That have their alms out of the empress' chest.*: Enter TAMORA. TAM. My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thou sad,9 "Both goddesses let fall their chins upon their ivorie breasts, "Sat next to Jove, contriving still afflicted Troy's un rests." Again, in An excellent pastorall Dittie, by Shep. Tonie; published in England's Helicon, 1600: "With lute in hand did paint out her unrest.” STEEVENS. • That have their alms &c.] This is obscure. It seems to mean only, that they who are to come at this gold of the empress are to suffer by it. JOHNSON. 9 My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thou sad,] In the course of the following notes several examples of the savage genius of Ravenscroft, who altered this play in the reign of King James II. are set down for the entertainment of the reader. The following is a specimen of his descriptive talents. Instead of this line with which this speech of Tamora begins, she is made to say: "The emperor, with wine and luxury o'ercome, "Is fallen asleep; in's pendant couch he's laid, "That hangs in yonder grotto rock'd by winds, "Which rais'd by art do give it gentle motion: "And troops of slaves stand round with fans perfum'd, "Made of the feathers pluck'd from Indian birds, "And cool him into golden slumbers: "This time I chose to come to thee, my Moor. An emperor who has had too large a dose of love and wine, and in consequence of satiety in both, falls asleep on a bed which partakes of the nature of a sailor's hammock, and a child's cradle, is a curiosity which only Ravenscroft could have ventured to describe on the stage. I hope I may be excused for transplanting a few of his flowers into the barren desart of our comments on this tragedy. STEEVENS. My lovely Aaron, &c.] There is much poetical beauty in this When every thing doth make a gleeful boast? Be unto us, as is a nurse's song Of lullaby, to bring her babe asleep. speech of Tamora. It appears to me to be the only one in the play that is in the style of Shakspeare. M. MASON. 1 pression: 66 2 a checquer'd shadow-] Milton has the same ex many a maid "Dancing in the checquer'd shade." The same epithet occurs again in Locrine. STEEvens. 2 As if a double hunt were heard at once,] Hence, perhaps, a line in a well known song by Dryden: "And echo turns hunter, and doubles the cry." as is a nurse's song STEEVENS. Of lullaby, to bring her babe asleep.] Dr. Johnson, in his Dictionary, says, "it is observable that the nurses call sleep by, by; lullaby is therefore bull to sleep." But to lull originally signified to sleep. To compose to sleep by a pleasing sound is a secondary sense retained after its primitive import became obsolete. The verbs to loll and lollop evidently spring from the same root. AAR. Madam, though Venus govern your desires, No, madam, these are no venereal signs; Which never hopes more heaven than rests in thee,- And by meant house; go to by is go to house or cradle. The common compliment at parting, good by is good house, may your house prosper; and Selby, the Archbishop of York's palace, is great house. So that lullaby implies literally sleep in house, i. e. the cradle. HOLT WHITE. 4 though Venus govern your desires, Saturn is dominator over mine:] The meaning of this passage may be illustrated by the astronomical description of Saturn, which Venus gives in Greene's Planetomachia, 1585: The star of Saturn is especially cooling, and somewhat drie," &c. Again, in The Sea Voyage, by Beaumont and Fletcher: 66 for your aspect "You're much inclin'd to melancholy, and that "And if not qualified by a sweet conjunction "Of a soft ruddy wench, born under Venus, Thus also, Propertius, L. IV. i. 84: "Et grave Saturni sydus in omne caput.' STEEVENS. • His Philomel &c.] See Vol. XVIII, p. 471, n. 9. STEEVENS. And give the king this fatal-plotted scroll:- AAR. No more, great empress, Bassianus comes: Enter BASSIANUS and LAVINIA. BAS. Who have we here? Rome's royal emperess, Unfurnish'd of her well-beseeming troop? Or is it Dian, habited like her; i Who hath abandoned her holy groves, 6 ❝ of her-] Old copies of our. Corrected by Mr. Rowe. MALone. The edition 1600, reads exactly thus: Vnfurnisht of her well beseeming troop? TODD. 7- our private steps!] Edition 1600:-my private steps. TODD. • Should drive upon thy new-transformed limbs,] Mr. Heath suspects that the poet wrote: Should thrive upon thy new-transformed limbs,— as the former is an expression that suggests no image to the fancy. But drive, I think, may stand, with this meaning: the hounds should pass with impetuous haste, &c. So, in Hamlet: Pyrrhus at Priam drives," &c. i. e. flies with impetuosity at him. STEEVENS. LAV. Under your patience, gentle emperess, 'Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning; And to be doubted, that your Moor and you Are singled forth to try experiments: Jove shield your husband from his hounds to-day! 'Tis pity, they should take him for a stag. BAS. Believe me, queen, your swarth Cimmerian' Doth make your honour of his body's hue, Spotted, detested, and abominable. Why are you sequester'd from all your train? 1 LAV. And, being intercepted in your sport, BAS. The king, my brother, shall have note of this. 2 The old copies have upon his new-transformed limbs. The emendation was made by Mr. Rowe. MALONE. It is said in a note by Mr. Malone, that the old copies read, <6 upon his new-transformed limbs," and that Mr. Rowe made the emendation-thy. The edition of 1600 reads precisely thus: Should drive vpon thy new transformed limbes. TODD. swarth Cimmerian -] Swarth is black. The Moor is called Cimmerian, from the affinity of blackness to darkness. JOHNSON. 9 - swarth Cimmerian-] Edition 1600:-swartie Cymerion. TODD. 1 Accompanied with a barbarous Moor,] Edition 1600 reads: have note of this.] Old copies-notice. STEEVENS. Thus also the 4to. 1600. TODD. |