Enter three or four Conspirators of AUFIDIUS's faction.

How is it with our general?

Most welcome!
First Con.
Auf.
Even so
As with a man by his own alms empoison'd,
And with his charity slain.

10

Second Con.

Most noble sir,
If you do hold the same intent wherein
You wish'd us parties, we 'll deliver you
Of your great danger.

Auf.
Sir, I cannot tell :
We must proceed as we do find the people.
Third Con. The people will remain uncertain

SCENE V.-Antium. A public Place.
Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants.
Auf. Go tells the lords o' the city I am here: Splitting the air with noise.

Deliver them this paper: having read it,
Bid them repair to the market-place; where I,
Even in theirs and in the commons' ears,
Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse
The city ports by this hath enter'd, and
Intends to appear before the people, hoping
To purge himself with words: dispatch.
Exeunt Attendants.

whilst

'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either

Makes the survivor heir of all.

Auf.

I know it;
And my pretext to strike at him admits
A good construction. I rais'd him, and I pawn'd
Mine honour for his truth: who being so
heighten'd,

21

Which he did end all his; and took some pride
To do myself this wrong: till, at the last,
I seem'd his follower, not partner, and
He wag'd me with his countenance, as if

I had been mercenary.

First Con.

He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery,
Seducing so my friends; and, to this end,
He bow'd his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unswayable, and free.

Third Con. Sir, his stoutness
When he did stand for consul, which he lost
By lack of stooping,-

Auf.
That I would have spoke of:
Being banish'd for 't, he came unto my hearth;
Presented to my knife his throat: I took him;
Made him joint-servant with me; gave him way
In all his own desires; nay, let him choose
Out of my files, his projects to accomplish.
My best and freshest men; serv'd his design-

32

So he did, my lord: 0 The army marvell'd at it; and, in the last, When he had carried Rome, and that we look'd For no less spoil than glory,

Auf.

There was it;
For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him.
At a few drops of women's rheum, which are
As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour
Of our great action: therefore shall he die,
And I'll renew me in his fall. But, hark!
Drums and trumpets sound, with great
shouts of the People.
First Con. Your native town you enter'd like
a post,

And had no welcomes home; but he returns,

Second Con.
And patient fools,
Whose children he hath slain, their base throats
tear

With giving him glory.
Third Con.
Therefore, at your vantage,
Ere he express himself, or move the people
With what he would say, let him feel your sword,
Which we will second. When he lies along,
After your way his tale pronounc'd shall bury
His reasons with his body.

Say no more:

Auf.
Here come the lords.

Subscribed by the consuls and patricians,
Together with the seal o' the senate, what
We have compounded on.

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, SEMPRONIUS,
and afterwards declared Emperor.

CAIUS, Kinsmen to Titus.
BASSIANUS, Brother to Saturninus, in love with VALENTINE,
Lavinia.

ÆMILIUS, a noble Roman.
TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman, General ALARBUS,
against the Goths.

DEMETRIUS, Sons to Tamora. MARCUS ANDRONICUS, Tribune of the People, CHIRON, and brother to Titus.

AARON, a Joor, beloved by Tamora. LUCIUS,

A Captain, Tribune, Messenyer, and Clown. QUINTUS,

Goths and Romans.
MARTIUS,
Sons to Titus Andronicus.

TAMORA, Queen of the Goths.
MUTIUS,

LAVINIA, Daughter to Titus Andronicus. Young LUCIUS, a Boy, Son to Lucius.

A Nurse, and a black Child. Publius, Son to Marcus Andronicus.

Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

SCENE - Rome, and the Country near it.

ACT I.

Know that the people of Rome, for whom we

stand SCENE I. - Rome.

A special party, have by common voice, The Tomb of the Andronici appearing. The Tribunes In election for the Roman empery,

and Senators aloft ; and then enter SATURNI- Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius, NUS and his Followers at one door, and BAS

For many good and great deserts to Rome : SIANUS and his Followers at the other, with Lives not this day within the city walls :

A nobler man, a braver warrior, drum and colours,

He by the senate is accited home Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, From weary wars against the barbarous Goths; Defend the justice of my cause with arms; That, with his sons, a terror to our foes, And, countrymen, my loving followers,

Hath yok'd a nation strong, train'd up in arms. Plead my successive title with your swords : Ten years are spent since first he undertook a I am his first-born son, that was the last

This cause of Rome, and chastised with arms That wore the imperial diadem of Rome; Our enemies' pride : five times he hath retum d Then let my father's honours live in me, Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.

