The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 652
with luck you might catch her in the sea;
but there's just as little justice on land.
No; Publius and Sempronius, you must do it;
you must dig with spade and fork,
and get right into the heart of the earth;
then, when you get to hell,
please give Pluto this petition.
Tell him it's asking for justice and help,
and that it comes from old Andronicus,
shaken with sorrows in ungrateful Rome.
Ah, Rome!Well, well, I made you miserable
the time I bestowed the people's votes
on the one who now tortures me.
Off you go; and please all be careful,
and don't leave a single warship unsearched.
The wicked Emperor may have shipped her out;
if that's happened, kinsmen, we can whistle for justice.
MARCUS.
O Publius, is not this a heavy case,
To see thy noble uncle thus distract?
Oh Publius, isn't this awful,
to see your noble uncle so mad?
PUBLIUS.
Therefore, my lords, it highly us concerns
By day and night t' attend him carefully,
And feed his humour kindly as we may
Till time beget some careful remedy.
So, my lords, we must be very diligent
and be with him night and day,
and look after him as best we can
until time heals him.
MARCUS.
Kinsmen, his sorrows are past remedy.
Join with the Goths, and with revengeful war
Take wreak on Rome for this ingratitude,
And vengeance on the traitor Saturnine.
Kinsmen, his grief is beyond healing.
Join the Goths and start a war of revenge
to punish Rome for this ingratitude
and to punish the traitor Saturnine.
TITUS.
Publius, how now? How now, my masters?
What, have you met with her?
Publius, what's happening?What's the story, my masters?
What, have you met her?
PUBLIUS.
No, my good lord; but Pluto sends you word,
If you will have Revenge from hell, you shall.
Marry, for Justice, she is so employ'd,
He thinks, with Jove in heaven, or somewhere else,
So that perforce you must needs stay a time.
No, my good lord; but Pluto sends word to you
that if you want revenge from hell then you shall have it.
As for Justice, he thinks that she's working
with Jove in heaven, or elsewhere,
So that you'll have to wait a while.
TITUS.
He doth me wrong to feed me with delays.
I'll dive into the burning lake below
And pull her out of Acheron by the heels.
Marcus, we are but shrubs, no cedars we,
No big-bon'd men fram'd of the Cyclops' size;
But metal, Marcus, steel to the very back,
Yet wrung with wrongs more than our backs can bear;
And, sith there's no justice in earth nor hell,
We will solicit heaven, and move the gods
To send down justice for to wreak our wrongs.
Come, to this gear. You are a good archer, Marcus.
[He gives them the arrows]
'Ad Jovem' that's for you; here 'Ad Apollinem.'
'Ad Martem' that's for myself.
Here, boy, 'To Pallas'; here 'To Mercury.'
'To Saturn,' Caius- not to Saturnine:
You were as good to shoot against the wind.
To it, boy. Marcus, loose when I bid.
Of my word, I have written to effect;
There's not a god left unsolicited.
It's not right of him to keep me waiting.
I'll dive into the burning lake below
and pull her out of Acheron by the heels.
Marcus, we're just shrubs, not cedars,
not big boned men shaped like the Cyclops;
but we're strong, Marcus, steel through and through,
though we're loaded down with more wrongs than we can carry;
and, since there's no justice on earth or in hell,
we call on heaven, and ask the gods
to send down justice to avenge our wrongs.
Come, let's look to our weaponry.You're a good archer, Marcus.
[he gives them arrows]
''To Jove' - that's for you; here 'to Apollo' and
'to Mars', that's for myself.
Here, boy, 'to Pallas'; here 'to Mercury.'
'To Saturn', Caius - not to Saturnine:
you might as well shoot into the wind as ask him for anything.
Let's go to it, boy. Marcus, fire when I order.
I have written all I mean;
there's not a god I haven't called on.
MARCUS.
Kinsmen, shoot all your shafts into the court;
We will afflict the Emperor in his pride.
Kinsmen, shoot all your arrows into the court;
we'll hit the Emperor in his own home.
TITUS.
Now, masters, draw. [They shoot] O, well said, Lucius!
Good boy, in Virgo's lap! Give it Pallas.
Now, masters, draw. [they shoot]Oh, well done, Lucius!
Good boy, right into Virgo!Now fire at Athene.
MARCUS.
My lord, I aim a mile beyond the moon;
Your letter is with Jupiter by this.
My lord, I aimed a mile past the moon;
your request will reach Jupiter like this.
TITUS. Ha! ha!
Publius, Publius, hast thou done?
