MARCUS.
O, why should nature build so foul a den,
Unless the gods delight in tragedies?
Oh, why should nature build such a foul den,
unless the gods enjoy tragedies?
TITUS.
Give signs, sweet girl, for here are none but friends,
What Roman lord it was durst do the deed.
Or slunk not Saturnine, as Tarquin erst,
That left the camp to sin in Lucrece' bed?
Give signs, sweet girl, you're amongst your friends.
What Roman lord was it who dared to do the deed.
Was it Saturnine who crept up on you, like Tarquin before him,
who left the camp to sin in Lucrece's bed?
MARCUS.
Sit down, sweet niece; brother, sit down by me.
Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury,
Inspire me, that I may this treason find!
My lord, look here! Look here, Lavinia!
[He writes his name with his
staff, and guides it with feet and mouth]
This sandy plot is plain; guide, if thou canst,
This after me. I have writ my name
Without the help of any hand at all.
Curs'd be that heart that forc'd us to this shift!
Write thou, good niece, and here display at last
What God will have discovered for revenge.
Heaven guide thy pen to print thy sorrows plain,
That we may know the traitors and the truth!
[She takes the staff in her mouth
and guides it with stumps, and writes]
O, do ye read, my lord, what she hath writ?
Sit down, sweet niece; brother, sit down by me.
Apollo, Pallas, Jove or Mercury,
Guide me to reveal this treason!
My lord, look here!Look here, Lavinia!
This sandy ground is smooth; guide this stick, if you can,
like I have.I have written my name
without using my hands at all.
Damn the person who forced us to these measures!
Write, good niece, and show us at last
whom God wants us to take revenge on.
May heaven guide your pen to make your sad story clear,
So we can know the traitors and the truth!
Oh my lord, do you see what she has written?
TITUS.
'Stuprum- Chiron- Demetrius.'
'Rape - Chiron - Demetrius.'
MARCUS. What, what! the lustful sons of Tamora
Performers of this heinous bloody deed?
What, what!The lustful sons of Tamora
were the ones who did this horrible bloody deed?
TITUS.
Magni Dominator poli,
Tam lentus audis scelera? tam lentus vides?
Ruler of the great heavens,
are you so slow to hear such great crimes? So slow to see?
MARCUS.
O, calm thee, gentle lord! although I know
There is enough written upon this earth
To stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughts,
And arm the minds of infants to exclaims.
My lord, kneel down with me; Lavinia, kneel;
And kneel, sweet boy, the Roman Hector's hope;
And swear with me- as, with the woeful fere
And father of that chaste dishonoured dame,
Lord Junius Brutus sware for Lucrece' rape-
That we will prosecute, by good advice,
Mortal revenge upon these traitorous Goths,
And see their blood or die with this reproach.
Calm yourself, great lord!Although I know
there is enough written here on the earth
to cause outrage in the most gentle mind,
and start the minds of infants raging.
My lord, kneel down with me; Lavinia, kneel;
and kneel, sweet boy, whom we expect to be a Roman Hector;
and swear with me - as, with his sorrowing wife,
and the father of that chaste dishonest lady,
Lord Junius Brutus swore about the rape of Lucrece -
that we will, with a good plan, take
fatal revenge on these traitorous Goths,
and see their blood or die ashamed.
TITUS.
'Tis sure enough, an you knew how;
But if you hunt these bear-whelps, then beware:
The dam will wake; and if she wind ye once,
She's with the lion deeply still in league,
And lulls him whilst she playeth on her back,
And when he sleeps will she do what she list.
You are a young huntsman, Marcus; let alo
ne;
And come, I will go get a leaf of brass,
And with a gad of steel will write these words,
And lay it by. The angry northern wind
Will blow these sands like Sibyl's leaves abroad,
And where's our lesson, then? Boy, what say you?
It's certain enough, if you find a way;
but if you hunt these bear cubs, beware:
the mother will wake, and if she scents you once,
she's still closely allied to the lion,
and she calms him by playing on her back,
and when he sleeps she does whatever she wants.
You are an inexperienced hunter, Marcus; put it to one side;
look, I will get a sheet of brass,
and with a steel pen I will write these words on it
and we'll store it up.The angry north wind
will blow these sands around like the papers of the Sybil,
and where will our words be then?Boy, what do you say?
BOY.
I say, my lord, that if I were a man
Their mother's bedchamber should not be safe
For these base bondmen to the yoke of Rome.
I say, my lord, that if I were a man
their mother's bedroom would be no safe refuge
for these slaves of Rome.
MARCUS.
Ay, that's my boy! Thy father hath full oft
For his ungrateful country done the like.
Yes, that's my boy!Your father has often
done the same for his ungrateful country.
BOY.
And, uncle, so will I, an if I live.
And so will I, uncle, if I live.
TITUS.
Come, go with me into mine armoury.
Lucius, I'll fit thee; and withal my boy
Shall carry from me to the Empress' sons
Presents that I intend to send them both.
Come, come; thou'lt do my message, wilt thou not?
Come with me into my armoury.
Lucius, I'll kit you out; and soon my boy
shall take the Empress' sons
presents from me for the both of them.
Come along; you'll run my errand, won't you?
BOY.
Ay, with my dagger in their bosoms, grandsire.
Yes, with my dagger in their hearts, grandfather.
TITUS.
No, boy, not so; I'll teach thee another course.
Lavinia, come. Marcus, look to my house.