In coffins from the field ; Bass. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of And now at last, laden with honour's spoils, my right,

Returns the good Andronicus to Rome, If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son,

10 Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms. Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome, Let us entreat, by honour of his name, Keep then this passage to the Capitol,

Whom worthily you would have now succeed, And suffer not dishonour to approach

And in the Capitol and senate's right, The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate,

Whom you pretend to honour and adore, To justice, continence, and nobility ;

That you withdraw you and abate your strength; But let desert in pure election shine,

Dismiss your followers, and, as suitors should, And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice. Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness. Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the

Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my

thoughts!

Bass. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy Marc. Princes, that strive by factions and by In thy uprightness and integrity, friends

And so I love and honour thee and thine, Ambitiously for rule and empery,

Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,

crown.

And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament,
That I will here dismiss my loving friends,
And to my fortunes and the people's favour
Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd.
Exeunt the Followers of BASSIANUS.
Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in
my right,

I thank you all and here dismiss you all;
And to the love and favour of my country
Commit myself, my person, and the cause.
Exeunt the Followers of SATURNINUS.
Rome, be as just and gracious unto me
As I am confident and kind to thee.
Open the gates, and let me in.

Bass. Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor.
Flourish. They go up into the Senate-house.
Enter a Captain.

Cap. Romans, make way! the good Andronicus,
Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion,
Successful in the battles that he fights,
With honour and with fortune is return'd
From where he circumscribed with his sword,
And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome.
Sound drums and trumpets, and then enter MAR-
TIUS and MUTIUS; after them two Men bearing
a coffin covered with black; then LUCIUS and
QUINTUS. After them TITUS ANDRONICUS;
and then TAMORA, with ALARBUS, CHIRON,
DEMETRIUS, AARON, and other Goths, prisoners;
Soldiers and People following. They set down the
coffin, and TITUS speaks.

60

70

80

Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning
weeds!

Lo! as the bark, that hath discharg'd her fraught,
Returns with precious lading to the bay
From whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage,
Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs,
To re-salute his country with his tears,
Tears of true joy for his return to Rome.
Thou great defender of this Capitol,
Stand gracious to the rites that we intend !
Romans, of five-and-twenty valiant sons,
Half of the number that King Priam had,
Behold the poor remains, alive, and dead!
These that survive let Rome reward with love;
These that I bring unto their latest home,
With burial amongst their ancestors :

Nor we disturb'd with prodigies on earth.
Tit. I give him you, the noblest that survives
The eldest son of this distressed queen.

Tam. Stay, Roman brethren! Gracious con-
queror,

Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed,
A mother's tears in passion for her son:
And if thy sons were ever dear to thee,
O think my son to be as dear to me.
Sufficeth not that we are brought to Rome,
To beautify thy triumphs and return,
Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke;
But must my sons be slaughter'd in the streets
For valiant doings in their country's cause?
O! if to fight for king and commonweal
Were piety in thine, it is in these.
Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood:
Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?
Draw near them then in being merciful;
Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge:
Thrice-noble Titus, spare my first-born son. 120

Tit. Patient yourself, madam, and pardon me.
These are their brethren, whom you Goths beheld
Alive and dead, and for their brethren slain
Religiously they ask a sacrifice :

To appease their groaning shadows that are gone.
To this your son is mark'd, and die he must,

And with our swords, upon a pile of wood,
Luc. Away with him! and make a fire straight;
Let's hew his limbs till they be clean consum'd.
Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and
MUTIUS, with ALARBUS.
Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety!
Chi. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous ?
Dem. Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome.
Alarbus goes to rest, and we survive
To tremble under Titus' threatening look.
Then, madam, stand resolv'd; but hope withal
The self-same gods that arm'd the Queen of Troy
With opportunity of sharp revenge
Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent,
May favour Tamora, the Queen of Goths,
When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen,
To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes.

141

110

130

Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and
MUTIUS, with their swords bloody.