Tell him the Emperor and the Empress too Mar. This will I do, and foon return again. [Exit. Tam. Now will I hence about thy bufinefs, And take my minifters along with me. Tit. Nay, nay, let Rape and Murder stay with me; Or elfe I'll call my brother back again, And cleave to no revenge but Lucius. Tam. What fay you, boys, will you abide with him, Whiles I go tell my Lord the Emperor, How I have governed our determined jeft? Yield to his humour, fmooth and speak him fair, And tarry with him 'till I come again. Tit. I know them all, tho' they fuppofe me mad; And will o'er-reach them in their own devices: A pair of curfed hell-hounds and their dam. [Afide. Dem. Madam, depart at pleasure, leave us here. Tam. Farewel, Andronicus; Revenge now goes To lay a complot to betray thy foes. [Exit Tamora. Tit. I know thou doft; and, fweet Revenge, farewel. Chi. Tell us, old man, how fhall we be employed? Tit. Tut, I have work enough for you to do. Publius, come hither, Caius and Valentine! Enter PUBLIUS and Servants. Pub. What is your will? Tit. Know ye thefe two? I take them, Chiron and Demetrius. Tit. Fy, Publius, fy! thou art too much deceived, The one is Murder, Rape is th' other's name; And therefore bind them, gentle Publius; [Exit Titus, Chi. Villains, forbear; we are the Emprefs' fons. Pub. And therefore do we what we are com manded. Stop close their mouths; let them not speak a word. Is he fure bound? look that ye bind them fast. Enter TITUS ANDRONICUS with a Knife, and LA-~ VINIA with a Bafon. Tit. Come, come, Lavinia; look, thy foes are bound; Sirs, ftop their mouths, let them not fpeak to me, But let them hear what fearful words I utter.. Oh, villains Chiron and Demetrius! Here ftands the fpring whom you have ftained with mud, This goodly fummer with your winter mixed: Both her fweet hands, her tongue, and that more dear Than hands or tongue, her fpotlefs chastity, Hark, villains, I will grind your bones to dust, And make two pasties of your shameful heads; And in that paste let their vile heads be baked. To make this banquet, which I with might prove [Exeunt. Enter LUCIUS, MARCUS, and Goths, with AARON Prifoner. Luc. Uncle Marcus, fince 'tis my father's mind That I repair to Rome, I am content. Goth. And ours with thine, befal what fortune will. Luc. Good uncle, take you in this barbarous Moor, This ravenous tyger, this accurfed devil; Let him receive no fuftenance, fetter him, 'Till he be brought unto th' Emp'ror's face, For teltimony of thefe foul proceedings; And fee the ambush of our friends be strong; 1 fear the Emperor means no good to us. Aar. Some devil whifper curfes in my ear, And prompt me, that my tongue may utter forth The venomous malice of my fwelling heart! Luc. Away, inhuman dog, unhallowed flave ! [Exeunt Goths with Aaron. Sirs, help our uncle to convey him in. [Flourish The trumpets fhew the Emperor is at hand. Sound Trumpets. Enter Emperor and Empress, with Tribunes and others. Sat. What, hath the firmament more funs than one? Luc. What boots it thee to call thyfelf a fun? Mar. Rome's Emperor, and nephew, break the parley; Thefe quarrels must be quietly debated: The feaft is ready, which the careful Titus » For peace, for love, for league, and good to Rome: A Table brought in. Enter TITUS like a Cook, placing the meat on the Table, and LAVINIA with a veil over her face. Tit. Welcome, my gracious Lord; welcome, dread Queen, Welcome, ye warlike Goths, welcome Lucius, And welcome all: although the cheer be poor, 'Iwill fill your ftomachs, pleafe you eat of it. Sat. Why art thou thus attired, Andronicus? Tit. Because I would be fure to have all well, To entertain your: Highnefs, and your Emprefs. Tam. We are beholden to you, good Andronicus, Tin And if your Highnefs knew my heart, you were. My Lord the Emperor, refolve me this; To flay his daughter with his own right hand, Tit. Your reason, mighty Lord? Sat. Because the girl fhould not furvive her shame, And by her prefence ftill renew his forrows.. Tit. A reafon mighty, strong, effectual, A pattern, precedent, and lively warrant, For me, moft wretched, to perform the like: Die, die, Lavinia, and thy fhame with thee, And with thy fhame thy father's forrow die. [He kills her.. Sat. What haft thou done, unnatural and unkind? Tit. Killed her, for whom my tears have madė me blind. I am as woeful as Virginius was, And have a thousand times more cause than he Sat. What, was fhe ravifhed? tell, who did the deed? Tit. Will't pleafe you eat, will't please your Highnels feed?" Tam. Why haft thou flain thine only daughter thus? Tit. Not I, 'twas Chiron and Demetrius. They ravished her, and cut away her tongue, And they, 'twas they that did her all this wrong. Sat. Go, fetch them hither to us presently. Tit. Why, there they are both, baked in that pye,. Whereof their mother daintily hath fed, Eating the flesh that the herself hath bred. 'Tis true, 'tis true; witnefs, my knife's fharp point. [He fabs the Empreis. |