Enter CESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS,MECENAS, With one that I have bred? The gods! It smites SELEUCUS, and Attendants, Ces. Which is the queen Of Egypt! Dol. 'Tis the emperor, madam. Ces. Arise: You shall not kneel: me Beneath the fall I have. Prythee, go hence;" [CLEOPATRA kneels. Through the ashes of my chance :-Wert thou a I pray you, rise: rise, Egypt. Cleo. Sir, the gods Will have it thus; my master and my lord Ces. Take to you no hard thoughts: Cleo. Sole Sir o'the world, I cannot project mine own cause so well Ces. Cleopatra, know, We will extenuate rather than enforce : (Which towards you are most gentle,) you shall find A benefit in this change: but if you seek Cleo. And may, through all the world: 'tis sball Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest, I am possess'd of 'tis exactly valued ; Cleo. This is my treasurer: let him speak, my Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus. I had rather seel my lips, than, to my peril, Cleo. What have I kept back? Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made known. Ces. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra ; I approve Your wisdom in the deed. Cleo. See, Cesar! O behold How pomp is follow'd! mine will now be yours; mine. The ingratitude of this Seleucus does Even make me wild :-O slave, of no more trust back 7-thou shalt Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings: Slave, soulless villain, dog! O rarely base! Ces. Good queen, let us entreat you. For we intend so to dispose you, as Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep : Exeunt CESAR, and his Train, Be noble to myself: but hark thee, Charmian. Now, Iras, what think'st thou ? Cico. O Cesar, what a wounding shame is And forc'd to drink their vapour. Iras. I'll never for it; for, I am sure, my | Immortal longings in me: Now no more nails The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this Are stronger than mine eyes. Cleo. Why that's the way lip : Yare, yare, good Iras; quick.-Methinks, 1 To fool their preparation, and to conquer Enter CHARMIAN. Show me, my women, like a queen;-Go fetch To play till doomsday.-Bring our crown and all. [Exit IRAS. A Noise within. Enter one of the GUARD. sence: He brings you figs. To praise my noble act; I hear him mock Farwell, kind Charmian;-Iras, long farewell. Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instrument [Exit GUARD. May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty. My resolution's plac'd, and I have nothing Of woman in me: Now from head to foot I am marble-constant: now the fleeting moon Nɔ planet is of mine. Re-enter GUARD, with a CLOWN bringing a Guard. This is the man. [Exit GUARD. Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there, That kills and pains not? Clown. Truly I have him: but I would not be the party that should desire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal: those that do die of it, do seldom or never recover. Cleo. Remembers't thou any that have died on't ? Clown. Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterdaya very honest woman, but something given to lie as a woman should not do, but in the way of honesty-how she died of the biting of it, what pain she felt,-Truly, she makes a very good report o'the worm: But he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do: But this is most fallible, the worm's an odd worm. Cleo. Get thee hence; farewell. [CLOWN sets down the Basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind. t Cleo. Ay, ay; farewell. Clown. Look you, the worm is not to be trusted, but in the keeping of wise people; for, indeed, there is no goodness in the worm. Cleo. Take thou no care: it shall be heeded. Clown. Very good: give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding. Cleo. Will it eat me? Clown. You must not think I am so simple, but I know the devil himself will not eat a woman: I know that a woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her not. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women; for in every ten that they make, the devils mar five. Cleo. Well, get thee gone: farewell. worm. [Exit. Re-enter IRAs, with a Robe, Crown, &c. Cleo. Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Serpent. Char. Dissolve, thick cloud and rain; that I may say The gods themselves do weep! If she first meet the curled Antony, He'll make demand of her; and spend that kiss, Which is my heaven to have. Come, mortal wretch, [To the Asp, which she applies to her With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate That I might hear thee call great Cesar, Ass Char. O eastern star! Cleo. Peace, peace! Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, Char. O break! O break! Cleo. As sweet as balm, 1s soft as air, as gentle, O Antony ! Nay, I will take thee too :[Applying another Asp to her Arm. What should I stay [Falls on a Bed and Dies. Char. In this wild world?-So fare thee well. Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry; Enter the GUARD, rushing in. 1 Guard. Where is the queen ? [Applies the Asp. O come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee. 1 Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cesar's beguil'd. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cesar-call him. 1 Guard. What work is here ?