Dem. Stay, madam; here is more belongs to her; First thrash the corn, then after burn the straw: And with that painted hope braves your mightiness: And shall she carry this unto her grave? Chi. An if she do, I would I were an eunuch. Drag hence her husband to some secret hole, And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust. Tam. But when ye have the honey ye desire, 131 Let not this wasp outlive, us both to sting. Chi. I warrant you, madam, we will make that sure. Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy That nice-preserved honesty of yours. Lav. O Tamora! thou bear'st a woman's face, Tam. I will not hear her speak; away with her! Lav. Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word. Dem. Listen, fair madam; let it be your glory To see her tears; but be your heart to them As unrelenting flint to drops of rain. 141 Lav. When did the tiger's young ones teach the dam ? O, do not learn her wrath; she taught it thee; The milk thou suck'dst from her did turn to Lav. O Tamora, be call'd a gentle queen, And with thine own hands kill me in this place! For 'tis not life that I have begg'd so long; 170 Poor I was slain when Bassianus died. Tam. What begg'st thou, then ? fond woman, let me go. Lav. 'Tis present death I beg; and one thing more That womanhood denies my tongue to tell : 180 No, let them satisfy their lust on thee. Dem. Away! for thou hast stay'd us here too long. Lav. No grace? no womanhood? Ah, beastly creature! The blot and enemy to our general name! Chi. Nay, then I'll stop your mouth. Bring thou her husband: This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him. [Demetrius throws the body of Bassianus into the pit; then exeunt Demetrius and Chiron, dragging off Lavinia, Tam. Farewell, my sons: see that you make her sure. Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed, [Exit. Mart. Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here, All on a heap, like to a slaughter'd lamb, In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit. Quin. If it be dark, how dost thou know 'tis he? Mart. Upon his bloody finger he doth wear A precious ring, that lightens all the hole, Which. like a taper in some monument, Doth shine upon the dead man's earthy cheeks, And shows the ragged entrails of the pit: 230 So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus When he by night lay bathed in maiden blood. O brother, help me with thy fainting hand— If fear hath made thee faint, as me it hathOut of this fell devouring receptacle, As hateful as Cocytus' misty mouth. Quin. Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out; Into this gaping hollow of the earth? 251 Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus: Brought hither in a most unlucky hour, To find thy brother Bassianus dead. Sat. My brother dead! I know thou dost but jest: He and his lady both are at the lodge Upon the north side of this pleasant chase; 'Tis not an hour since I left him there. Mart. We know not where you left him all alive; But, out, alas! here have we found him dead. Re-enter TAMORA, with Attendants; TITUS ANDRONICUS, and LUCIUS. Among the nettles at the elder-tree Which overshades the mouth of that same pit 280 Sat. [To Titus] Two of thy whelps, fell curs of bloody kind, Have here bereft my brother of his life. How easily murder is discovered! Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee I beg this boon, with tears not lightly shed, That this fell fault of my accursed sons, 290 Accursed, if the fault be proved in them,Sat. If it be proved! you see it is apparent. Who found this letter? Tamora, was it you? Tam. Andronicus himself did take it up. Tit. I did, my lord: yet let me be their bail; For, by my father's reverend tomb, I vow Some bring the murder'd body, some the murderers: 300 Let them not speak a word; the guilt is plain; For, by my soul, were there worse end than death, That end upon them should be executed. Tam. Andronicus, I will entreat the king; Fear not thy sons; they shall do well enough. Tit. Come, Lucius, come; stay not to talk with them. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another part of the forest. Enter DEMETRIUS and CHIRON with LAVINIA, ravished; her hands cut off, and her tongue cut out. Dem. So. now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak, Who 'twas that cut thy tongue and ravish'd thee. Chi. Write down thy mind, bewray thy meaning so, An if thy stumps will let thee play the scribe. Dem. See, how with signs and tokens she can scrowl. Chi. Go home, call for sweet water, wash thy hands. Dem. She hath no tongue to call, nor hands to wash ; And so let's leave her to her silent walks. Chi. An 'twere my case, I should go hang myself. Dem. If thou hadst hands to help thee knit the cord. 10 [Exeunt Demetrius and Chiron. Enter MARCUS Mar. Who is this? my niece, that flies away so fast! Cousin, a word; where is your husband ? If I do wake, some planet strike me down, 20 And might not gain so great a happiness Ah, now thou turn'st away thy face for shame! 41 He would not then have touch'd them for his life! Or, had he heard the heavenly harmony Enter Judges, Senators and Tribunes, with MARTIUS and QUINTUS, bound, passing on to the place of execution; TITUS going before, pleading. Tit. Hear me, grave fathers! noble tribunes, stay! For pity of mine age, whose youth was spent 1 [Lieth down; the Judges, &c., pass by him, and Exeunt, For these, these, tribunes, in the dust I write My heart's deep languor and my soul's sad tears: Let my tears stanch the earth's dry appetite; My sons' sweet blood will make it shame and blush. O earth, I will befriend thee more with rain, Enter LUCIUS, with his sword drawn. Luc. O noble father, you lament in vain : The tribunes hear you not; no man is by ; And you recount your sorrows to a stone. Tit. Ah, Lucius, for thy brothers let me plead. 30 Grave tribunes, once more I entreat of you,Luc. My gracious lord, no tribune hears you speak. Tit. Why, 'tis no matter, man; if they did hear, They would not mark me, or if they did mark, They would not pity me, yet plead I must; 40 For that they will not intercept my tale : A stone is silent, and offendeth not, But wherefore stand'st thou with thy weapon drawn? Luc. To rescue my two brothers from their death: For which attempt the judges have pronounced My everlasting doom of banishment. 50 Tit. O happy man! they have befriended thee. Why, foolish Lucius, dost thou not perceive Marc. Titus, prepare thy aged eyes to weep; Or, if not so, thy noble heart to break : 60 1 bring consuming sorrow to thine age. Tit. Will it consume me? let me see it, then. Marc. This was thy daughter. her. Thy husband he is dead and for his death Thy brothers are condemn'd, and dead by this. 109 Look, Marcus! ah, son Lucius, look on her! When I did name her brothers, then fresh tears Stood on her cheeks, as doth the honey-dew Upon a gather'd lily almost wither'd. Marc. Perchance she weeps because they kill'd her husband; Perchance because she knows them innocent. Tit. If they did kill thy husband, then be joyful, 120 Because the law hath ta'en revenge on them. Looking all downwards, to behold our cheeks Pass the remainder of our hateful days? What shall we do? let us, that have our tongues, you; And therefore mine shall save my brothers' lives. Mare. Which of your hands hath not defended Rome, And rear'd aloft the bloody battle-axe, Aar. Nay, come, agree whose hand shall go along, For fear they die before their pardon come. Are meet for plucking up, and therefore mine. Luc. Sweet father, if I shall be thought thy son, 180 Let me redeem my brothers both from death. Marc. And, for our father's sake and mother's care, Now let me show a brother's love to thee. Luc. Then I'll go fetch an axe. [Exeunt Lucius and Marcus. Tit. Come hither, Aaron; I'll deceive them both: Lend me thy hand, and I will give thee mine. Aar. [Aside] If that be call'd deceit, I will be honest, And never, whilst I live, deceive men so: 190 Re-enter LUCIUS and MARCUS. Tit. Now stay your strife: what shall be is dispatch'd. Good Aaron, give his majesty my hand : Own. 200 |