See, see, thou hast shot off one of Taurus' horns.
Ha! Ha!
Publius, Publius, have you finished?
Look, you've shot off one of Taurus' horns.
MARCUS.
This was the sport, my lord: when Publius shot,
The Bull, being gall'd, gave Aries such a knock
That down fell both the Ram's horns in the court;
And who should find them but the Empress' villain?
She laugh'd, and told the Moor he should not choose
But give them to his master for a present.
That was the game, my lord: when Publius shot,
the Bull, being grazed, gave Aries such a knock
that both his Ram's horns fell down into the court;
and who should find them but the Empress' villain?
She laughed, and told the Moor he could do no better
than to put the horns on the Emperor as a gift.
TITUS.
Why, there it goes! God give his lordship joy!
Enter the CLOWN, with a basket and two pigeons in it
News, news from heaven! Marcus, the post is come.
Sirrah, what tidings? Have you any letters?
Shall I have justice? What says Jupiter?
Why, there they go!May God give him happiness!
News, news from heaven!Marcus, the post has come.
Sir, what news?Have you any letters?
Shall I have justice?What does Jupiter say?
CLOWN.
Ho, the gibbet-maker? He says that he hath taken them
down
again, for the man must not be hang'd till the next week.
What, you mean the gibbet maker?He says he's taken the scaffold down,
as the man has a reprieve until next week.
TITUS.
But what says Jupiter, I ask thee?
But I'm asking you what does Jupiter say?
CLOWN.
Alas, sir, I know not Jupiter; I never drank with him in
all my life.
Alas, sir, I don't know Jupiter; I never drank with him in my life.
TITUS.
Why, villain, art not thou the carrier?<
br />
Why, you villain, aren't you the porter [of messages]?
CLOWN.
Ay, of my pigeons, sir; nothing else.
Yes, of my pigeons, sir; nothing else.
TITUS.
Why, didst thou not come from heaven?
Well, didn't you come from heaven?
CLOWN.
From heaven! Alas, sir, I never came there. God forbid I
should be so bold to press to heaven in my young days. Why, I
amgoing with my pigeons to the Tribunal Plebs, to take up a
matter
of brawl betwixt my uncle and one of the Emperal's men.
From heaven!Alas, sir, I've never been there.God forbid I
should be making visits to heaven when I'm still so young.
I'm going with my pigeons to the plebeian court, to try and settle
a matter of a brawl between my uncle and one of the emperor's men.
MARCUS.
Why, sir, that is as fit as can be to serve for your
oration; and let him deliver the pigeons to the Emperor from
you.
Why, sir, this is as good as anything for your speech,
let him deliver the pigeons from the Emperor to you.
TITUS.
Tell me, can you deliver an oration to the Emperor with
a grace?
Tell me, can you deliver a speech to the Emperor with grace?
CLOWN.
Nay, truly, sir, I could never say grace in all my life.
No, honestly, sir, I never said grace in my life.
TITUS.
Sirrah, come hither. Make no more ado,
But give your pigeons to the Emperor;
By me thou shalt have justice at his hands.
Hold, hold! Meanwhile here's money for thy charges.
Give me pen and ink. Sirrah, can you with a grace deliver up
a supplication?
Sir, come here.No more joking.
Just give your pigeons to the Emperor;
through me he shall give you justice.
Wait, wait!Here's money for your expenses.
Give me a pen and ink.Sir, can you deliver a plea politely?
CLOWN.
Ay, sir.
Yes, sir.
TITUS.
Then here is a supplication for you. And when you come
to
him, at the first approach you must kneel; then kiss his
foot;
then deliver up your pigeons; and then look for your reward.
I'll
be at hand, sir; see you do it bravely.
Then here is a plea for you.And when you come to him,
you must kneel, and then kiss his foot,
then give him your pigeons, and then see what you get.
I'll be standing by, sir, to see you do it well.
CLOWN.
I warrant you, sir; let me alone.
I promise I will sir, trust me for that.
TITUS.
Sirrah, hast thou a knife? Come let me see it.
Here, Marcus, fold it in the oration;
For thou must hold it like a humble suppliant.
And when thou hast given it to the Emperor,
Knock at my door, and tell me what he says.
Sir, do you have a knife?Come, let me see it.
Here, Marcus, fold the speech round it;
you must hold it like a humble petitioner.
and when you have given it to the Emperor,
come to my house and tell me what he said.
CLOWN.
God be with you, sir; I will.
God be with you sir; I shall.
TITUS.
