More stern and bloody than the Centaur's feast. [Exeunt, bearing the dead Bodies. SCENE III. The same. A Pavilion, with Tables, &c. Enter LUCIUS, MARCUS, and Goths, with AARON, UN Prisoner. Lucius. NCLE Marcus, since it is my father's mind, 1 Goth. And ours, with thine, befall what Fortune will. Luc. Good uncle, take you in this barbarous Moor, Aar. Some devil whisper curses in mine ear, [Exeunt Goths, with AARON. Flourish. The trumpets shew the Emperor is at hand. Enter SATURNINUS and TAMORA, with Tribunes, Senators, and Others. Sat. What! hath the firmament more suns than one! Luc. What boots it thee, to call thyself a sun? Mar. Rome's Emperor and nephew, break the parle; These quarrels must be quietly debated. The feast is ready, which the careful Titus For peace, for love, for league, and good to Rome. Please you, therefore draw nigh and take your places. Sat. Marcus, we will. [Hautboys sound. The Company sit down at Table. TITUS places the Enter TITUS, dressed like a Cook; LAVINIA, veiled, Young LUCIUS, and others. Dishes on the Table. Tit. Welcome, my gracious lord; welcome, dread queen; Welcome, ye warlike Goths; welcome, Lucius; And welcome, all: although the cheer be poor, "Twill fill your stomachs; please you eat of it. Sat. Why art thou thus attir'd, Andronicus? Tit. Because I would be sure to have all well, To entertain your Highness and your Empress. Tam. We are beholden to you, good Andronicus. Tit. An if your Highness knew my heart, you were. My lord the Emperor, resolve me this: Was it well done of rash Virginius, To slay his daughter with his own right hand, Tit. Your reason, mighty lord! Sat. Because the girl should not survive her shame, And by her presence still renew his sorrows. Tit. A reason mighty, strong, and effectual; A pattern, precedent, and lively warrant, For me, most wretched, to perform the like. Die, die, Lavinia, and thy shame with thee; [He kills LAVINIA. And, with thy shame, thy father's sorrow die! Sat. What hast thou done, unnatural and unkind? Tit. Kill'd her, for whom my tears have made me blind. I am as woful as Virginius was; And have a thousand times more cause than he Sat. What! was she ravish'd? tell, who did the deed. Tit. Will't please you eat? will't please your High ness feed? Tam. Why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus? Tit. Not I; 'twas Chiron and Demetrius : They ravish'd 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 pie; Whereof their mother daintily hath fed, Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred. "Tis true, 'tis true; witness my knife's sharp point. [Killing TAMORA. Sat. Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed. [Killing TITUS. Luc. Can the son's eye behold the father bleed? There's meed for meed, death for a deadly deed. [Kills SATURNINUS. A great Tumult. The People in confusion disperse. MARCUS, LUCIUS and their Partisans ascend the Steps before TITUS' House. Mar. You sad-fac'd men, people and sons of Rome, Do shameful execution on herself. Cannot induce you to attend my words, Speak, Rome's dear friend! [To Lucius] as erst our ancestor, When with his solemn tongue he did discourse To lovesick Dido's sad attending ear, When subtle Greeks surpris'd King Priam's Troy; But floods of tears will drown my oratory, Here is a captain, let him tell the tale; Your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak. Were they that murdered our Emperor's brother; For their fell faults our brothers were beheaded; Lastly, myself unkindly banished, The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out, Who drown'd their enmity in my true tears, My scars can witness, dumb although they are, Of this was Tamora delivered, The issue of an irreligious Moor, Chief architect and plotter of these woes; And as he is, to witness this is true. Now you have heard the truth, what say you, Romans? Will, hand in hand, all headlong cast us down, Speak, Romans, speak; and, if you say we shall, Emil. Come, come to us, thou reverend man of And bring our Emperor gently in thy hand, The common voice do cry, it shall be so. Mar. Lucius, all hail; Rome's royal Emperor ! Go, go into old Titus' sorrowful house; [To an Attendant. And hither hale that misbelieving Moor, To be adjudg'd some direful slaughtering death, As punishment for his most wicked life. Rom. [Several speak.] Lucius, all hail! Rome's gracious Governour! Luc. Thanks, gentle Romans; may I govern so, To heal Rome's harms, and wipe away her woe! But, gentle people, give me aim awhile, For Nature puts me to a heavy task;Stand all aloof, but, uncle, draw you near, To shed obsequious tears upon this trunk.Oh, take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips, [Kisses TITUS. |