TITUS ANDRONICUS.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

SATURNINUS, son to the late (SEMPRONIUS, Emperor of Rome, and af- CAIUS, terwards declared emperor. VALENTINE,

kinsmen to Titus.

BASSIANUS, brother to Satur- EMILIUS, a noble Roman.
ninus; in love with La- ALARBUS,
vinia.
TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble CHIRON,

DEMETRIUS,

}

sons to Ta

mora.

Roman, general against the AARON, a Moor, beloved by Goths.

MARCUS ANDRONICUS, tribune of the people, and brother to Titus.

Tamora.

A Captain, Tribune, Messen

ger, and Clown.

Romans and Goths.

TAMORA, Queen of the Goths.
LAVINIA, daughter to Titus
Andronicus.

A Nurse, and a Black Child.

Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants
SCENE - Rome and the country near it.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Rome. Before the Capitol.

The Tomb of the ANDRONICI appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft. Enter, below, from one side, SATURNINUS and his Followers; and, from the other side, BASSIANUS and his Followers; with drums and colors.

Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, Defend the justice of my cause with arms; And, countrymen, my loving followers,

Plead my successive title with your swords:
I am his first-born son, that was the last
That wore th' imperial diadem of Rome;
Then let my father's honors live in me,
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.

Bas. Romans,-friends, followers, favorers of my right,

If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son,

Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
Keep, then, this passage to the Capitol;
And suffer not dishonor to approach
Th' imperial seat, to virtue consecrate,
To justice, continence, and nobility:
But let desert in pure election shine;

And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.

Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the crown. Marc. Princes,- that strive by factions and by friends Ambitiously for rule and empery,—

Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand
A special party, have, by common voice,

In election for the Roman empery,

Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius

For many good and great deserts to Rome:
A nobler man, a braver warrior,

Lives not this day within the city walls:
He by the senate is accited home

From weary wars against the barbarous Goths;
That, with his sons, a terror to our foes,

Hath yok'd a nation strong, train’d up in arms.
Ten years are spent since first he undertook
This cause of Rome, and chastisèd with arms
Our enemies' pride: five times he hath return'd
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons
In coffins from the field;

And now at last, laden with honor's spoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.
Let us entreat,- by honor of his name,
Whom worthily you would have now succeed,
And in the Capitol and senate's right,

Whom you pretend to honor and adore,

That you withdraw you, and abate your strength;

Dismiss your followers, and, as suitors should,
Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.

Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts! Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy

In thy uprightness and integrity,

And so I love and honor thee and thine,
Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,

And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament,
That I will here dismiss my loving friends;
And to my fortunes and the people's favor
Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd.

[Exeunt the Followers of Bassianus.
Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my right,
I thank you all, and here dismiss you all;
And to the love and favor of my country
Commit myself, my person, and the cause.

[Exeunt the Followers of Saturninus.

Rome, be as just and gracious unto me
As I am confident and kind to thee.-

Open the gates, and let me in.

Bas. Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor.

[Flourish. Saturninus and Bassianus go up into the Capitol.

Enter a Captain.

Cap. Romans, make way: the good Andronicus,
Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion,

Successful in the battles that he fights,
With honor and with fortune is return'd
From where he circumscribed with his sword,
And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome.

Drums and trumpets sounded. Enter MARTIUS and
MUTIUS; after them, two Men bearing a coffin covered
with black; then LUCIUS and QUINTUS. After
them, TITUS ANDRONICUS; and then TAMO-
RA, with ALARBUS, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON,
AARON, and other Goths, prisoners;
Soldiers and People following.

The Bearers set down the
coffin, and TITUS speaks.

Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in my mourning weeds! Lo, as the bark that hath discharg'd her fraught

Returns with precious lading to the bay

From whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage,
Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel-boughs,
To re-salute his country with his tears,-
Tears of true joy for his return to Rome.—
Thou great defender of this Capitol,

Stand gracious to the rites that we intend!-
Romans, of five-and-twenty valiant sons,
Half of the number that King Priam had,
Behold the poor remains, alive and dead!
These that survive let Rome reward with love;
These that I bring unto their latest home,
With burial amongst their ancestors:

Here Goths have given me leave to sheathe my sword.
Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own,
Why suffer'st thou thy sons, unburied yet,
To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx?
Make way to lay them by their brethren.—

[The tomb is opened.

There greet in silence, as the dead are wont,
And sleep in peace, slain in your country's wars!
O sacred receptacle of my joys,

Sweet cell of virtue and nobility,

How many sons of mine hast thou in store,

That thou wilt never render to me more!

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 not unappeas'd,
Nor we disturb'd with prodigies on earth.

Tit. I give him you,— the noblest that survives,
The eldest son of this distressèd queen.

Tam. Stay, Roman brethren! - Gracious conqueror, Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, A mother's tears in passion for her son: And if thy sons were ever dear to thee, O, think my son to be as dear to me! Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome, To beautify thy triumphs and return, Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke; But must my sons be slaughter'd in the streets, For valiant doings in their country's cause?