Let me go grind their bones to powder small, To make this banquet; which I wish may prove [Exeunt, bearing the dead bodies. SCENE III. Gardens of TITUS's house. A pavilion, with tables, &c. Enter LUCIUS, MARCUS, and Goths, with AARON prisoner. Luc. Uncle Marcus, since it is my father's mind That I repair to Rome, I am content. First Goth. And ours with thine, befall what fortune will. Luc. Good uncle, take you in this barbarous Moor, This ravenous tiger, this accursed devil; Aar. Some devil whisper curses in mine ear, Luc. Away, inhuman dog! unhallow'd slave!Sirs, help our uncle to convey him in. [Exeunt Goths, with Aaron. Flourish within. The trumpets show the emperor is at hand. Enter SATURNINUS and TAMORA, with EMILIUS, Tribunes, Sat. What, hath the firmament more suns than one? Marc. Rome's emperor, and nephew, break the parle ; These quarrels must be quietly debated. The feast is ready, which the careful Titus Hath ordain'd to an honourable end, For peace, for love, for league, and good to Rome: [Hautboys sound. The Company sit down at table. Enter TITUS dressed like a Cook, LAVINIA veiled, young LUCIUS, and others. TITUS places the dishes on the table. Tit. Welcome, my gracious lord; welcome, dread queen; Welcome, ye warlike Goths; welcome, Lucius; And welcome, all: although the cheer be poor, 'Twill fill your stomachs; please you eat of it. Sat. Why art thou thus attir'd, Andronicus? Tit. Because I would be sure to have all well, To entertain your highness and your empress. Tam. We are beholding to you, good Andronicus. Tit. An if your highness knew my heart, you were.— My lord the emperor, resolve me this: Was it well done of rash Virginius To slay his daughter with his own right hand, Sat. It was, Andronicus. Tit. Your reason, mighty lord? Sat. Because the girl should not survive her shame, And by her presence still renew his sorrows. Tit. A reason mighty, strong, and effectual; [Kills Lavinia. Sat. What hast thou done, unnatural and unkind? Tit. Kill'd her, for whom my tears have made me blind. I am as woful as Virginius was, And have a thousand times more cause than he To do this outrage ;-and it is now done. Sat. What, was she ravish'd? tell who did the deed. Tit. Will't please you eat? will 't please your highness feed? Tam. Why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus ?(101) They ravish'd her, and cut away her tongue; Tit. Why, there they are both, bakèd in that pie; [Kills Tamora. Sat. Die, frantic wretch, for this accursèd deed! [Kills Titus. Luc. Can the son's eye behold his father bleed? There's meed for meed, death for a deadly deed! [Kills Saturninus. A great tumult. Lucius, Marcus, and their Partisans, ascend the steps of Titus's house. Marc. You sad-fac'd men, people and sons of Rome, By uproar(102) sever'd, like a flight of fowl Scatter'd by winds and high tempestuous gusts, O, let me teach you how to knit again But if my frosty signs and chaps of age, Grave witnesses of true experience, Cannot induce you to attend my words, Speak, Rome's dear friend [to Lucius]: as erst our ancestor, When with his solemn tongue he did discourse To love-sick Dido's sad attending ear The story of that baleful burning night When subtle Greeks surpris'd King Priam's Troy,— Tell us what Sinon hath bewitch'd our ears, Or who hath brought the fatal engine in That gives our Troy, our Rome, the civil wound.— VOL. V. Nor can I utter all our bitter grief, But floods of tears will drown my oratory, And break my very utterance, even in the time Here is a captain, let him tell the tale; Your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak. Were they that murdered our emperor's brother; Lastly, myself unkindly banished, The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out, Who drown'd their enmity in my true tears, Citing my worthless praise: O, pardon me; For when no friends are by, men praise themselves. Marc. Now is my turn to speak. Behold this child,- Of this was Tamora deliverèd; The issue of an irreligious Moor, Chief architect and plotter of these woes: The villain is alive in Titus' house, Damn'd (105) as he is, to witness this is true. Now judge what cause (106) had Titus to revenge These wrongs, unspeakable, past patience, Or more than any living man could bear. Now you have heard the truth, what say you, Romans? The poor remainder of Andronici Will, hand in hand, all headlong cast us down, Emil. Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome, (107) The common voice do cry it shall be so.(108) Romans. Lucius, all hail, Rome's royal emperor! [To Attendants, who go into the house. And hither hale that misbelieving Moor, To be adjudg'd some direful slaughtering death, LUCIUS, MARCUS, &c. descend. Romans. Lucius, all hail, Rome's gracious governor! Stand all aloof;-but, uncle, draw you near, To shed obsequious tears upon this trunk.— O, take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips, [Kissing Titus. These sorrowful drops upon thy blood-stain'd (109) face, The last true duties of thy noble son! Marc. Tear for tear, and loving kiss for kiss, Thy brother Marcus tenders on thy lips: Countless and infinite, yet would I pay them! Luc. Come hither, boy; come, come, and learn of us To melt in showers: thy grandsire lov'd thee well: |