4

REFERENCES DESCRIPTIVE OF THE PLATES.

CHIRON, and DEMETRIUS did their utmost to deserve their fate; and SATURNINUS was justly punished for his ingratitude to TITUS. The punishment of AARON, the instigator and reveller in all the mischief and misery, seems hardly adequate to his crimes; but from his insensibility to suffering, and atrocious disposition, he is probably meant as a personification of "the Tempter walking to and fro upon the earth, seeking whom he may devour."

I.

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TITUS ANDRONICUS delivering ALARBUS to be sacrificed to the manes of his sons, killed in battle with the Goths. TAMORA entreats for her son's life.SATURNINUS and BASSIANUS, at the head of their respective parties, coming to ask the suffrage of TITUS for the empire. SATURNINUS is admiring TAMORA.

"Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths, That we may hew his limbs, and, on a pile, Ad manes fratrum sacrifice his flesh, Before this earthly prison of their bones; That so the shadows be uot unappeas'd, 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 conqueror, Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed,

A mother's tears in passion for her son.

Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge;

Thrice noble Titus, spare my first-born son.

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

ACT I. S. 2.

c 2

II.

SATURNINUS, having been chosen emperor at the instance of TITUS, offers his hand to LAVINIA; but immediately pays his court to TAMORA.-BASSIANUS, assisted by MARCUS ANDRONICUS, and the sons of TITUS, claims LAVINIA as his betrothed. TITUS resists, and kills MUTIUS, his son, who opposes him.

"SAT. A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue That I would choose, were I to choose anew.— Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance; Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer, Thou comest not to be made a scorn in Rome: Princely shall be thy usage every way.

Rest on my word, and let not discontent

Daunt all your hopes: Madam, he comforts you,
Can make you greater than the queen of Goths.
BASS.

Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.
(Seizing LAVINIA.)

MAR. Suum cuique is our Roman justice:

This prince in justice seizeth but his own.

Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live.

TIT. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's guard? Treason, my lord! Lavinia is surprised.

SAT. Surprised! by whom?

BASS.

Bear his betrothed from all the world a way.

By him that justly may

III.

The murder of BASSIANUS by CHIRON and DEMETRIUS.

"TAM. But straight they told me, they would bind me here

Unto the body of a dismal yew,

And leave me to this miserable death.
And then they call'd me foul adulteress,
Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms
That ever ear did hear to such effect.
Revenge it, as you love your mother's life,
Or be ye not from henceforth call'd my children.
DEM. This is a witness that I am thy son.

(Stabs BASSIANUS.) CHI. And this for me, struck home to show my strength. (Stabs him likewise.)

LAV.

For my father's sake,

That gave thee life when well he might have slain thee,

Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears.

TAM. Had'st thou in person ne'er offended me,

Even for his sake am I pitiless :

Remember, boys, I pour'd forth tears in vain

To save your brother from the sacrifice;

But fierce Andronicus would not relent:

Therefore away with her, and use her as you will;
The worse to her, the better loved of me."

ACT II. S. 3.

IV.

AARON leading MARTIUS and QUINTUS to the pit into which CHIRON and DEMETRIUS had thrown the body of BASSIANUS.

"AAR.

Come on, my lords; the better foot before:

Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit

Where I espied the panther fast asleep.

(MARTIUS falls into the pit.)

QUIN. What, art thou fallen? What subtle hole is

this?

AAR. (Aside.) Now will I fetch the king to find

them here;

That he thereby may give a likely guess

How these were they that made away his brother."

ACT II. S. 4.