-Charmian, is 1 Act according to his nature. myself. Dol. Cesar, thy thoughts Within. A way there, way for Cesar! Enter CESAR, and Attendants. Dol. O Sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear, is done. Ces. Bravest at the last : She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, I do not see them bleed. Dol. Who was last with them? Ces. Most probable, That so she died; for her physician tells me, Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed; 1 Guard. A simple countryman, that brought She shall be buried by her Antony: her figs : This was bis basket. Ces. Poison'd then. 1 Guard. O Cesar, No grave upon the earth shall clip in it This Charmian lived but now; she stood, and Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall, spake: I found her trimming up the diadem On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood, Ces. O noble weakness! If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear By external swelling; but she looks like sleep, In solemu show, attend the funeral; [Exeunt TITUS ANDRONICUS. LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. As it is intended, in the present collection of Shakspeare's Dramatic Works, to present in regular succession all such as have the scenery, characters, or manners, drawn from the same country, the sanguinary and disgusting Tragedy of Titus Andronicus is placed in immediate sequence to those that are essentially of Roman rigip. The events, however, are not of historical occurrence, but were probably borrowed from an old ballad entered on the books of the Stationers' Company in the year 1593, about which period it may also have been written. Its identity, however, as one of Shakspeare's productions, rests on a very doubtful foundation. Dr. Percy supposes it only to have been corrected and re-touched by aim; but, says Dr. Johnson, “I do not find his touches very discernible." It is devoid of any striking sentiment--- it has uone of the philosophic stateliness which generally distinguishes his plays---the anachronisms are gross---the language throughout is ns tumid and laboured as the plot is horrid and unnatural ;---and the only approach to energy discernible in the play, occurs in the scene between Aaron, the nurse, and Demetrius. Indeed, there is internal evidence enough (in the versification, the character of the composition, the total difference of conduct, language, and sentiment, and also in its resemblance to several dramas of much more ancient date) to prove, with irresistable force, that it has been erroneously ascribed to Shakspeare. Dr. Johnson says, “All the editors and critics agree with Mr. Theobald in supposing this play spurious. I see no reason for differing from them; for the colour of the style is wholly different from that of the other play, and there is an attempt at regular versification and artificial closes, not always inelegant, yet seldom pleasing. The barbarity of the spectacle, and the general massacre which are here exhibited, can scarcely be conceived tolerable to any audience : yet we are told by Jonson, that they were not only borne but applauded. That Shakspeare wrote any part, though Theobald declares it incontestible, I see no reason for believing." SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, | ÆMILIUs, a noble Roman. and afterwards declared Emperor ALARBUS, Basi accrued himself. with Lavinia. CHIRON, Sons to Tamorà.` AARON, a Moor, beloved by Tamora. TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman, General | A CAPTAIN, TRIBUNE, MESSENGER, and CLOWN; against the Goths. MARCUS ANDRONICUS, Tribune of the People; Romans. Goths and Romans. TAMORA, Queen of the Goths. LAVINIA, Daughter to Titus Andronicus. Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Ofi- SCENE: Rome, and the Country near it. ACT I. SCENE I.-Rome.-Before the Capitol. The tomb of the ANDRONICI appearing; the TRIBUNES and SENATORS aloft, as in the Senate. Enter, below, SATURNINUS and his Followers, on one side; and BASSIANUS and his Followers on the other; with Drum and Colours. Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, stand A special party, have, by their common voice, Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius For many good and great deserts to Rome; Bas. Romans,-fri nds, followers, favourers of A nobler man, a braver warrior, of my right, Lives not this day within the city walls: From weary wars against the barbarous Goths, Summoned. Scene II. TITUS ANDRONICUS. That, with his sons, a terror to our foes, And now, at last, laden with honour's spoils, Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy And her, to whoin my thoughts are humbled all, [Exeunt the Followers of BASSIANUS. Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my right, thank you all, and here dismiss you all ; And to the love and favour of my country Commit myself, my person, and my cause. [Exeunt the Followers of SATURNINUS. Bas. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor.. t 81 To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx ?- How many stue and nobility, sons hast thou in store, That thou wilt never render to me more! Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths, That we may hew his limbs, and. on a pile queror, Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, Tit. Patient yourself, madam, and pardon me. These are their brethren, whom you Goths beheld Alive and dead; and, for their brethren slain, To this your son is mark'd; and die he must, Andro-And with your swords, upon a pile of wood, f SCENE JI-The same. Enter a CAPTAIN, and others. Cap. Romans, make way-The good nicus, 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. Flourish of Trumpets, &c. Enter MUTIUS and MARTIUS: after them, two Men bearing a Copin covered with black; then QUINTUS and LUCIUS. After them, TITUS ANDRONIccs; and then TAMORA, with ALARBUS, CHIRON, DEMETRIUS, AARON, and other Goths, prisoners; Soldiers and People following. The Bearers set down the Coffin, and TITUS speaks. Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning Lo, as the bark that hath discharged her fraught, t Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety! L Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are 'lopp'd Make this his latest farewell to their souls. [Trumpets sounded, and the Coffins laid In peace and honour rest you here, my sons, Here Goths have given me leave to sheath my Secure from worldly chances and mishaps ! sword. Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own, wby suffer'st thou thy sons, unburied yet, +Freight. • Confide.. Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells, storms. |