Come, Marcus, let us go. Publius, follow me.
Exeunt
Come, Marcus, let us go.Publius, follow me.
Enter the EMPEROR, and the EMPRESS and her two sons, DEMETRIUS
and CHIRON; LORDS and others. The EMPEROR brings the arrows in his hand that
TITUS shot at him
SATURNINUS.
Why, lords, what wrongs are these! Was ever seen
An emperor in Rome thus overborne,
Troubled, confronted thus; and, for the extent
Of egal justice, us'd in such contempt?
My lords, you know, as know the mightful gods,
However these disturbers of our peace
Buzz in the people's ears, there nought hath pass'd
But even with law against the wilful sons
Of old Andronicus. And what an if
His sorrows have so overwhelm'd his wits,
Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks,
His fits, his frenzy, and his bitterness?
And now he writes to heaven for his redress.
See, here's 'To Jove' and this 'To Mercury';
This 'To Apollo'; this 'To the God of War'-
Sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of Rome!
What's this but libelling against the Senate,
And blazoning our unjustice every where?
A goodly humour, is it not, my lords?
As who would say in Rome no justice were.
But if I live, his feigned ecstasies
Shall be no shelter to these outrages;
But he and his shall know that justice lives
In Saturninus' health; whom, if she sleep,
He'll so awake as she in fury shall
Cut off the proud'st conspirator that lives.
Why, lords, what crimes have been done!Was there ever
a Roman Emperor who was so overwhelmed,
so troubled, so challenged, and treated with such
contempt for handing out equal justice?
My lords, you know, as the mighty gods do,
whatever these disturbers of the peace
whisper in people's ears, nothinghappened
with the disobedient sons of old Andronicus
that wasn't within the law.And so what if
his grief has so triumphed over his sense,
should we suffer for his acts of revenge,
his moods, his madness and his bitterness?
And now he calls on heaven for revenge.
Look, here it says, "To Jove" and here, "To Mercury";
this says, "To Apollo"; this "To the God of War" -
Nice things to have flying around the streets of Rome!
What are these but libels against the Senate,
calling us unjust everywhere?
A nice trick, isn't it, my lords?
He's claiming that there's no justice in Rome.
But if I live his faked madness
will not excuse this outrageous behaviour;
he and his family shall know that justice still lives
as long as Saturninus does; if she sleeps,
I'll stir her up into such a frenzy that she will
cut down the proudest conspirator who ever lived.
TAMORA.
My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine,
Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,
Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus' age,
Th' effects of sorrow for his valiant sons
Whose loss hath pierc'd him deep and scarr'd his heart;
And rather comfort his distressed plight
Than prosecute the meanest or the best
For these contempts. [Aside] Why, thus it shall become
High-witted Tamora to gloze with all.
But, Titus, I have touch'd thee to the quick,
Thy life-blood out; if Aaron now be wise,
Then is all safe, the anchor in the port.
Enter CLOWN
How now, good fellow! Wouldst thou speak with us?
My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine,
Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,
calm yourself, and tolerate the faults of the old man Titus,
and his behaviour which is caused by sorrow for his sons' death,
whose loss has stabb
ed him right to the heart;
give him comfort in his agony and distress rather
than prosecute the highest or lowest
for these libels.[Aside]So, it shall look as though
noble spirited Tamora has a good word for everyone.
But, Titus, I have stabbed you to the heart,
your blood is running out; if Aaron plays his part well now,
then everything is well, we're settled.
Hello there, good fellow!Do you want to speak to us?
CLOWN.
Yes, forsooth, an your mistressship be Emperial.
Yes indeed, if your ladyship is imperial.
TAMORA.
Empress I am, but yonder sits the Emperor.
I am the Empress, but the Emperor is over there.
CLOWN.
'Tis he.- God and Saint Stephen give you godden. I have
brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here.
[SATURNINUS reads the letter]
That's the one.By God and Saint Stephen I wish you good evening.I have brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here.
SATURNINUS.
Go take him away, and hang him presently.
Take him away, and hang him quickly.
CLOWN.
How much money must I have?
How much am I to be paid?
TAMORA.
Come, sirrah, you must be hang'd.
Come, sir, you are going to be hanged.
CLOWN.
Hang'd! by'r lady, then I have brought up a neck to a
fair end.
[Exit guarded]
Hanged!By heaven, this is a nice way to finish matters.
SATURNINUS.
Despiteful and intolerable wrongs!
Shall I endure this monstrous villainy?
I know from whence this same device proceeds.