Sung by GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS over FIDELE, supposed to be dead.
BY MR. WILLIAM COLLINS.
To fair Fidele's grassy tomb,
Soft maids and village hinds shall bring Each opening sweet, of earliest bloom, And rifle all the breathing spring. No wailing ghost shall dare appear To vex with shrieks his quiet grove; But shepherd lads assemble here, And melting virgins own their love. No wither'd witch shall here be seen, No goblins lead their nightly crew : The female fays shall haunt the green, And dress thy grave with pearly dew. The red-breast oft at evening hours, Shall kindly lend his little aid, With hoary moss, and gather'd flowers, To deck the ground where thou art laid. When howling winds, and beating rain, In tempests shake the sylvan cell; Or midst the chase on every plain, The tender thought on thee shall dwell. Each lonely scene shall thee restore; For thee the tear be duly shed: Belov'd, till life could charm no more; And mourn'd, till pity's self be dead.
C. Whittingham, Printer, Chiswick.
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
Saturninus, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, and afterwards declared Emperor himself.
Bassianus, Brother to Saturninus; in love with Lavinia. Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman, General against the Goths.
Marcus Andronicus, Tribune of the People; and Brother to Titus.
Sons to Titus Andronicus.
Young Lucius, a Boy, Son to Lucius. Publius, Son to Marcus the Tribune. Æmilius, a noble Roman.
Alarbus, Chiron, Demetrius,
Aaron, a Moor, beloved by Tamora.
A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown; Romans. Goths and Romans.
Tamora, Queen of the Goths.
Lavinia, Daughter to Titus Andronicus.
A Nurse, and a black Child.
Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants.
SCENE, Rome; and the Country near it.
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, Defend the justice of my cause with arms; And, countrymen, my loving followers, Plead my successive title with your swords: I am his first-born son, that was the last That ware the imperial diadem of Rome; Then let my father's honours live in me, Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.
Bas. Romans,-friends, followers, favourers of my
If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son,
Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome, Keep then this passage to the Capitol; And suffer not dishonour to approach The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate, To justice, continence, and nobility: But let desert in pure election shine;
And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.
Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS aloft, with the Crown. Mar. Princes, that strive by factions, and by Ambitiously for rule and empery,- [friends, Know, that the people of Rome, for whom we stand A special party, have, by their common voice, In election for the Roman empery, Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius
For many good and great deserts to Rome; A nobler man, a braver warrior,
Lives not this day within the city walls: He by the senate is accited home,
From weary wars against the barbarous Goths; That, with his sons, a terror to our foes, Hath yok'd a nation strong, train'd up in arms. Ten years are spent, since first he undertook This cause of Rome, and chastised with arms Our enemies' pride: Five times he hath return'd Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons In coffins from the field;
And now at last, laden with honour's spoils, Returns the good Andronicus to Rome, Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms. Let us entreat,-By honour of his name, Whom, worthily, you would have now succeed, And in the Capitol and senate's right, Whom you pretend to honour and adore,- That you withdraw you, and abate your strength; Dismiss your followers, and, as suitors should, Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.
Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts! Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy
In thy uprightness and integrity,
And so I love and honour thee and thine, Thy nobler brother Titus, and his sons,
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.
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