Tit. Sirrah, come hither: make no more ado, But give your pigeons to the emperor : By me thou shalt have justice at his hands. Hold, hold; mean while, here's money for thy charges. Sirrah, can you with a grace deliver a supplication? Tit. Then here is a supplication for you. And when you come to him, at the first approach, you must kneel : then kiss his foot; then deliver up your pigeons; and then look for your reward, I'll be at hand, sir; see you do it bravely. Clo. I warrant you, sir; let me alone. Tit. Sirrah, hast thou a knife? Come, let me see it. Here, Marcus, fold it in the oration; For thou hast made it like an humble suppliant Tit. Come, Marcus, let's go :-Publius, follow me. SCENE IV. [Exeunt. The same. Before the Palace. Enter SATURNINUS, TAMORA, CHIRON, DEMETRIUS, Lords, and others; SATURNINUS with the arrows in his hand, that TITUS shot. Sat. Why, lords, what wrongs are these? Was ever seen An emperor of Rome thus overborne, Troubled, confronted thus; and, for the extent Of legal justice, us'd in such contempt? My lords, you know, as do the mightful gods, Buzz in the people's ears, there nought hath pass'd, Of old Andronicus. And what an if And blazoning our injustice every where? Shall be no shelter to these outrages: Tam. My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine, Whose loss hath pierc'd him deep, and scarr'd his heart; And rather comfort his distressed plight, Than prosecute the meanest, or the best, For these contempts. Why, thus it shall become But, Titus, I have touch'd thee to the quick, Enter Clown. [Aside, How now, good fellow? wouldst thou speak with us? Clo. Yes, forsooth, an your mistership be imperial. Tam. Empress I am, but yonder sits the emperor. Clo. 'Tis he.-God, and saint Stephen, give you good den: I have brought you a letter, and a couple of pigeons here. [SATURNINUS reads the letter. Sat. Go, take him away, and hang him presently. Clo. How much money must I have? Tam. Come, sirrah, you must be hang'd. Clo. Hang'd! By'r lady, then I have brought up a neck to a fair end. Sat. Despiteful and intolerable wrongs! Shall I endure this monstrous villany? [Exit, guarded. I know from whence this same device proceeds? la hope thyself should govern Rome and me. Eater EMILIUS. -What news with thee, Emilius ? Em. Arm, arm, my lords; Rome never had more cause! The Goths have gather'd head; and with a power Of high-resolved men, bent to the spoil, They hither march amain, under conduct Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus ; Who threats, in course of this revenge, to do Sat. Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths? As flowers with frost, or grass beat down with storms; And they have wish'd that Lucius were their emperor. Tum. King, be thy thoughts imperious, like thy name. With words more sweet, and yet more dangerous, Sat. But he will not entreat his son for us.' For I can smooth, and fill his aged ear Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue. Go thou before, be our embassador : [To ÆMIL. [1] Honey-stalks are clover flowers, which contain a sweet juice. It is common for cattle to overcharge themselves with clover, and die. JOHNSON. Say, that the emperor requests a parley Bid him demand what pledge will please him best. [Exit. And temper him, with all the art I have, To pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths. And now, sweet emperor, be blithe again, And bury all thy fear in my devices. Sat. Then go successfully, and plead to him. [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I.-Plains near Rome. Enter LUCIUS, and Goths, with drum and Colours. Luc. APPROVED warriors, and my faithful friends, Which signify, what hate they bear their emperor, 1 Goth. Brave slip, sprung from the great Andronicus, Be bold in us: we'll follow where thou lead'st,- Goths. And, as he saith, so say we all with him. Enter a Goth, leading AARON, with his Child in his arms. 2 Goth. Renowned Lucius, from our troops I stray'd, To gaze upon a ruinous monastery; And as I earnestly did fix mine eye I heard a child cry underneath a wall : I made unto the noise; when soon I heard Peace, villain, peace!-even thus he rates the babe,-- Who, when he knows thou art the emperess' babe, Luc. O worthy Goth! this is the incarnate devil, Why dost not speak? What! deaf? No; not a word? And by his side his fruit of bastardy. Aar. Touch not the boy, he is of royal blood. First, hang the child, that he may see it sprawl; Get me a ladder. [A ladder brought, which AARON is obliged to ascend. Aar. Lucius, save the child; And bear it from me to the emperess. If thou do this, I'll show thee wond'rous things, If thou wilt not, befall what may befall, I'll speak no more; But vengeance rot you all! Luc. Say on; and, if it please me which thou speak’st, Thy child shall live, and I will see it nourish’d. Aar An if it please thee? why, assure thee, Lucius, [2] Alluding to the proverb, “ A black man is a pearl in a fair woman's eye." MALONE. |