Lucius and I'll go brave it at the court;
Ay, marry, will we, sir! and we'll be waited on.
Exeunt TITUS, LAVINIA, and YOUNG LUCIUS
No boy, not like that; I'll teach you a different way.
Come, Lavinia.Marcus, guard my house.
Lucius and I shall go and put on a show at the court,
we shall sir!And they'll pay attention to us.
MARCUS.
O heavens, can you hear a good man groan
And not relent, or not compassion him?
Marcus, attend him in his ecstasy,
That hath more scars of sorrow in his heart
Than foemen's marks upon his batt'red shield,
But yet so just that he will not revenge.
Revenge the heavens for old Andronicus!
Exit
Oh heavens, can you hear a good man groan
and not relent or feel sorry for him?
Marcus, go with him in his madness,
he has more scars of sorrow in his heart
than he has enemies' marks on his battered shield,
and yet he is so just that he won't take revenge.
Heavens, take revenge for old Andronicus!
Enter AARON, DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, at one door; and at the other
door, YOUNG LUCIUS and another with a bundle of weapons, and verses
writ upon them
CHIRON.
Demetrius, here's the son of Lucius;
He hath some message to deliver us.
Demetrius, here's the son of Lucius;
he has some message to give us.
AARON.
Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather.
Yes, some mad message from his mad grandfather.
BOY.
My lords, with all the humbleness I may,
I greet your honours from Andronicus-
[Aside] And pray the Roman gods confound you both!
My lords, with all the humility I have,
I bring your honours greetings from Andronicus-
[Aside] and I pray that the Roman gods damn you both.
DEMETRIUS.
Gramercy, lovely Lucius. What's the news?
We thank you, lovely Lucius.What's your news?
BOY.
[Aside] That you are both decipher'd, that's the news,
For villains mark'd with rape.- May it please you,
My grandsire, well advis'd, hath sent by me
The goodliest weapons of his armoury
To gratify your honourable youth,
The hope of Rome; for so he bid me say;
And so I do, and with his gifts present
Your lordships, that, whenever you have need,
You may be armed and appointed well.
And so I leave you both- [Aside] like bloody villains.
Exeunt YOUNG LUCIUS and attendant
[Aside] That you have both been found out, that's the news,
as villainous rapists. - May it please you,
my grandfather, in his right mind, has sent me with
the best weapons in his armoury
to please you noble youths,
the hope of Rome; that's what he told me to say;
and so I do, and I present your lordships
with his gifts, so that whenever you need to be
you may be well armed and dressed.
And so I leave you both - [Aside] like bloody villains.
DEMETRIUS.
What's here? A scroll, and written round about.
Let's see:
[Reads] 'Integer vitae, scelerisque purus,
Non eget Mauri iaculis, nec arcu.'
What's this?A scroll, with writing round it.Let's see:
"The man of upright life and free from crime
has no need of the slings and bows of the Moor."
CHIRON.
O, 'tis a verse in Horace, I know it well;
I read it in the grammar long ago.
Oh, it's a verse from Horace, I know it well;
I read it in a grammar long ago.
AARON.
Ay, just- a verse in Horace. Right, you have it.
[Aside] Now, what a thing it is to be an ass!
Here's no sound jest! The old man hath found their guilt,
And sends them weapons wrapp'd about with lines
That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick.
But were our witty Empress well afoot,
She would applaud Andronicus' conceit.
But let her rest in her unrest awhile-
And now, young lords, was't not a happy star
Led us to Rome, strangers, and more than so,
Captives, to be advanced to this height?
It did me good before the palace gate
To brave the Tribune in his brother's hearing.
Yes, that's right - a verse in Horace.That's right, you've got it.
[Aside] What a thing it is to be so stupid!
Here's a good joke!The old man has discovered their guilt,
and sends them weapons wrapped round with lines
that wound them, though they can't see it, to the core.
If our clever Empress was up and about
she would applaud Andronicus' joke.
But let her rest in her discomfort for a while -
And now, young lords, wasn't it a lucky star
that brought us to Rome as foreigners, and more than that,
prisoners, and now raises
us so high?
it did me good at the gates of the palace
to face down the Tribune in his brother's presence.
DEMETRIUS.
But me more good to see so great a lord
Basely insinuate and send us gifts.
But it did me more good to see such a great lord
grovel so low and send us gifts.
AARON.
Had he not reason, Lord Demetrius?
Did you not use his daughter very friendly?
Didn't he have reason to, Lord Demetrius?
Weren't you very friendly to his daughter?
DEMETRIUS.
I would we had a thousand Roman dames
At such a bay, by turn to serve our lust.
I wish we had a thousand Roman ladies
cornered like that, to serve our lusts in turn.
CHIRON.
A charitable wish and full of love.
A kind wish and full of love.
AARON.
Here lacks but your mother for to say amen.
All that's missing is for your mother to agree.
CHIRON.
And that would she for twenty thousand more.
And she would agree to our having twenty thousand more.
DEMETRIUS.
Come, let us go and pray to all the gods
For our beloved mother in her pains.
Come, let us go and pray to all the gods,
for our beloved mother in her labour.
AARON.
[Aside] Pray to the devils; the gods have given us
over.
[Trumpets sound]
Pray to the devils; the gods have given up on us.
DEMETRIUS.
Why do the Emperor's trumpets flourish thus?
Why do the Emperor's trumpets give such a blast?
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 650